Last Saturday Leesport PA, this weekend São Paulo BRAZIL!  Crazy life, right?  4 day work-week, then Thursday overnite travel to South America’s most populous city.  Denver to Houston, followed by a direct 10-hour flight on United.

Friday morning touchdown.  Currency exchange (no gringo ATM), taxi to Marriott Executive Apartments.  Overspent/splurged a bit on lodging.  GREAT digs, PERFECT location: half-mile walk from Ibirapuera Park, Sunday’s marathon Start/Finish.  Other bonus?  English-speaking check-in & concierge.  HUGE in a country where I don’t speak the language [Portuguese].

Set my alarm, two hour nap – ready now, bring on Friday.  Only 3 days in São Paulo: so little time, so much to see!  Today’s adventure: marathon bib pick-up.  Race not ‘til Sunday but already scheduled a 5-hour tour for tomorrow.  Local map in hand, will travel.

Right on Prof. Filadelfo Azevedo, no detouring ‘til Ibirapuera Park, Brazil’s largest public park.  Portão [Gate] 7.  SUPER important for navigating my hotel return.  Little to no English here, so no asking questions.  Most foreign tourists travel to Rio.

Ultimately trying to locate a large sports stadium, Ginásio Poliesportivo Mauro Pinheiro.  Maps app said half-mile northwest of the Park.  Walked alongside Ibirapuera almost 2 miles, down Av. República Do Líbano to Monumento às Bandeiras, day’s first tourist stop.  Pic-snapped a large banner advertising Sunday’s marathon on the way.  Very cool – this is really HAPPENING.

‘Monument to the Flags’ commemorates 17th-century bandeiras, or settling expeditions into the interior of Brazil.  The monument, given its size and location, has become an integral part of the landscape of São Paulo.

Could see the Stadium in the distance.  Just a matter of safely crossing 2 major roads & finding a way in.  Seems EVERY building (& park) in São Paulo is surrounded by iron gates.  Walked the perimeter ‘til I broke the code, found the Expo exit.

‘No Portuguese, no Portuguese’; lady just responded slower & LOUDER.  We do the same in the States, suppose it’s only fair.  Not deaf ma’am, just don’t understand fake Spanish.  Left, shook my head, did another perimeter walk.

Inside: showed my passport, used lotta Google-translate.  Check done, mission accomplished  – I’m running on Sunday 🙂

Rest of the afternoon took in beautiful expansive Ibirapuera Park.  Trees, trails, black swans, football & food vendors – São Paulo’s version of Central Park.  Gorged on fresh fish for dinner.  Early to bed, early to rise – downtown cathedral crawl tomorrow.

Ibirapuera Park ‘Futebol’

Food TV & Idol (Brasil)