North America Going Back
The return (or "outbound") towards the south ...
Finally, the entire ritual was strictly complied with. We didn't have much to do, after crossing the Arctic Circle and putting our feet, hands, and our heart into the Arctic Ocean at Prudhoe Bay. It was time to think about "going" in the south direction.
The most isolated roads in the United States are gravel, tundra, and permafrost soil, that is, a layer of earth covers an immense layer of ice permanently. Truck traffic is intense, and it is a risk for those who dare to circulate with smaller cars. There is no medical support, food, fuel, water, or other relief center between Fairbanks and Deadhorse. The truckers themselves gave names to sections of the road: Taps, The Shelf, Franklin Bluffs, Oil Spill Hill, Beaver Slide, Surprise Rise, Sand Hill, Ice Cut, Gobbler's Knob, Finger Mountain, Oh Shit Cornera, Roller Coaster. And finally, Dalton Hwy has already been part of the reality show "Ice Road Truckers" on the subscription channel History.
As we moved away from Prudhoe Bay the weather improved and the sky became blue, without clouds. The weather there is quite unstable. We saw the wildlife of the area. Caribou crossed the road, dangerously. We saw bison, bears, foxes, wolves, moose, etc. And at a certain moment, we saw a car approaching. That's right, a car we recognize. Finding a small car on this lonely road in northern Alaska is rare, especially a car we've encountered before.
Well, as we were leaving Fairbanks, towards Prudhoe Bay, someone who was at a gas station waved at us. It was a German couple and their little daughter. They were also traveling, in a Mercedes jeep, from Ushuaia to Alaska. Like us, but each in their way. The couple said they knew about our expedition because a German, the Siegi we met at the campsite near Mount St. Helena, commented on us and our trip. And the "coincidence" did not stop there. Like us, they were in Ushuaia at the turn of 1999 to 2000.
We stopped on the deserted road to talk. While we were telling our experiences of traveling to Deadhorse and Prudhoe Bay, we spotted a grizzly bear, the most dangerous one, which was coming down a small mountain near the road. The first reaction was enthusiasm. They are very difficult to spot. We watched the bear that ate, quietly, without caring about our presence. But we decided not to push our luck and moved on. We, towards Fairbanks, and them to Deadhorse.
The rest of the trip was a very clear and beautiful day. We can see the landscapes and the snowy mountains. We stopped in the middle of the mountains, at Atigun Pass, in the Brooks Range. We also took the opportunity to, again, stop at the landmark, where the imaginary line of the Arctic Circle passes. From there we went straight ahead. Strangely, when daylight remains for a long time, fatigue does not come very easily.
Arriving in Fairbanks we found two young Germans walking on the road. We stopped to talk. Their project was to walk from Prudhoe Bay to Ushuaia. The expected arrival was approximately 4 years. We had already learned of their feat. So when we see them we stop. It was about midnight, but the time there mattered little because the day was still bright and very beautiful. We followed the two Germans on the internet until, arriving in Mexico, they gave up on moving forward and returned to their homes. But still, this was a great trip!
The next day early we woke up rested and decided to put the car in order. We took everything out of it because there was not a single place where the dust had not entered. We cleaned everything up, leaving the Land spotless. It was Saturday and we decided to do as the locals did. We went on a very clear day, or at night who knows, to the street. We enjoyed it until the last moment, with regret to leave Fairbanks.
We headed the next day to Denali Park. We camped inside the park – us and all the mosquitoes and mosquitoes in the region. After enjoying the place and the famous Mount McKinley, the highest peak in North America, we headed to Anchorage.
Anchorage is the most populous city in Alaska, where 40% of the population lives. It is modern and busy. A funny fact happened to us. A Costa Rican woman, seeing the Brazilian car, approached us and said that later, in a nearby bar, there would be a Tim Maia concert. At the time, Tim Maia had already passed away. We found that story strange and decided to go to the bar to check it out. We waited, but after a while, we learned that Tim Maia did not show up for the show. We laughed a lot about the situation and we were sure that, if it was not possible to be Tim Maia for obvious reasons, he was a very creative lookalike, even not showing up to the show... And we never heard from this version of Tim Maia from Alaska again.
After that, we went to the Kenai Peninsula to visit the "Fjords", the "Exit Glacier" and the city of Seward and the region. It is worth mentioning that the road that connects Anchorage to the Peninsula is spectacular.
From there, we headed to the small town of Palmer. Our arrival in Palmer was very funny. That's because, entering the city, we were chased by a Vin Diesel from Alaska. The guy was bald and with a large tattoo on his head, or almost on the back of his head, in the style of the actor in the movie "Triple X". He drove a Jeep, a model similar to the one used in World War II, without a top. We went towards the campsite and, suddenly, he entered the campsite behind us. Then we get scared. The "persecution" was serious. When we got out of the car, he came to talk to us. He said he was following us because of our car. He and his wife liked the Defender. He asked to see the engine of the car and to bring his wife to see it too.
They bought a Defender 90, the seventh car in a special series of 200 cars launched in the United States. The car was automatic, first-class finish, a V8 engine. Only the designer like ours. Otherwise, it was all in compliance with American laws. We talked for a long time. On this day, or it would be night, the sun remained beyond midnight. It was the "summer solstice". And this was another couple of friends who made the list. We kept in touch for a long time. He, despite his truculent manner, was a very nice person and she was very funny. He spoke gesticulating a lot, which was very funny.
