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| RIO! Best Salmon Sashimi, Bikini Bin-Diving, Movies, Sight-Seeing |
| We absolutely loved Rio De Janeiro! It was a city of absolute energy, good time hustle and a damned good amount of humidity. We arrived on Feb. 7th and only stayed for four days, but they were crammed full of action. If we weren't scouring the city for bargain bikinis- 7 reais! and Celene bin diving like a discount pro, then we were trying to see everything else the city had to offer in terms of markets and activities. The air-con subway made it easy and pleasurable to get around and the bus system is a crazy network but we were competent and knew how to get around after only two days! Between my lost-then-found wallet event, Celene's bikini mission, and Rosemary's focus on getting us on our bus, Rio found itself on top of our list of preferred and bad-ass places to go. |
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| Memories of Rio: *Salmon Sashimi *BIKINIS!!! *Brokeback Mountain *Shopping *Pao de Acucar *Flash Flood dash to the Bus Station *Lost-then-Found wallet *Copacabana Waves *Santa Theresa Train Rides *Sleeping in the mattress storage room *Coconut juice from the actual coconut *Meeting up with Mike for 3 hours |
| The city itself- we stayed in Botafogo in El Misti hostel for 25R per night. Botafogo is north of Copacabana and Ipanema and south of Centro. The beaches are what they are repute to be but we have never seen waves so big! Not much of a relaxing beach experience due to weather, waves and crowds but more of a people watching extravaganza! Botafogo offered a central locale without the prices and Centro had tons of open-stall, bikini bin shopping. We took the old fashioned train through Santa Theresa (more historical district) in the pouring rain and still the views were gorgeous. Sugar Loaf or Pao de Acucar, also afforded spectacular views of the beaches and the surrounding bay. |
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| After leaving Mike in Buenos Aires, we hadn't seen him in over a month! We got the brief chance to meet up with him for a few hours in Rio and drank 5 of the liter bottle beers. This is the reason Celene and I were sooooo calm about potentially missing our bus to Arrail D'Ajuda- we were intensely tranquilo! It was a serious rainstorm and even though we were five minutes late getting to the bus station (after getting on the bus with our huge packs, getting off the bus because it is not moving and stuck in major traffic, hailing a taxi in the downpour, hauling ass through the downpour to the station, running, sweating and soaked with rain simultaneously, trying to communicate in Portugese to find out where the bus is, and ultimately learning it is an hour and a half late. whew.) we made it off safe and soaked. |
| Celene took this great photo of Ipanema Beach, the clouds and mist off the sea were so thick. The sand was still blindingly white. |
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| The exchange is about 2 reais to the dollar! |
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| When we first arrived, we stayed in the bunk bed storage area, with the tiniest spaces for ACTUAL beds..... |
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| Sights and Activities..... |
| That's Sugar Loaf in the background! |
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| A little windy...hehe |
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| I don't think Rosemary could have been more stressed out! |
| Celene's other profession- bin diving for bikinis. She was looking for the perfect bikini gifts! |
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| Porn Star Mommy: we watched in horrified fascination as this seven year old girl worked it for her prancing topless mom. Dad wasn't too far behind, chillin' in his lounge chair and looking rich. Wonder if she learned all her poses from Mom? The best was when they posed together and Dad took the photo, bet that's a conversation starting shot at work huh. |
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| Rosemary, moving things along.... |
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| We rode the train the train through Santa Theresa, you can see all the favelas and the cityscape. Highly highly recommended...except not the part where you stand on the outside holding on for dear life in the rain....like Celene did!! |
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