20/12 Visas not vistas

Tuesday 20 December               The Boys from Brazil

We planned to knock off the visas and then get into some serious sightseeing. The Consulate told us that EVERYONE knew where the Federal Police building was so they didn’t give us the exact address. Pig’s Arse! We walked round and round – pretty simple question huh? Polizei Federales? They either didn’t know or (worse) thought they did. Eventually we stumbled upon it, following a little man with a brown envelope who was hurrying along looking like Lewis Carrol’s rabbit who was late late late.

The man at the door immediately handed us the address of the office at the international airport where this section had been relocated. Bastards! He waved across the street to where we had tried to catch a taxi 2 days earlier after getting off the boat and said the airport bus left from there. Confirmed by the taxi usher. Yeah in his dreams. Sat patiently watching many a bus come & go.  Then J went into cruise terminal & asked an English speaker if the airport bus stops here.  NO, city centre.  Round and round . . up and down . . wandering into the centre of the city, asking all sorts of people WTF does the F airport F bus go from? Two hours later – yes 2 – we sat down at Maccas (always a good idea) for a much-needed cold drink and to avoid strangling one another. The weather is hot and humid.

Refreshed, invigorated and in love again, we headed out for more of the same. From time to time, droplets of some liquid rained down on us. We were grateful for the cool feeling and didn’t fret too much about whether it was condensation from air conditioners or something else. Quite by chance, a smaller bus approached and we discerned the word “aeropuerto” in amongst the other stuff that was flashing at the front. As somebody from the boat said – its all very well that the buses wish you Merry Christmas but I would be much happier if they told us where they were going. We both asked if this was the International Airport and were assured it was. And right they were – a lot of small international planes do land there. But the big buggers come in riiiiight across the other end of the State, way out past where we had been yesterday.

The best thing was that it was easy to find a shuttle bus that took us straight to the other airport, express and air-conditioned. Upstairs and along a long curved corridor was the foreign visa section. We were ushered straight through to the back, where another nice man told us in fluent English that the extension we were seeking would not increase the length of our stay, simply restart it. It would do nothing for us. We would have to obtain a new visa somehow while we were travelling round the continent. He gave us contact details for yet another police section, as if there could possibly be any further members of the constabulary whose acquaintance we have not yet enjoyed?

The long bus ride back to the city and the train trip back home gave us enough of an appetite to deal with a Subway and we got home in not too bad shape. Emerging from the station, I was accosted by a smoky- eyed gypsy waif who asked about the time. J and I both realised instantly that she really wanted to get into my pants. J’s guess that it would be through the pockets was in retrospect probably more realistic. Apparently her brother/friend spotted J behind me and waved the girl off from Stage 2.

After a soothing stroll to the supermarket to buy fruit we started making email contact with the cruise agencies and the overland company to suss out the available options. Another packet of noodles with Frango (chicken) and some more salad bits and we felt back in business. Maybe we should go touring tomorrow and forget bloody visas?

I think we have seen more of Rio than most tourists do and yet we have seen none of the tourist attractions.

What is this?

Prison?




School maybe?












If you guessed school you are correct.  I do like the undercroft area to keep them out of the sun.  Such a lot of fencing.  I suppose our schools are getting like this now.