Finally, we were ready to leave Alaska, with all the memories in our memory. We feel "richer" for having managed to achieve our proposal. We discovered the value of time, which no money in the world can afford. The pleasure of meeting people, places, and direct contact with nature was priceless. In addition, we were sure that we left Alaska with the feeling of mission accomplished. After all, we had a dream and that dream was lived.
Once again in Canada...
It was time to leave Alaska. We put on a song by the band "Cake" and left town. Suddenly, someone walking around naked. That's right, the naked man crossed the road right in front of us as if nothing was happening. We were amazed. Anyway, it was Alaska! This softened our departure. I had already traveled so long, but we still hadn't gotten used to the goodbyes.
We follow the Top of the World highway towards Dawson City, in the Klondike, in the province of Yukon in Canada. The landscape was still beautiful but on a very dusty road. We passed by a place called Chicken, where we saw a pot of gold (oops! We can't tell you that – superstition – lol). It was a trip without much euphoria, but we were happy to have fulfilled our goal. We assumed that it was not a return, but a new opportunity to get to know other places, more people, and interesting things. That's what excited us.
We arrived in Dawson City. The city maintains the atmosphere of the "gold rush" era. The restored buildings and houses are well maintained. Some people wear period costumes and the streets are dirt. The city was until the end of the nineteenth century the largest west of Winnipeg and north of Seattle. It was also the capital of the Yukon until 1973, reaching more than 30 thousand inhabitants. Later, the capital became Whitehorse. This was a place where, in addition to enjoying the beauty of the city, we met two Australians and a Canadian couple from Quebec that we met in Fairbanks, Alaska.
From there we left for Whitehorse, Watson Lake, and Dawson Creek, cities that we passed towards Alaska. This is a mandatory itinerary due to the lack of road options in that region. Now it was possible to enjoy the places better, away from the anxiety of reaching the destination. And we decided that, from Dawson City, the path would be all novelties. That's because we decided to cross Canada from west to east.
Finally, we went to Edmonton, a large city and capital of the province of Alberta. We gave great attention to our Land, a good bath, and tidying since the city had many options for services. Edmonton was said to have the largest shopping mall in the world. The whole city looked like a real mall, with several stores. But it was inside this "largest shopping mall in the world" that the dolphin shows, the replica of the seabed, and a huge pool with artificially produced waves were located. Our heads were not yet in "shopping mode". So we headed to Calgary, known for its famous country events and rodeos.
The Calgary Stampede is an annual festival that lasts ten days. It brings together riders from various countries, competing in riding and lasso, with hefty prizes for the winners. As the party was near, we saw the preparations. There were many cars with horse trailers, cowboys, and many tourists, who began to arrive for the party.
Unfortunately, and we don't know why to this day, we haven't stayed in the city anymore. We went to Drumheller. In the "Valley of the Dinosaurs," we saw a giant fiberglass Tyrannosaurus Rex with 26.2 meters in height. Other attractions and events take place in the region. But at that moment, the Calgary Stampede was the most important event.
A new landscape would emerge from there to Winnipeg. The next 2,000 km were totally "flat", with farms, lots of greenery... farms, silos... farms, lots of greenery, saddlers, silos, lots of green... many farms... and no mountains. A monotonous vision.
Always in the same direction, Regina, the capital of Saskatchewan, was the headquarters of the Canadian mounted police. And, one of the events, for those in the city, is the changing of the guard. After a lot of riding, and with a well-deserved rest along the way, we arrived in Winnipeg, in the province of Manitoba. It was "Canada Day". We took the opportunity to enjoy the party and headed to Ontario. The landscape was now one of lakes and mountains, abandoning the prairie.
In Ontario, our route bordered Lake Superior, which looks more like a sea, including small waves. It is the same Lake Michigan as it is known on the American side. We decided to stop in Thunder Bay where there is a monument dedicated to Terry Fox, an 18-year-old Canadian who had a leg amputated due to cancer. In the 80s, after putting on a prosthesis, Terry Fox decided to go on a hike across Canada. The goal was to raise money for cancer cure research. Arriving at Thunder Bay he had to cut short the journey. His health deteriorated. He was very weak, could not go ahead, and died a short time later. Still, it managed to raise a few million dollars. Even when we learned about his story, the donations continued.
We continued, always bordering the lake. We arrived in a small town, with only 4 thousand inhabitants, called Marathon. We went to a campsite that had an excellent area. They only had two motorhomes, which were very far from us. And, there was no employee to attend. We check how to register and pay. The money was deposited in a box. Access to the bathroom key, extremely clean, was through a deposit of 1 dollar. As usual, we had our aperitif and after dinner, we went for a walk by the lake. The sunset, despite being past 10 pm, was beautiful. Suddenly, we were approached by two people who were in the motorhomes. They came running to meet us, terrified, and asked if everything was okay. We found it strange. And we said yes. Seeing that we were fine, they said that there were two bears right behind us. The bears only moved away because their dog barked and scared them. We didn't see any of that. We heard the dog's barking, but we didn't even care because the dog had already barked other times. Anyway, we don't even feel the breath of the bears on our necks J. They were two puppies already very grown. But the worst thing is that where there are cubs, there is certainly a protective mother bear.
Given this, we decided it was time to go to sleep. Even inside the car, we were attentive, but they left without bothering us. The next morning, we had our coffee sitting by the lake hoping to see the "bears", but as they did not come to say "good morning", we moved on. Just kidding!! J
We were close to the border with the United States, but we wanted to enjoy Canada a little more. We went to North Bay, on the shores of Lake Nipissing. We spent Sunday under a scorching sun, cooling off in the waters of the lake.
