A shortcut to Brazil

We arrived in Rio!

2008-10-08T20:00:00.007-03:00

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After approximately 26,000 miles of traveling around the world during the last 4 months, we arrived in Rio. Now we are figuring out our next venture. :)

Los Angeles ---> Tokyo ---> Kyoto ---> Tokyo ---> Beijing ---> Xi'An ---> Beijing ---> Hong Kong ---> Macau ---> Singapore ---> Ubud, Bali ---> Bingin Beach, Bali ---> Padang ---> Mentawai Islands ---> Padang ---> Singapore ---> Hanoi ---> Halong Bay ---> Hanoi ---> Da Nang ---> Hoi An ---> Hanoi ---> Bangkok ---> Chiang Mai ---> Chiang Khong ---> Pak Ben ---> Luang Prabang ---> Siem Reap ---> Kuala Lumpur ---> Phuket ---> Ko Phi Phi ---> Railay ---> Surat Thani ---> Ko Tao ---> Chumphon ---> Bangkok ---> Cairo ---> Madrid ---> Rio de Janeiro

Last stop - Madrid

2008-10-08T14:36:00.006-03:00

Even though Madrid was not part of the inicial plan, it was a perfect place to celebrate the success of our trip. It felt like no city on earth is more alive than Madrid, and this is one city that carries a simple message: enjoy life! We hope we can carry this moto to our life in Rio.

Ko Tao

2008-10-08T13:45:00.004-03:00

Boat from Surat Thani to Ko Tao

We selected Ko Tao (cheap PADI certfificate paradise) in the Southern Gulf as our last beach stop in Thailand. It is a small and laid back island as beautiful and less chaotic than its famous neighbours (Ko Samui and Ko Pha - Ngan). It was a perfect place to relax on the beach and enjoy dinner on the sand...a great way to wrap up our Thai Beach tour and slowly prepare ourseselves to our trip back to reality.

Railay (or Rai Leh)

2008-10-07T21:50:00.005-03:00

Rai Leh is a gorgeous isthmus around the corner from Krabi and Ao Nang, but it feels oceans away. Hiding behind a layer of limestone cliffs, we found it one of the most stunning locations in Thailand. The beach is a super mellow place, free of transport or stalls selling knock offs, with emerald waters and psychedelic sunsets. : )

Rai Leh is also famous for the hundreds of excellent rock-climbing routes up the surrounding cliffs - another amazing dose of adrenaline in our trip.

Phi Phi Leah

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Ko Phi Phi Leah is a satellite island that remains uninhabited, and is protected on all sides by soring cliffs. The water is translucent and two gorgeous lagoons make this island's interiors an unbelivable place. The movie 'The Beach' was filmed here, so you get the idea ;)

Ko Phi Phi

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Despite the tragic tsunami that swept through Phi Phi Don in December 2004, this island is incredibly beautiful. Ko Phi Phi Don is actually two islands joined by an narrow isthmus with Ao Ton Sai and Ao Lo Dalam beaches on either side. We stayed in Hat Yao (also known as Long Beach), which is accessible by boat or by a 30-minute hike from the village. The views from Phi Phi Leah, perfect swimming water and white sand are a hard combination to beat.

Phuket, Thailand

2008-10-07T20:23:00.004-03:00

Back to Thailand....Now exploring the south...

We headed to Phuket to start our Thailand beach tour.

We stayed in Kata and managed to stay away from the resort type of crowds commonly present in this tourist magnet island. We rented a bike to circle the island and at the end Hat Kata Yai and Kata Noi were our favorite beaches! Plus, if you get lucky, both can offer some decent surf sessions and beautiful sunsets.

An afternoon in Kuala Lampur

2008-10-07T20:17:00.003-03:00

We made a stop in Kuala Lampur and decided to check out the city's main attraction - the Petronas Towers.

Cambodian friends

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No wonder why Angelina Jolie wants to adopt them all...

They are the smartest kids we ever met...truly amazing! Most of them speak more than 5 languages, and know A LOT about several countries in the world (including Brazil's capital). It was really nice to hang out with them.

