Twenty Kilometers of Beach

Andrew, Steven and I rented bikes from an on-line entrepreneur who literally had no overhead.  He chained his inventory to a street lamp and wore a t-shirt with the name of his shop. We pedaled the length of the beaches in Ipanema, Leblon and Copacabana.

It was as close as we got to a favela.  Tensions were running high among residents because Lula, the wildly popular former president known as the "defender of the poor," recently had been imprisoned for bribery.  Unlike a slight majority of the American electorate, Brazilian voters support corrupt politicians for the right reasons.

Ring any bells?  Or I am confusing this with Lula's successor?

Lifeguard station number 9 marks the gay beach in Ipanema, where we spent several delightful sunny afternoons.

My peace sign frames Christ the Redeemer if you look closely.  I had to purchase oversize sunglasses after losing mine in the botanical garden.  For 20 reals (~$6), they worked best on cloudy days.

Later in the trip, Andrew and Steven used Rio's bike share program to circle the city's heart-shaped lagoon.  Live and learn.

Wherever I go, I take random pictures of bicycles.  It makes for a very cool slide show with a unifying theme.  This woman is commuting on Avenida Rio Branco, one of the city's major thoroughfares.

Smoking keeps this Carioca skinny, not biking.

Graffiti in Copacabana.

And a bike merchant in Botafogo.

The Villa In Rio

This journey to the Southern Hemisphere begins with Thom's dazzling smile, captured here in Leblon, one of Brazil's toniest neighborhoods.

He paid so much for those pearly whites over the years that his dentist offered him use of his villa in Rio.  Thom treated me to the trip as a belated retirement gift.  Steven, Andrew and Christine joined us.

Teresa and Andrea prepared our hearty breakfasts and delicious meals, served with big dollops of good cheer.

Paco acted as the feathered alarm clock.  He's definitely an early morning bird.

The villa's furnishings are as over-the-top as this fresh floral arrangement.

Take a tour if you don't believe me!

Located on a gated alley in Copacabana, the villa is within easy walking distance of the world-renowned beach and hotel.