Lover of travel, unique, off beat and home DIY

Brazil: March 11-21, 2025

March 11-12

Our journey began with an uneventful takeoff. We landed in Washington D.C., had dinner, and then boarded our overnight flight to São Paulo.

Fortunately, Brazilian immigration allows nationals to enter with foreigners, so my boyfriend and I went through the line together. The immigration process was remarkably efficient, with only a three-minute wait for the border agent. After collecting our bags, which, unfortunately, were among the last to arrive, we proceeded. The airport has two exits: one for those with nothing to declare and another for those with items to declare. We went through the “nothing to declare” line, where they randomly select people for further checks, but we passed through without issue. We then went to the baggage check for connecting flights, dropped off our checked bags, and headed outside to catch a bus to Terminal 1. The bus wait was quite long, so allow ample time, and it was very crowded. The drive to Terminal 1 took about 5-10 minutes. Terminal 1 was small, and security was quick. We headed to our gate for the flight to Curitiba and grabbed some caffeine, as sleeping on a plane is never comfortable. We boarded the plane by walking across the tarmac. It was a quick, one-hour flight between terminals. After collecting our bags, we took a convenient Uber to the Xtay Princess in Curitiba. The room, especially the bathroom, was small. However, it was clean, secure, and conveniently located near many attractions. I felt very safe, and overall, we enjoyed our stay. The bed was extremely firm, and the pillows were terrible. It did have a small kitchenette with a fridge, which was a nice bonus. We arrived and settled in around 4 PM. Having only had a small breakfast provided by the airline on the overnight flight, we were starving. We walked one block to Café Casarão, where I tried the “xtra burger” with fries, which was a substantial and interesting meal. It included a beef patty, cheese, ham, a fried egg, and sausage. I also tried a chocolate cake, which was just okay—not very sweet and a bit dry. Then, my boyfriend gave me a guided tour of his city, focusing on the area around our hotel.

• Rua 24 horas: This is a covered pedestrian street in Curitiba, known for its unique architecture and, originally, its 24-hour operation. It was inaugurated on September 11, 1991, as one of Brazil’s first 24-hour shopping and dining streets, designed to cater to both locals and tourists at any time. The structure, designed by architects Abrão Assad and Simone Soares, features an arched metal and glass roof, giving it a modern and distinctive look. Note: It is no longer open 24 hours and now houses interesting restaurants, shops, and bars/coffee shops.
• Praça Osório: One of Curitiba’s oldest and most traditional public squares, dating back to the 19th century. Located in the city center, it has long been a hub of social, cultural, and commercial activity. The square was named after General Osório, a Brazilian military leader known for his role in the Paraguayan War.

Afterward, we returned to the hotel and went to bed, exhausted.

March 13th

We started the day at Pão Lins, where I had an egg sandwich and lemonade. We then returned to Rua 24 horas to catch the hop-on/hop-off tourist bus. It has several stops and comes every 30 minutes (though it sometimes runs late due to traffic). The cost is $50 reais per person. You receive a card to scan each time you board. The pass is valid for 24 hours. Most of the buses are double-decker, with some having covered upper decks and others open. The stops we made included:

• Jardim Botânico de Curitiba: One of Curitiba’s most famous landmarks, it was inaugurated on October 5, 1991, and was designed to resemble French-style gardens, featuring symmetrical flower beds, walking paths, and water fountains. The park’s most iconic feature is its glass greenhouse, inspired by the Palace of Crystal in London, which houses tropical and subtropical plant species. The botanical garden spans over 178,000 square meters and includes native forests, themed gardens, and the Botanical Museum, dedicated to plant conservation and research. The garden was free and features two glass greenhouses: one tall with a second story and the other a long tube with a coffee shop school inside. There is a gift shop and bathrooms on the premises. It was a bit busy, but a quick and worthwhile stop. We stayed for 30 minutes and caught the next bus.

• Museu Oscar Niemeyer (MON), or “Museu do Olho”: Designed by Oscar Niemeyer, one of Brazil’s most renowned architects, the museum was originally built in 1967 as the Edifício Presidente Humberto Castelo Branco to house government offices. In 2002, the building was transformed into a museum, with Niemeyer himself designing an additional structure—the famous “Eye”—to expand the exhibition space. The museum was officially inaugurated on November 22, 2002. Covering over 35,000 square meters, MON is one of the largest museums in Latin America, specializing in contemporary art, architecture, and design. We didn’t pay to enter the museum, but you can visit for a nominal fee. They have restrooms, a gift shop, and a café on the premises, and you can walk around the outside freely. The architecture is impressive to see, even from the bus. We stayed for 30 minutes and caught the next bus.

