Stuff we did in Brasil

The continuing saga of my recent trip to Brasil to see my ex-pat BFF and do fun stuff. That’s her in the picture there^, she’s the blond with awesomesauce glasses. I’m the brunette looking tired after my red-eye flight (can’t sleep on planes ever, ow my neck). If you missed it, here’s the previous list of things I learned in Brasil. So, back to stuff we did in Brasil:

 We ate a lot of food.

This is how I absorb local culture. Via calories.

After living in Rio for two years Robyn knows a lot of great places to eat (like Confeitaria Colombo). And – this is key – she can translate the menu and order for you.

Oh my word, breakfast at Escola do Pão.

Hey, there’s Audrey. Hi, Audrey! She is a super roommate. More mature than some college roommates I had. No, not you, Traci!

Waiting for beef stew in Ipanema. Please come soon, Mr Waiter, the craft fair awaits.

Mmm. Fish balls with lime.

Moqueca and rice after a day at Prainha Beach.

Bruschetta and people watching in Paraty.

 If you order any kind of juice (sucos) in Brasil it comes freshly squeezed. Try them all!

 Ok, enough about food.

We did some sightseeing around the city. Rio de Janeiro Cathedral, which is like a very mod volcano from the outside and has these beautiful soaring windows on the inside that converge in a cross at the ceiling.

Lots of driving in the car and looking at graffiti. That’s Wander (VON-dare) driving.

 Oi, Wander! Hey, let me take your picture while you are trying to drive. Rio doesn’t scare him, he used to drive taxis.

A stop at Escadaria Selerón in the city. So many pretty tiles.

 This is a (not so great) photo of a small part of one of the many favelas you’ll see driving around Rio. It makes me sad that so many in the city live in these conditions. There is a curious beauty created by the shape, color and line of so many houses crammed in such a small area. You’ll find many paintings of favelas for sale around town.

 This is the view of the city waaay down there after the steep train ride up to Cristo Redentor. We are not to the statue yet. We have a few (hundred) stairs to climb.

This is the view down Asher’s throat.

Almost there!

 Here’s a photo of all of us! Thank you, friendly American couple on honeymoon! That’s my roomie on the left (sorry about the sun in your eyes), there’s handsome Gage in the middle, and that’s Mr Robyn wisely hanging on to Asher, whose epiglottis you met earlier. Mr Robyn’s name is really Rich, and he is the one workin’ hard for the money in Rio so the rest of us can goof off. Thank you, Richie!

 Yay! We made it to the statue. There were only about five thousand other people there at the top, all trying to get award-winning trick shots of themselves with the statue on their iPhones. You have to be careful not to step on people who are lying down.

 A mini Carnival samba dancer was there too. I wonder if her headdress gets heavy?

And back down the stairs we go.

Simultaneous pictures of each other! Because we are edgy like that. See me rockin the bag I made for Zakka Style? I had never thought to use it before but it came in very handy on my trip. And yes, that is the Grainline tank. I think between us Robyn and I have about ten handmade woven tanks and we probably wore all of them during this week.

 Sightseeing takes it outta you.

 Ok, next stop: Botanical Gardens of Rio. Which is where they filmed Jurassic Park. Not really, but it looks like it. Check out the size of that palm trunk.

It’s deeply green and jungly and beautiful. You feel at any moment that a party of Na’vis will ride across your path.

Some souvenirs: a painting from Hippie Feira and handcarved figurine of Cristo Redentor. Aren’t Brazilian coins pretty? Ok, sheesh, I’m not even halfway through the pictures I’d like to share. Next post: Stuff We Did In Brasil Part II