Floating along the Isar river

What to do during the hottest summer days in Munich? Any idea?

Let me tell you: gather some friends, grab some beers, a rubber dinghy and take the tram S7 down south from Munich till Icking.

Arriving there get into the dinghy boat, jump into the water and enjoy the river flow all the way long to Munich.

The ride of about 20 km till the Flaucher beach in south of Munich can take till 10 hours....10 hours of pure fun!

This is going to be an unique experience. The awesome weather, the nature, friends. Just fantastic!

Floating all the way till the last stop in the Flaucher in Munich with river speed can take a few hours.

Along the way one pass a few damns...

...the jumping stone...

...and the beautiful forest along the river.

Lots of people are doing the same tour during the hot days. Good mood, cold beers and nice conversation is an obligatory part of it. Oh! If one is well prepared, barbecuing at the river side is also an option.

One will never forget such experience. Thank so much to my dear conejas Angie and Tfunny for the invitation.

Peeps grab the pump and have fun!!

Cheers everyone!

The biggest medieval festival: Landshuter Hochzeit

The biggest medieval festival I've ever seen takes places in Landshut, this little Bavarian city approx. 70km from Munich.

Practically the whole city turns into a medieval village.

In every corner one can get tasty food and great beer in a very rustic way and for a small donation one can get some of it.

 It commemorates the wedding between Hedwig, the Polish King's daughter, and George, the son of the Duke of Landshut, which happened on 1475.

As a symbol of friendship and attachment all the participants wear or carry the garlands. They are thrown to the public during the pageant.

The Landshut Wedding happens every four years during the  four weekend of Juli.

The gigantic medieval parade, a pageant kind of, starts every Sunday at 2pm.

The entrance to the immense camp costed 2,50€. If one want to be at the arena and watch the knights games and duels it be a bit more costy, something around 30,0€. But the tickets must be booked pretty much on advance.

The Landshit Wedding is an awesome experience and the worthy visitng.

I enjoyed the day greatly in the company of Travis Elenytski. Besides the weathe was more the ideal. Just perfect!

For everyone many greetings in the Landshut way...

The way back...home?!?!

It's been already three weeks since Im back from Brazil. Right now feeling totally integrated in the work, summer, home life back in Munich.

Anyway, already wanna leave again!

So to keep the good feelings of traveling, some pics from the way back from brazil.

First stop in Belém on the way back from the Marajó island.

And from the few hours stop in Rio de Janeiro and the walk in the Botanic Garden.

And the last stop in Schiphol in Amsterdam...

... SO GO ON ... GO SOON!

Elizabeth Gilbert about traveling

“traveling is the great true love of my life... I am loyal and constant in my love of travel. I feel about travel the way a happy new mother feels about her impossible, colicky, restless newborn baby - I just don't care what it puts me through. Because I adore it. Because it's mine. Because it looks exactly like me.” 
― Elizabeth Gilbert

Guaraná and Jambú, a gastronomic adventure

Two nice, and above all exotic, gastronomic experiences one can have in the northern region of Brazil.

In Salvaterra, at the side of the river Paracauari, I ordered a guaraná, intending to have a sparkling Brazilian beverage know by this name. For my surprise I got a kind of ice cream shake with Guaraná, cashew nuts, granola and another grains. Delicious and extremely caloric. This is how it looks like!

Also very common in the local gastronomy is the use of Jambú, a green leave, to prepare dishes like Tacacá and Pato no Tucupí. The curiosity about this leave, is that your tongue will get numb by chewing it.

In the local markets one can find a schnapps made out of Jambú. It's name: "shock".

The food and drinks in the Brazilian northern region are very exotic and definitely worth discovering. Being around just try it?

Keep up everyone!

Pottery from the Marajó Indigenous

The indigenous from the Marajó island are known for their skills on producing an unique pottery style. The pieces in human or animal forms personify positive attitudes, e. g. prosperity, protection, courage, fertility, etc.

The unique authentic Marajoara pottery on the Marajó island, in the city Soure, is the M'barayo shop on the Rua 20 (street 20) between Travessa 3 and 4 (Transverse streets 2 and 3).

You will be most welcome by Angela and her husband in their shop and even get a small present if you're the first visitor of the day.

Learn with her how the Marajoara pottery is produced:

1. Produce the basic part on the spin table;

2. Get some natural mineral for coloring and some animal "parts" as tools to decorate the pieces;

3. Apply the color with the finger tips;

4. Use a wild hog teeth to polish the color;

5. A stingray sting for the thick lines;

6. And snake bones for the thin ones;

7. And finish your Marajoara piece burning it at 800C.

In the M'barayo shop one can find incredible pieces, including these thongs wore by the ladies to avoid being stacked by candiru fishes.

Awesome stuff!

I loved Angela and all the stuff in her shop.

Thanks Angela and cheers everyone!

What to do on the Marajó island?

The Marajó Island is famous for the water bufallos, for the Marajoara pottery, from the Marajoara indigenous, and for the esplendid nature.

Once on the island one can taste the buffalo meat, the cheese. To buy buffalo leather products one should go to the Curtume (tannery), in the 3rd avenue ( Terceira avenida).

The most practical way to explore the beaches around the island is to rent a bicycle at Bimba's repair shop on the 4th street. The beaches Barra Velha and Pesqueiro, both mangrove beaches, are the nicest.

One good way to get in touch with the beautiful scenarios of the island is to book a visit in a farm for 50R$ (approx. 17€). The two biggest are the Bom Jesus and the São Jerômimo. A simple call from your hostel will be enough.

The to the the adventures canoeing through the Igarapés,...

... crossing the mangrove forests...

... and riding the water buffaloes.

Awesome experiences in the rain forest!

Cheers everyone!