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Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Brazil: Lencois to Brasilia

Leaving Lencois gave me much stress, as most of the onward travel options to Brasilia involved night buses. After exhaustive research, we took a route that involved the least amount of busing in the dark.

In the mornings (at least during the week), there are two competing?/complimentary? vans that leave Lencois by the bridge at 7am for Seabra. At 12 noon, Emtram has a bus from Seabra to Barreiras arriving at 19:00. We spent the night at a hotel near the bus terminal, so we have no idea what Barreiras looks like.

From Barreiras, there are numerous morning "through buses" to Brasilia, arriving around 20:00. We picked the one with the shortest running time, the Visao Piaui (sold by Flixbus), 10:20-20:00. It was 30 minutes late into Barreiras, 15 minutes late to Brasilia, not bad at all.

For the first time in nearly two months in Brazil, on the bus from Barreiras to Brasilia, we finally saw large-scale cultivation/agriculture. Up to this point we had only seen animal grazing. Brazil is the #1 exporter of soybeans and #2 cotton. We finally see where they are grown.

Our Airbnb host stopped on his way home from the market to make sure we were on the 7am van to Seabra.
Our Airbnb Host Sees Us Off to Seabra (On the Van to the Right) - Lencois, Bahai, Brazil

Seabra in the distance.
On the Van from Lencois to Seabra, Bahia, Brazil

The Entam ticket seller was super nice and patient and the bus came through from Salvador only 30 minutes late.
Emtram Bus - On the Bus from Seabra to Barreiras, Bahia, Brazil

The bus headed almost due west through the low mountains and desert towards Barreiras.
On the Bus from Seabra to Barreiras, Bahia, Brazil

On the Bus from Seabra to Barreiras, Bahia, Brazil

We passed through a few villages (1st below), a tire repair shop with adjacent steakhouse (2nd), and several brick factories (3rd) with kilns, chimneys, bricks, and stacks of wood. I'm always excited to see low-tech brick factories like the one we saw in Myanmar on New Year's day 2009. (4th below).
On the Bus from Seabra to Barreiras, Bahia, Brazil

Tire Repair (L)  and Steakhouse (R) - On the Bus from Seabra to Barreiras, Bahia, Brazil

Brickmaker's Kiln and Chimney - On the Bus from Seabra to Barreiras, Bahia, Brazil

Brick Factory - On the train to Mawlamyine, Myanmar Burma

Crossinmg the mighty Rio San Francisco, flowing northward, at Ibotirama. Wikipedia says: With a length of 2,914 kilometres (1,811 mi), it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian territory, and the fourth longest in South America.
The Rio San Francisco at Ibotirama - On the Bus from Seabra to Barreiras, Bahia, Brazil

The desert near Muquém de São Francisco, and still 165 kms kms to Barreiras. We'll be walking to our hotel in the dark.
Near Muquém de São Francisco - On the Bus from Seabra to Barreiras, Bahia, Brazil

The next morning, the walk back to the comfortable bus station was easier in the daylight.
Bus Station - Barreiras, Bahia, Brazil

Still near Barreiras, we passed some tree plantations ....
Tree Plantation - On the Bus from Barreiras, Bahia to Brasilia, DF, Brazil

... and began to see tractor dealerships, working tractors, plowed fields, grain silos, and crops.
Tractor Dealership - On the Bus from Barreiras, Bahia to Brasilia, DF, Brazil

On the Bus from Barreiras, Bahia to Brasilia, DF, Brazil

On the Bus from Barreiras, Bahia to Brasilia, DF, Brazil

Grain Silos - On the Bus from Barreiras, Bahia to Brasilia, DF, Brazil

On the Bus from Barreiras, Bahia to Brasilia, DF, Brazil

On the Bus from Barreiras, Bahia to Brasilia, DF, Brazil

On the Bus from Barreiras, Bahia to Brasilia, DF, Brazil

SL boards our TRANSPIAUI Bus after a break.
SL Gets Back on the TRANSPIAUI Bus after a Break - On the Bus from Barreiras, Bahia to Brasilia, DF, Brazil

A horsecart on a parallel side road!
Horse Cart - On the Bus from Barreiras, Bahia to Brasilia, DF, Brazil

Sunset near Formosa.
Sunset near Formosa - On the Bus from Barreiras, Bahia to Brasilia, DF, Brazil

Early evening activities in Planaltina, a small town just NW of Brasilia.
Evening in Planaltina - On the Bus from Barreiras, Bahia to Brasilia, DF, Brazil

Outskirts of Brasilia
Outskirts of Brasilia - On the Bus from Barreiras, Bahia to Brasilia, DF, Brazil

Finally, we arrived at the Brasilia Bus Terminal.
Bus Station - Brasilia, DF, Brazil

And we have a view of the Torre de TV de Brasília from our hotel room.
View of the Torre de TV de Brasília from our Hotel Window - Brasilia, DF, Brazil

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