Goodbye to Brasil, Pit Stop in Canada, and Stateside Again

Rocinha Favela - Largest in Rio.  There was a drug bust for 30 MM Reais the day after I went to their Funk Party.

I am awful at Slackline.

Beautiful Moon Rise

Goodbye Cristo Redentor - In three weeks in RJ, I never made it to the top.

Last day on the beach.  Thursday and Friday before Easter are holidays, which is why it is abnormally busy.

Goodbye Ipanema

The Barraca Uruguay crew in front of Post 9.  I hung out with these guys every day on the beach.  Thanks for everything.

 I caught an 8pm flight out of Rio and was in NYC around 5am.  After going through customs, I was required to take my bike and recheck it.  It was a hassle, but at least I knew my bike was in North America.  I tried to find some warm clothing in JFK since my next flight wasn't for another 3 hours.  The only thing I could find was a $600 jacket so I decided to bear the cold on my ride from the Montreal airport to Hotel Gault in the old town.

Montreal Skyline

I put my bike together in the airport.  I really struggled to make it all work since the TSA managed to lose a part that holds the bottom part of the fork above the wheel in place.  I rigged it up, and I made it work with a slight rattle.  The French girl sitting on the bench next to my workspace told me I have good patience and gave me a round of applause.  In addition, the ride to the hotel was not unbearably cold.

Bachelor Party Dinner with the Bachelor in the Throne.

We played poker until about an hour before I needed to head to the airport.  I managed to fall asleep in this time period but luckily a friend who was scrounging around the suite woke me up.  I sleep-walked through the airport and made it in front of the terminal.  I must have rested my eyes a bit too hard and passed out.  I was even more lucky when a nice Canadian man woke me up to catch final boarding.

I am back in Houston, Texas, USA where I will post up for a few months.

Beaches of Brasil

I have spent most of my first two weeks in Rio on the beach.  However, I have managed to do my taxes and replace my camera.  Tax preparation was far easier and faster than buying a camera.  I did not itemize and have nothing of interest happen this year from a tax standpoint, so it was an easy one hour long process.  Buying a camera in Brasil does not provide a similar experience.  In a typical electronic store, there are 15 people working the floor, which actually means they stand at the entrance requiring you to turn to the side to slither past them.  After traversing the blockade, you will find a counter with a pitiful selection of cameras.  Of course there are no people manning the counter since they are busy trying to turn away business.  The most interesting part is that the cameras do not have batteries, and it is a shock to the worker that you actually want to turn the camera on before buying it.  You are only allowed one battery at a time, and the time for the person to disappear into a secret battery lair and return is easily ten minutes.  In the third store when my patience was at a minimum, I bought a camera that takes panoramic photos.  This store was even more special since you have to buy the camera.  I will save you my anguish on the price and only share the fruits of my labors (and some dudes in China).

Barra da Tijuca - Rio

Geriba - Buzios

Secluded beach in Arraial do Cabo

 We had to go take a crazy mountain road to get to the secluded beach.  Thank you rental cars.

Centro in Arraial do Cabo

Ferradurinha - Buzios

São Conrado - Rio

Ipanema - Rio

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janerio is everything I expected.  I am surrounded by some of the nicest beaches and nicest people in the world.  Below is my first week´s worth of memories.  I also managed to break my camera.  I must gotten sand in the gear that operates the lens so I will have to suffer by buying a new one here.  I expect to pay twice or thrice the US prices.  I miss the cost of living in Buenos Aires, but I am very happy in my new temporary home.

Jason and I soaking in the views - we went to Cristo Redentor twice, but it was too cloudy to see anything so this is the best elevated view we had all week

View from a Copacabana hotel rooftop slightly overexposed

Prainha - a secluded beach far from Ipanema and Copacabana

The Lagoon behind Ipanema

Ipanema Beach looking toward the Vidigal Favela on the hill

Ipanema Beach looking due South

Futevolie near the 10 post of Ipanema