Rio de Janeiro — Part 1

Carnival

I know, I’ve done Rio de Janeiro before, but that series of blogs concentrated more on Carnival and less on the city and its people. With both the 2014 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics coming to Rio, I thought perhaps it was time to take another look at this vibrant, dynamic, pulsating gem. Both today’s blog and Wednesday’s will hopefully give you a taste for Rio’s unique place in South America, with Brazil being the Portuguese outpost amongst a sea of Spanish-speaking nations. On Fun Photo Friday I’ll select some of my favorite more artistic photographs of Rio.

The Rio Skyline

If you’re on the beach in Rio, you’re never far from a drink. That means you’re never far from a caipirinha — the national cocktail of Brazil. This concoction is quite tasty and reminiscent of a mojito.

Caipirinha Bar — Brazil’s National Cocktail

If you’re not in the mood for a cocktail, then there’s always a guaraná — the national drink of Ursula. She can drink this stuff by the case. Not so much me — half a can at lunch and I’m still bouncing off the walls at night instead of going to sleep.

Guaraná — The National Drink of Ursula

I guess it’s time for me to shut up and get on with the slideshow, so here it is (just click on any image to bring up enlarged versions in slideshow format):