Discovery Coast, Bahia, Brazil

Beach in Trancoso

I have traveled the entire world, seen most of the major sights out there to be seen, but there is one place I knew very little. That place is the country I was born and lived most of my life in, Brazil. I always felt ashamed of not knowing more about my country, so last time my wife and I went to Brazil, I decided to explore a bit.

We took a flight from São Paulo to Porto Seguro. We flew with TAM airlines, which offered drinks, food, headphones and in-flight entertainment in coach on an hour long flight. This would be unheard of in any US airline. We arrived at the Porto Seguro pocket sized airport.

Porto Seguro was the first city to be established in Brazil in the year 1500. That was the year when the Portuguese discovered Brazil and arrived to this gorgeous coast to find a rich and beautiful land.


Happy sloth hanging out in Bahia

Porto Seguro is a located in Bahia, which is a very unique state, known for its culture, food and laid back attitude of its people. Bahia is one of those places that if you order a fish, there is a chance your waiter will jump on a canoe to go catch it for you. No rush here. Porto Seguro makes part of the Discovery coast, which is absolutely gorgeous. The beaches have golden sand, the ocean is turquoise green, and the sky is as blue as it gets.




Our bungalow at the "pousada" in Trancoso


We stayed in a bed and breakfast, know in Portuguese as “pousada”. It was located in Trancoso which is about an hour south of Porto Seguro. Trancoso is where Gisele Bundchen and other famous Brazilians vacation, not because of 5 star hotels, but because of its natural beauty and uniqueness. Trancoso is a little piece of paradise. The central square is covered in grass where one can sit under majestic trees and drink coconut water out of the actual coconut. From afar you see a 500 Year old church that tells you that little has changed in this town in the past 5 centuries. You can almost see the Portuguese sailors arriving in their wooden vessels.


"downtown" Trancoso



Church



Path that leads to the Rio Verde beach


Rio Verde river where you can wash from the salt water

Trancoso has great beaches that can be easily accessed on foot. On the beach you will find “barracas” which are foot-on-the-sand restaurants that offer the local fare. The “carne de sol” is a must try. It is a Brazilian salty beef jerky that is cooked with onions and is a perfect appetizer with beer. The “bobó de camarão” a kind of shrimp stew, is also very delicious and local.


Garbage collector in Trancoso


Forty minutes south of Trancoso is one of Brazil’s most beautiful beaches, Praia do Espelho. It is absolutely breathtaking and worth visiting.


Praia do Espelho beach

Another forty minutes south (on dirt roads) is an unbelievable place called Caraivas. There are no cars, no cell phone reception and only recently has electricity arrived to this utopia. The streets are made of fluffy sand, and the locals seem to just see life go by while they chat and enjoy the sea breeze. You will have to park your car on one side of the river bank and take a canoe to Caraivas.


Canoe that takes you to Caraivas


Caraivas River


It’s hard to believe there are places like that still around. Where life is so simple.


Caraivas central sqaure


No cars here!


Streets of Caraivas

On out last day we drove back to Porto Seguro to visit the first city of Brazil, which is now an area inside Porto Seguro. It is surreal to see the original houses and buildings from 500 years ago still standing. People actually live in them today, but these houses are protected by the federal government and cannot be changed.


500 year old village of Porto Seguro

This trip taught me a little more about my country. I was able to see that there is so much more than what I thought to be in Brazil. It made me want to visit more places around this gigantic country, which of course I will write about on my blog when I do.


Souvenirs

Budapest jóreggélt!

The Parliament seen from the hills of Budapest


My family migrated from Hungary to Brazil in the early 1900’s. I grew up with my parents speaking Hungarian when they wanted to communicate secretively, and most of my meals as a child included some sort of Hungarian treat. However, since I never had a chance to visit Hungary, I was always intrigued about what it might be like in that distant land where my family came from. Well, this year I had the joy of visiting Budapest with my wife, and it was a pleasure.



Chain Bridge connects Buda and Pest. Yes, they are two cities in one!




the Danube river that runs through Budapest


We had the luck of arriving in Budapest during St. Stephen day, which is their equivalent to a 4th of July. During St. Stephen’s Day, the Hills of Buda (the hilly side of Budapest) hosts the St. Stephen festival, which is probably one of the largest street festivals in existence. My wife and I started walking the festival at noon, and finished with dinner! Handcrafts, food, beer, pastries and music, and it’s all authentic, no made in China crap.






St. Stephen's Festival


Budapest is gorgeous, some areas feel like Paris, but most feel like Budapest! It is unique. People are helpful, and the food is very good. It is also the cleanest city I can think of. Maybe the cities in Australia and New Zealand are as clean as Budapest, but I was impressed with how clean that city is, even during a street festival. Paris and Rome can learn from their Hungarian counterpart. I love Paris, but last time I went the streets were filthy. It’s sad but true. Budapest on the other hand is very clean and all seems to be recently restored.



Shot taken from the Chain Bridge, looking towards the Buda Castle


Hungary is a foodie paradise, and it is cheap. A good 4 star meal, with wine and desert will run around 45 dollars a person. For a very nice dinner, go to the Museum Café which has great fois gras and goose confit. For great desert, go to Café Gerbaud and have one of their delicious cakes. Make sure you also try Tokaji desert wine, goluska (Hungarian dumpling) and any pastry filled with poppy seeds, they are divine.



Poppy seed pastry. Poppy seed overdose, delicious.


I highly recommend taking a city tour by bike. It is fun and you will cover much more ground than if you go on foot. It’s also healthier and more fun than staying stuck in a bus. On www.viator.com they sell the bike tours which are cheap.



Bike tour stop at Heroe's Square


If you like history, stop by the Terror museum and the Holocaust museum. If you have to pick one of the two, go to the Terror museum. This is a place to learn about the Nazi and Soviet occupation of Hungary. It is extremely interesting, very well organized, and includes Hollywood like productions.



Terror Museum




Communist/Soviet era occupation monument. The only one left standing in Budapest.

Whenever you travel somewhere and you want to know if the trip was worth it, ask yourself if you would come back one day. Would I go back to Budapest? Definitely yes.