Reto Sigl Homepage

Sao Paulo to Zurich

2008-12-23T08:31:00.000-03:00

Our flight from Sao Paulo to Zurich via Paris with TAM and Air France.
Thanks for reading this blog from our South America trip! Happy
holidays, Reto & Andrea

Sao Paulo

2008-12-23T08:29:00.000-03:00

We are soon at home and wish you a Merry Christmas!

Sao Paulo

2008-12-22T13:10:00.000-03:00

Pimping ourselves up for seeing our families and friends back in
Switzerland tomorrow

Sao Paulo

2008-12-22T10:50:00.000-03:00

Fancy lamp at design store

Sao Paulo

2008-12-22T10:34:00.000-03:00

Breakfast buffet at the Jardin restaurant of Renaissance Hotel Sao
Paulo. The staff was friendly and allowed us to do a late checkout at
4pm.

Sao Paulo

2008-12-22T10:10:00.000-03:00

The old shoes go, the new ones are ready to be packed for travel home

Sao Paulo

2008-12-21T20:09:00.000-03:00

Having our last delicious beef dinner at Rodeio restaurant in Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo

2008-12-21T20:07:00.000-03:00

Reto feeling relaxed after the spa and free massage at Renaissance Hotel

Sao Paulo

2008-12-21T11:46:00.000-03:00

A car full of bears at Ciudade Jardim shopping mall

Sao Paulo

2008-12-21T11:44:00.000-03:00

Brazilian band at Paulista Galeria shopping mall

Sao Paulo

2008-12-21T09:57:00.000-03:00

Shopping street by night

Sao Paulo

2008-12-20T16:10:00.000-03:00

And Reto bought new Timberland shoes! Bye bye sneakers!

Sao Paulo

2008-12-20T16:09:00.000-03:00

Reto feeling very happy in new pants from Hugo Boss - after spending
the last 6 weeks in the same pair of pants

Sao Paulo

2008-12-20T16:07:00.000-03:00

Having a free Nespresso (what else?) in the American Express VIP
lounge at Iguatemi shopping mall

Sao Paulo

2008-12-20T16:06:00.000-03:00

Reto in front of Iguatemi shopping mall, with giant Santa and giant
Labrador

Sao Paulo

2008-12-20T16:05:00.000-03:00

We get inspired for Christmas shopping on our way to mall

Sao Paulo

2008-12-20T16:04:00.000-03:00

In the morning, we walked through Paulista area searching for the
"Iguatemi" shopping mall, which Laura and Eduardo suggested last night
during dinner

Sao Paulo

2008-12-20T15:10:00.000-03:00

Reto falling asleep in a sea of pillows :-)

Sao Paulo

2008-12-20T15:01:00.000-03:00

Reto waking up in a sea of pillows :-)

Sao Paulo

2008-12-19T17:29:00.000-03:00

The view on a cloudy day from the 12th floor of Renaissance Hotel in
Sao Paulo

Sao Paulo

2008-12-19T17:24:00.001-03:00

At 11am we left Ilhabela, returned our rental car at 5pm in Sao Paulo,
and were exhausted when we got to the Renaissance Hotel (a chain of
Marriott) at 6pm

Sao Paulo

2008-12-19T17:20:00.000-03:00

Driving into Sao Paulo we faced a lot of traffic - but also the
beach :-)

Ilhabela to Sao Paulo

2008-12-19T14:19:00.000-03:00

Taking the ferry from Ilhabela to Sao Sebastiao

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T21:25:00.000-03:00

Christmas decoration at town of Villa on Ilhabela

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T21:24:00.000-03:00

Nice view from our dinner table

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T21:23:00.001-03:00

Having dinner next to an orchid

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T21:23:00.000-03:00

Nice view at Restaurant Nueva Iork'i

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T21:22:00.000-03:00

The Statue of Liberty in the very south of Ilhabela. Here, the paved
road switches to gravel road

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T21:21:00.000-03:00

Andrea and Reto in the very south of the island, where we later had
dinner

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T21:19:00.000-03:00

To the left is the island, to the right is the mainland, in the middle
is a cruise ship

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T21:17:00.000-03:00

View from a restaurant in the north of Ilhabela

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T21:16:00.000-03:00

The coastline of the northwest

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T21:14:00.000-03:00

Our drive to the beautiful north side of the island

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T14:26:00.000-03:00

Andrea feeling fresh after manicure and pedicure :-)

