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A View From Sugar Loaf...


The original plan was to get up really early... well that WAS the original plan. But in reality, when we finally got up, looked outside, drank coffee, and got it 2gether... it was 9ish or maybe even a bit later. Oh well. We headed for Pao de Acucar... met the ABSOLUTELY best taxi driver... the first words out of his mouth.... and I quote.... the American people ...bon... bon (good , good) but the American president... loco, loco... bang ,bang... ! Although I wish no one harm... Politically speaking... I gave him the best tip I have ever given a cabbie. I gotta say, years ago when we started to travel... Americans were a "respected" group... as time has gone on... we hear more and more... and see more and more anti-American feelings. Many of the people we meet say something like " the American people.... OK, but the American president... we do not like !" hey is the whole world wrong?! Anyway... we went up Sugarloaf..... quite a trip in two cable cars.... a spectacular panoramic view of the city.... a few clouds, but still amazing. Such beauty !

We then headed over to the Carmen Miranda Museum.... a very (very !) small affair. But we had a few laughs, and some pride in finding out (but of course we somehow knew before) that she has a major following in the gay male population of the world.... GEE... go-no. I was also amazed to find out she was soooo short (yes CCC shorter even than U)... I loved her tiger skinned (faux) bikini and matching high heeled tiger shoes.

Did U know that Brazil's major export is havaianas...
flip flops as we know them... well Jeff did ! So , of course we just hadda add a few (at least) pairs of them to our stylish international wardrobe. Jeff has looked, and looked, and looked, and looked... for the most perfect pair(s)...
Hey I just found this discount place on the street, walked in and got two pairs. But I did manage to catch a photo of Jeff standing proudly in front of the store. A shopping stop that was just the beginning of a mini-spree. We visited many wonderful shops (and some schlock too)... we have "fallen" for some locally mined mineral sculptures of birds on geodes. Amsterdam Sauer Amazing to see a toucan of 4 or 5 minerals sit on top of an amethyst geode. And loved the wit of a designer who has created a line of Rio giftware ... Gilson Martins.

AND.... then we went to dinner
















yum yum ... eat em up . We always go somewhere for a "traditional meal" So 2night was the night. We had the best black bean soup, with white rice...and a stew of two sausages, bacon, beef ribs, and brisket (not what they called it)... with some fried pork skins, taro root, and collard greens. We really enjoyed the bottomless pot... they just kept refilling it. For dessert, two traditional sweet preparations. A banana , and a separate squash ... each mashed and combined with a simple sugar syrup... and some spices of course..... YUM !


After the day.... Back to the beach for SunSet... a great way to end the day !