• Bosque Zaninelli/Universidade: The park is named after Vitor Zaninelli, an Italian immigrant who contributed to Curitiba’s development. It was inaugurated in 1992 and is home to the Universidade Livre do Meio Ambiente (UNILIVRE), an institution focused on environmental education and sustainability. UNILIVRE’s main building is an architectural highlight, featuring an open-air amphitheater made of wood and integrated into the surrounding forest. It is a short hike through the woods to a small lake with a wooden structure that you can climb via a winding ramp.

• Tanguá Park: One of the most famous landmarks associated with the name Tanguá is Parque Tanguá, a popular urban park inaugurated in 1996 on the site of a former rock quarry. The park features stunning waterfalls, lakes, and a tunnel carved into the rock, attracting visitors for its scenic views and recreational spaces. This is a large park with trails leading down to the waterfall. We were short on time and hungry, so we only stayed at the upper part of the waterfall. There is a steep, quicker hike and a gradual, longer hike to reach the waterfall. Before the waterfall is a Pegasus statue and a two-story structure you can climb.

• Família Madalosso: In 1963, Luigi Madalosso, an Italian descendant, founded Restaurante Madalosso, which started as a small Italian eatery. Over the decades, it expanded into one of the largest restaurants in Latin America, famous for its traditional Italian cuisine, especially rodízio-style pasta and polenta dishes. We got off the bus in an area with shopping and restaurants and decided to stop here since my boyfriend had told me about this restaurant, which is in the Guinness Book of World Records for feeding the most people in one day. It’s a fairly quick dining experience; you sit down, and they immediately bring out shared items, with several people walking around offering additional dishes. It’s an all-you-can-eat affair, featuring various pasta, meats, and vegetable-based sides. We probably overate a bit, and then attempted to pay, which took some time. We rushed back to the bus stop, arriving with only a few minutes to spare for the bus, which was scheduled to arrive an hour later. By this point, the buses were running late, so instead of a few minutes, we waited about 15.

• Bosque Peões e Prendas: This was our final stop and perhaps the highlight of the trip, which is why we shortened our visits to other stops. This park is home to many capybaras, and after about 10 minutes of walking, I spotted my first one. He was calm and allowed me to approach, and when I gathered my courage, I was able to pet him. I petted a capybara, which was my number one thing to do in Brazil. Even though we walked in the rain, it couldn’t dampen my excitement. We saw a few more capybaras on the walk back. Afterward, we headed back to the bus stop, where the bus was 20 minutes late. We arrived back at Rua 24 horas and went to our room.

We then got ready and took an Uber to meet my boyfriend’s paternal family at Pizzaria Baggio. The pizza was good, and they had something called focaccia pizza, which was delicious. Essentially, it’s a stuffed pizza with a focaccia-style crust. The meeting was enjoyable; I mostly remained quiet as an English speaker with limited Portuguese, but my boyfriend was able to talk to family he hadn’t seen in five years. His uncle and grandmother gave us a ride back to the hotel, and we went to sleep.

March 14th

We woke up and had breakfast at Confeitaria Holandesa. I had a chicken-stuffed pastry and hot chocolate. We also indulged in mini cakes. All the items were good, and the service was fair. It was a quick and easy breakfast. We then walked about a mile to Shopping Pátio Batel. This was a large, indoor luxury shopping mall with modern architecture. The stores included places like Louis Vuitton, Max Mara, Pat Bo, Versace, etc. I wanted perfume, and my boyfriend suggested O Boticário Lab – Flagship, which was perfect because I wanted something made in Brazil, and it had many options. A salesperson assisted us, and we smelled over 15 different scents before settling on one of the first ones. The store itself was very cute and had a scientific, steampunk aesthetic. We walked around all the floors and also found a book for his niece back in the States at a bookstore. We took an Uber and headed to the Mercado Municipal, an indoor market with stalls full of fresh produce, fish, meats, and other items. I made a purchase at Vô Milano Cachaçaria, which included grape cachaça and cinnamon cachaça. I bought the grape cachaça with the intention of bringing it to my boyfriend’s aunt’s house that evening because it had actual grapes inside the bottle and a wonderful sweet flavor. I have yet to try the cinnamon cachaça. We walked around, bought some fruits, my boyfriend bought a beer glass for his collection, and ate at Restaurante Anarco Mercado Municipal. They had a two-person deal for steak, pasta, and salad. It was good, and I also had a caipirinha. We took another Uber and headed back to the room to shower and change before meeting the rest of my boyfriend’s family, which included cousins, aunts, uncles, and another grandmother. Everyone was nice, but I could only really talk to three of them. However, the conversations with both English-speaking cousins and his aunt were enjoyable. One of his cousins offered suggestions for the next few days of our travels, which was helpful. We stayed until around 9 PM and headed back to the hotel to pack and get ready for the next day.

