Açai in Heaven

So yesterday I overcame the big feat of finding my way to the underground and quite happily made my way to Mark´s Hostel - all by myself :-)

Mark adding some zazz to the lookout point at Ipanema



I felt so happy. Can finally detach myself from Elzi´s hems, I maintain some form of independence. I used to rely on her to be my eyes, ears & mouth, but feeling empowered now that I can go to Ipanema Beach by myself if I so choose. Yay-ness.

 So last night I met up with Mark and after he finished shift we decided to go and watch the sunset. Got there a bit too late, but was beautiful all the same (the photos don´t do it justice at all. Still trying to figure out night settings). We sat there and chatted for hours about ´Gott und der Welt´ and caught up on the past three years of our lives.

After that we walked our feet off up & down Ipanema Beach. With hundreds upon thousands of joggers, rollerbladers and cyclists, making their way up & down the beach. It is such a sight to behold. Truly magnificent! Added to bucket list is now a jog down that beach. Looked like a marathon yesterday & was dying to be part of it. This well after 8pm, the runners were still going strong. I´m told it looks like that 24/7 - just a steady stream of exercise fanatics. Will try take a pic next time to give you an idea.

I discovered another item I can quite happily subside on for the next few days (apart from fruit) and that is the Açai drink. It is a wicked blend of purple pulped berries on crushed ice and (alas, but not complaining), loads of sugar to make it taste like a piece of heaven. Dinner in a plastic cup, yum. Ipanema is a bit more expensive than Tijuca because of the touristy attraction, so a 600ml cup of Açai cost us 6Real (=$3).


Açai - and all it´s berry goodness :-)

Mark and I were chatting about the cost of living here in Rio yesterday. It is very high (because the Real is so strong compared to the dollar 2:1). Compared to other cities in South America Rio is by far the most expensive and not the place to be if you are doing this continent on a shoestring budget. Mark, for one, has decided to not stay here until Oct as originally planned, and rather include places like Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and some other places on his itenary. Here one can live the high life (well definately as an Australian) and even for South Africans it would be dirt cheap. 


View from the top of Mark´s hostel. Photo doesnt do the steepness of the climb justice. Eats your thighs & bum

 

I´m hoping I can join him on part of his backpacking travels after the Carnival, as I´m feelng a bit unbrave to go at it guns blazing, female alone. Whilst sitting at his backpackers yesterday, I realised that there are LOADS of people doing exactly the same thing. So I think during my four week stay at San Blas in Cusco, I´ll make a concerted effort to find people to travel with. It should all work out :-)

Plans for the Day:

Going to the City Centre this am, afterwards solo mission to Ipanema. May meet up with Mark if free. After Elzi´s course finishes this evening we will be going out to see what´s hot & happening.