Petrópolis

So today we have encountered problems with the intenet which is a bit of a problem because we cant download photos so will have to add them at a later date , and after breakfast we are given a map of a route we can walk that will take us to all the various historical sights in Petropolis, Even though the walk is long we decide we can do it with a few refreshment stop offs thrown in. Petropolis is reeped with German influences and all the houses are so beautiful, we first arrive at an old church built in 1893, the kind lady invited us in and gave us the full history and the place really was beautiful but i keep having to say that i have multiple religions and with a big devil tattoo i feel a bit awkward lol
We walked futher along the streets to a small little house , this was Alexander dumos dumonts house , and he built the first plane and circumnavigated around the eiffel tower. Then to the Crystal Palace where there are many beautiful orchids , the differences in the beautiful flowers are so extreme but eye catching.
As we walk along the roads most of the houses in the street are owned by someone important from historical times and have then been passed dwn to their families , who split these huge houses in two.
After a bite to eat we head to the Imperieal Museum which has many historic artifacts of the Imperial Family of Brazil , It has been recreated to look like how it would have been when the family used it as their summer home. They came here because in the summer it was so hot in the city that their mountain retreat was much cooler.
Inside the house we were asked to handover all cameras phones etc as no photographs were to be taken, and handed a pair of oversize flip flops that you put over your own shoes and almost skate along the wooden floors(one way of polishing them i suppose). On route we see a young woman snapping away at various points in the house with the phone on her camera , but nothing gets away from these guys , they radio through, and as she is following behind us they confiscate her phone and delete all the pictures she has taken and hand it back to her as we leave.
The palace is beautiful, very ostentacious and the crown jewels are very sparkly. After 6 hours walking the streets we head back to the hostel for a shower and decide to head out for something to eat.
We have been recommended a small italian restaurant, and after being robbed by the taxi driver we evetually are dropped off at casa Pellegrini , the atmosphere is amazing and the place is packed with locals so you know its good. I eat the most fantastic pasta Gnocchi and Mark has a Hamburger and chips , and after finishing we take our drinks outside and take in the vibe.
I head to the shop just over the road to pick up some cigarretes and when i leave there is something not right, there are groups of guys shouting and fighting and as I head back to the restaurant there are more coming up the street . I have tourist tattooed all over me so keep my head down and keep walking and as i get back to the restaurant everybody in the place is stood looking up the street that i have just walked down. The atmosphere has changedd for the worse and a guy returns to the restaurant minus his havianias so i suggest to Mark it might be time to leave, and after the days walking I am more than ready for my bed.Read more