Rio de Janeiro - Cidade Maravilhosa

Rio de Janeiro is called the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvellous City) and I must say it lived up to it's name! We were told however, that "oh its sooo dangerous with the favelas (ghettos)" , "you're going to get robbed because youre not from there"..blablabla. Not at all. I felt the safest EVER in Rio. The thing is, yes, I may be American but nobody EVER thinks I am. Why? Because around the world American doesn't mean me. You would think even with Obama as president, they would know by now. Anywhoo, besides, there were five bazillion foreigners walking around the city huge tall blonde people with huge cameras, ugly big packpacks, speaking english, german and (insert anglo language of choice) OUT LOUD on the street and in the buses and using their iphones. Bruno and I though..well if anybody is gonna get robbed--it'll be them first! LOL.

So even though I was still a bit sick and weak so we didn't get to see the entire city but we did get to go to the Corcovado (with where the famous Jesus statue is) and Pão de Açúcar and saw some beautiful views of the city.

Day 1 - Corcovado and Cristo Redentor

Corcovado Building - On the Way to Jesus

The Corcovado Train - On the Way Up the Hill to the Statue

Samba Band on the Train

Enjoying Our Train Trip up the Hill!

Bruno at the Top of Corcovado

(look at the little man on his right shoulder haha!)

The Famous Statue Cristo Redentor (Christ Redeemer)

Ambruno in front of the Beautiful Views of Rio

(We took this photo ourselves, this is why my chin is cut off!)

Day 2 - It Rained All Day

That was fine because I still was very weak and eating very little. Day 1 whiped me out!

Day 3 - Pão de Açúcar (Sugar Loaf)

Bruno with Sugarloaf Mountain in the Background

On the Bondinho (Cable Car) Up to Sugarloaf

Half the Way to Sugarloaf Mountain

The View from the Top of Sugarloaf Mountain

The View of Rio from the Top of Sugarloaf Mountain

3 Days and 2 Nights in Rio..even though I was weak and not with much appetite... (thank goodness Bruno was fine and healthy)WE LOVED every second. Rio, te amo! We WILL be back. This was the BEST part of the trip. Made up for all of the craziness in Bahia.

November Rundown - Salvador Bahia (Devil-landia)

Warning: this post does not contain any encouraging "need greating" experience. Its part of the "non-holy" November rundown.

Yes, so I totally should be getting myself ready for the meeting right now..tonight we have the C.O visit..but I realized I didn't finish the posting the much awaited photos of Salvador, Bahia and Rio de Janeiro. This was the anticipated and well deserved "vacation" because contrary to popular belief we're not preaching and sipping coconuts on the beach afterwards here.. Well, I am sipping coconuts but we aren't chilling on the beach anywhere. LOL.

So first we took the last van to the next town over Arapiraca and waited 4 hours there to get on a bus overnight to Salvador, Bahia. 9hours later we arrived to the rodaviaria (bus station) and it was hustling and bustling to our surprise at 5am. Once we walked outside, things got pretty shady and scary trying to catch a bus into town to our hostel. Good thing I supposedly look like a Baiana and could blend in.. so we wouldn't be a target for the crazies, and there are ALOT of crazies in Salvador- 1 out of every 5 people talking to themselves, or their imaginary demon friends..you name it. So after waiting about an hour for our stinking bus to come..we made our way to another bustop and saw a gringa with a HUGE backpack and blonde dreadlocks, speaking horrible Portuguese jumping on a bus into town.. we followed her because we just KNEW she was going where we needed to go.

We got into the historic part of town towards our hostel and on the way there I see someone reading what looked like a Despertai (Awake!). I asked her what she was reading and had her turn it around- and oh yes and it was! Found a sister who getting her reading in before going to work right next door to our hostel. That was pretty awesome. Anywho, we happen to arrive on Black Awareness Day and there was a festival in town. Poor Bruno, stood out like a sore thumb. Some little boy even yelled to him "Essa mulher nao e pra voce, nao!" (That woman isn't for you). Hahahaa. Anywho, the festival was awesome: people drumming in the streets, a concert, $2 caipirinhas and happy black people everywhere. Yah!

Salvador itself is nice--well the historic area is my fav, its full of culture. But UNFORTUNATELY most of the culture there has something to do with spiritism that the Africans brought with them. Why, my people, why? Speaking of this..we met this woman dressed in traditional garb that asked US to take a picture with HER and suckered us out of some money. Dude YOU came up to ME to take a picture, you should give ME some money. I thought! Haha. Though I didnt give her what she asked..I gave her something. After we took the picture we realize she's one of those Baianas that do these spiritistic rituals. I think the chick put a HEX on me for not givng her the money she asked *chuckle* yes, I said a HEX..literally because after that EVERYTHING I mean EVERYTHING that could've went wrong went wrong. I got really, I mean really, sick: like I've never gotten that sick before. Vomiting all night, sweating, diarrhea, dizzy.. had to stay in the hostel the whole rest of the time there, had to pay for an extra night just to lay in the bed. Went to the airport to go to Rio..lost the passports (this has never happened to me ever in all my travels), lost the flight to Rio, had to pay extra for another flight..found the passports. Once we LEFT Salvador, it all got better. Well somewhat I still managed to stay sick but not as bad. That demonic city..never again! :-P

Hours and 10lbs Before I Got Sick

Oh yah and if you're EVER in Salvador, Bahia Brazil don't ever take a picture with a traditional Baiana because you'll pay for it... and don't ever eat something called Acaraje...becauuuse..you'll pay for it (in more ways than one)! But if you'll looking to drop 10lbs easy..go ahead and eat it! Okay Rio's up next.. next post.