Chapada dos Veadeiros
On the weekend we went to a huge national park 3 hours drive away from Brasilia called "Chapada dos Veadeiros". We arrived on Friday afternoon and decided to break ourselves into the camping experience by going to the recommended camping ground on the edge of the park. There was a waterfall 100 meters away, and it had all been well thought out and there was plenty of space.... well we were the only people camping, so we were a bit spoilt for choice. In the evening we decided to go to the "games" room and play some table tennis and pool. We put the Groove Collective on the stereo, drank some beers, and inadvertently annoyed the people staying in the posh Pousada rooms next door, as there were external speakers as well; something you don't realise when you're inside.
The next day we packed up and headed up the dirt road to São Jorge, the town next to the entrance to the park. This area used to be a crystal mining area, and when they closed the park to make it a heritage site they retrained all the miners as guides. When we arrived it was early and we tried to get some breakfast - most people were already drinking in the bars. We ended up getting breakfast and then heading of to Raizama - a forrest reserve with loads of canyons and waterfalls and the like. After lazing about in the water for a bit, we went back to São Jorge and managed to pitch our tent in some bloke's back garden for 5 reais (about a pound) - as we were pitching the tent the people next door were listening to loud reggae and doing the sorts of things you do when you listen to loud reggae - they were friendly, and so were the dogs. For one reason or another my portuguese decided to vacate my brain that evening and things became quite difficult trying to converse with guides to take us into the park the next day. I hadn't realised that in effect this would be a lecture, and the bloke bargaining with us was not the friendliest in the world and I felt we would leave it until we found a more chilled guide who might be a bit more tolerant of my lamentable portuguese. We headed out to various cool bars and restaurants that evening - the town transforms itself by night.
After a very good sleep accompanied by all sorts of strange noises from unknown animals and various multicoloured frogs, we headed up the road to the Almega waterfalls. These were truly amazing, the best yet, the first in particular being brilliant for swimming in. You can see some pictures from our stay at the Chapada here.
The next day we packed up and headed up the dirt road to São Jorge, the town next to the entrance to the park. This area used to be a crystal mining area, and when they closed the park to make it a heritage site they retrained all the miners as guides. When we arrived it was early and we tried to get some breakfast - most people were already drinking in the bars. We ended up getting breakfast and then heading of to Raizama - a forrest reserve with loads of canyons and waterfalls and the like. After lazing about in the water for a bit, we went back to São Jorge and managed to pitch our tent in some bloke's back garden for 5 reais (about a pound) - as we were pitching the tent the people next door were listening to loud reggae and doing the sorts of things you do when you listen to loud reggae - they were friendly, and so were the dogs. For one reason or another my portuguese decided to vacate my brain that evening and things became quite difficult trying to converse with guides to take us into the park the next day. I hadn't realised that in effect this would be a lecture, and the bloke bargaining with us was not the friendliest in the world and I felt we would leave it until we found a more chilled guide who might be a bit more tolerant of my lamentable portuguese. We headed out to various cool bars and restaurants that evening - the town transforms itself by night.
After a very good sleep accompanied by all sorts of strange noises from unknown animals and various multicoloured frogs, we headed up the road to the Almega waterfalls. These were truly amazing, the best yet, the first in particular being brilliant for swimming in. You can see some pictures from our stay at the Chapada here.
posted by Brasiliblog at 11:18 AM
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