Rio!

Tuesday November 30th.

Didn't sleep well, room hot and pubbers back at five. Went for a walk to the beach at eight and then came back for a decent continental breakfast with fruit.

Decided to join a city tour. It's probably the best way to see the major sites. Mini van came and got me by eleven. The first stop was Sugarloaf Mountain. There are two cable cars needed to get to the summit. The view from there is spectacular. Unfortunately because of the heat, the air was hazy and it was cloudy too.

The second stop was at a restaurant for lunch. It was another bbq type place. I skipped the meat and just had the buffet portion. They had fish and other good things, but the best were three fruit salads, one of apples, one of bananas and the best was mango with raisins and green onion.

Next we drove up to the Christ the Redeemer statue. It's 800 metres above sea level, so it's quite a climb up the mountain in the van. Again the view was amazing and the statue is huge.

Then we stopped at the third largest soccer stadium which is being renovated for the next World Cup, and the seating area where they watch the Carnival parade.

After that we visited the Cathedral de Sao Sebastiao. It's a very modern looking cathedral and houses up to 20000 people! And finally we visited the famous tiled Lapa stairs of Rio that were created by a Chilean artist over a twenty year period.

Back to the hostel by seven. The van had no air conditioning and the weather today was 35 degrees. So, it was a long sweaty day. So, I decided to go for a dip in the Atlantic. It's a three block walk from here. By the time I got there is was getting dark, so I just had a quick dip to rinse off the sweat and lower the body temperature. Then I walked the beach along the shore, enjoying the warm breeze and the sound of the surf. At the end I sat and watched four guys play volleyball with a twist. They used only soccer moves, no hands or arms, just feet, chest and head! Even served by kicking the ball. Amazing. Maybe it will be the new thing when Brazil hosts the Olympics, which they are doing next.

Then back to the hostel by nine to relax and get some sleep, hopefully.

Sad Goodbyes and Off to Rio

Monday November 29th.

The pictures: two beautiful butterflies from Iguacu, one large ugly moth in our house, the mango tree on the front yard with Christmas lights around the trunk and the outskirts of Rio as we came in for the landing, I thought this was interesting because of the sharp dividing line between green and city.

I went with Murilo and Marizetta this morning to FISK to try to burn my pictures to dvd, and it works. I burned four discs this about 1200 pictures each. Then I packed them in the box along with the broken laptop and a few other items and Murilo and I walked over to the post office. He helped me with translation and for thirty five dollars I mailed about 3.5 kg of stuff home.

Then Kristian picked me up and we went and did the routine of opening his two businesses and then returned to the house for the last lunch. Then we said our goodbyes and they returned to work.

I finished packing and the taxi that Kristian arranged arrived and took me to the airport. The flight to Rio was short, two hours, and the bus ride from the airport to Ipanema was long, an hour and a half. I am in a grotty little sweatbox hostel in Ipanema Village. It's a tiny street with seven hostels and is only two blocks from Ipanema Beach. Great location. As soon as I arrived the other people in my room were heading out to dinner and asked if I wanted to go along. So, hungry and suddenly with seven other English speakers (English, Irish, Scottish and American), I headed out for pizza and a couple of beer. Afterwards they all went pubbing and I headed back to the little sweatbox. The temperature outside is thirty and humid and in the room it's hotter than that! There is an airconditioner but it isn't doing much.

Itaipu Ecological Park and Kristian Unplugged

Sunday November 28th.

This morning Kristian and I got up early and went back to the Itaipu Dam to visit their ecological park. One of his students had arranged for us to get discounted tickets. When the dam was constructed hundreds of square kilometres of forest were destroyed or flooded. The company has made an effort to reforest the area and try to attract local fauna back. They have also set up a ecological zoo that houses only indigenous species, tapir, jaguar, anteater, cappyberra, etc. We had a good visit, and I was happy that it was something that Kristian had never visited before.

