Richard And Jo Demeester's photos

Why would you not expect to find fondue on menus in Campos do Jordão? Just because it's Brazil?

To a certain degree, the size of the church is easier to appreciate from the inside.

A church of such size and significance would normally be attributed to a large population centre. Although it is not far from Sao Paulo, with over 22 million people, it is actually in a town called Aparecida. The church can hold between 30,000 and 45,000, and overall the site is designed to handle up to 200,000. Little Aparecida's population is somewhere around 30,000. There are many interesting stories associated with the site and its significance, and specifically the image of the virgin. Entitled as the "Patroness of Brazil", the highly revered image was found in a nearby river by some fishermen. In the 1970's, an opportunistic thief made off with the image, but it was dropped when he was chased, smashing in to over 200 pieces. A significant glass shield now protects the restored image.

The textures and details conveyed such emotion. The picture is not flush with shades and colour variations, but the way the limited palette has been combined invests the bird with a real tangible quality. I could almost feel the breath of wind from its wings.

The original Batman mural which bestowed this area with its moniker is gone. However, amongst the scores of murals that now adorn the buildings in the district a number pay homage by using the Caped Crusader as their subject. Flowers and birds were a common theme, with colourful hummingbirds frequently being included.

Batman Alley is a significant attraction in Sao Paulo, with its labrynthal lanes lined with constantly changing vibrant street art. Not being connoisseurs, we may would not recognise their work, but apparently world renowned graffiti artist contributions have made this one of the premier street art galleries in the world.

Part of the sprawl which is Sao Paulo. Atop Edificio Italia, with a glass of sparkling. Entry to the observation tower included a drink, so we could sip as we took it in. Generally, it was buildings as far as one could see, although some distant mountains and green could be detected in one or two directions. Greater Brazil has an estimated population over 22 million, so it really is a large area of high density.

Over 50 years from breaking ground to "completion". Economic downturn appears to be the principal reason for the cathedral taking so long to be completed, as construction began just before the First World War, and was completed after the Second. Tall, light, airy. A magnificent piece of architecture.

The Sao Paulo Principal Market, Mercadão. It's grandiose and eclectic. With 72 stained glass windows honouring food, and the towering columns and high ceiling, the market takes on a bit of a cathedral feeling.

It seemed a little incongruous that the market stalls here are famous for their massive sandwiches stuffed with Mortadella from Bologna. It felt like a bit of an identity crisis eating Italian deli meat in a classic Portuguese market, but we couldn't pass up those sandwiches.

We have flown in and out and through Johannesburg, but have never stayed. This was the trip to rectify that. This meal was a definite highlight.

It was so wonderful to spend time with Antonie (and son, Michael). We are so grateful that we re-connected with the family a few years ago. Sharon has since passed, but she was the cousin who linked us together. We tried not to dwell on the sadness, but it would have been wrong to avoid the pain and grief entirely. I think we got the balance right, or at least I hope we did. We made a special effort to visit one of her favourite places in Durban, a place where her ashes were scattered.

We planned our stop in South Africa, primarily to visit Norma. Honestly, the bunny chow was secondary, and family was first. Unfortunately, just before arriving, Norma had to go in to hospital for a while. We made sure we visited as long as we could on the days we were there, pushing our luck on that final day. I don't think the hospital has quite recovered, and our faces might be on a board entitled "do not allow entry". We caused quite the stir with our bursts of laughter and general joy. The flowers we brought were also troublesome, not having a vase. We fashioned one from a soft drink bottle. Next visit, we discovered the flowers sitting separate and dry. Apparently it was not stable, and I believe there may have been muttering or worse when the staff had to do the clean up.

Take a crusty loaf of bread, remove a plug from the top, and fill with curry. Now you have bunny chow. I don't believe the curry is particularly different from anywhere else, and so it is theoretically a dish anyone can make anywhere. Perhaps bread selection is key, as it needs a good balance of soft and sturdy. In any case, despite its simplicity, bunny chow remains a true Durban dish. From the day we booked our flights, I have been salivating in anticipation.