More temples of Angkor........

2008-10-07T19:26:00.004-03:00

Here are a few more temples we visited. Enjoy!

Terrace of Elephants, Preah Palilay, Ta Keo, Banteay Srei, Preah Neak Pean, and Banteay Kdei.

Bayon and Ta Prohm - Siem Reap, Cambodia

2008-10-07T19:03:00.005-03:00

These were our two favorites temples!

Inside Bayon you fell like somebody is always staring at you. The reason? Try to count how many faces you can find on the first pictures. (there are a total of 216 gargantuan faces in the temple).

Ta Prohm is a must see. You fell inside an Indiana Jones movie. :) Check out the trees devouring the temple. This was used as a set for shooting both Tomb Rider and Two Brothers.

Angkor Wat: the world's largest religious monument

2008-10-07T18:27:00.004-03:00

It is quite impressive. It was built between the 9th and 13th centuries, both as a capital and the State Temple dedicated to Vishnu.
The temple combines two major features of the Khmer architecture - a pyramid and concentric galleries.
It is above all a microcosm if the Hindu universe. The moat represents the mythical oceans surrounding the Earth and the secession of concentric gardens represent the mountain range that surround Mt. Meru, the home of the Gods. The towers represent the mountains peaks, and the experience of the ascent to the central shrine is a fairly convincing imitation of climbing a real mountain.

From Laos to Cambodia

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Our turbojet flight added some extra adrenaline to the journey...

Giving Alms to the Monks in Luang Prabang

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One of the ways to "make merit" in Buddhism is to give alms to the monks. Their food for the day comes from this ritual, held very early in the morning around 6:00AM in the city main street. It is a very regimented ritual, with closely observed etiquette and routines. We observed it from across the street and found it a very special ritual.

Mountain Biking & Waterfalls

2008-10-07T07:48:00.002-03:00

Luang Prabang is located amidst several green mountains and the maroon Mekong River, which makes it a great place for all sorts of ecosports. We enjoyed its beautiful waterfalls (especially Kuang Si) and spent a day cycling off the beaten paths of this beautiful old french town.

Temples in Luang Prabang

2008-10-06T18:55:00.007-03:00

There are more than 30 Temples in this relatively small town. Plus, an added bonus to exploring the city's temples was the opportunity to learn a bit more about the monks lifestyle and watch their new challenges with the recent explosion of tourism in Laos. It was very cool to share an internet cafe with a novice monk though.

Luang Prabang - Laos

2008-10-06T16:33:00.000-03:00

Luang Prabang is the jewel of Indochina, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1995. The ancient royal city is surrounded by mountains at the junction of the Mekong and its tributary, the Khan river. In the centre of the city is Mount Phousi with stunning views of the surrounding temples and hills. We enjoyed Lao, its people and food and prolonged our stay from 4 to 7 days as we elected Luang Prabang as our unwinding stop. It worked as a perfect chill out destination!

Thailand to Lao by boat via Mekong River

2008-10-06T15:57:00.000-03:00

It took us two days on this slow boat to go from Chiang Khon, Northern Thailand, to Luang Prabang, in Lao. Even though the views along the Mekong River are very rewarding this was one of the longest and most exhausting border crossing experiences we ever had. Basically the trip consists of 6-7 hours per day in the boat and a overnight sleep in a small village called Pak Beng. We did not mind sleeping on the bench of the boat (or on its floor), so I would say the boat trip added a few interesting stories to the journey :)

Chiang Mai Night Market

2008-09-28T08:08:00.000-03:00

Altough we found several street markets across Asia, this one had its own character: lots of local arts and crafts (instead of the cheap chinese stuff available everywhere else), amazing food and great people watching. Plus, the best of all, after you get tired of shopping, you can get a GREAT foot massage on the spot : )

Trekking in Chiang Mai

2008-09-28T07:48:00.000-03:00

Chaing Mai, northern Thailand, besides being know for its great culinary, it is also a great place to explore the outdoors. We enjoyed a trekking + elephant riding + rafting day with some crazy local guides!