Then we came back to the house for a Sunday bbq of beef, pork and sausage with the family, Luis, Alice and her sister. Murilo made sure my beer glass was never empty! After the bbq we all had a nap. I'm becoming Brazillian!

Later in the afternoon Kristian had a gig at a private party on a farm. It was a stripped down unplugged version of his band, just accoustic guitar, singer and some percussion. It was great to see some more of the Brazilian culture and all his friends are very welcoming, but it's hard when I don't speak the language. I went for a walk around the farm, a couple of pigs, cows, horses, sheep, peacocks and a rabbit. I saw an owl in a tree which was really cool.

Then back to the house again for a late dinner and a couple of hours of relaxing.

The last photo is of a house beside Karolyn's new home. It's the Brazillian version of the house on Blake Avenue near my mom and dad. Mega Christmas lights Brazillian style.

A Laid Back Summer Day

Saturday November 27th.

Today was a really laid back morning. Beautiful sunny day, temperature about 32 degrees. I spent the morning working on the computer. After a delicious lunch of a chicken casserole with peanuts and peppers, Kristian and I and a few of his friends, went to move Karolyne from one rental house to another. She didn't have too much to move and since there were six of us with a small flatbed truck, it didn't take too long.

Then we all relaxed back at the house over a few drinks, including the one I described that Santa was drinking yesterday. I spent some time talking to my family in the afternoon. Then we had dinner and a few beer. Kristian went out pubbing to celebrate a friend's birthday, but I stayed home, because he left at 11:30 and we have to get up at 7:00 tomorrow for our tour of the ecological park. I'm too old for that.

Since I don't have any photos from today, here are a few good ones from the last couple of weeks.

1. I lost my yellow and black doo-rag at Machu Picchu, but I bought a red one from? I'll be the only biker in North America with one from there!

2. some bbq'd meat in Mendoza

3. a turtle in the ecological area of Buenos Aires

4. a beat up old krypt in the Recoletta Cemetary in Buenos Aires

5. a beautiful young girl from Buenos Aires the day of the Madres of Plaza de Mayo

Up and Over!

Friday November 26th.

This morning I went with Kristian to open his two shops at the mall. I bought some blank dvd's there to burn copies of my photos so I can send them home.

After lunch with his parents, we went to a Costco like store called Maxi's. Apparently it's owned by Walmart. There Kristian bought supplies and drinks for his shops. Then we went back to the mall, so he could deliver the supplies, buy some more stuff in the supermarket and I could talk to his travel agent friend, Magnum, and buy a ticket from Foz to Rio for Monday.

That's when I had my visit with Santa. Kristian explained to him that I was from the northern hemisphere and that I was finding it funny to be seeing Christmas stuff when I was wearing shorts. He was very obliging and let me pose with him. Notice the drink he is drinking. It's a small cup that a lot of South America people fill with a herb and then pour hot water over it. They drink it through a straw that filters out the pieces of herb. They then refill it and pass it to a friend who has a drink. It's a very social drink. It can be either a hot or cold drink.

While at the mall we ran into Luis and he set up the helicopter ride over the falls. The pictures speak for themselves. Amazingly beautiful view and maybe it helps you see the size and shape of the whole area. If you look about the middle of the top of the horizontal picture you can see one of the trails out to the edge of the falls. It's on the Argentinian side.

This evening we went to visit Bruno's daughter Doreen, in the hospital where she had just delivered her son Philip. There were about ten relatives there to see her. Only two or three people were allowed up at a time, so we waited our turn in the lobby. I quite liked the lady, but didn't really know why I should go up. However, when Murilo and Marizette went up they took me too. I was the only one who brought a camera, so I took some pictures of the them with the new baby, and some of the new mom. When I got back to the lobby I showed the photos to some of the other people there. The father's dad, saw them and was very disappointed that I didn't get in any of the photos! So he took me back upstairs for another photo shoot and made me pose with Philip!! I told Doreen that in a couple of months they will be looking at the photos and say "who is that guy posing with our kid?"

