Rio - spoiled, spoiled, spoiled

Rotten to the Core

So three of our groomsmen, Koo, Chen and Steve, got us a few nights at this five star hotel with spa treatments and breakfast in Rio as a wedding gift. Check out the view from our room to the left. (Thanks guys, you really outdid yourselves). I must say that it was the thought of this hotel room with cool sheets, air conditioning and cable TV that kept me going in the jungle and on the last day of the MP trek. And I must say it's been nothing short of heaven here and it makes the thought of going back to hostal life very difficult. I can´t believe that we´re going to be in bunk beds tonight. argh. yes, yes, I know, poor louie. But one thing I am going to miss is rolling out of bed in the middle of the night and going to the bathroom. Obviously it's always a much bigger production in a dorm or tent. And every trek we do from now on will be that much harder.

We had no plans at all for Brazil, which is what we wanted since we were running around so much in Peru. We've pretty much been chilling out in Rio and not doing much of anything here and it's great. I didn't realize how hard Peru was on me until I got here. My body was constantly dealing with something, whether it be bug bites, allergic reactions or the altitude. And since we were running around so much, I was constantly tired and hungry (which Diane can attest to. And Diane thanks for putting up with me). But for the record, there is still something that is frigging biting me here. I've just accepted the fact that I'm gonna be itchy for the next six months.

Impressions of Rio

Okay, from everything I heard and read about Rio, I was expecting some kind of city under siege and from what I've seen so far, I think it's a beautiful city. It's incredibly green and bordered by beaches. But we've been playing it safe and taking cabs at night etc. and we've been warned by everyone, so clearly it's not all that rosy. But not as bad as I thought.

Simon's mom has a friend named Yolanda, in Rio and she took us on a tour of the town which included stopping by all these local designers that she knew. I definitely started feeling really shabby in my backpack, worn out tank top and skirt I got at the Title 9 warehouse sale. I did got my first bikini ever here. No one here wears a one piece suit and I figured this would be the one time in my life where I would ever wear one. I must say I appreciate the fact that Brazilians (and tourists) definitely aren't shy or ashamed of having tummies at all. That's the way it should be. But ironically, there are all these Victoria Secret ads in the airport with really unhealthly looking women. Boo!

La Comida

I'm looking forward to having some good food in Brazil. Peruvian food was pretty much okay. I loved the soups in that country, esp the quiona one, but other than that, the food there is pretty unremarkable. I am torn about going to a Churrascaria - an all you can eat brazillian BBQ place. I was planning on doing it, but it seems really excessive, and I am getting tired of meat all the time, but I have a feeling Clarence and some others wouldn't forgive us if we didn't go.

But I love the fact that there are juice stands on every street corner where you can just get a juice and a sandwich. I've definitely been pushing the envelope and eating more fruits and veggies here. But they've been delish!

Okay, I'm off to milk the last few hours of our room. Tomorrow, we're going to a beach town called Buzios for a few days and then we're headed north for Bahia and Salvador for a few weeks...