It’s so nice waking up to the sounds of birds chirping and looking out to see the sun shining. The view from our hotel is marvelous; we can see tall buildings down our street with a small mountain peeking through in the distance, but the most spectacular view is that of the canopy of trees along the streets below. Frank made a good comment when we first got a tour of the neighborhood: “it’s like New York, with trees.” The canopy of trees makes a significant difference when walking down the streets here and makes the 90 degree sun feel much cooler.
As I reflect on Day 2 (yesterday), I think of how lucky we were to be able to experience different parts of their culuture at the beach and at the Feira Hippie de Ipanema. At the Hippie Fair I was able to find an assortment of things to bring back home to the family and friends that helped me get here. Most of the vendors spoke little to no English, so it was challenging trying to negotiate with some people. I learned that while it’s always beneficial for you to try getting items for less Reals (as most of the vendors are expecting you to do), there are some things worth paying full price for and not offending the vendor, such as handcrafted art pieces or the handmade pants I bought (see picture). The Portuguese language is very beautiful; it sounds as if each person has found their own rhythm when they speak, it’s very melodic and I am inspired to pick up another language soon.