Brasil...walk, walk walk

          Yes 'shank's pony', or walking to the uninitiated, seems to be the favoured way of many people here to get from a to b. Those who don't zoom around on those crazy motorcycles that is. There are so many of those, it's like being buzzed by flies as you wander around the town. You never know where the sound you hear, is coming from next. Yes, it's mostly blokes.....and mostly the young, as you might expect. Well, why not, it's reasonably cheap to buy and run one of those things and they are speedy. I suppose they would prefer cars? Who wouldn't. Well I wouldn't really, not here, not in Brasil. Although I don't want a 'buzzy bee' bike either. Keep using the shoe leather I tell myself. This below, is a footpath, and very pretty..smaller cobblestones.

         As I am sure I have mentioned before, the roads here are bad, it seems they can't keep up with repairs, and then there are the many unpaved roads. When I first went to New Zealand, and Australia, a long time ago. How many years? I think 1987, yes that's a good while, the tarmac roads were in a better state of repair than here, but certainly the unpaved ones were everywhere still. It took the government in N.Z. many years to bring all the roads up to a good state...or even a reasonable state. For many years the roads were either red sandy earth as in Australia, but harder, or more ordinary mud in New Zealand. There was little difference in the dreadful state of many roads then, in that part of the World, than to now, here in Brazil. All three places were mainly mud tracks. Complete with craters, puddles and ridges.

                     Yes, just like this one. The approach to the very nice house in which  I reside.

          As you can see, it's not the easiest road to get down, and it's long. Now I have been here two weeks I have been driven in a car down it...very bumpy. As in, in danger of dislocating your spine. Been the passenger on the back of a motor bike......scary, slippery, deep puddles. The danger veered from the bikes engine cutting out because of the slow speed necessary, or being covered with mud through having to drive through the impossible to avoid holes and puddles. Then today, walking....well it was more under my control, but almost impossible in one or two places. Unless I was prepared to do the mud wrestling thing, and slide through. There were stretches where I had to be extremely cautious,a and got wet toes. However I made it! Now, I can only look forward to the day...or the night when the rain stops, so that this particularly long and winding lane will have the chance to dry out and harden up. Yes, isn't that a wonderful thought...no more mud. Someone may actually throw down some hard core, and regrade the thing too.....oh joy. However, I am informed it will have to be privately funded.

         As for walking.....many of the roads in the centre of town are cobble stones. Really I am so lucky...as I wanted to tone my legs. Ha ha, well you might as well look on the bright side. Happily cobblestones, well these particular thick ones anyway, are so uneven that it is the best excercise ever. Boy, it is also very hard work. As is the BIGGGGGG hill up and down to the top beach. There are no seats on the way up..or down. The only thing a person not in the peak of physical fitness, like me, can do, is lean against the wall when I am just too exhausted to keep going. It took me lots of care to get down because of the steepness, it must be more than a 1/4 gradient. It also took me a long time to get back up, due to lack of breath, trembling legs and all the rest that goes with 'will I make it?' Especially as the cars keep keep whizing by at what seems spectacular speeds....far too close to me, labouring as I was. It really is every man for himself on these roads. Another reason a car of my own is the last thing I want here.

     Yes, the state of all the main roads is bad. More especially the B roads, which don't get the care the motorways get. Yet even they, are not only short, but no one's 'dream' roads. This photo above is normal, there are, any number of assorted small holes, gaping Tarmac and then there are holes that are ginormous. Easily big enough to take a small child, or even one of the buzzy bee bikes. No...I don't want to drive here...I would be a nervous wreck in no time. I already am, just being a passenger. The only other frightening thing, is where as, in the west, the traffic must look out for pedestrians, here..they better look out for themselves. Because most of the traffic keeps going..regardless. Well, it makes you nimble on your feet.

       No, really, despite the options, and the hard work of walking in the heat...or the rain. Shanks pony really is the 'bom'! as they say here....see, I am slowly learning da a lingo! Honestly...would I lie to you?