Leaving Paraty, I took the early afternoon bus that would get me to São Paulo around 7ish or so. The happy Lebanese man who was whipping up a freshly made kebab nearly made me miss my bus but all ended and tasted well in my favour! The journey again was your average bus journey both in length and in scenery. That was until we hit the outskirts of São Paulo. It was dark at this stage and looking out the window at the city in the distance all I can describe it as is what Hollywoods vision of a futuristic metropolis must look like at night. The skyscrapers pierced the night sky, blue colours from the light pollution there. Red lights topped each of the buildings warning low flying aircraft of the dangers below. This image from the distance reminded me of many a sci fi movie, the only thing that was missing was some hover cars zooming about in the foggy skies above. The bus got me to the rodoviaria on the outskirts of SP. it's some set up there, actually the majority of the stations in brazil are amazing seeing as bus travel is the most popular an cost effective. There more like airports with everything and anything that one could need even a subway line. Hopping from one subway line to the next, I noticed I could be anywhere in Europe by the way the locals looked at dressed. A great city to blend into so. I stayed in a hostel close to the Faria Lima stop called Hey. A new enough place but with everything that one could expect. You know, like, plug sockets in the lockers, which are a novelty! The guy who owned the place had spent some time in Ireland as did his friends who were there also. One of them even told me about his friend from Ballinrobe and how the two of them used to go drinking lush every weekend! There's roasters over here too it seems! Nice people all in all though.
São Paulo has nothing to offer in terms of things to see or do only go on the lash. The city is full to the brim with financial institutions, with the same banks vying for position on the main streets. Like, who needs a branch of the same bank ever 200 metres? It seems the SP's do! A friend of mine then came to visit for two weeks so once arrived we made the decision to get the hell out of dodge and see what else southern Brazil had to offer. Sao Paulo, box ticked. You lived up to what everyone says about it, big city, nothing else.
Another night bus was now on offer, down the coast to the city of Florianopolis and Santa Catarina Island some 8 hours away. Time for some angry birds.