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28.8. Fri (415) Belo Horizonte

In Belo Horizonte the city street plan was quite strange: the streets were in 45 degrees angles to each other. Like two city plans put together!

30.8. Sun (417) B.H. towards Penedo

I had planned the trip from Maringa towards North to be only two to three weeks. For exploring Brazil properly would some months or half a year be necessary. And minimum 20,000 kms. The country is only slightly smaller than the continent of Europe.

My intention was to visit Penedo, which I had heard to be a Finnish community. There had been Finnish settlers more than 100 years. The road went to a mountaineous area. Anyway, I didn't find it. There were just some villages of which I couldn't know which is Penedo. Stopping at Lorena, small town near São Paulo.

31.8. Mon (418) Lorena Jaú

Visiting again Jaú and meeting again nice two people I had met there previously.

7.9. Mon (425) Maringá

"Neljä-kaks-viis, ja hyvä meininki!" :) :)
(That was a saying in Finnish UN troops in South Lebanon when I worked there... that joky saying because the UNIFIL mission was based on United Nations resolution 425... Allright... inside story...)
This day, 7th September, was the independence day of Brazil. Brazil had got independent from Portugal in 1822.

8.9. Tue (426) Maringá

As 53,000 kms was ridden, the cam chain of the engine had to be changed. The cam chain change interval is 50,000 kms. But before doing the work, the magneto cover gasket was needed. I had ordered it from São Paulo via EKY Motos.

9.9. Wed (427) Maringá

The magneto cover gasket arrived, and so the mechanic Ika could start the work to my bike.

...Afterwards, the running sound of the bike was like as new! Ika repaired also the problem with the light switch, which had been a nuisance since Sahel, for 10 months. Also this evening the owner of EKY motos, Edison offered us dinner & beer. Great! :)

11.9. Fri (429) Maringá Foz do Iguazu

I said goodbye to the personnel of EKY Motos. I had become friends with them.

On the way happened a strange thing: as in the highways in Brazil there the speed limits are 110 km/h *for cars* and 80 km/h for other vehicles (including bikes)... I rode the same speed as cars did. I didn't care about that 80 km/h limit. And of course there was a radar control!! The patrol stopped me, my speed had been 114 km/h. 34 km/h overspeed. They took my papers: passport, international driving license and carnet. I was about to get 520 U.S. dollars traffic ticket!!!! Uh, almost two weeks budget!!

Because the tickets have to be paid to a bank and it was Friday evening, the case would have delayed till Monday... Expensive fine plus almost three days waiting!
What a nuisance!

But surprisingly, they started to talk to me (in Portuguese): - "Where are you from?"
- "From Finland"
- "You're a world traveller!"
"How beautiful life!"
"Hmmm... Well, I think we won't make you such a trouble that you would have to wait till next week. ... here are the papers. Have a nice trip!"

You can bet I was surprised!!!

Then I continued towards Iguazu. Now obeying the speed limits (more or less). I had promised them to ride more carefully, so it would have been a bit shame to get caught again from overspeeding. Some 420 kms to Iguazu.

Iguazu is a touristic attraction, where are big water falls.

12.9. Sat (430) Foz do Iguazu

The falls were much bigger on the Brazilian side than in the Argentinian side. On the Brazilian side of the falls there were lots to see, beautiful falls. They weren't much smaller compared with the Vic Falls of Zimbabwe.

13.9. Sun (431) Brazil back to Argentina

General information about Argentina.
I had heard that everything would be much cheaper in Paraguay, as there are practically no taxes paid. For example bike tyres might be cheaper there than in Buenos Aires. But I was also informed that security matters are not in good level there (thefts & muggings), so I gave up of going to Paraguay.

Instead of that, towards Capital Federal! On the way back to Bs. As. the fuel consumption hit all records: 7.5 litres/100 km. Incredible! Less than 250 kms with main tank. And steady 100 km/h...

18.9. Fri (436) Bs. As.

I bought the front & rear tyres from Avenida Pueyrredon. There are all the bike shops. I got good discounts :) From now on, I had even more luggage, added with two tyres! That's because I was totally unaware, when I could visit bike shops next time. Current tyres were already more than half-used, and could do just the next 5,000 kms.

19.9. Sat (437) Bs. As. towards West

Wake-up at Hotel Odeon at 6.30. The hotel was quite miserable, but the price was the lowest possible, $14... I fetched the bike 1.5 kms away from the 'estacionamiento' (parking hall) at a place nearby. The guarded parking places cost in Buenos Aires minimum 5 Pesos/USD per night, but it's good to play safe. It's worth it. Then I loaded all the massive amount of luggage on the bike. Lots of it! Then riding along Av. Rivadavia towards West, it took two full hours (65 kms) to get out of the city.

It was unusually cold, just 5 degrees. But sunshine anyway :) Accommodation at town of Mercedes, good hotel, $25/night. From almost freezing conditions to warmth!

Unluckily my letters containing films(!!!) also for this update were lost (=stolen in Bs.As.), with DHL courier the other pictures arrived to Finland.

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