We already knew the eastern part of Canada and decided to revisit some places. Ottawa, the political and administrative capital of the country, has an intense cultural life. The Museum of Civilization and the Museum of Modern Art are a spectacle that deserves a longer visit. The city is very welcoming. As we stayed in a campsite farther from the shopping center, we left the car in a public parking lot and took the bus to the center. On one of those days, when we returned to the parking lot, we found a note from the owner of another Land Rover. He asked us to make contact. We made contact. He wanted to know more about our car and the trip and did an interview for an article in a newspaper in the city.
Chance gave us another surprise. Walking through Ottawa we met a well-known Brazilian couple. Junior and Tanja, who left Brazil before us. We went to their farewell in São Paulo. We met because we were preparing for the trip and so were they. At that time, we exchanged some ideas for this long journey. The difference was that they traveled with a huge motorhome mounted on a Scania truck. They had the comfort of a home and some sponsorships. Anyway, finding them traveling was great. We shared our experiences, as did they, and arranged to go to Algonquin Provincial Park together the next day. There, we improvised a barbecue and many caipirinhas to celebrate this memorable meeting. From there we said goodbye and went to Montreal.
We already knew Montreal too. But this time, the city was a real party. It was summer and the "Laughter Festival" was happening. All the places were full of Canadian and foreign tourists. We revisited places, got to know others, and had fun with the festival during the days we were in the city.
It was time to go to Quebec. As we already knew the city, this time, we decided to stay on the other side of the Saint Laurent River, in Lévis, from where it was possible to see the Parliament and part of the old town of the city. It was just crossing the river, by the Ferry Boat, and there we were going up the slope of Petit Camplain. Anyway, we liked staying in Lévis, because it was very nice and with many places to walk. But, we did not fail to revisit some places and enjoy what the city offers.
While we were there, we heard an interesting legend. It is said that when God made paradise he dropped a small piece on the earth, which spread out forming the "Thousand Islands". The Thousand Islands is an archipelago of more than 1,865 small islets in the upper part of the Fleuve Saint-Laurent (or, St. Lawrence River, to Americans), on the border between Canada and the United States. And, right there is Brockville, a quiet little place in that paradise, beautiful and to live forever if we didn't have a nomadic soul.
We stopped in the city just for a rest, but we stayed for a week. This was a place not to be in a hurry. Just enjoy the scenery, walk, watch people come and go by speedboat or sailboat down the river, enjoy the sunset, swim... And, in such a special place, there could only be special people.
We stayed at a municipal campsite, right in the center of the town. The few people who were camped out were very friendly. We had cool tips from the region, and we found a lady, already in her 80s, who was traveling with her niece. This lady spoke eight languages, including Portuguese. Upon learning that we were Brazilians, to our surprise, they asked us to make "caipirinha" for them. We had to improvise, of course J Then we stayed there taking shots of rum until late at night. We talk and talk and talk... One detail, the reason our two new friends were there was a golf championship that they would participate in the next day early.
In the morning, very early, we heard them leaving, but we still had to put our sleep in order and wait for our heads to stop spinning. Then, already cured of the rum hangover, we went for a walk. When we returned, in the late afternoon, the two new friends were happy, celebrating the victory. The lady won first place and her niece second place. They had already provided the appetizers and beers. The result was another night out, washed down with a lot of alcohol. The next day, they left and we continued at the campsite.
As our food stock had run out, we decided to go to the supermarket to fill up. While we were in the parking lot, a couple, who were leaving the supermarket, came to talk to us. He, being English, came attracted by our Land Rover. She, very expansive, invited us to go eat a barbecue at their house. We thanked him and asked what time it would be, which they promptly answered: - "Now". We didn't know what to say, because it took us by surprise, and with the groceries in our hands. So, we said that we were going to take a shower and that we would then go to their house. Promptly, they told us to take a shower at their house. Thank you once again. But they left no other alternative, we went to their house. And, just for the record, we didn't take a shower, but there was a very inviting pool that we ended up enjoying. We ate, drank, and met the couple's children. It was a very pleasant afternoon. We continued to keep in touch for a long time until the messages ceased. To this day we don't know if they still live in that paradise.
As already said, that was a place to live forever, but it was time to move on. And we went to Toronto.
Like the other cities we already knew, we revisited Toronto, passed through places seen before, and got to know a little more about the city. And, from there we went to Niagara Falls.
Well, the beauty of Niagara Falls is stunning. We were treated to a very sunny day, which allowed us to appreciate the falls up close. We stayed long enough to not stop doing everything that every tourist does in a place like that. And, it was time to leave Canada.
As had already happened in Alaska, and in so many other places we have been, leaving such fantastic places brings a certain anguish, but also joy for the opportunity to get to know every corner and interesting people. Some we still have contact with and others have remained only in memory.
So, if it was inevitable, we crossed the Rainbow Bridge, already in the United States. Our next destination was the state of Ohio. This will be a separate chapter, as it was a longer stay and one to never forget.
A long and well-deserved rest in Bowling Green-Ohio...
It was July 25, Wednesday, a very hot day. We passed a large field of sunflowers, our lucky flower, which was enough to be sure that Bowling Green would bring us many joys. We went to the only campsite in the region. It was a city of approximately 30,000 inhabitants, of which 20,000 were students of the university of the same name as the city - Bowling Green State University. Therefore, a very young population that houses students of various nationalities, resulting in a true "Tower of Babel".