Then to kill a bit of time we took Bernardo to Brazil street to see some of the Christmas lights.

After that, I took Murilo, Marizette, Kristian, Karolyne, Bernardo, Luis, Alice and Luigi out for dinner as a thank you for the hospitality I have received since arriving here last week. We went to a restaurant called Fogo Dourado which serves the Brazillian type barbeque called churrascaria. Most of the food is served buffet style and as you are eating that the waiters come around with skewers of meat right off the grill. They asked if you wanted some and then cut off a slice for you. This way the meat is always hot and brought to you in small pieces. They served various cuts of beef, pork, including ribs, lamb, sausage and chicken hearts. All delicious. And the chicken hearts were great. We had a good time eating and drinking a few beers.

Then home for a cup of tea and bedtime.

A Return Trip to the Sunny Brazillian Side

Thursday November 25th, one month until my first Christmas in the summer.

Today I took a city bus back to Parque Nacional Do Iguacu on the Brazillian side. I wanted to return on a sunny day (1st time it rained) and spend the whole day there. I arrived at the park by 10 and stayed until 5:30.

The first thing I did was another 'maid of the mist' ride. It gives a very different view of the falls being right on the river. Luckily I wore my raincoat today in the boat because they didn't give us a waterproof bag to put out cameras in. I had left my daypack in a locker but the camera I put in my coat pocket (in my other pocket I put a camera from the Dutch guy beside me who had nowhere to hide his!). They drove the boat right into the heavy spray of the falls four times, and then on the way back as we were white water rafting we were swamped by a really large wave. I got totally drowned, even in the coat! Luckily the camera was protected in the pocket.

The rest of the day I spent wandering around the trails and stopping at all the vistas. I hope you are not tired of falls pictures. If this is not the most beautiful set of falls in the world I'd be amazed. I think they surpass Niagara, and I will be anxious to compare to Victoria Falls next month. Apparently there is a contest going on worldwide on the net to vote for the new seven natural wonders of the world, and Iguacu is in the finals. If it doesn't win I'd be surprised.

I had a very enjoyable buffet lunch in the restaurant there and had a fabulous day.

After Kristian finished work he went to visit Karolyne and his parents came home. We had a delicious parmaganna dinner and then they took me out to see some Christmas celebrations. There were lots of people in the street and they had closed down a road to make pedestrian walkway. There was a large stage where there was a live music and dance presentation underway. It was a group of dancers dressed as natives and reenacting a myth about the creation of the falls. Hardly a Christmas story, but interesting nonetheless.

Then we headed back to the house, enjoyed a couple of beers and retired for the night.

A Day About Town

Wednesday November 24th.

Today was a quiet day. Kristian had some errands to do at his businesses at the mall and took me along. He has two businesses there. One is a bar and the other is an ice cream kiosks called Deli Drops. The ice cream is made in little frozen balls about half the size of a smartie. It comes in lots of flavours and is very delicious.

So with the two businesses, his full time job teaching English at FISK, his girlfriend Karolyne and her four year old son Bernardo, and his band Sabanna, he is a very busy guy.

He took me on a driving tour of the downtown of Iguacu and I noticed the Christmas decorations going up. It doesn't feel like Christmas to me, because it's warm and I'm wearing shorts!

After Kristian finished his evening shift at the school, he came to pick me up and we went to play volleyball with a group of his friends. Volleyball is definitely not my forte, but I didn't embarrass myself any more than usual. We had fun and got some exercise. Played until 10:30 and then home to bed.

The Christmas tree in the photo is about thirty feet tall and made from recycled pop bottles! The other tree I saw on the Argentinian side. Apparently it is a member of the fig family and the fruit is toxic. But what I really found interesting is that the fruit grows from the trunk, not branches. There is a different tree in Kristian's backyard that does the same thing. It produces small fruit, again from the trunk, that tastes similar to and about the same size as grapes.

Fauna at Iguacu

Tuesday November 23rd.

When you take over 200 hundred photos there has to be a few more to share. So, here are a few of some wildlife I saw there.

