RIO DeJANIERO-The happiest city in the world (Brazil)

Along with the action packed festivities of Carnavale in the Sambodromo in Rio DeJaniero (from my last blog update) I had plenty more adventures in the city that has everything to offer! Most especially a nation of people high on life and mad for Carnavale. I was fortunate enough to stay most of my time in Rio with an angel of a lady otherwise known as Thereza (she is the aunty of Reinaldo whom I worked with in Brisbane), I was made to feel incredibly welcome and infact it was difficult for me to leave I felt so at home. After 3 nights with Thereza, hanging out for the Carnavale and hanging with Thereza and her friends checking out some of Niteroi´s hot spots I took off into Rio city centre where I spent 3 nights in a hostel in Lapa (Samba central of Rio), Thereza bless her was reluctant to send me off on a public bus in search of my hostel but bravely let go as I jumped on board some random bus bound for the city centre, me waving furiously with an ear to ear smile for Thereza as she stood there dumbfounded at having let me go out onto the streets of Rio alone. I hit Rio (around 20 minutes later) as darkness was falling, aware of the fact I looked like a tourist I searched out help, next minute a cute little grandma armed with an umbrella is escorting me to my hostel (which is 15 minutes walk away up a horrendous hill with steps in the dark), she follows me into the hostel and waits to see that I have a reservation and feel comfortable, any probs and she was taking me home with her! We parted with a hug and two kisses, I fought back the tears of yet another random act of kindness..... The following day I hunted down a bus for the botanical gardens, once on board I made a few enquiries, next thing I know i´ve got the entire bus directing me, it is at this point that I should mention I do not speak Portuguese so for the most part could not understand what anyone was on about, I do however have enthusiasm and a smile to get me through virtually everything challenging! On arriving into Rio´s Rodoviaria bus station from the Sao Paulo bus journey and having been told the station was extremely dangerous I set off imediately in search of bus number 100 for Niteroi. 4 people later I was on some dodgy looking street with all kinds of dodgys lurking about, I promptly made another enquiry with a semi-respectable looking lady as to where bus no. 100 left from, next thing I know shes marching me down the street past the dodgys and about 15 minutes later we´re standing on the side of the road waiting. She tells me she works in Niteroi, plenty of no. 100s pass and I ask why we don´t get in one, she assures me she has a safer way for me to travel....i´m hoping this will all work out happily...we´ll ride off together in the no. 100 hand in hand and all that.....30 minutes later she flags down a van gives the driver some info then sends me off on my way!! It wasn´t the no. 100 and she wasn´t with me, good grief! 100 metres down the road we stop, the driver finds a better deal (a whole van load of school kids) so tells me to get out!!! Ok its not that dramatic, he tells some dude something, the dude signals to follow him, he tells some other dude something then has me follow that dude and next thing I know i´m getting on bus no. 100!!! There you have it. A few stories to put you in the picture of how wonderful, kind and extremely helpful the Brazilians have been with me. I´ve been assured this is not always the case and I have been especially lucky, awesome eh! In Rio I hit a few of the main tourist attractions, including the Pao de Azucar mountain, a game of football at Maracena stadium, a couple of Samba clubs, a couple of street blocos (street parties), Ipanema Beach and then there was the adventure of finding and trying new food, transport and communicating! Back to Therezas for another 3 nights where I was again spoilt with kindness by Thereza and her friends Paulo, Denise her daughter Fernanda and her friend Rachel! These guys treated me as one of their own and were even encouraging me to bust out some numbers on the Karaoke machine! God help Niteroi that night! I got to hang with the locals, eat their food, visit their favourite places and not at all feel like I was a tourist! One of my big missions with this trip was to be invited into peoples homes, definately got that wish ticked off the list in Rio! I´m sorry to be leaving Rio, it has been an amazing time here for me, lots off late nights, too many Caiparenas, lots of dancing, devine food and being amongst some of the warmest, kindest and happiest people I think the world has to offer.....wait for me Brazil, I hope to be back! A big kiss, thankyou and goodbye to Thereza, Denisina and Paulina!

Art a-la-sand

Monobloco at Copacabana Beach on the last day of Carnavale

When you gotta go you gotta go.....finding a loo during Monobloco can be difficult

Dudes putting in some serious effort for Monobloco! An amazing effort despite the 32deg heat!!

Pao De Azucar, waiting to go up in the Cable Car

Refreshing natural Agua de Coco (coconut juice) on the beach in Niteroi served by muscle man!

Overlooking Niteroi Beach at sunset

One of the best nights out in Rio. A club we tried to go to (me and my Italian mate) got a bit mental after waiting 2 hours to get in, so we mossied on down the road and stumbled across this place. I think some folk had opened their house to us and a few other locals!!

View of Christ the Redeemer from Pao De Azucar (one of the new 7 wonders of the world) atop Corcovado mountain

One angle from the top of Pao De Azucar mountain in Rio.

A pooch in Carnavale mode!

Overlooking Ipanema Beach in Rio on an overcast afternoon

Maracena Football Stadium, watched a match between Flamengo and V Redona. Stadium holds 90,000 but only 20,000 in attendance this night. (2-1 to Flamengo)

Final night out to dinner with Denise, Thereza and Paulo. These guys had to be some of the nicest folk in Rio!!! So good to me and so fun too! Denise and Paulo are singers and musicians so you can imagine the fun that was had with them and their musical equipment.....

If you dont start the day with a smoke in Rio you are completely mad! You can find an ashtray on the headboard of most beds!! (Well those that I seen anyway). Naturally this goes against my clean and healthy lifestyle....I almost convinced one of them to start drinking carrot juice!!!

Amazing St art in Lapa, Rio De Janiero

All time favourite drink in Brasil, Caipirinha! Heres what wikipipedia has to say about it: Brasils national cocktail, made with Cachaça, sugar and lime. Cachaça is Brazil's most common distilled alcoholic beverage. Cachaça is made from sugarcane alcohol, obtained from the fermentation of sugarcane juice which is afterwards distilled. Caipiroska, a common variant of the drink, uses vodka in place of cachaça. After finding out that 5 t-spoons of sugar go into each class I decided to end my love affair with Caipirinha and the 3 glasses per day!!

Had a couple of videos I wanted to share but computer is playing up so you are saved!

.......From here onto Igazu Falls