Wat Arun

2008-09-28T07:23:00.000-03:00

The temple marks the re-emergence of the Thai capital after the Burmese invasion in the 18th century. The central tower is symbolic of Mt Meru, centre of the universe in Hindu and Buddhist mythology. It is a great way to enjoy the views of the river bank at 82m high.

Wat Pho

2008-09-10T07:55:00.000-03:00

The highly impressive gold plated reclining Buddha is 46 meters long and 15 meters high, and is designed to illustrate the passing of the Buddha into nirvana. The feet and the eyes are engraved with mother-of-pearl decoration, and the feet also show the 108 auspicious characteristics of the true Buddha.

The Grand Palace

2008-09-10T06:47:00.000-03:00

If there is one must-see sight in Bangkok, it's the dazzling, spectacular Grand Palace, undoubtedly the city's most famous landmark. Built in 1782 -and for 150 years the home of the Thai King, the Royal court and the administrative seat of government, it continues to have visitors in awe with its beautiful architecture and intricate detail, all of which is a proud salute to the creativity and craftsmanship of Thai people.

Chilli, Fish Sauce, Sugar and Vinegar...

2008-09-10T06:17:00.000-03:00

...will adjust the spiceness, saltiness, sweetness and sourness of your Thai dish. Most restaurant will provide that in your table, making the whole eating experience even more flavourful.

Also, don't let the simple cooking set up of the streets stalls turn you off; there are a lot of simple little street stalls that do a great job and their "busy" WOK pan will only add to the flavour.

We definitely LOVED Thai food! :)

Snapshots of Bangkok

2008-09-10T05:43:00.000-03:00

Although sometimes you think all 10 million residents are driving around at the same time (either by car, bus or tuk-tuk); the flavour of the food, the uniqueness of its river ferries and its sumptuous temples make this capital a very exciting destination. Here are a few clicks.

Marble Mountains, DaNang

2008-09-07T05:47:00.000-03:00

The Marble Mountains are five marble and limestone hills south of Da Nang city. The five mountains are named under the five elements in Vietnam - metal, water, wood, fire and earth.

The mountain we climbed had several caves and tunnels, including several buddhist sanctuaries and great views from its peak.

The area is famous for stone sculpture making and stone cutting crafts, however rock stracting from the mountains were recently banned (and the marble is now coming from China).

We suggest a hike up to the mountains in the morning and a cold HaNoi Beer at the China Beach (across the street) for the sunset!

Beach Day @ South China Sea

2008-09-07T05:03:00.000-03:00

Cua Dai Beach and China Beach are a great excuse to spend a couple more days in Hoi An.

Hoi An - a must visit in Vietnam

2008-09-07T04:03:00.000-03:00

Hoi An is a small city on the coast of the South China Sea, in the South Central Coast of Vietnam. In 1999, the old town was declared a World Heritage site by UNESCO as a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port of the 15th to 19th centuries, whose buildings display a unique blend of local and foreign influences, including French, Japanese and Chinese.

We stayed there for 5 days, and the old town was a great place to relax, eat great food and walk around. There are many charming restaurants and bars, beautiful art galleries, interesting temples and old houses, and amazing handcrafts (especially lanterns). Also, one of the biggest attractions are the local tailors, who make custom tailored clothes for a bargain! It is hard to resist...and, of course, we did not :)

Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum in Hanoi

2008-09-07T03:31:00.000-03:00

The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is a large memorial to the Vietnamese leader. It is located in Ba Ðình Square in Hanoi and was modeled after Lenin's Mausoleum. Ho Chi Minh's body is preserved here and the mausoleum is open for people to come and pay their respects.

"Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890 – September 2, 1969) was a Communist, Marxist-Leninist Vietnamese revolutionary and statesman, who later became prime minister (1946–1955) and president (1946–1969) of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam). Ho led the Viet Minh independence movement from 1941 onward, establishing the communist-governed Democratic Republic of Vietnam in 1945 and defeating the French Union in 1954 at Dien Bien Phu. He led the North Vietnamese in the Vietnam War until his death; six years later, the war ended with a North Vietnamese victory, and Vietnamese unification followed. He was named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th century, while the former capital of South Vietnam, Saigon, was renamed Ho Chi Minh City in his honor."

