Sao Paulo

Some of the group on the Cathedral steps otherwise known as ´the homeless steps´
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We arrived by bus in Sao Paulo and go an orientation tour of the older part of this vast city which took in th original site of the Jesuits who built a church and base for travellers going east, the modern catherdral in the square where a lot of the homeless live and other landmarks.  This is a vast metropolis offering everything from culture and arts to terribly disadvantaged people.  Our bus had bullet proof windows, and at night you do not have to stop at red lighs - this indicates the danger levels of th city.

Chinese New Year Parade
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We ate together at a very good place where you could eat as much as you wanted - and with a great variety of veggie food I did just that.

This morning I went with Gayle, from Manchester, on a short walk and we ended up at the Cultural Centre where there was an opening of a photographic exhib. so we tucked in to free nibbles and grabbed a drink too.   Then we met up with the others to go to a sushi place in the extensive Japanese quarter where we bumped into th start of the Chinese New Year.  After my non-eating lunch I went to the art gallery which was excllent and holds a lot of famous arts from all periods including Italian renaissance, Turner, Constable and Reynolds and Impressionists.  There is a Karaoke eveing arranged this evening which I may well miss. More added 28 January Did go to the Karaoke which was strange - we had our own private room and ourselves to sing to. I thought it would be a public venue where we would be tortured with the talents of the Sao Paulese. It was a bit boring but I got some brownie points for going along and joining in - albeit only one song!! 5 of us left by bus for Curitba (7 hours); a journey through stunning mountains and getting to Curitba in time for a quick walk around the very small historic centre and dinner.