The best experience of the entire trip to Rio has been visiting the Botanical Gardens, from a Landscape perspective they are truly amazing. They have a richness about them that can only come from age and a lushness that is unique the the tropical climate they reside in. I was fascinated by the primary pathways that created strong axis through the site and by the secondary paths that formed intimate spaces for one to interact personally with the landscape. I was also fascinated by the materials used within the site, There is a bridge that seems to be made of recycled industrial materials, it seemed so out of place in the formal landscape yet it fit in due to the entire sites variety of materials and spaces. I was also amazed by the metalwork that created the walls of the orchid greenhouse, they were painted white and were shaped into an intricate curvilinear yet geometric pattern that was the perfect backdrop for the brightly colored and delicate orchids. I could have spent an eternity studying the landscape of that site, noting how it connected the urban environment to the natural, or how the simple plane of the water features perfectly counterbalanced the chaos of the vegetation. It would be a treat to one day be able to go back to those gardens and enjoy their serenity once again.