Amazing Cave - Halong Bay

2008-09-04T03:04:00.000-03:00

The name says it all! :)

Halong Bay - Vietnam

2008-09-04T02:45:00.000-03:00

Local legend says that long ago when the Vietnamese were fighting Chinese invaders, the gods sent a family of dragons to help defend the land. This family of dragons began spitting out jewels and jade. These jewels turned into the islands and islets dotting the bay, linking together to form a great wall against the invaders.

Located in the northeast of Vietnam, the bay features thousands of limestone karsts and isles in various sizes and shapes rising from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin.

We took a 3 day, 2 night tour that included 1 night on a beautiful junk boat, kayaking and cave visits, and we finish the tour with a great 14 km bike ride along Cat Ba island. Another highlight in our Vietnam trip!

Scenes of Hanoi

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When driving or strolling around in Hanoi, you would not fail to see some amazingly interesting buildings. Many are narrow, and quite a few are quite tall. The building owners are taxed based on the measurement of the front of their house. Therefore in a bid to reduce taxes, the house owners tended to build houses that have very narrow fronts, but to have sufficient space for the whole family, they built upwards and set up their shops on the ground level.

Another great feature of the houses here are the colors. Probably due to the influence of their previous French colonial masters, the houses here sport bright yellow, brilliant blue and even green facades.

If you take a look at the buildings, you will see that many have nice terraces and balconies with ornamental balustrades and windows with wooden shutters-which gives the place a very European feel and charm, of course, it is with a Vietnamese twist. :)

Opera Night

2008-08-27T07:21:00.000-03:00

We enjoyed a great night at Hanoi Opera House with music from Johann Strauss, Giuseppe Verdi, and George Gershwin. Constructed by the French in 1911, it is based on the Opéra Garnier (the Paris Opera House) and located in the center of the French Quarter of Hanoi. The building and its interiors are one of the best examples of the beautiful architecture in Hanoi.

Bikes or Burden?

2008-08-27T07:07:00.000-03:00

The motorbikes are a special character of Hanoi. You will find TONS of them everywhere and sometimes their load is unbelievable: from 4 people (including just born babies), to live pigs and chickens, and all kinds of home furnishings and electronics. It is fun to watch, but better not get on their way :)

The Real Taste of Hanoi

2008-08-27T06:32:00.000-03:00

The food scene is very interesting, not only the restaurants are great and diverse but the street food is fantastic. You can enjoy authentic Vietnamese specialties with Hanoi Beer for less than U$2 in the little street stalls. We learned this is one of the best places to eat like the locals do!

The open-air markets are an experience apart - beside selling a lot of weird food - water snakes, dog meat, live chickens, dried seafood - the food is handled without any special care. The mixture of strong sights and scents sometimes requires a strong stomach : )

Hanoi - Vietnam

2008-08-27T06:09:00.000-03:00

The capital of Vietnam is a romantic blend of "old" Asia and French heritage, Hanoi doesn't disappoint. In the other hand, it can also be intense: the traffic is chaotic, pushy street vendors are everywhere, and you need some guts (or a few days in the city) to learn how to cross the streets. A walk around the Old Quarter is always an adventure!

You will either love it or hate it. We loved it!

Singapore

2008-08-27T05:43:00.000-03:00

This was a short stop...a LOT more "westernized" and much more expensive than its neighbors that we visited.

Mentawai Surfing

2008-08-27T05:14:00.000-03:00

I felt like a little kid at Disneyland...the combination of different waves, swell size and direction is the best I've ever seen! HT's Lances Right, in front of our hotel, is a fast and SHALLOW perfect right. One of the best barrels that I've ever enjoyed in my life! There was also Lances Left across the hills...a LONG, perfect left that breaks smoothly in a outstanding reef - a fantastic way to fine tune the backside turns. Finally, with a boat, you have another 20+ surf breaks hours away.