March 15th

We checked out of the hotel around 9 AM and headed to the airport via Uber to pick up a rental car at Localiza. We were dropped off at arrivals and walked to the counter, which was pointless because the counter simply radioed a shuttle to take us to the rental location across the airport (i.e., just get dropped off there instead). We secured a rental for three days at $88 USD total. We drove off the lot and experienced a vibration, so we returned and traded it for another of the exact same car model. We loaded our bags into the second car and drove toward Florianópolis. About an hour into the drive, this car started having a similar vibration 🙄, which progressively worsened, and eventually, the brakes began making an awful squeaking noise 🙄🙄. I would not recommend the Volkswagen Polo for rentals here. The service, however, was good. Along the route, we stopped at Decathlon in Joinville. Decathlon is one of my favorite stores for finding activewear at good prices and with great quality. I bought some items, and we continued on our way to Balneário Camboriú to find a rooftop restaurant. We had to reroute about three times because finding the valet parking was tricky. The restaurant was in a residential building and offered valet parking only, which cost R$50. The restaurant had an upscale feel, with a host leading you up a service elevator and elevated cuisine. We ordered fish entrées, considering we were on the Atlantic Ocean. One side of the restaurant overlooked the city and its high-rise buildings, while the other side overlooked a beach. We were seated on the beach side and enjoyed watching paragliders. They also advertised that you could switch sides when a table opened up. However, we were content with the ocean view. The food was delicious, and it was an awesome side detour, though pricey for Brazil, costing us about $100 USD.

We continued our drive to Florianópolis and went straight to our Paradise Bangalô, which we found on Airbnb. It was located in a very peaceful part of the island, a little away from Moçambique Beach. The bungalow wasn’t fancy, but it had everything we needed, along with a cute little outdoor sitting area, beach chairs, and a cooler for the beach. I also experienced my first “suicide shower,” which is essentially a showerhead connected (by wires) to electricity. It didn’t end badly for me, and I wasn’t electrocuted, so I consider that a success. The drive took about six hours, and we arrived shortly before sunset.

We watched the sunset, headed to the Moçambique access, and then went to the grocery store, Direto do Campo – Rio Vermelho, for some necessities. We then grabbed baked goods for dinner at Padaria Zilda. The market was small with a large produce section and all the basics, but with limited brands and selection. The bakery was large, with both savory and sweet items, and quite busy. We headed back to the bungalow, where I tried some new (to me) Brazilian pastries.

March 16th

We woke up and headed to an area south of us called Barra da Lagoa for a hike. We happened upon a parking lot randomly, which charged R$30 cash or Pix only. Be aware that there is no ATM in this town, so have cash on hand. We found the Trilha das Piscinas Naturais trail with ease, as they have well-marked signs. The same trail also leads to a beautiful beach. The trail ends at Rampa de Pedra da Ponta, which has large boulders, a pretty swimming area, and many people spending time there with chairs and coolers. The view is amazing, and the hike is rather short but includes some inclines, declines, and stairs.

We finished the hike around 10 AM, and it was too early for lunch, so we sat at a café called Quiosque Silva for refreshments. The main reason was also so my boyfriend could set up his Pix account to pay for parking. My boyfriend’s cousin recommended a restaurant in another area, so we headed to Trapiche do Terminal Lacustre. Here, we needed a boat to get to the restaurant. The boat was R$30 for a round trip per person and, again, it was cash, Brazilian debit, or Pix only, and again, no ATM. We waited about five minutes for the boat to fill up and headed across the lagoon to Restaurante Cabral Parador 19. Here, we ordered the house special plate, which included fish, shrimp prepared two ways, vegetables, and a large quantity of food. We also ordered sides and couldn’t finish our meal. It was good, and the environment was nice. Some tables have outdoor beach/water views, while others are indoors. We located our return boat, mostly by showing the ticket to people and being directed to the right place, and returned to the car.

