Day 21 - Holy Graffiti, Batman!

18:45
A side effect of the chest infection I’ve been enjoying for the past 10 days is a snore that rivals the chainsaw of the lumberyard. I’ve been an intermittent snorer for much of the past 10 years, but it tends to be when I’m flat on my back. Right now, I’m snoring when I’m sleeping on my back, on either side - I suspect also if I was standing up. This interferes with Vicki’s sleeping quite significantly. She’s very gentle, bless her - but necessarily pokes me to wake me up if I’m keeping her awake. A couple of nights ago, I stayed awake for an hour or thereabouts, to give her enough time to fall into a deep enough sleep that I wouldn’t disturb her. Last night, I just gave up on sleep at around 05:00, to let her get some decent rest. We’re both a little jaded this morning though.

I’ve grown thoroughly bored of being ill. I’ve been crocked in some way, shape or form for most of the past 3 weeks. I suspect I now need antibiotics to clear the infection, but will have to wait until I’m back in the UK to remedy it fully. I’ve managed to get by day-to-day, but it’s left me feeling underpowered and a bit washed out for much of our trip. I’ve been reluctant to give in to it though. Today, with a lack of sleep, I can feel that I’m tetchy, but I’ll do my best to hide it.

We head out for our 11:00 walking tour, over in the Pinheiros neighbourhood. This is a bit of a hipster hangout - loads of cool coffee places, bars, restaurants, along with a healthy dollop of street art. We’re in quite a big group - around 15 or so. It’s difficult not to compare the tour to the amazing experience Vicki and I had in Brooklyn last November. The art on display is every bit as good as Brooklyn, but is spread out over a far greater area, and its impact is a little muted as a result. We hear from our guide about the history of the Pinheiros and Madelina neighbourhoods, the birth of street art in Brazil, and about the systemic racism that endures across Brazil to this day. Much of the art was borne out of political protest, and it’s only in the past five years that urban art has been decriminalised.

We end the tour at Batman Alley - named in part for the eponymous superhero, murals of whom adorn many of the walls around here, and in part because of the many species of bat that fly around the streets from dusk onwards. It’s a very cool little area. By the end of the tour, we’re all ready for a cold drink. The mercury’s pushing 30C today, and we’ve been in the sun for much of the past couple of hours.

Recharged, we head to Hotel Unique, which is a swanky and cool 5 star joint. It was featured in the second series of Race Across the World, as one of the rest stops for the contestants along the way. Its architectural design is very cool - somewhat resembling a boat. The rooftop terrace has some good views over the city, but doesn’t quite shock and awe us as others I’ve visited this year. I do have a sensational cocktail called a Bem Brazil - aged Cachaca with pistachio liqueur, lemon juice and passion fruit. Tam has a Negroni, as a tilt of the hat to my wonderful Uncle Peter (her Dad), and Vicki has an awesome looking Virgin Pina Colada.

The weather is changeable today. By 15:00, it’s overcast, a breeze is getting up, and the skies threaten rain. We decide an afternoon rest is in order, and agree to meet later for dinner.

22:30
Managed to book a table at 20:00 at a cool sounding place about 10 mins walk from our hotel. Coming back to Sao Paulo has been a reminder that there is a lot of street crime, but we’re not as anxious about it as we were on arrival into Rio, and we feel perfectly safe walking the 700m to the restaurant.

It’s a busy, buzzy place, called Bar Da Dona Onca. I’m sure the name has a cool meaning, but in my head, it simply means ‘The Bar of Good Things.’ The food is described as traditional Brazilian, with a modern twist. We’re all one or two steps up from peckish, as we’ve not eaten since breakfast. Vicki and i share a steak tartar dish, and a very cool reinterpretation of Korean chicken Bao to start - both are excellent. Mains are also triumphant - Mozzarella ravioli for Vicks, and a chicken rice dish for me that sits squarely between Italian Risotto, and Creole Jambalaya. Tamsin has a langoustine ravioli dish, which looks and smells amazing. Our dinner takes the prize as the most expensive we’ve had on our trip, but we all agree that it was top notch, and great value. We briefly consider a nightcap as we pass by several fun looking bars on the way back to our hotel. I feel like I’ve had enough though, and am ready for sleeps. Vicki and I have a cunning plan to avoid snoring issues tonight. Wish us luck…Okumaya devam et