Rio was amazing, amazing, amazing!! I swam at Copacabana beach (or rather jumped over the waves). Okay if I am honest, the waves bashed me around but it was awesome. And I was in my full-piece swimsuit. I was tempted to buy a bikini but then I would have to go back to Rio again to wear it.
Oh yes – I was wrong about the timing of the carnival. It doesn´t start the day before Ash Wednesday – it starts the Friday before Ash Wednesday and ends the day before Ash Wednesday.
Tattoos are very big in Brazil, almost everyone has one. Our guide in Sao Paolo, Ishmail, had a really cool tattoo of him and his dad walking hand in hand. The photo was taken when Ishmail was about five years old – so he had a tattoo artist sketch the pic of the photo onto his back. Below the tattoo the following verse is written: (in Portuguese): ´Though I walk through the shadow of death, I will fear no evil for thou art beside me.´ Ishmail´s dad is a federal agent (as in the Portuguese version of the FBI) and his mom is a pathologist. They were a bit disappointed that he decided to become a journalist and would have preferred him to study law.
You can find a pharmacy in every street of Rio as well as hairdressers. In one road we counted five hairdressers. The hairdressers do manicures and pedicures as well. I asked the shuttle driver why there are so many pharmacies and he said because it’s a booming business. Clearly the Brazilians like their medication.
Brad and I went for supper at a restaurant just opposite the beach and were wondering why there were so many single elderly men in the restaurant. And then we realized that they were waiting for prostitutes!!! We spotted an elderly gentleman with two ladies of the night and then one woman who asked for two prostitutes (yes a woman asking for female prostitutes)!! It was quite interesting to watch and the pizza was yummy!
On the tour to Corcovado mountain with Brad, we had an interesting group: An Englishman, a couple from Colombia, a couple from Rio and a couple from Argentina. The couple from Rio said they had lived in South Africa in 1994 / 1995 and will go back some day. The Colombian couple thought SA was big on coffee plantations but we set them straight by telling them that we have the best wine and vineyards in the world. The Englishman looked close to 70 and smelled of alcohol. He went ´missing´ on the tour to the Tujica Forest and was found drinking in the restaurant. The tour guide was pissed off because she thought he was lost in the forest.
Overall had a blast in Brazil. One thing though, they are going to have to get their airport staff English lessons. Not even customs had an English-speaking person. And their airports look like old Home Affairs offices – a major upgrade needed.
The Buenos Aires airport is close to the sea and there see is brown!! Not blue like ´normal´ ocean but looks like ´brakwater´- not sure what the word is in English. No way am I getting into that water. Why is it like that? Must ask my dad – don´t want to offend anyone here by asking them. The airport was nice and clean but the queue at customs took forever! We had to queue for over an hour and even though the queue was that long, the customs officials got up and took breaks! And nothing irritates me more when I see that happening.
Brad and I spent the day exploring the city. We felt much safer here roaming around on our own than in some places in Brazil. Buenos Aries is BEAUTIFUL!! The city reminds me so much of Cape Town and Adderley Street. And we went shopping!!!
Tomorrow we are going on a city tour and a Tango show and dinner – can´t wait!
Chat soon!