We headed to the bungalow to relax for a few minutes and then went to Praia dos Ingleses. This beach is unusual because you have to park in the city and walk toward the beach. The beach was busy and had options to rent chairs, umbrellas, and multiple food options. But it wasn’t for me, so we wandered the beach and town a bit and then headed back to the bungalow.

After cleaning up a bit, we went to Skullashu Beer Tap – Pub Chopp Artesanal for some pub food and cocktails. My boyfriend was interested in the craft beers, and I enjoyed a flavored margarita. They had shredded beef shoulder, a mozzarella/tomato/basil appetizer, and shiitake pastels, which were all good for bar food. They even had a guy playing live music. The bar itself had covered patio seating and outdoor uncovered seating. We then returned to the bungalow for the night.

March 17th

We woke up the next morning and checked out of the bungalow. We drove toward our next night’s stay and stopped at the Porto Bella outlet mall. I found a store I liked and bought a few items. I also saw a mystery box vending machine that cost R$40. Mine contained a belt purse and a pair of sunglasses. Nothing fancy, but it was fun.

We continued on our way and encountered standstill traffic for 30-40 minutes just before Balneário Camboriú, most likely due to accidents. We stopped at Graal Grande Parada Norte, which is a gas station and bus station with a buffet. You enter by grabbing an electronic number disk and take what you want; each time you “purchase” something, they scan it onto the disk, and you pay at the end. You need the disk to leave, so keep it even if you are with someone else and plan to pay together. The buffet was rather poor and expensive, so I wouldn’t recommend it, but they did have pastries, soda, water, coffee, etc., as alternatives. We continued to our Airbnb in Paranaguá. It is known as the “aquarium house” and is entirely made of glass with a pond in a remote area accessed by a dirt road. The house was unique and a fun experience, allowing us to enjoy all the sounds of nature while still being inside. It was nicely decorated, and despite an encounter with a spider and a cockroach, it was great. The bed was the most comfortable we’d had so far. There wasn’t much in the way of food around the house, so we drove 15 minutes toward the water and ate at Simples Gastrobar Praia de Leste. The restaurant offered African-infused Brazilian cuisine and some amazing ceviche. We also tried cambia Portuguesa, which was a smoked fish that had a fairly strong fish taste. I didn’t mind it, but my boyfriend didn’t love it. We also had garlic bread, and our dish came with lentils and rice, all of which were really good. Our service was also excellent. We headed back to enjoy the house and relax.

March 18th

This was the least eventful day. We woke up and headed to my boyfriend’s aunt’s house to drop off the majority of his belongings and waited a bit until we had to return the rental car before our flight to São Paulo. We returned the rental car without any problems, boarded the plane, and took off. Except our 40-minute flight became a 90-minute flight due to a rainstorm that temporarily shut down São Paulo/Congonhas Airport. Luckily, after circling in the sky, we were able to land, and they are SUPER efficient there. We retrieved our bags very quickly and took an Uber to our Airbnb near Paulista Avenue. The building had three secure gates with a guard at night and remote personnel monitoring entry and exit. The apartment was basic, the bed was just okay, it had another “suicide shower,” but it had all the amenities and a good, safe location. We decided to walk 15 minutes in light rain to Adriata Restaurante. This place had excellent service and delicious food. We ordered picanha and beef stroganoff, both with a load of sides, and it was more than enough food. It hit the spot, and luckily, the rain stopped on our walk back. We also stopped at an OXO to grab some caffeine for the morning.

