33 hours in São Paulo
*This was written on my 45-minute flight from Atlanta to Pensacola.
This trip started with a 9.5-hour flight from Atlanta to São Paulo. I worked a half day before so I woke up at 4:05 that morning. Not thinking ahead per usual I was banking on getting some sleep on the plane. When you’re 6’2” and have a long a$$ neck you don’t get comfy on a plane. So the flight leaves Atlanta at 10:50 pm and is set to land in São Paulo at 9:30 am SP time. I clocked a solid 45 minutes of sleep on the plane and with the 3-hour time difference, by the time we landed in São Paulo, I had already been awake for 26 hours. 25.15 if you count the 45-minute nap. There is no time to rest when we get to the hotel because we are meeting Ciao and his girlfriend and they do not plan to arrive till 11:00 am
Fast forward to 11:00 am and Ciao and Gabby are right on time.
29 hours now of no sleep.
We immediately hop in an Uber to get “lunch” at a traditional Brazilian steak house where I find myself gorging myself with anything they present me. Beef, cheese stuffed sausage, chicken hearts, and ceviche; which I now know I hate. 1 pm now still no sleep, I catch a second wind from the depths of my now empty brain and decide a walk would be nice with Gabby and Ciao. It was about 20min in when I decided I couldn’t do it. I went back to the hotel room at 3:00 pm to take a nap, 33 hours awake and before my head even hit the pillow I was out…for an hour 4:00 pm hits, and we are making plans to take photos at a bridge across town, during rush hour traffic of São Paulo.
Now if you’re like me and you have no idea about São Paulo traffic, take it from me, you don’t ever want to be a part of that mess. Imagine a pack of rats making their way through the streets zig-zagging and cutting in front of one other, except at half speed…at least.
We finally make it to the bridge; late, of course, and miss the sunset shot of the bridge but we decide to stick around for a blue hour evening shot when the lights come on…
Where are the lights? They are on every night… We asked a local, he had no idea why they weren't on, they are supposed to be on at 6:00 pm sharp every night. We wait and grab a little bite to eat in the grocery cafe. I stuff a half room temperature half cold to the core, Au gratin ham cheese sandwich, and classic Coke down my throat.
7:00 pm now and still no lights.
We asked one other local and he said they are supposed to be on. The man, now also confused as to why they still aren't on, goes on to tell us the only other time he remembers this happening, someone had STOLEN THE LIGHTS OFF THE BRIDGE…
How?
We wait another 30min still nothing, we call it a wash and call an Uber back.
We were reassured on the way down that if we left at 8:00 pm, traffic wouldn’t be as bad. We are in the Uber at 5 before 8:00 and are immediately greeted with an all too familiar sight of rats zigging and zagging, pausing and honking, scooters zipping through traffic so fast you’d think something or someone was chasing them.
Now let’s be clear here, I use the word rat for the cars and movements they are doing, not the people. The people of São Paulo are beautiful, truly beautiful. Embracing with love, and a language that could be mistaken for seduction if one gets lost in conversation.
But back to the traffic, 1.5 hours down there and 2.5 hours back. A solid almost 3.5 hours in the São Paulo traffic and all for a half warm, half cold to the core sandwich. But all worth it when I think back on the conversation and minor moments that would not have occurred if we hadn’t taken the trip.
There is talk about grabbing a beer when we get back to the hotel.
That doesn’t happen.
I barely know my left from my right, I’m running in ~2.5 hours of sleep in the past 48 hours. Time for bed, and before my brain can even consider mustering up a thought, it’s lights out.
Day 2
I’m up at 8:30 am with a much-needed 10 hours of sleep, and I’m feeling like a new man. My flight back to Florida leaves at 10:50 pm tonight, so we have some time to kill before having to head to the airport at 7:00 pm. Breakfast at a local coffee shop/cafe called Mecca Cafe and it did not disappoint, beautiful people and a stellar owner. The only thing I know about her is her attention to taking care of her customers and a photo on the wall of her in her chef whites. Certainly, I’ll do some research on her and her cafe it was amazing. Tapioca omelet is what I could describe my meal as, and an americano that is sure to be remembered.
I’d like to go into greater detail about this tapioca omelet but I’m drawing a blank on what the method was creating such a dish. I can assure you it was nothing like an American tapioca pudding but more like a flour white, grainy but gummy-like texture that resembled a tortilla.
The sight of it reminded me of the kid's toy that resembled Play-Doh/goo/gel that has little white beads in it. Someone will know the name surely after reading that description.
After breakfast we still have a half day to do something, Peter insists I have to see something before heading back to the States. Capybara is number one on the list so we research the nearest park. It’s a quick trip back to the hotel to get cameras and such and then it’s straight to the
Chocolate-covered strawberries and candied apples are waiting for us at the gate as if they knew we were coming. The park is packed, it’s a Brazilian holiday, something about African Remembrance Day, but don’t quote me on that. The first animal we encounter is a large lizard, it reminded me of a keemoto dragon. Shortly after a raccoon-like animal that has a Brazilian name that couldn’t remember nor pronounce but we will call it Brazilian Raccoon. No capybara in sight, a quick chat with the park ranger makes the chances even less. He says there’s usually 15-20’of them out in the field, the rain must have them somewhere else. Disappointed about the capybara, he points out a little Nail monkey in the tree. He/she liked crackers.
Nearing our now almost 2-mile walk, we are off the path looking at vultures and birds in the tree tops when out of nowhere a capybara swims right in front of us….day made.
It’s time to head back to the hotel to get ready to head to the airport but first a couple of local foods. Beef and pork on a stick dusted with a fine breadcrumb that has a special name. A Brazilian malty beer which was the first beer of the trip and tasty at that. We are almost out of the park but one last meal before heading out. A pastel, which I can clearly describe as a flat-filled wonton-wrapped cheesy meat pouch.
And I think I nailed that description.
Washed down with a sugaring soda from a fruit that comes from the Amazon forest, tasted like candy. With full bellies and a slight buzz, it was time to pack up and head to the hotel. Shower, packing, and a conversation with Peter that was personal and feel good.
7:00 pm came fast and we are off to the airport.
A quick bite to eat at the Heineken bar and a breeze through security and customs and it’s time to say goodbye. Gate F16 for me and Gate F26 for Ciao and Peter a quick handshake and a genuine thank you.
See you in 28 days.
Finally alone and a moment to catch up on thoughts I’m on a 9-hour flight to Atlanta. 2 movies and 2 hours of sleep do me just right. A quick connection from Atlanta to Pensacola where I sit in 22C having one last coffee and writing a trip briefing on my notes app. I wrote this in ~30 minutes, I'm no writer as much as I'd want to be so cut me some slack on the writing above
São Paulo, you were beautiful and a memory that will stick.
Thank you Peter, Ciao, and Gabby