Catch Up...Brazil - I have arrived!

So it´s been a good 10 days now and I have much to catch up on, aside from the fact that i need to wait for some 110 photos to download. I´m a bit behind! So i was last leaving Uruguay, heading to Buenos Aires for my last night there, which let me tell ya, I really went all out and got the finest hotel room I could find (see photo). But hey, at least it was located on the main pedestrian shopping street. I was only there for about 8 hours anyway, and happy to at least find a room! I didn~t shower there though - thought it´d be safer and more hygenic :) so after my 5am wake up call to catch the metro to the shuttle to the airport, I made it to Saõ Paulo (wow, just figured out how to do that little squiggly and I´m really excited!). Before I launch into that, I just realized I haven´t talked much about BA, even though I spent a good 10 days total there! Yes, as I mentioned, I did see tango, a drum show, and met up with my Irish friend Alison, and then friends from Chile - John and the troupe of English teachers with him, including Naomi, Miles, Brian and Abdul. So I did a LOT of walking in BA, plus lots of metro riding - it´s a great system there and soo cheap! One of my days I swore I was going to save money and eat a Zone bar for lunch, but as I was walking I stumbled across the CUTEST little cafe with about 6 tables, and the best looking desserts I´ve ever seen! Go figure...quiche and then a slice of heaven pie for dessert? Sinful...haha! What else did I do...oh, the pic below of me with the colorful buildings is the "Caminito" in one of the barrios. Cool place, but it was raining that day. On the day I got back from Rosario I HAD to see the Sunday Antiques market in the San Telmo district, which I did. Great booths set up, freestyle tango, and lots of good people watching. I finally caved and had the nuts they cook up on the street in this big bowl. i was a bit scared to try (mainly bc one vendor was picking his nose, another smoking a cig, all while stirring up the nut/sugar concoction) - but they were tasty and I didn´t die of food poisoning! Another day as I was walking around Palermo to get to the US embassy I randomly decided to go into the Feria del Campo (country fair) but first asked these young girls on the street if it was worth it, and they said it was spectacular! So i was surprised to find a showroom of enormous farm equipment, cars, and samples of food, wine, dulce de leche. Then I sat in one of the show rings and watched these amazing gauchos perform the coolest things on horses. I noticed them outside and honestly the look of them is what convinced me to pay the fare to go inside ;) They can mount a horse just by grabbing its mane! one of their tricks shown in photo above. This fair had the classiest porteños i had seen yet too - beautiful little blue eyed Argentinians kids in their riding gear with doting parents. Apparently their farmers aren~t so much struggling in the cash department! I had a walk around, and ended up being swayed into buying these great suede moccasin slipper things for super cheap ($40 - i thought it was a great deal!) and this berét type Argentinian hat. I look so cool in it, wait til you see me ;)

I was able to meet up again with my friend Ian, who I was in Iguazu with, and we went to a Muse concert on a Wednesday night, which i repaid him with by taking him to the finest steak dinner ever! It falls under the "splurge" category in the Lonely Planet, but seriously we had a fantastic meal, with a bottle of wine, for like $50 total. I wish I took a picture of it - steak came out (we just ordered one, but it was probably like 20 ounces of meat!) along with about 15 accompanyments, all soo yummy. Totally worth it, and Ian and I stuffed ourselves silly! After the concert we both went our separate ways cuz we were pooped - I walked along Avenida Florida again back to the Ostinatto Hostel where I was staying in San Telmo. The night before the "teachers group" and I attempted to go out but only made it so far as a bar in San Telmo, then took cabs to Palermo, but all the clubs were closed on a Tuesday night?? Weird...so we sat in a bar til 5am. My theory on this? We all could have easily gone home at 2am, but bc we were in BA, we decided it´d be a good idea to drink one beer and sit there for like 2 hours, just getting more delirious by the minute. Sometimes I´m thankful for the U.S.A.´s "early" bar closing hours! Plus I ordered an empanada and it took an hour to arrive...i was ticked! And i had to push them a bit to comp it for me!! But all in all, Buenos Aires was a great city with very beautiful people (the rumor is true!), great food, fun nightlife *though i technically never went "clubbing here, shame!* I think I got a good taste of it the first day on my bike tour, and spent most time in the best areas. I would for sure go back!

Brazil

Against my dad´s will, I decided to take the longer, cheaper route to the Morumbi area where I was to stay with my dad´s old roommate from 35 years ago in Scotland. Never lose those connections people! Mr. and Mrs. Dupont were kind enough to allow me to crash in their daughter´s bedroom for 4 nights, and wanted me to stay longer but I had to pull myself away to see more of this beautiful country of BRAZILLLLL. An added plus? Patrick, their 33 year old son was in town too, so that just added to the possibilities of what I would see of the city with 22 million people (thereabouts i think).

The first thing Carolina (Mrs. Dupont) said to me as I entered their 18th floor condo was basically, "Give me your laundry, go get a hot shower, let´s go get lunch and I´ve booked us manicure and pedicure appointments." Whattt?? Music to my ears - I was in HEAVEN. No pedi for 2 months and I was in serrrious need ;) So she gave me the royal treatment, and we had a "weigh by plate" lunch with lots of Brailian goodies - fresh chicken milanesa, rice and beans, salad, some shredded veggie thing that I still can~t remember the name of, etc etc. Once I was all cleaned up and buffed out Daniel cooked a wonderful French egg omelet, brought out some fantastic red wine, and then Carolina made some stir fry we picked up from the store, I helped with salad, and then some quiche. Of course some French cheese for dessert. Daniel is still a very proud Frenchman! But seriously they stuffed me every meal, it was great! Speaking of the grocery store, I think there were more types of fruit here than in Colombia (although C brags at having the most). Carolina probably brought home about 10 different things for me to try. Guayaba, Maracuchá and my favorite, Chilimoya or Fruta de Conghi. Great for dessert!

i´m far too pooped to continue, but all my photos are now up on the Flickr site, with descriptions! I just arrived to Rio today (after fantastic trips to Paraty and Ilha Grande, which I will write about as soon as I get more time...). Having a blast and can´t believe I only have 11 more days!

~Other photos - Saõ Paulo city from the bridge...me and Patrick...on the beach in Ilha Grande...Mercado Central fruit stand