We already knew the city and had friends there. We stayed a few more days at the campsite until Frank, our friend, got an apartment for us to rent. Although we were surprised, after a long time living in the car, staying between four walls with air conditioning was a real gift for the intense heat of the time.
We immediately began to feel part of the city. It was vacation time and only a few students, who opted for special summer classes, were there. Even so, it was still a party. As the heat was intense, the students sunbathed or cooled off in the improvised pools in front of their shared houses. The atmosphere was very relaxed. There were open-air festivals with lots of music, craft fairs, food, and beer at will, as long as it was consumed within the space delimited to drink.
Through Frank and Lynn, a couple of friends, we met other people and started going to the most fun bars in Bowling Green. Howard's Club was our favorite. Good music, line dancing, and people we met. BW3 was another fun bar where students hung out.
Classes resumed, and the city returned to its normal rhythm, with many students. Very briefly, this was an opportunity to continue a PhD research, within the area of Social Sciences, started in Brazil by Vera. The American Midwest and the university would be the way. With that, we also ended up at the university.
As foreigners, it was necessary to attend English classes to improve fluency. With this, we had many contacts with international students. And it was a lot of fun to bring together at a table Russians, Jordanians, Puerto Ricans, Japanese, Chinese, Africans, Indians, and us, each with their accents. One day, an American friend came to our table and asked what language we were speaking. When we said he was English, he burst out laughing. We go back in time and to our youth.
We also found Brazilians, former students who decided to stay in the city. Others continued studying. We were never alone. It was fun to exchange experiences and play with differences. It was great to be able to go to a local bar and listen to the Blues. We had a lot of parties at Márcia and Craig's house, Kathy and José Luiz, Andrea and Leo, Frank and Lynn, Henrique and Cris. It was fun, good, and will always be unforgettable for us.
Despite all the partying, the research proposed (by Vera) was already underway, classes in the Sociology program had also started and it took a lot of dedication. It was a difficult beginning for those who, until then, lived in total freedom. We started to have commitments, but it was an unmissable opportunity. At that point in the events, we didn't even know when we would return to Brazil. We adapted and enjoyed this situation.
There were many stories in this period. One of them was when, on any given day, we were invited to go to an event in a neighboring town, Tontogany. The winner would be the one who had the driver's license from the farthest place. Frank called excitedly and off we went to win our prize, a peach wine.
Fall in Bowling Green is beautiful. The green, red, orange, and yellow of the leaves of the trees take over the landscape of the region. Traveling was a way to enjoy this wonder. Toledo was about half an hour, next to Lake Erie. Put-in-Bay and Kelleys Island, which are two islands, were very cool to visit. Cedar Point, an amusement park, which at the time was said to have the tallest roller coaster in the world, was a lot of fun. We moved between Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois to get to know the places.
The winter, on the other hand, was very harsh. The temperatures were negative, with a lot of snow and an icy wind. As it is a very flat region, the feeling of cold is greater when the biting wind hits.
These very special moments were only interrupted by September 11. When we heard the news of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington, we were at university. The feeling was horrible as if we were living a terrible nightmare. It was not possible to measure everything that was happening and we were afraid of having to interrupt everything because of the whole situation. The moment was tense and we didn't know what would happen from then on. Family and friends from Brazil worried about us and suggested our return to Brazil, but even in the face of all that confusion, we felt that it was possible to stay safe. Things took a complicated turn in the country and tension increased with the beginning of the US invasion of Iraq. As if the whole situation were not enough, anthrax attacks and threats of new terrorist attacks began.
Our permission to stay in the country would have to be renewed and our passport was about to expire. The question came about what to do because going to Washington to renew the passport did not seem like a good idea at that time. We decided to risk sending passports by mail, during all that wave of anthrax that was plaguing the country. Even the Bowling Green post office was closed for a day. As if that were not enough, we would also have to send our documentation to Immigration. I had no alternative but to believe that everything would work out. And fortunately, everything worked out.
It's funny to think that throughout the trip we went through different types of tensions, but we never imagined going through a type of tension like this in the United States. Despite everything, being in Bowling Green came to mean a lot to us. It was a moment of rest, many friends, and a productive moment, intellectually. We adhered to life at the university, knowing the structure and facilities offered to students, very different from our Brazilian universities. We enjoyed every moment. We came to be "famous" in the city. After all, it was not difficult to be recognized with our car, driving back and forth in such a small town. Especially after the interviews we gave to Sentinel, a local newspaper, and BG News, which was the university's newspaper.
It was a lot of fun and interesting to see the university's basketball, hockey, and football games. It was also nice to share Thanksgiving at Linda and David's house with their children Alma-Lynn, Phillip, and Erik. It was also very good, also to have participated in the lives of so many other people we met at university: Yolanda, Jeff, Lori, Jessie, Beth, Tom, Cris, and Kristy.
We discover what it's like to live in a small town in the American Midwest, which, after all, is a champion of Tractor Pulling, the strangest sport we've ever seen in our lives. They are modified tractors and pickups pulling a lot of weight.
Bowling Green is a town surrounded by corn fields, with hundreds of small roads cutting through these fields, subject to Tornadoes. Every first Saturday of the month the city's sirens were tested, in the case of a Tornado. It had a flat geography that made us miss the mountains of Minas Gerais.
Near Bowling Green, we find communities of Amish or Mennonites and their beautiful woodwork. They live on farms and do not use the facilities of modern life. The houses have no light, they ride carts and work the land with plows pulled by animals. We will never forget our conversations at the Grounds for Thoughts café, BW3, Zig Zang, Howard's Club, Samb's, Uptown, and Downtown.
