I can’t quite place it, but there’s something about Brazil.  It’s got this palpable, positive vibe to it.  People there are so friendly.  Their friendliness is even more apparent if you can communicate somewhat competently with them.  My biggest regret, in addition to not being able to spend more time to exploring the entire country, is that I didn’t know Portuguese.  I learned a few words and could make some sense of the language thanks to my novice Spanish.  Next time I go to Brazil, I will learn Portuguese- and there will be a next time.  I’m all about seeing the rest of the world, but some places really deserve more than one visit.  Brazil is one of those places.

And Rio de Janeiro wins first place as the most beautiful city that I’ve ever visited in the world.  It’s got scenic heights with views of the ocean and the city.  People there are so relaxed and laid-back.  This attitude is contagious.  I could be perfectly content just hanging out doing absolutely nothing but hanging out on the beach, or sitting in the shade reading.

The nightlife is fantastic, too.  I went out in the Lapa neighborhood on consecutive nights and come back late.  The streets were crowded with people and vendors.  There was samba dancing in the streets outside some of the bars.


I went with some other travelers to the Escadaria Seleron, a colorful staircase in Lapa designed by an artist, during the first night.  Our group joined a random group of Brazilians and we spent the entire night just hanging out on the stairs.  It was taken aback about how laid-back the atmosphere was.


Everyone talks about how dangerous Rio de Janeiro can be, but I think that stems from how run down some parts of the city can be.  There are plenty of dark, empty alleyways, but there’s no one in them.  Also, there were quite a few thug-like characters on the streets, but nothing to worry about.  The bottom line is that Rio de Janeiro is a safe city as long as you practice the street smarts that you would do back home.  (Granted, one wouldn’t need a lot of street smarts walking around Clarendon in Arlington, VA, but common sense is- well… common.)
Rio de Janeiro is truly one of the world’s great cities- right up there with Paris, London, New York, and Beijing.  Brazil’s positive economic trends will help further its rise as not just a regional, but a world power, in the coming years.  In addition, it will host the summer Olympics in 2016, having beat Chicago, Madrid, and Tokyo for the bid.  Brazil is one of those rising stars whose publicity will only increase in the next few years.  I’m sure glad that I got to experience a part of it now before the hype really takes off.

For now, I’ll continue to keep my eyes open for anything related to Brazil in the news and popular media, and I’ll start trying to figure out a way to return to this lovely country that has captured my heart.
 

Ipanema beach just displaced my own hometown of Virginia Beach, VA, as my most favorite beach in the world.  Not only do people here have healthy tans, but the choice of women’s swimwear here is much more revealing than the conventional styles back home.  I felt like a kid in a candy shop. Fittingly, the Travel Channel ranked Ipanema beach as the “Sexiest beach in the world.”
I respectfully refrained from taking paparazzi-esque photos of Brazilian women, but if you’re curious, I suggest you do a Google search.

June 24, 2o11. It’s 4 am.  I got in around noon yesterday to Rio de Janeiro after a 23-hour bus ride from Puerto Iguazu, Argentina.  23 hours might sound like a lot, but it’s nothing compared to the 42-hour journey that I took from the Argentinian Patagonia to Buenos Aires.  Plus, I had two Australians, Pia and Luke, and a Costa Rican girl, Alejandra, to talk to on the way.
The bus only made one stop last night, and thanks to Alejandra, I knew we weren’t going to make a stop for breakfast so I stocked up on some fruit and a bag of Cheetos.
I arrived in Rio de Janeiro and shared a taxi with the Aussies to the Santa Teresa neighborhood.  I’m at the Books Hostel.  Philippe, the manager, is an excellent and most hospitable host.
It’s a lot frustrating that I don’t speak Portuguese, and I’m sure that will be the impetus that will lead me to learn as much of the language as is humanly possible during my time here.  I don’t know how long I’ll stay here.  I’ve only got a few days planned, but my schedule is flexible and allows for a great deal of spontaneity.
I spent most of the afternoon catching up on my blog and then went out with two British-Indian guys to explore the Lapa area.  The place seemed really shady, as every new place does until I get used to it.  We walked around and I bought some food, a hot dog with corn, peas, mustard, ketchup, hot sauce and mayonnaise on it, and another hot dog on a stick.
Afterwards, I bought a caipirinha, which I think is the national cocktail of Brazil.  It’s got sugarcane rum, lime, and sugar it in.  I bought half a liter of the stuff and it was well worth it at 4 Brazilian Reals, or 2.40 USD.
The British guys had to go back early because they have a hang-gliding appointment in the morning so we returned to the hostel.  Back at the hostel, I joined a Gui from Brazil, Lindy from South Africa, and Martin from Austria and we went back out.
We went to the famous Escadera Seleron and hung out with random Brazilians playing guitar, smoking, drinking, and socializing until the wee hours of the morning.  I’d heard about the Escadera Seleron from my friend, LeeAnn, over Skype the other day and it was really great to actually encounter it so soon after my arrival here in Buenos Aires.  It was because of her that I had heard of what a “caipirinha” was, too.
Having visited the Escadera Seleron and having drunk a caipirinha, I’d say I’m off to a good start in Rio de Janeiro!  Also, I didn’t get jacked!  I’d heard so much about how dangerous this city is so I’ve been extra cautious and alert.  As a result, I don’t have any pictures from the Escadera Seleron, but I do have one from earlier when I went out with the British-Indian guys.  This is me drinking a caipirinha here in the Lapa neighborhood of Rio de Janeiro: