5:30 alarm again, we are getting used to it by now. Or so it seems. The cab was almost on time (there is a Brazilian time after all), still we were at the airport with enough time to enjoy a coffee and some snack.
The snack was so much in the end that we brought some with us on the plane. First I took a chicken panini by mistake from the counter thinking it to be the ordered cheese toast. Just imagine how processed the chicken must be for me not to notice the difference. And then they gave a us a muffin, a panini and two cheese balls which we never ordered. I am not sure if they knew how to read.
The plane was quite empty and each of us had a row to get some sleep. We arrived in Brasilia a little ahead of schedule.
Really interesting, the motto of Brazil is ‘Order and Progress’ and here in Brasilia one can really see it. Not just by the buildings, but also already at the airport and the early arrival.
We took a bus to the Saint Moritz Hotel, which is in the North sector. Brasilia has been planned to look like an airplane, with the government offices to be the plane and the housing to be the wings. It also boasts a huge artificial lake where the president has her residence and the rich people live. The poor people live in the slums around the city. Niemeyer never planned the housing for the construction workers, but they stayed on nonetheless.
We indulged in a cab to make the city tour and it was money well spent. The concierge of the our hotel arranged it and we went to the shopping mall across the street to get some lunch in the mean time.
Shortly after 3pm our cab driver was here, speaking only Portuguese and Spanish but still managed to talk a lot and pass on some information.
Here are some impressions from the city. Note that the weather was super cloudy and stormy, but it never rained and no strong winds.
On the right side you can see part of the bell tower which is separate from the church.
And that was it for the day. The rest of it was spent with more shopping and Acai and suco (natural fruit juice). Yours, Pollybert