During the six months we were in Bowling Green we learned how good it is to be able to return home at three in the morning, walking through the deserted streets without being afraid. It's good to talk to people without caring who they are. It's nice to sit in a café and chat there for a long time, watching people come and go. It is good to feel and live a life away from stress and to be able to sleep in a deep silence, interrupted sometimes, only by the noise of crickets, without having what is not necessary and having what is necessary for life: friends and happiness.
In February 2002, we decided that we should continue our trip. The doctoral project would have to be interrupted until things calmed down since the subject researched was religion and involved Muslims. The frightened local Islamic community closed itself off and I could no longer gain access. The Mosque was the target of gunfire and we thought it would be good to give it some time until everything calmed down. So, we said goodbye a lot and left...
After that, we return a few times to see friends again and we are sure that we will still return other times. Bowling Green was a place that marked our lives. There we are young again, happy and free. We made friends who remain today. Therefore, we take this opportunity to thank everyone who welcomed us: Frank and Lynn, Márcia and Craig, José Luiz and Kathy, Andrea, Isabel, Mônica (in memoriam), Patricia and Tootsie, Terry, Andréa and Leo, Izadora, Pedro, Carol, Duda, Henrique and Cristiane, Emílio, Eileen and William, Lee, Brunos, the “Fernandas”, Ailene, Ana Elise, Valerie, Marcelo, Rafael, Rosa (in memoriam), Margarida, Carlos Batista, Paulo and Silvia, Cristina, the Russians, the Japanese, the Chinese, the Jordanians, the Indians, in addition to those we have already mentioned here... phew! There were so many! We are afraid of having forgotten some names, but be sure that all of them will always be present in our memory and our hearts.
On the road again...
The two weeks leading up to our Bowling Green departure were full. We dismantled our small apartment and went back to the car with everything. During the period we were there, friends lent and gave us some things, apart from what we bought in a garage sale, which was one of our entertainments. It was good to dig for treasures, but then, with great regret, we had to undo them.
This was also a period of many emotions. It was time for goodbyes and a new change of life. We created roots, and friendships and only left because of the circumstances. The country was still recovering from 9/11. Young people we met at the university left for the war in Iraq and research was unfeasible at that time.
We left the city on a very cold day. We stopped by Grounds for Though, the city's charming café and place to meet friends. We said goodbye to Kathy and José Luiz, who were there, and to Mme Rose, our landlord, who passed by by chance. We drove a little through the city, saying goodbye, and left along a side highway, which also went to Grand Rapids and Waterville, two very charming places in the region. By the way, in Waterville Garden Smile is a must. The sculptures, super creative and made by sculptor Georg Carruth and his team of artisans are attractions in themselves. The difficult thing was choosing which one to take. The sculptures are made of cement, with a wealth of details that make everything very magical. We have five of them and every day Caruth creates different sculptures. Anyway, we followed this vicinal, for more than 500 kilometers, leaving Ohio, and passing through Indiana, towards Chicago.
On arrival in Chicago, in the early evening, traffic was heavy. We saw a person waving and asking us to pull over the car. We stopped to find out what it was. He was a Brazilian who lived in Chicago. When I saw the car from Brazil, I wanted to know a little more about us. We talked right there. He offered to "land" at his house. We thought it was funny, but the offer was serious.
As there was a mall very close, and we were hungry, we arranged to meet there after about two hours, time that he would take a course he was taking nearby. At the agreed time he arrived. We wanted to know more about him and where he lived. He said that he lived in an apartment with his father and that he insisted on hosting us. We commented that we would stay for about three days and he made a lot of effort for us to stay there. We asked if the father was aware of the invitation and he replied that he was and that the father reiterated the invitation. So, after all our questioning, we followed his car.
Arriving in front of the building, we parked the car. We took some things and went upstairs. When we entered the apartment... surprise!!! The boy called all his Brazilian friends to meet us. And then it became a party. As his father was a pastor of an evangelical church, alcohol was forbidden. But after the pastor went to sleep, the young man took a bottle of vodka from the closet, well hidden.
History went beyond that. We were intrigued because we were sure we had already seen the father, but we didn't remember where. The next morning, we had him with us for a tour of Chicago. Between one conversation and another, we remember that the pastor was a politician who was in evidence in the media because of corruption. It was a tight skirt. Given this, with great politeness, we thanked them for the generous accommodation, made up an excuse, and left.
We will not reveal the names of this story, but we can say that if there was theft of public money, the money did not yield much. We witnessed the financial difficulty they were going through. As the saying goes, "The only easy thing about money is losing it." Or, as in Paulinho da Viola's song, "Money in hand is a windstorm...", especially when the money comes from shady sources.
After Chicago, we went to Omaha, Nebraska. Halfway through we saw a car from Alaska. I missed you!
Omaha is where the headquarters of the company that Helinho worked for was located before we embarked on this trip. Arriving at the company we were welcomed by Carolina and Tim, Rebello, a Brazilian who worked there, Atanu Gosh, an Indian who worked in Brazil for some time, and Lyle Knox "The Boss".
Unfortunately, we didn't meet everyone on Friday at four happy hours, a tradition at the company. But, once again, we were the center of attention. They were all interested and impressed with our stories and with our return by car to Brazil. And, the most incredible thing was that when we arrived in Brazil we found, again, Lyle Knox in São Paulo. His surprised reaction was priceless J.