March 19

We had an 8:20am appointment at A mais for an MRI of my cervical and lumbar spine due to 12 years of chronic back pain.  If I wanted this in the states, I’d probably have to jump through hoops but it’s easy to get a doctor’s order and pay cash in Brazil.  I paid $466 USD and it was able to get a next day appointment (the price also included 15% off for scheduling online).  I arrived a little early and was in the MRI by 8:25 am so they are very efficient as well as accessible.  The MRI took some time, I think I was in the machine for 15-20 minutes.  Then we left and headed to Raful Cozinha Árabe – Brigadeiro for breakfast.  I tried a few meat/cheese pastries and grabbed a water.  We then grabbed an uber to Ibirapuera Park.  The park was nice with large walking/running and bike riding lanes.  At the South entrance there was bike rentals available including side by side 2 person ones.  They had several food/drink vendors along the walking/biking path.  We headed NW to the Pavilhão Japonês: It was inaugurated in 1954 as a gift from the Japanese government and community to São Paulo in celebration of the city’s 400th anniversary.  It was an open structure with an art gallery open.  There are multiple science related sculptures around this area and an area by the lake with ducks and swans.  Right next to this is a circular spaceship looking building: Escola Municipal de Astrofísica.  This was closed so we unfortunately only saw it from the outside.  We headed further north and spotted the Monumento às Bandeiras.  This is actually across the street from the park and it’s a busy street so we admired it from afar.  It was designed by Brazilian sculptor Victor Brecheret to honor the Bandeirantes, the 17th-century Portuguese explorers who expanded Brazil’s territory.  Then we headed SE to Auditório Ibirapuera – Oscar Niemeyer which was designed in the 1950’s as part of the Parks’s master plan but was delayed until 2005.  It was also closed and appeared to be closed for some time but it did look cool inside and outside.  Then we took a peek at Obelisco e Monumento Mausoléu ao Soldado Constitucionalista de 32 which was across from a busy road.  This is honoring the fighters of the 1932 Constitutionalist Revolution.  It’s a large column. 

The final stop in the park was a bit of an exciting surprise: the Oca.  This was Designed by Oscar Niemeyer in 1951, as part of the original Ibirapuera Park master plan for São Paulo’s 400th anniversary (1954).  This building is interesting to look at as it’s white, domed and has cut outs.  However as we approached I read a giant sign that said “Harry Potter: the exhibition”.  Ummm… yesssss!  The boyfriend, not as keen as me, was a good sport and we paid the R$50 to enter.  We were provided with wristbands and set up profiles that included our name, house, wand, patronus.  The exhibit was well done with a lot of props and interactive stations where you use your wristband to activate them.  The downside is it only allows you one try so if you miss it, you just miss it.  It took you through the most iconic places in the books and it was really fun.  They also had a huge giftshop (overpriced but huge).  At this stage I’m at my weight limit for bags so I refrained.  After that highlight, we headed to the park entrance to grab an uber to the hotel. 

We then re-grouped and dropped off any valuable we had on us and grabbed an uber to the historic centro with a stop first at Liberdade District which has a sorted history of being initially occupied by African slaves and freedmen.  It later became a place for public executions.  Then in 1908 Japanese immigrants settled here and by the 1920s it had a strong Japanese identity.  It has a Tori gate and red lanterns lining the streets.  We are at  Sushi Yassuh Liberdade which was unsophisticated but really high quality fish.  It was delicious and the service was excellent.  We did a special of sushi, sashimi and fish.  It is pricey though considering the quality of fish.  We left there and walked to Igreja Santa Cruz das Almas dos Enforcados: Origins (18th Century):  The site was originally a public execution ground during colonial times.  In 1821, a soldier named Francisco José das Chagas, also known as “Chaguinhas,” was sentenced to death for leading a military rebellion.  His execution failed twice, which was seen as divine intervention, but he was ultimately strangled to death.  Church Construction (19th Century): Following Chaguinhas’ death, he was venerated as a martyr, and local devotion grew.  The first chapel was built in 1887 on the execution site.  The current church was constructed in 1934.  It was a medium size church with an impressive mural on the ceiling. 

The next stop was Sé Metropolitan Cathedral:  a church has been on these grounds since 1591.  Its current church is neo-gothic and was inaugurated in 1954 as part of São Paulo’s 400 year anniversary.  This church is impressive but the area in not, be vigilant and careful walking around here.  My boyfriend was on extra alert because he didn’t want anything bad to happen to me in his country.  Nothing did, but I had a portable safe in the room for our extra credit cards, actual cell phones and passports.  I had a money belt under my clothing with my ID and 2 credit cards.  I also brought an old iPhone 6 to have just in case.  My boyfriend had a more modern old phone that we used for photos, uber, etc..  I left my purse behind in the room at more sketchy places.  The area does have a lot of police presence and military presence but that doesn’t always deter people.  We saw one man complaining to the police about being robbed.  Anyway the church had lovely stained glass windows and mosaic artwork, huge ceilings and overall was a work of art. 