If you ever considered this trip, don't think twice! Alex

Katiet Village

2008-08-27T04:53:00.000-03:00

Here in the middle of the Indian Ocean is a community without any roads, police and largely egalitarian in political social structure. Its food systems are mostly pristine and free from any unnatural additives.
In Katiet, men and women spend their days in the fields harvesting cash crops like copra and cloves, while children attend the local school. The population is just a few hundred in Katiet, but their smiles are still contagious. :)

Mentawai lifestyle

2008-08-27T04:28:00.001-03:00

We stayed in the island of Sipura in the Katiet Villa Resort. Our days consisted of 2-3 surfing sessions, 3 delicious meals, LOTS of reading, swimming pool, mosquito repellent, occasional fishing and, of course, Bintang Beer.

Off to Mentawai Islands

2008-08-27T03:57:00.000-03:00

It was not easy nor cheap to get there, but we decided to GO FOR IT : ) It was ALL worth it!!!!! The Mentawai Islands are a chain of about seventy islands and islets off the western coast of Sumatra in Indonesia. Siberut (4,030 km²) is the largest of the islands. The other major islands are Sipura, North and South Pagai.

The islands lie approximately 150 km off the Sumatran coast, in other words, a 10 hour boat trip from Padang across the Mentawai Strait.

Padang Padang

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Even in a small day of surfing, Padang Padang was a hit!

Monkey Business...

2008-08-27T03:16:00.000-03:00

...in Bali.

Uluwatu Beach & Temple

2008-08-27T02:52:00.000-03:00

Pura Luhur Uluwatu is one of the oldest temples and a great place to enjoy the sunset. Dedicated to the spirits of the sea, the famous temple is an architectural wonder in black coral rock, beautifully designed with spectacular views. Uluwatu beach is blessed by its surroundings and it is by far one of the best (and scariest) waves in the island.

Bukit Peninsula - Surfer's Paradise - Bali

2008-08-21T00:05:00.000-03:00

We believe it could also be named - wonderland : )

Our hotel was 3min walk down the hill of one of the best waves in the world, the scenery is beautiful, the people are lovely and the accomodation is cheap! In the pictures you see Bingin, Impossibles, Dreamland (our hotel's beaches) and Balangan Beach's reef.

The biggest thing we had to worry was the combination of sharp coral reefs, shallow waters, powerful waves and the (inevitable) cuts. Also, the monkeys are always interested in your breakfast :)

Got gas?

2008-08-20T23:41:00.000-03:00

We had a blast with our motorbiking experience in Bali...it took some time to get used to the CRAZY traffic, but in the end we've got some good stories :)

Mount Batur Hike

2008-08-20T01:29:00.000-03:00

The Gunung Batur (1,750m) is an active volcano located near two concentric calderas northwest of Ubud, along Danau Batur lake - the largest lake in Bali. The hike is intense, aprox 5 hours round trip, BUT the scenery is unforgetable. We started our hike at 4am and enjoyed a beautiful sunrise at the top of the main caldera. Definetely worth the sweat!

Ubud Royal Cremation Cerimony

2008-08-20T00:15:00.000-03:00

In Hindu Bali belief, a cremation ceremony symbolizes the cleansing of the soul of the one who has passed away, by returning the physical remains to the original elements from which living creatures are created and thereby releasing the soul from its worldly bonds. The cerimony is not a mournful occasion, but rather a way to soothe the soul of the departed and ensure that it is not disturbed by the sobbing of those left behind.

The bodies of the deceased were carried through the streets of Ubud by thousands of local people on top of a nine-tiered tower called ‘bade’. The procession was accompanied by an elaborately decorated and venerated bull effigy (Lembu) and a mythical dragon-like creature (Naga Banda), with a five meter-long tail. The naga is reserved for only the elders of the Royal family and is thus seldom seen in cremation ceremonies. At the end of the procession the cremation of the bodies (and few floats used in the procession) are held in the family temple.

The Ubud Royal Family held this ceremony for the bodies of two prominent elders of the family:
TJOKORDA GDE AGUNG SUYASA, who was head of the Ubud Royal Family and the leader of the traditional community in Ubud since 1976, and TJOKORDA GEDE RAKA, who was a senior office in the police force in Denpasar until his retirement in 1992. The effigy of GUNG NIANG RAKA, whose body was cremated in a smaller ceremony in December soon after she died, was also given a full cremation ceremony.

