The week has flown. Its Friday already! With work and time differences the day goes so quickly. Last night I had to get out and do some exploring. I figured it was time to try and ride the bus because it IS the only way to get around here. Their bus system is extensive and effecient from what I can tell. I decided to do single destination and return to see what the experience was like. WOW, I had no idea what kind of ride I was in for. I've been to a few major cities in the US and Europe. The New York taxi drivers are world reknown for agressive crazy driving. Just like driving in Rome, crazy. The point is, if we placed the Recifian bus drivers again NY taxi drivers, I'm betting on the bus drivers. They drive modern lightweight aluminum busses (mercedes and volkswagon manufactred) that are significantly over powered. As a result these thing accelerate and stop unlike any public transit vehicle I've ridden. The guys can go 0 to 60 in 15 seconds and stop in 2 bus lengths from that speed. These things corner like porsches (ok, not quite like a porsche, but darn good for a bus) and they drive them like there're on a slalom course with scary precision. They can clear other cars, street signs and "obsticals" with a few inches clearance at speed. They do not ever slow down. Its either acceleration, coasting, or coming to an incredible stop. Rule number one when riding the bus: you are either seated, or have a very firm grip on the railings. I should take a video inside of a full bus of it careening down the street, barreling around corners and slamming to a stop; its better than a circus ride.
As you can tell it had quite an impression on me!! Now on to other topics.
A few more photos of street life at night. These were taken at a little street market on the main waterfont parkway "Boa Viagem" (pronouced boa viag). Lesson of the night: words DO NOT mean the same things. So these vendors sell "tapiocas". Ok, I like tapioca pudding. HAHA, joke on me, not even close, BUT is was really good. They take bread flour and put it into a skillet on a bbq and spead cheese, coconut or other things. The skillet cooks the bread, then they fold it like and server it like and omelet; its quite yummy.
Tonight I'm going out to buy tennis shoes to do a big walk tomorrow...
More updates later.
Hmm, having problems updating photos here, you can go to flickr and see the new photos here:
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