Lencois Maranhenses Brazil – Canvas of Emerald White

The endless white sand dunes

Out of the three best things that befell my fortune in Belem; two happened on the same evening, within a span of few minutes with the same person and I am myself shocked that this person hails from the male species and I really took an intense liking to him. How and what got me to Alexandre is a long tale not suitable for current consumption, but suffice to say that he picked me up one bland Belem evening to offer my hungry soul some delightful delicacies. We finally ended up in a roadside joint and had just dipped our fingers in a large cauldron (caldrao) of fish swimming unceremoniously in thick clear yellow soup when suddenly Alexandre froze, one twisted shrimp poised tantalizingly from his lips. He could as well be a fish about to take the bait but at the last moment arrested by his element of surprise. I wondered how could he take the delectable shrimp that close to his mouth and not put it in! Some display of self-control, if I had seen any.

Iguacu Falls Brazil

 When I made my escape from Uruguay, I needed some place that would not only wipe away all the dust and grime of that nation but also allow me to forget all my follies I committed therein. My intended escape route out of Uruguay was ‘over the land’ trip to Porto Alegre in Brazil but as nothing ever happens according to plan, on a whim I bought a ticket to Foz do Iguacu, gateway town to the famous Iguacu Falls, which many tout as the world’s eighth natural wonder – that kept me wondering what the other seven were! Never mind my wonder, but I was in so much rush to leave Uruguayan soil that I reached the petite airport 4 hours ahead of schedule despite losing my bus and way twice.