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T10:43:00.000-03:00

The hotel Real Villa Bella

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T10:42:00.000-03:00

A whole day of sports! Figuring out how the hometrainer works :-)

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T10:41:00.000-03:00

A great tennis lesson at a cloudy but hot day

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T10:39:00.000-03:00

Amdrea and Reto playing tennis at Real Villa Bella

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T09:44:00.000-03:00

Delicious breakfast buffet at Real Villa Bella hotel

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T09:43:00.000-03:00

The breakfast room

Ilhabela

2008-12-18T09:06:00.000-03:00

Andrea enjoying a Caipirina in the small village of Villa on Ilhabela
island

Ilhabela

2008-12-17T18:17:00.000-03:00

The rainy weather on Ilhabela forced us to take a hotel room instead
of camping. We chose the "Real Villa Bella" because the staff was
nice, the room was clean with a garden view, and facilities included
swimming pool, tennis court, bicycles for free.

Ilhabela

2008-12-17T16:59:00.000-03:00

On the ferry from Sao Sebastiao to Ilhabela island

Sao Paulo to Sao Sebastiao

2008-12-17T15:11:00.000-03:00

Having lunch at Maresias Beach Hotel" in Maresias

Sao Paulo to Sao Sebastiao

2008-12-17T15:08:00.000-03:00

Singing songs along the way :-)

Sao Paulo to Sao Sebastiao

2008-12-17T15:05:00.000-03:00

What a crazy road that was! 25km steep downhill, 2 lanes and lots of
trucks!

Sao Paulo to Sao Sebastiao

2008-12-17T11:39:00.000-03:00

Our Hertz rental car

Sao Paulo

2008-12-17T11:37:00.001-03:00

By mistake we rented our car in Sao Bernardo, at a shopping center 45
minutes south of Sao Paulo. Our taxi driver got lost - total chaos.
Finally we found it!

Sao Paulo

2008-12-17T07:13:00.000-03:00

Arriving in Sao Paulo on time after 15 hrs. The seats of Pluma bus
were comfortable, only 1 stop at 10pm where we were forced to leave
the bus. The only negative thing was that the driving was too fast at
night through some winding roads.

Foz de Iguacu to Sao Paulo

2008-12-16T17:09:00.000-03:00

So far so good with "Pluma International", our first impression was
good. We booked the more expensive cama suite, or "leito" how they
call it in Brazil, which left Foz de Iguacu at 18:00. No food is
served, approx 24 seats, only one deck, no leather seats, clean sealed
blanket and pillow, intermediate legroom.

Foz de Iguacu to Sao Paulo

2008-12-16T16:41:00.000-03:00

The reviews on the Internet of this "Pluma International" bus company
are not so good, so we will tell you soon how our experience was :-)

Foz de Iguacu to Sao Paulo

2008-12-16T16:39:00.000-03:00

Taking Pluma bus company Suite Class cama from Foz de Iguacu to Sao
Paulo

Foz de Iguacu

2008-12-16T16:38:00.000-03:00

After having a shower, we packed our bags at hostel "Pousada de Laura"

Foz do Iguacu

2008-12-16T16:34:00.000-03:00

Writing post cards to our families

Cataratas de Iguacu

2008-12-16T14:57:00.000-03:00

Another great view from the Brazilian side of Iguacu falls

Cataratas de Iguacu

2008-12-16T14:54:00.000-03:00

Wild animals

Cataratas de Iguacu

2008-12-16T14:45:00.000-03:00

Cataratas de Iguacu, the waterfalls from the Brazilian side. The
waterfalls have a 3 km width!

Foz de Iguacu

2008-12-16T14:42:00.000-03:00

A garbage truck in Foz de Iguacu

Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T15:29:00.000-03:00

Another sight at Sarganta del Diablo

Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T15:28:00.000-03:00

Impressive sight at Sarganta del Diablo

Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T15:27:00.001-03:00

Aligator at Sarganta del Diablo

Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T15:27:00.000-03:00

Andrea in the ecologic train

Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T15:26:00.000-03:00

Taking the Tren Ecologico to the Sarganta del Diablo station. A 10min
ride.

Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T15:24:00.000-03:00

Another rainbow picture with Rio Iguazu

Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T15:23:00.001-03:00

Water dropping with rainbow

Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T15:23:00.000-03:00

The falls from above with Andrea

Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T15:22:00.000-03:00

The falls from above

Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T15:20:00.000-03:00

At the Circuito Superior

Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T12:45:00.000-03:00

Taking the boat to San Martin Island at Iguacu Falls Argentinian side

Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T12:44:00.000-03:00

Andrea standing underneath the waterfall - almost :-) No bikini

Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T12:43:00.000-03:00

More beautiful than we ever expected! The Iguacu Falls

Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T12:42:00.000-03:00

And here they are: the Iguacu Falls as seen from the Argentinian side!

Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T12:41:00.001-03:00

Andrea looks a bit like the guy on the sign

Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T12:41:00.000-03:00

Careful drunken people?

Sheraton Hotel Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T12:40:00.000-03:00

Our first view of the Iguacu Falls from the Sheraton Hotel

Sheraton Hotel Iguacu Falls

2008-12-15T12:38:00.000-03:00

Then we pretended were are guests of the Sheraton Hotel and enjoyed a
real Espresso coffee :-)

Iguacu Falls Argentinian side

2008-12-15T10:37:00.000-03:00

Jungle flora

Iguacu Falls Argentinian side

2008-12-15T10:31:00.000-03:00

Exploring the Iguacu falls on the Argentinian side, we first did a
hike on Sendero Macuco trail. We saw monkeys, spiders, lizards, birds

Foz de Iguacu

2008-12-14T22:58:00.000-03:00

What a buffet at Pousada de Laura in Foz de Iguacu! Luis runs the
place since 1 year very successfully! The crowd was a guy from
Austria, a guy from England, a couple from Netherlands and couple from
Germany

Foz de Iguacu

2008-12-14T22:53:00.000-03:00

Great work in the kitchen!

Foz de Iguacu

2008-12-14T22:50:00.000-03:00

Great crowd!

Foz de Iguacu

2008-12-14T22:48:00.000-03:00

Barbeque at Pousada de Laura

Foz de Iguacu Pousada de Laura

2008-12-14T19:06:00.000-03:00

Still raining

Foz de Iguazu

2008-12-14T19:02:00.000-03:00

Rain! Hope our barbeque can still happen!

Foz de Iguacu

2008-12-14T15:58:00.000-03:00

Daisy the dog at hostel Laura

Foz de Iguacu

2008-12-14T15:57:00.000-03:00

The barbeque place at the hostel, where we had dinner at night

Foz de Iguacu

2008-12-14T15:56:00.000-03:00

View inside our hostel

Foz de Iguacu

2008-12-14T15:55:00.000-03:00

Bought food at the supermarket and had lunch at the hostel.
Restaurants were mostly closed because it's Sunday.

Foz de Iguacu

2008-12-14T15:46:00.000-03:00

Calling our parents from the narrow telephone booth in Foz de Iguacu

Puerto Iguacu to Foz de Iguacu

2008-12-14T12:45:00.000-03:00

Taking the public bus to the border of Brazil. After customs and
immigration we switched to a taxi for booking the connection to Sao
Paulo and heading to our hostel

Buenos Aires to Iguacu

2008-12-13T18:36:00.000-03:00

Andrea and Reto heading from Buenos Aires to Iguacu with bus company
"Crucero del Norte". We booked the cama suite, the best bus service so
far. We will arrive in 16 hrs at 11.30am Argentina time (15.30pm Swiss
time)

Buenos Aires

2008-12-13T18:31:00.000-03:00

The buses are already lined up

Buenos Aires

2008-12-13T18:30:00.000-03:00

Rushed to the omnibus terminal in Buenos Aires Retiro destrict

Buenos Aires

2008-12-13T18:28:00.000-03:00

Shopping at Patio Bulrich

Buenos Aires

2008-12-13T14:56:00.000-03:00

Andrea inside Cafe Tortoni

Buenos Aires

2008-12-13T14:53:00.000-03:00

Friday was without pictures. On Saturday back on our feet, we went to
Cafe Tortoni which celebrates its 150 years existence and was the
first cafe in Argentina

Buenos Aires

2008-12-13T14:48:00.000-03:00

These were the small (!) portions! Later Reto got sick :-(

Buenos Aires

2008-12-13T14:45:00.000-03:00

For dinner on Thursday we went to Rio Alba

Buenos Aires

2008-12-13T14:43:00.000-03:00

Thursday at the pier

Buenos Aires

2008-12-11T19:41:00.000-03:00

Andrea at Pier #2 at Juana Manuela Gorriti!