head over heels for rio

A roadside depiction of Rio's Sugarloaf Mountain in bohemian Santa Teresa.

Our travels throughout the south of Brazil have recently (and sadly) come to an end and here I sit before this neglected blog of mine, with almost too much to share with you all. I promise I'll keep it to a minimum...for my own sake as well- Col kills me because these blog entries of mine tend to occupy way too much of my time (perfectionist tendencies I suppose)- unhealthy, I know, but we're workin' on it. So, anywho, where to begin, where to begin. Let me take it back a few weeks, to the city I became obsessed with as our plane soared down among her mountainous ranges- alas, Rio de Janeiro! Col and I were both blown away by Rio. A perfect portrayal of city and nature in unison, the landscape is outrageous...you've got your high rises, your ritzy boutiques, your top-notch nightlife, but then you've also got your gorgeous beaches, your massive peaks jetting out of nowhere, and your Floresta da Tijuca, the world's largest urban forest. Oh I could go on forever at how awe-struck I was! Green, tropical, beachy vibes mingling with the buzz of a city...I had never witnessed any balance of the sort.

Standing atop Corcovado Mountain, Christ the Redeemer can be seen from almost anywhere in the city.

After two and a half months of living in Terra Prom, it was a bit of a shocker stepping back into a world of manageable weather and stylishly clad surroundings. Strange how in a matter of hours your lifestyle can change so rapidly, just like that. Rio did indeed provide some serious refreshment...especially after those days of exitless heat- it was exhausting keeping up! My energy levels were immediately restored and I'm not going to lie, I was ecstatic to be on the road- to explore the Brazil I had read so much about and to, well, put on some heels and get on a dance floor (after those few danceless months, Col and I were both aching to go out!)


Left to right: Thaiza, me, Cintia, Col, and Thiago's mama, Lucia.


Coller and I with Thiago and fam...

One thing that definitely made Rio so fabulous was the accommodation we got hooked up with. We stayed with the family of a friend of mine, Thiago, who I had met while traveling throughout Spain and who I had briefly kept in touch with over the years. Thiago and his family were incredible hosts, making Col and I feel right at home, taking we vagabond in with nothin' but love and showing to us their lovely Rio. One major highlight was our night out at a local samba bar with Thaiza (Thiago's twenty-three year old sister) and her best friend Cintia. My oh my, what a killer pair...nothing but chit-chat, laughter, and rockin' samba moves (they attempted to teach Col and I, and we really were trying to bust out with both the feet and the hips, but I'm afraid we weren't doing it justice.)


Thaiza and Cintia, pre-samba...

The energy that the crowd put out was something else...so much happiness, everyone so utterly in the moment. It's inspiring to be surrounded by people like this, to be enveloped in a culture where warmth and high-spiritedness permeates so much of each and every day. I have found the aura of this country addicting, no doubt. And Rio specifically...I am head over heels for this place, I truly am. Let's just say that in a few years time I might just have to relocate here and take on the title of carioca (a person from Rio)...oh la la that sounds nice.

A panoramic shot of Rio and her peaks, islands, and city below...