We spent a few days driving around the region. We visited Atanu and the couple, Carolina and Tim. We went out to the restaurants with them and then headed south, always alongside roads, more or less busy. We passed through Kansas City and headed to St. Louis, where we were taken by surprise, in the land of the blues, with programming on the local station with Brazilian songs of the best quality - bossa nova, chorinho...
It was football game day (American, of course!). The Green Bay Packers were the visiting team. We were already familiar with this team because the "Goza" family, our friends from Bowling Green, were passionate Packers fans. They were from Wisconsin, the team's home. We remembered the friends already with nostalgia, despite the short time we had left Bowling Green.
St. Louis, which is located at the confluence of the Mississippi River and the Missouri River, is a very large city, but very friendly. The Gateway Arch, a huge arch, near 200 meters high, and made of metal sheets, dominates the city. Laclede's Landing, with its bars and restaurants, live blues, and lots of people back and forth, is great. Other than that, there is still gambling on the casino boats, Union Station, an old train station transformed into a shopping mall, the tour of Forest Park, museums, zoos, and views of Bush Stadium and St. Louis City Hall. And for those who like a lot of excitement, Lemp, the haunted neighborhood, can be an interesting attraction. There, the entire tour is guided by "paranormal investigators". The Lemp Brewery Bottle Works can be a horrifying experience, but it didn't earn our membership, we preferred to head to Nashville.
Nashville is a very peculiar city. It is full of "honky-tonky" saloons and bars with live music. Second Avenue, which was the center of the cotton business, has today been transformed into a commercial center with huge warehouses of shops and restaurants. There is the Wildhorse, one of the saloons with country music shows. Printer's Alley, which is an alley with nightclubs dating back to the 40s, is also a must-see. Visiting Fort Nashborough and the Ryman Auditorium are also must-see places for those in the city. There is also the Grand Ole Opry House, the famous stage of the radio show of the same name, the Music Hall of Fame and Music, and the Johnny Cash Museum.
The Pedal Tavern is a very fun attraction. A group of friends (or not), pedal in a mobile bar and make the joy of those who are participating and those who watch the tour of the city. Apart from gastronomic, alcohol, and musical tourism, the State Capitol, a huge building from 1845 in Greek style is very interesting. Anyway, Nashville is a city that doesn't make you want to leave. So we spent some time before heading to Memphis, along the music highway.
Memphis offers jazz, soul, blues, and rock'n'roll attractions, of course. Elvis Presley, B.B. King, and Johnny Cash recorded at the legendary Sun Studio. Beale Street is known for its bars and music. When we arrived, we saw the announcement of a B.B. King concert. We were tempted to stay in the city to see the show, but then we gave up which we regret a lot to this day. Within three blocks we found several attractions, including the Wall of Fame and Schwabís Dry.
There is also the Good Store, which is a huge trinket store built in 1876, and the Police Museum, which shows the extradition order of the assassin of Martin Luther King Jr killed in Memphis in 1968. And, of course, we couldn't miss Graceland, where Elvis Presley's mansion, planes, and car collection are located.
We left Memphis in a torrential rain. What worried us most was a tornado warning, made by the radio at each music break. We followed the movement of the Tornado, which treacherously changed direction from one moment to the next. We had the feeling that it was chasing us. During all this turmoil and fear, after all, a tornado is not our specialty, we lost our third flag of Brazil. She stayed forever in Mississippi, or maybe the tornado took her to another place far away. After some time, the nightmare of the Tornado passed, when we entered the state of Louisiana and the sky turned blue again.
We arrived in New Orleans safe and sound. Due to our distraction, we arrived right in the center of the city in the middle of rush hour. But the chaotic traffic was very opportune to begin to understand the place. The next day, in the middle of Friday, we went to the French Quarter to get to know this old, beautiful, and historic part of the city, which was founded by the French and then occupied by the Spanish.
New Orleans has in its history the slave past and some similarities with Brazil, such as religious syncretism or Voodoo. Voodoo houses have a real arsenal of magic, including some "made in Brazil" items. We recognize a little of our culture in New Orleans also in the style of Christian cemeteries, with huge mausoleums, which for them is a tourist route.
The French Quarter, with its French and Spanish architecture and narrow streets, resembles the houses of some historic Brazilian cities. The balconies of the houses with the iron details were already decorated for Carnival. Mardi Gras refers to the old Brazilian carnivals. Parades are held on floats on weekends. Masks, colorful necklaces, and dolls gave the air of the party. The city was full of tourists and Bourbon Street, the trendiest street in this French quarter, was chaotic. People walking and drinking, jazz and blues groups playing, tap dancers and human statues. The bars with live music are full. In short, a fun chaos.
But New Orleans is not just this confusion. It has a part with modern buildings and casinos. In another part of the city, in the Garden District, are the old mansions that have been renovated. The Riverfront, on the banks of the Mississippi River, is also a good place to walk while enjoying the river. And there are also other fun options, such as the crocodiles of the Swamps, or going to a beach on the east side of the city. So, we did a little bit of everything, had fun, tried Cajun cuisine, and then went to Houston, the fourth largest American city, in Texas.
Houston is a typical American city, modern, full of highways and overpasses which make traffic flow quickly. We got to know the city center quietly, we saw the modern and huge buildings, the museums, the zoo, and the city aquarium. Some tourist attractions, such as the Johnson Space Center (NASA), Six Flags Astroworld, and Water World, were a few kilometers from the city. We met Galveston, which is a small city on the Gulf of Mexico and we went to Austin to meet a couple of friends, the German Siegi and her husband Roland (in memoriam), whom we met in Mount St. Helena.
