Last day... Copacabana and Ipanema

Well, it's my last full day in Rio... it went by so slowly in the beginning, but so fast in the end. We had two options: a jeep tour of the nearby jungle or a schooner tour of the bay area. Anyone who knows me knows what I chose: the jeep tour, hands down. Our driver, Andre, was a complete trip, and just as good as Victor. He was jovial, [he said that his 8-year-old has once told him to "stop being silly"] but he didn't overdue it. We drove out of town in an old-style Army Jeep [probably US made] and about 30-45 minutes out to a National Park [name escapes me]. There are hiking trails that are comparable to those I've walked in the Adirondacks, except that it's dense jungle everywhere. No poison frogs and the like, but we did see the plant that produces the spikes used in blowguns to deliver Curare poison that I've read about. We drove back along the beach, both Ipanema and Copacabana... awesome! The bus doesn't do it justice... nothing compares to a non-existent window and roof.

We finally visited the beach today; the waves were amazing, better that I've seen ANYwhere. Half my kingdom for a surf board.

I think I finally figured out why this trip has been so wonderful; I've been working like a dog the last few months. It's really fun work and the people are the best, but it's still been quite a grind over the longterm. A change of scenery, company, country, language, hemisphere, weather, culture, .... I think it was just what I needed.

"If I rise on wings of dawn or drift in seas of doubt
even there Your strong right hand has never failed to guide me out
Great is Your faithfulness, to carry on with a sinner like me."
--Newsboys

Deus, O Brigado. Jesus, O Brigado. Espírito Sagrado, O Brigado.

God has protected me and mine through these long days, I'm only down a camera case and a pair of sandals which have since been replaced. There's nothing like being completely out of your element to remind me of my own smallness.

"The arm of flesh will fail you; you dare not trust your own [nor anyone else's]"

I'm off to our last-day dinner at a local Churrascaria [similar to the ones I've seen in NC]... Brazilian style where they bring the meat to you on skewers and cut it off right in front of you. Several of us at the office are big fans,.... now I've been to more than restaurants simply titled "Rio" in the Estados Unitos.

Back eventually.