Creativity overwhelmed this important day in Ubud, with Balinese creativity outshining all in the design of the 70 odd floats dignity for the manner in which the bodies and ashes of the deceased were handled respect by the thousands of on-lookers, foreigners and locals alike, who dressed appropriately in sarongs, kebaya and head gear. Brute strengths from the 250 000 local men who carried the two 11 ton, 7 meter tall Bades with the coffins atop; and the others who carried equally heavy sarcophagus bulls, dragons and around 70 other floats ingenuity by the way the human bodies twisted and manipulated their giant responsibilities around trees, power lines and the many other obstacles along the narrow Ubud streets.

In Ubud, such ‘mass’ cremations are held only every 3-5 years. On July 15, we were fortunate to experience the biggest of all cremations in the last 20 years as three members of the Royal Family of Ubud were cremated along with approximately 70 other deceased from the local community. We hope you can catch a glimpse of the event browsing a few of our pictures!

Ubud - Bali - Indonesia

2008-08-11T09:18:00.000-03:00

Ubud enchanted us with its beautiful rice fields, smiley and lovely people, religious rituals and temples.

From top to bottom: Sayan Terrace, Gunung Kawi Temple, Pura Taman Kemuda Saraswati Temple.

Macau Tastes Highlights

2008-08-11T08:52:00.000-03:00

The Macanese food was very flavourful! Alex claimed he found the best jerkey he ever tasted. Also, the Pigeon was in his top rank of the "weird" menu list. And if you like desert, you cannot miss their Milk Pudding or the readily available Portuguese Egg Tarts. Yummy!

Macau Historic Buildings

2008-08-11T08:38:00.000-03:00

Largo do Senado, Ruinas da Igreja de Sao Paulo, Clube Militar, Igreja de Sao Domingos, Santa Casa de Misericordia, e Teatro Dom Pedro V.

Fortaleza da Guia / Guia Fortress

2008-07-27T22:52:00.000-03:00

In the early 1550s the Portuguese reached Ou Mun, which the locals also called A Ma Gao, "place of A Ma", in honour of the Goddess of Seafarers, whose temple stood at the entrance to the sheltered Inner Harbour. The Portuguese adopted the name, which gradually changes into the name Macau, and with the permission of Guangdong's mandarins, established a city that within a short time had become a major entrepot for trade between China, Japan, India and Europe.

Guia Fortress, built in 1637-38, occupies the top of Guia Hill, the highest point in Macau. It was designed to defend Macau from attacks from the sea, but because of its position overlooking the entire city, its chief value has been as an observation post.

As calcadas, o nome das ruas e as antigas contrucoes portuguesas nos lembraram muito o Brasil. Porem, ao contrario do que pensavamos, Mandarin e Ingles sao mais faladas que o Portugues.

Macau

2008-07-27T22:06:00.000-03:00

Macau felt like a portuguese village with some Vegas touch. It is an unusual combination of old and new, but definitely worth stopping.

Here are some pics of the Wynn Hotel.

Temple of the 10,000 Buddhas

2008-07-23T10:39:00.000-03:00

There is a 431-step climb up to the temple, but the view of the city is rewarding.

The principal temple, built in 1957, is dedicated to Kuan Yin, and has in the forecourt a nine-story pagoda with some 13,500 figures of the Buddha in different postures.

Piscinao de Ramos :)

2008-07-23T10:35:00.000-03:00

Kowloon Park - Hong Kong

Happy Hour in HK

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SoHo and Lan Kwai Fong are famous for their bars and lively Happy Hour.

We enjoyed walking around these blocks and we were amazed by the number of bars and good food available!

These areas are reached by the Mid Levels Escalators, which consist of twenty escalators and three moving sidewalks, and measures 800 meters (1/2 mile) in length, making it the longest outdoor covered escalator in the world.

Most important is that just about every Hong Kong delight imaginable is a short electric ladder ride away.