The reception could not be better, including a welcome banner, which made us very emotional. We remember our meeting and tell each important moment of the trip and experiences lived. We know Austin. The couple was a lot of fun. They lived in various places in the United States, including Hawaii, before settling in Austin.
Austin is a good city to live in. It has a mountainous area, with houses overlooking the valley, or the Colorado River that cuts through the city. We visited the City Park, the State Capitol, a sumptuous pink marble complex, seat of the Texas government. We followed the entire Congress Avenue, which crosses the city. And, we pass by the bridge that houses a huge amount of bats (around 1.5 million), an attraction at dusk when they fly in search of food. What is terrifying for some people is necessary for the city. They are the ones that devour tons of insects, maintaining ecological balance. They are also important for agriculture because they help in the pollination of plants. The Texas government maintains studies and research on bats. In addition, they are concerned with the habitat of these mammals. 6th Street is the trendiest street in the city, with bars, restaurants, shops, music and lots of people. Anyway, we visited all the main points of the city. It was very good to be among friends before leaving the United States. Today, unfortunately, Roland is no longer with us, but Siegi and her son Chris are still present in our lives, even if at a distance.
It was time to leave the United States. We left Austin unhurriedly, towards Laredo, a border and bustling city, with many restaurants, malls, hotels, and a very Mexican way. The next day, very early, we went to the border. Joy, sadness, all together and mixed. But, always with the certainty that there were still many places for us to visit. We took a deep breath and headed once again to Mexico. Long live Mexico! Again...
Back to Mexico...
It was a Thursday and this time, it was less complicated to cross the border from Mexico. We did all the bureaucracy, and paid high fees, but, fortunately, it was not necessary to disassemble the car.
On that day we drove about 800 kilometers to San Luis Potosi. This is because it was planned to sleep in Matehuala, but we arrived very early in the city and decided to move on. This part of Mexico did not have many attractions.
The next day, we went to Tepotzotlan, a small town that is 30 kilometers from Mexico City, very close to the Teotihuacan archaeological site. As we already knew the region, everything became easier. We returned to Mexico City, this time by bus and subway. The destination of our bus was Toreo. From there, we took a crowded subway to the Zócalo. When we left the station we came across a crowd. They had several indigenous dance groups. A large stage was set up and the groups played traditional music. They had many street vendors and a trinket fair. We stayed there, watching that whole performance. The return was an adventure. Drivers drive like crazy. They pass at high speed and are squeezed between buses and trucks. Fortunately, we arrived safe and sound.
As we already knew Puebla we decided to just spend the night and headed to Oaxaca, another destination already known. At the campsite, we met a young couple of Dutch cyclists, who were bound for Ushuaia. Afterward, they would return to Buenos Aires and take a flight to Lisbon. From Lisbon, they would go, still by bike, to Holland. Unfortunately, we lost contact with them and we don't know if they managed to make this whole itinerary come true.
From Oaxaca, we head to San Cristóbal de Las Casas, in Chiapas. But, as the road was very long, we decided to stop in San Pedro Tapanatepec.
The heat was intense at 9 a.m. when we left. It was a road in the mountains, with many curves. The view was beautiful. The GPS didn't work properly. Finally, we arrived somewhere lower and realized that we were on an "Isthmus". The sun was getting more and more punishing and the heat was even worse. Finally, we passed through La Ventosa, a place not to forget. All the trees fell to one side. This was because of the wind and its geography.
After a well-deserved rest, we climbed the mountains of the Sierra Madre del Sur, which would take us to San Cristóbal de Las Casas. We passed through Tuxtla Gutierrez, a very clean city, with well-kept buildings and tree-lined streets. From there, we went through a tortuous path to San Cristóbal de Las Casas. The temperature began to drop and the fog was low. The climate was much milder.
San Cristóbal de Las Casas is an ideal place to explore on foot. We went to the Cathedral, to the market, and visited the numerous churches in the city. We climbed the steps of the church of Guadalupe and from the top, we saw the city as a whole. San Cristóbal is surrounded by mountains. The city has many restaurants and bars. In addition, there is a certain "mystery" in its history. It was in this place that the Zapatista revolt began to take shape.
Chiapas is an indigenous state. The Indians sell their handicrafts in the streets, in the markets, and on the roads. But the highlight of the visit was San Juan de Chamula and Zinacantan.
For those who want to understand a little of this indigenous culture, it is necessary to visit these two places. Despite the inevitable "modernization", the Indians try to preserve their culture. The Tzeltal and Tzotzil coexist there. In Chamula, we entered a church, which did not have pews, but had the saints and many pine branches and lit candles scattered on the floor. The Indians sit in the middle of these leaves and, in their original language, pray, or rather, talk aloud. They drink posh, which is a spiritual, distilled drink that they believe to be a means of communication with the gods, or with God.
On that day, Chamula was celebrating. It was the beginning of Carnival. Diverse groups, dressed in their characteristic clothes, walked around the city releasing fireworks. It is forbidden to photograph inside and outside the church. The public order officers, who are men identified by the clothes and the batons they carry, are in charge of maintaining order and preventing any infraction by tourists.
