OMG, is it really the end???
Has it finally come down to this???I call this THE END, because my GRU - NRT leg (that's Sao Paolo - Tokyo for the non-airport savvy readers) is the last flight on my around the world ticket.
But, just because it's my last ticket, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's the end of my trip. Right?! We'll see about that…
So, Sao Paolo.
It certainly isn't one of the prettiest cities. The architecture is blaaaah, as well as the sights. I spent one day doing the touristy thing, like walking around Avendida Paulista (the city's main thoroughfare):
I checked out the small markets nearby, but never ended up in the museum you see on the left. Odd that I now think about it. I know I'm not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but maybe the ugly outer appearance of the building had something to do with my decision...And then to the Liberdade, the Japanese district:
Having been away from Japanese food for so long (I can't say that my Rio encounter was Japanese), I was drawn to the nattos and tofus and snacks lining the aisles of the numerous stores. Surprisingly expensive, with a natto pack costing around $4. No doubt I would've happily spent that money, if I wasn't heading back to Japan so soon.I was hoping to meet up here with the JICA girls that I met in Recife, so I picked up the pay phone. Dialed. No answer. It was the weekend, and I only had her work number. Bad planning.
By the way, it's really to get around in the city with the metro and buses. Perfectly safe, no worries. Both around 2.50BRL for the ride.
With that done (really, that's sadly the extent of my sightseeing), the rest of my time in the city was devoted to shopping and eating.
The area around Rua Oscar Freire was great!!! A bit upscale, I once again fell in love with Brazilian designers.
Most notable would be Havaianas. Yup, the flip flop store, where I discovered that they have more than flip flops. I thought looooong and hard about buying a beach bag there, but didn't give in considering I wasn't likely to be at a beach anytime soon after this trip. I did, however, end up buying several pairs for my friends back home since they weren't that common there yet. Plus, I bought a ruler earlier in the day just for this purpose. Not kidding.
Unfortunately, no luck at Rosa Cha for the bikinis. Kicking myself for not buying the one I saw back in Rio.
But there were some nice clothes elsewhere that I thought might be useful back in Japan. I've been living off of the same15 shirts and underwear, 5 pants, 5 socks, a fleece, a rain jacket, and a sweater for the past year. It's probably time to change my wardrobe.
No need to point this out, but by the end of my shopping-mania, my backpack was extremely full. To the point I was concerned about my new shoes being disfigured when I unpacked in Tokyo.
And, to ease myself back into the reality that awaited me, I had a Starbucks latte.
With that done (really, that's sadly the extent of my sightseeing), the rest of my time in the city was devoted to shopping and eating.
The area around Rua Oscar Freire was great!!! A bit upscale, I once again fell in love with Brazilian designers.
Most notable would be Havaianas. Yup, the flip flop store, where I discovered that they have more than flip flops. I thought looooong and hard about buying a beach bag there, but didn't give in considering I wasn't likely to be at a beach anytime soon after this trip. I did, however, end up buying several pairs for my friends back home since they weren't that common there yet. Plus, I bought a ruler earlier in the day just for this purpose. Not kidding.
Unfortunately, no luck at Rosa Cha for the bikinis. Kicking myself for not buying the one I saw back in Rio.
But there were some nice clothes elsewhere that I thought might be useful back in Japan. I've been living off of the same15 shirts and underwear, 5 pants, 5 socks, a fleece, a rain jacket, and a sweater for the past year. It's probably time to change my wardrobe.
No need to point this out, but by the end of my shopping-mania, my backpack was extremely full. To the point I was concerned about my new shoes being disfigured when I unpacked in Tokyo.
And, to ease myself back into the reality that awaited me, I had a Starbucks latte.
THE END
(maybe)
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