A Day In Paradise!

Tuesday November 22.

Today I was picked up by a friend of Kristian's who runs a tour company. I was shuttled across the border between Brazil and Argentina and then to his offices. There I joined a tour bus. We departed and picked up about thirty tourists from a number of hotels in Puerto Iguacu. Then we drove to theParque Nacional Iguacu, Argentina.

We took a little 3 km train ride and then walked along a 2 km catwalk to reach the viewpoint of the "Devil's Throat" cataract. It's similar in shape to our Horseshoe Falls. The falls are amazing and the weather today was spectacular, sunny and about thirty degrees.

After that we walked to the upper falls lookout and then the lower falls lookout. Here some of us took a boat ride on the river below the falls. It's like the maid of the mist, but it's a speedboat. Kristian arranged a free ride for me! Thanks very much! The views from the river were awesome and added another dimension to this beautiful place. Then they told us to put our cameras away in the dry bags they provided. You guessed it, they proceeded to drive right up to the falls until it felt like we were right under them. I couldn't tell because there was so much water beating in my face and on my head! They did this in two different locations and then we went for a long ride down the river riding the rapids.

Then they took us by open wagon back to where our guides were and we had lunch there. After the company brought be back to the Brazillian side and dropped me off at Kristian's house. Thanks for that too!

I went to the school tonight and talked to another two students. One of them works for the Itaipu powerstation as a civil engineer and is going to get me a ticket to go to the ecological reserve there and the other, a retired policeman/lawyer has invited Kristian and I to his hotel for breakfast so he can practise his English!

Kristian went to Karolyne's apartment and I came home with Murilo and Marizette to have a pizza and a couple of beer.

Itaipu Dam and Teaching

T

Monday November 22.

Kristian and I got up early and went to the mall where his two businesses are located (he runs a kiosk bar and a kiosk ice cream shop, with his partner Luis), so he could settle his accounts. Then we drove to the Itaipu Binacional Dam. It is a huge hydro electric project completed by Brazil and Paraguay. They dammed up the Parana River (which is the river that divides the two countries) and created a huge resevoir. The facility provides 25% of Brazil´s and 90% of Paraguay´s hydro needs. The dam is 150 tall and 8 kilometres long. We had a bus tour around the complex.

Then we came back for lunch and a rest period before Kristian had to go to work. He works as an English language teacher at the FISK school where his father also works. He asked me to come along and talk to his students, so that they would have a chance to dialogue with a ¨native speaker¨ (his term).

After that his mom came and picked me up and took me home for a couple of hours of computer time. Then Kristian came back to pick me up to talk to his evening class. I had a good time interacting with a couple of his adult students. Kristian seemed to think they would benefit from talking to an English speaker. Then back for a quick snack, a talk and bed.

Iguacu Falls! (Brazillian side)

Sunday November 21st.

We spent a relaxing Sunday morning getting ready for the bbq and a visit to the falls. Murilo and Marizette prepared a delicious steak bbq for our lunch, which is the main meal of the day here. We were joined by Karolyne, Bernardo, Luis, Alice, Luigi and a couple of other friends.

After that we set off for the mythical Iguacu Falls. These are the falls that Kristian told me were much better than Niagara (at the time I had never heard of them!) You judge from the pictures what you think. Unfortunately, it rained for most of the time we were there, but it didn´t dampen our spirits or detract from the beauty.

I was happy to see the birds that nest behind the falls, darting in and out of the water to get to their nests. I had heard about these birds from a National Geographic show in Toronto after Kristian had told me about the falls. Couldn´t get any photos though and I´m not sure of the name of the bird.

We spent three hours walking along the trails. Then back to the house for a late afternoon gathering and some delicious carrot cake made by Karolyne. Then when the friends went home, Kristian, Karolyne and I watched a movie called The Kingdom, about an FBI raid into Saudi Arabia to reek vengence on some terrorists who killed one of theirs. Good action but typically American.