We made it to a street R. São Bento with a lot of stores but since my boyfriend was stressed we headed to a location to get an uber.  We did happen upon Igreja de Santo Antônio: Built in 1592, it is considered the oldest standing church in São Paulo.  Although rebuilt, it still has colonial-era details.  It was a tiny little church with a lot of gold decor.  Just down the road from this church, we grabbed an uber to the hotel.  We gathered our valuables and my purse again and then walked to Shopping Cidade São Paulo.  It’s a shopping mall with a lot of Brazilian stores.  It was a safe and close place to spend some time.  We grabbed a cookie from Mr. Cheney Cookies which are similar to Crumbl Cookies and they were excellent.  In fact, my boyfriend likes to video/photograph me when I’m not expecting it. Although I look ridiculous, it shows just how much I enjoyed this cookie.

After browsing the mall, we stopped in Outback.  Allegedly, these are nicer in Brazil so I had to check it out.  We sat at the bar for some cocktails.  It is definitely a little nicer/newer but still not elevated.  We got lucky and made happy hour and had some really cheap drinks.  We took an uber back to the hotel and crashed for the night.

March 20th

Today we woke up leisurely and headed to grab some food: Lanchonete Madadayo. I got the Americano (bread, cheese, ham, egg) and Açaí juice. It had a diner feel with table and counter service. The food was good. We happened to walk through a farmers market and grabbed a few varieties of bananas that you can’t find in the US. Then we stopped at Bakebun Bakery Bela Vista for a caramelo cinnamon roll. It was sooo good with cream cheese frosting topped with caramel. It’s like my dream roll. We headed back to the room and grabbed our stuff and hopped an Uber to Hampton by Hilton Guarulhos Airport. We were not able to check in at 10:30 AM, but we were able to drop our bags. There isn’t a lot to do on this side of town, so they recommended a few malls. We settled on the less bougie one: Parque Shopping Maia. We browsed the mall, bought a couple of small items, and then ate at Graça Di Napolli Pizzaria e Trattoria. It was good and had smaller lunch portions. The service was great, and my boyfriend was excited that they had a rare Cachaça (which he ordered when we first got to Brazil and had it shipped to his aunt’s so he can bring it back because you can’t just find it in the store).

We took an Uber to the hotel to have a leisurely rest of the day. When we got to the room, at first glance, it seemed really nice, but our room smelled like old cigarette smoke, which we thought we would adjust to but really didn’t. We could mask it with the A/C blowing pretty high. The bed was on wheels and would pull away from the wall. The floor was sticky, and it just seemed gross. The restaurant opened at 7 PM, and we headed down for dinner. Turns out it was buffet style for R$80. It had a lot of fruits, salads, picanha, chicken, pasta, etc. It was better than the previous per kilo at the bus stop (and actually a bit cheaper). We then headed upstairs, watched a movie, and passed out.

March 21st

We woke up early as it’s my big travel day home and had a free shuttle reservation for 07:10. The free breakfast buffet started at 5 AM, so we headed down just before 6 AM and had some food. Except this one wasn’t as good. I got eggs and kept getting something crunchy, like shells. The bacon was overcooked, and the orange juice was sour. Besides that, I’m an anxious person, and the fact that I was leaving my boyfriend and traveling for 18+ hours wasn’t helping my appetite. We went upstairs, got ready, and finished packing. The shuttle bus promptly left at 07:10 AM. I checked in, dropped my bag, and said goodbye to my boyfriend before going through security. He was also flying this day but back to Curitiba for another 11 days.

My travel went smoothly to Atlanta, which is always a shitshow. I breezed through global re-entry, then my bag came out toward the end. The bag drop was easy, but the freaking security line was probably 150 people deep. It did go fast, and I was through in about 30 minutes. I headed to my gate and had another hour to kill before boarding. My journey was uneventful and I got home just a few minutes late around 11:20pm. I got my bag quickly and waited about 15 minutes for my uber. It was wonderful to see my bed and PILLOWS. Sadly, sans the boyfriend as he remained for another 11 days to see family and work remotely.

Below is the link to the google map marking most of the places mentioned above: https://maps.app.goo.gl/p1aKfYx7nxkaHG516