Nov 20, 2007 - Sleepless in Rio

7MB (this may take awhile to load)


Were I not well conditioned by budget travel, for sleeping under
difficult circumstances, I'd probably curse Rio for it's weekend long
music blaring from the hillside favelas (ghettos). The sound echos
across the valley, and must amplify somehow. And this was a holiday
weekend... so you can imagine...

However, let's just say that as far as noise goes, we gave the favelas (Brazilian ghettos) a little sound back last night during a roof top BBQ. There were 3
Americans (all of us currently residing at the house), 2 South
Africans, and mostly Cariocas (Rio locals) raising a ruckas. The view
was gorgeous, the meat tasty, beer plentiful, people lovely and
friendly (and patient Portugues teachers) and the temperatures balmy.

It all made today's clean up worthwhile, though Vicente (the cute guy
flashing the peace signs in the slideshow) and I stuggled to strap down
the uncooperative rooftop tarps, to protect against the coming wind and rain.
Tis the season! Given his hang over (Vodka & Redbull), he wasn't in
the mood for such challenges.

Speaking of rain... the moody sometimes rainy weather has curbed my
enthusiasm for touring Southern Brazil, and unless there's a great turn
in the weather, Ill probably soon be heading north to sunny Salvador,
Bahia.