Hong Kong Harbour

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Hong Kong was a good surprise! It felt kind like New York with a Chinese twist. :)

Temple of Confucius

2008-07-21T03:20:00.000-03:00

Kongmiao is one of the most important Confucian temples, after the one in his hometown of Qufu in Shandong.
It is an extensive haven of tranquility in the heart of Beijing, and forms part of a larger compound containing the Imperial Academy. First built in the 13th century, the Confucius Temple was renovated in the 18th century.

Beijing is a vibrant mix of history and modernity...

We definitely had a great time here!

Lama Temple

2008-07-21T02:56:00.000-03:00

Yonghegong Tibetan Buddhist Lama Temple, the biggest lamasery in Beijing, was constructed in 1694 as the residence of Prince Yong of Qing Dynasty.
The 18 meter Buddha was carved out of one single piece of white sandalwood.

Este templo recebe muitos Chineses que vem rezar e fazer oferendas - normalmente 3 incensos - as muitas estatuas de Buda presentes no templo.

Beijing's new skyline

2008-07-21T02:37:00.000-03:00

Construction is on the rise in Beijing, and famous architects are involved in many projects.
Architects Rem Koolhaas and Ole Scheeren designed the 234m high, 450,000m CCTV headquarters.
On the other hand, the smog has been a major concern. The government already implemented a car rotation system based on license plate numbers. Also, during our stay in Beijing, there were rumors that the city was "making rain" every evening to clear out the sky for the Games.

Olympics Mood - back to Beijing

2008-07-21T02:19:00.000-03:00

The Chinese are very excited with the Olympic Games. Here is a look of the National Stadium and the Swimming Arena.

more Xi'an

2008-07-19T09:20:00.000-03:00

Xi'an is one of the few remaining walled cities in China. Here are a few more pictures.

Guerreiros de Terracota

2008-07-19T08:54:00.000-03:00

Xi'an - China

This city in the countryside holds a lot of treasures, including the Terracota Warriors.
It also marks the beginning of the well known Silky Road, a major commerce route in the past.

Overnight train to Xi'an

2008-07-03T06:16:00.000-03:00

A primeira experiencia em uma estacao de trem na China e bastante chocante. Os trens sao importante meios de transporte conectando as grandes cidades ao interior. As estacoes sao superlotadas e o mix de pessoas deixa claro a diversidade do pais.

Tianamen Square

2008-07-03T06:07:00.000-03:00

The world's largest public square where Mao Zedong announced the establishment of the People's Rupublic of China in Oct 1949. Also, the place of the famous protest in June 1989.

Praticando Chines 2

2008-07-03T05:59:00.000-03:00

Lilica mandando muamba da China pro Brasil :)

Praticando Chines 1

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A primeira roubada:

Fomos sacar dinheiro em um ATM e a maquina "engoliu" nosso cartao. Depois de 30 min. e muita conversa, um carro forte com um representando do banco veio resgatar nosso cartao.

The Great Wall - a 10km hike!

2008-07-03T05:37:00.000-03:00

Fizemos uma caminhada/escalada de 10 km entre Jinshanling e Simatai.

Foi simplismente sensacional! O lugar e fantastico!

Forbidden City - Cidade Proibida

2008-07-03T05:20:00.000-03:00

A Cidade Proibida e constituida por 800 edificios e mais de 8,000 salas. Foi contruida ao longo de 14 anos, e finalizada em 1420. O Palacio foi residencia de Imperadores de 23 Ming e Qing dinastias.

hungry?

2008-07-03T05:07:00.000-03:00

Got snake?

The menu is VERY weird - scorpions, sea horses, star fish, snakes, cocoons, insects and more....

Donghuamen Night Market - Beijing

we arrived in CHINA

2008-06-27T11:36:00.000-03:00

Gate of Heavenly Peace - Tiananmen Square
Beijing - June 25th 2008.

Imperial Palace - Tokyo

2008-06-27T11:27:00.000-03:00

Japan is awesome! :)

Tokyo International Forum

2008-06-27T11:21:00.000-03:00

Tsukiji Market - Tokyo

2008-06-27T10:51:00.000-03:00

Tsukiji Market - a quantidade de atum pescado e leioado diariamente e inacreditavel!

