5 January 2014
Once we walked the shoreline and observed the culture, we needed food. Nothing burns calories like just existing in 100 degree heat. That statement may not be accurate, but in my mind it's irrefutable.Even after all that
The ride up the mountain. |
Staying out of the way... Or taking advantage of the only available shade. |
The view from the highest level of the mountain was majestic, but (in my opinion) boring. The clouds and the distance seemed work together to seep out the color. It was pretty, but not one of my favorite scenes of the day.
We went back to the hostel to
There was an outdoor / indoor bar restaurant that was playing the 49ers / Packers game. It accepted credit cards and was therefore good enough for us. Stopping there ended up being a great idea - because we learned a crucial lesson: empadas and empanadas are not the same.
Having recently come from Argentina - where we had empanadas at every opportunity - we were thrilled to see them on the menu in Rio. We ordered them and we waited. Then we moved tables. Eventually our waiter brought us a... a thing. It was like a hot muffin. We were sure it wasn't ours. (We seriously convinced ourselves that the people who had been at the table had ordered it and left before it arrived. I blame the sun, even though it was down.) The hot muffin was filled with chicken, much like our empanadas were supposed to be. Ang deemed the muffin as "not bad," and we ate it while waiting for our food. It wasn't until the second muffin came that we took a closer look at a menu.
Empadas are muffin like pastries filled with meat or veggies. Empanadas are croissant like pastries filled with meat or veggies. It's an important difference possibly connoted by the differences in spelling. Or maybe not. I don't know. Either way, empadas are tasty, but not as tasty as empanadas. If you prefer one, you'll be able to survive the other. But you won't be happy about it.
We also met a group of Brazilian guys who spoke English. Trust me when I tell you that is significant. Not a lot of Brazilians speak English. I mean, I suppose they might. But if they do, they definitely don't like to admit it to native English speakers.

We went those savory characters to see a Samba band at some random club. I met a few women who were determined to teach me to Samba. I think I walked away able to fake at an acceptable level. Still, the band was good and it was really cool to get that local perspective of the city. It would have only been better if I knew where exactly I was and didn't have to rely on strangers to communicate.
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The Band! I'm not sure if Prainha is their name or the name of the venue. |
6 January 2014
We did very little and it was super fulfilling! As it was our first business day in Rio, we set out to get some cash for me. Being sans debit card in Brazil was not nearly as bothersome as it was in Argentina. Most places accepted credit cards. So while I couldn't tip, I could buy. It was liberating.Still, one must have cash on hand for taxi rides and what not. And I was feeling confident in my Western Union abilities. We ate breakfast at the hostel (where it was provided) and set out to to one of many supposed Western Union locations. The first was in a mall and inside a currency exchange. The people there said "no." I can't tell you why, because I don't speak Portuguese. We went to a bank where an employee told me I was not allowed to pick up money because I was not a citizen. I showed him my Brazilian visa - which doesn't give me citizenship but does count as a state certified photo ID. He was not impressed. Actually, he was impressed. But I still did not get to withdraw the money I had sent to myself.
Calling Western Union was the final nail in my financial coffin. I was advised to send the money to a Brazilian relative and have that relative pick it up for me. I mean, what's the purpose of having an international money transfer service if not all people can retrieve money in all places? Yes, I've learned my lesson. Even now, I constantly check for my debit card and I've added a pin to my travel card. But if something had happened to Angie - or if I had been traveling alone - I would have been stuck. Ang became my financier for the rest of the trip, like a mom. It was the simplest solution that we took the longest time to accept.
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A portion of a lunch order. There were more carbs ready to be served. |
We walked the streets of Leblon, browsing and shopping. We spent a few hours on the beach, just allowing the time to pass. I read. Angie sat and splashed and sat and was able to otherwise quiet her restlessness for a remarkably long time. We were very close to living the dream.
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Living the dream, Danie style. |

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