After a few days of getting to know San Cristobal de Las Casas and the region, we went to the ruins of Palenque. There are only 200 km of road, which we covered in 6 hours of travel. The road is winding and there are many indigenous settlements. The view of the valleys and the blue water waterfalls is beautiful, but the road requires a lot of attention, both for the curves and for the people and animals circulating on the tracks. Not to mention the infamous "topes", or spring breakers, or speed bumps... Halfway through we still got a fright. A group of indigenous people dressed for carnival closed the road. Everything was quiet and they were just having fun until one of them tried to open the car door. We were a little scared and had no doubts about accelerating the car and moving on.
We arrived in Palenque in the late afternoon with an intense rain. At the entrance to the city, we were searched by the army. The curious thing is that when we entered, for the first time in Mexico heading to the United States, we went through many rigorous searches. On the way back, the searches were much less frequent and less rigorous. We don't understand why, but we like not to be as bothered as heading north.
After the search, we enter the ruins of Palenque. It was like stepping into an "Indiana Jones" movie by George Lucas and Steven Spielberg. The ruins are in the middle of a tropical forest. Luckily, we found an archaeologist from the University of California, Donald, who had been researching the Maya culture in the forests of Mexico and Guatemala for more than 35 years. We talked for a long time and he gave us a real lesson on the subject, including the last pyramid discovered, and which he was working on. This pyramid was still closed to the public. Through a digital micro camera, they were able to see the rich painted and sculpted pieces. Because of the toxic gases that exhaled from the internal environments, access could only be made by archaeologists using masks and oxygen tubes.
We saw the famous Pacal empire with the Palace, the Temple of the Inscriptions, and all the constructions that probably began in the year 100 BC and that remain well preserved. This was by far the most impressive archaeological site we saw.
Campeche was our next destination. After a quiet trip, despite the many "topes" on the road, we saw the sea. It was a beautiful sight, which we had been waiting for a long time. It was still carnival and Campeche would have a parade with floats. After the parade, there would be a party in the city's acoustic shell to the rhythm of a lot of salsa. We were excited. When we arrived at the campsite we heard someone calling us. We couldn't believe it, but there was Mike and Liz, our English friends. This world of travelers is very small! In addition to this unexpected meeting, we also met a Swiss couple who knew Amadeus and Monika, those two Germans with their little daughter we met in Fairbanks, Alaska.
We were very happy. We learned that Mike and Liz had returned to England, in this period of a year that we were traveling. Liz had hip surgery and, after recovering, they returned to Mexico to continue their journey to Ushuaia. With them were a couple from Belgium and another couple from New Zealand. We traveled together for 3 three days, towards Uxmal and Merida, in Yucatan.
Uxmal is a very well-preserved ruin, which allows us to see in detail the Mayan architectural and artistic work. We stayed in the parking lot of the archaeological site to see the spectacle of the "lights and sounds" that take place in the "Nun's Quadrangle" at night. This is a theatrical show that recalls the glory days of the Mayas. By coincidence, or not, an unexpected rain fell, exactly when the "god of rain" was evoked, becoming the highlight of the performance J. After that, we enjoyed a good chat with friends.
The next day, we left for Mérida. However, we decided to head straight to Chichen Itza. This is because Mérida was a big city and of no interest to us. So, we said goodbye to our friends and headed to the ruins.
Chichen Itzá is sumptuous. It is a flat area with huge pyramids and, a heritage of the Toltece Maya culture. The main pyramid, the Castilho, is impressive. Climbing its steep steps can be tiring, but the view from above is worth any sacrifice. Inside, the worship room with the sculpture of the Chac-Mol, the messenger of the gods, and the jaguar with jade eyes painted red is fantastic. To see this room it was necessary to climb an internal staircase, in a very narrow, hot, and humid corridor. Some people give up on entering the place.
The "Thousand Columns" complex is another spectacle in itself. It takes time and willingness to explore the place. While we were enjoying the archaeological site we were surprised by the very heavy rain which made us give up staying longer, to see the "show of lights and sounds" of those ruins. We then chose to stay in Piste, which was the closest town to the site.
Our next destination was Cancun. We went unhurriedly along the side road since the distance was not so long. We passed through many Indigenous villages and, arriving in the city, we went to visit the "Hotel Zone". The beaches there, although public, are almost restricted to hotel guests. So, we decided to stay at a campsite in Punta Sam, not far from there. We know the city that many tourists do not know, due to the comfort and comfort that the hotels offer. Most of the time, they are just between their private beaches and the air-conditioning of the hotels.
A 45-minute boat ride from Cancun is Isla Mujeres, which is reminiscent of some of the beaches in the northeast. The sands are very white with coconut trees and a very relaxed atmosphere. The sea water is impressively green and clear, contrasting with the whole scenery. The city has a good infrastructure with several bars, restaurants, and options for hotels and inns. A true holiday paradise.
The next stop was Playa del Carmen. Despite being a small town, it's pretty cool. One part of the city maintains the same climate as our small beach towns. The other part of the city has luxurious hotels, an exclusive area of the large hotel chains. We stayed at a campsite, Paa Mul, which is a privileged place, with its beach and a good infrastructure. The beaches are very white sand and the sea is a beautiful green, characteristic of the Caribbean. A 45-minute boat ride away is Cozumel, which we also visited.
Then we went to see the ruins of Tulum, by the sea. Visitors always come prepared for a swim. We also visited Bacalar and the "Cenote Azul", the lake of seven colors. This is a large lake, with different shades, ranging from turquoise blue to almost black. And, that was our penultimate stop in Mexico. From there all that was left was to Chetumal and then cross the border into Belize.
It was time to leave Mexico. As always, we are left with that feeling of regret for leaving this great and impressive country, with its culture, its people, and its landscapes that enchanted us so much.