Depois de vermos o mercado, fomos num sushi bar da regiao onde sao servidos os peixes mais frescos que ja comemos - nosso primeiro sushi breakfast!

Golden Gai

2008-06-27T10:30:00.000-03:00

Golden Gai - uma parte muito interessante "off the beaten path" of Tokyo.

Nesses "micro bares" se concentra a bohemia de Tokyo...tivemos a sorte de conhecer esse lado BEM descontraido da cidade.

A conversa com as locais foi MUITO positiva e nos mostrou um lado muito especial dos japoneses!

Geisha

2008-06-27T10:19:00.000-03:00

Geisha em Gion, o bairro do nosso hotel em uma regiao antiga da cidade.

Ryoanji Temple

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In December 1994, this temple was designated as World Heritage by UNESCO.

It is a simple rock garden, consisting of nothing but white gravel/sand and 15 rocks, laid out just after the Onin Wars in the late 15th century. Put simply, this rock garden is acknowledged to be one of the absolute masterpieces of Japanese culture. The simple yet striking garden is just 30 meters long from east to west and 10 meters from north to south. There are no trees, just 15 irregularly shaped rocks of varying sizes, some surrounded by moss, arranged in a bed of white gravel/sand that is raked every day. The elimination of trees and plants and overall simplicity is reminiscent of abstract art.

Kinkaku-ji Temple & Kiyomizu-dera Temple

2008-06-21T12:20:00.000-03:00

The Golden Pavillion in the Kinkaku-ji Temple is one of the best known temples in Kyoto and probably in Japan. The Kiyomizu-dera, is a Unesco World Heritage and is one of the oldest temples in the city of Kyoto.

Depois desses 3 dias em Kyoto ficou evidente porque Kyoto eh considerado um dos maiores centros culturais do Japao...a cidade tem em torno de 1600 templos, 400 shinto shrines e dezenas de jardins e museus.

Dificil foi visitar tudo isso de bicicleta e com chuva : )

Chishaku-in Temple - Kyoto

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Sanjusangen-do Temple - National Treasure

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The principal images of Sanjusangen-do are the 1001 statues of the Buddhist deity Kannon.

Ficamos impressionados com a quantidade de detalhes das 1001 estatuas de madeira (cipreste), dos seculos XII e XIII.

BakPak Kyoto

2008-06-19T07:30:00.000-03:00

Lilica atualizando o blog!

Off to Kyoto (via Trem-Bala!)

2008-06-19T07:27:00.000-03:00

Shibuya

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Shibuya is the youth culture mecca.

There were tons of people showing off the latest and craziest trends in fashion!

Tokyo National Museum

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Plastic Food

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Kappabashi - Kichenware Town - Tokyo

This is the area where the restaurants come to buy the plastic food displays.

The Sensoji Temple - Tokyo

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Sensoji is dedicated to the bodhisattva Kannon, a popular Buddhist God.

It was very interesting to observe Asakusa locals offering prayers to the Kannon.

The five-soried Pagoda is one of the tallest in Japan.

Japan Airlines 5-course dinner menu

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Including free beer and sake :)

Can we live with only these for three months????

2008-06-19T06:51:00.000-03:00

"The Departure"

2008-06-19T06:35:00.000-03:00

Depois da correria para organizar a mudanca e os ultimos detalhes da viagem, encerrramos a nossa estadia em LA com um churrasquinho para os amigos no apartamento vazio... e fechamos a noite com o Pedro e a Dani (and a bottle of wine) :)

Amigos, obrigada pela ajuda com a mudanca!

Despedida LA

2008-06-16T12:07:00.000-03:00

Our "shortcut" to Brazil starts today. But, before we departure to Tokyo, our first stop, we wanted to create a space to share a few moments of our trip with you. This is it! Please check our blog regularly so we can keep in touch.

Before we start writing about this trip, we want to thank you one more time. Without your support, LA would not have been the same! We will miss you all.

All the best,
Alex & Lilian