nicole_5


 * Diary Entry 5:**

I have now returned back to the state of Parana, to visit the city of Curitiba. Curitiba is the capital city of the state of Parana and is a very beautiful place. It is the cultural, economical and political centre of southern Brazil. Its quite easy to navigate your way around Curitiba it has a very simple transportation system. The system consists of buses only. There are many different types of buses and each with a different function.

I got on a bus and headed for the Palladium Shopping Centre, which is in fact the biggest mall in southern Brazil. I havent been on any shopping expeditions throughout my travels, so I figured that the largest mall in southern Brazil wasn't a bad place to start. I thought to myself that shopping, when the sales assistants speak in a different language would be quite a struggle, so I hired a translator. It cost me around 30 Reais for a couple of hours but was well worth it. Even when your not speaking their language you can still feel the warmth of the Brazilian people. The translator also helped me in avoiding getting ripped off and short changed, as I had heard stories that this was a common practice in Brazil because of the poverty rates. After my shopping expedition i visited the IMAX theatre and then headed back to the hotel.

References:
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curitiba%2C_Brazil

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Southern_Brazil