Oi de Copacabana!

I am in Rio at Victor & Luis's apartment. It is about two blocks from the calçadão along Copacabana Beach and Avenida Atlântica. I woke up late, and after coffee, we went to lunch at a self service about a block away. Then I went to Banco Bradesco to use the ATM, and a for a walk along the calçadão and beach.

It’s really warm, and even tho it is raining off and on, that doesn’t stop anyone from being out… the rain is warm, and well the sun would be blistering anyway. The temperature reads: 29c. Which is perfect if you are walking along the calçadão with a couple of hundred other soaked but very happy revelers.

The different stages are being set up and music is being tested. It’s going to be really something. They are going to show people that Rio was the best choice for the 2016 Olympics. The Prefeitura is using this as one more opportunity to practice – it’s good to be around so many happy people, and this is nothing. They are dragging the barges from the bay over either later today or tomorrow. The barges have gigantic firework displays.

After getting soaked, and came back took a shower and will work a little on M’s article and rest until we go out tonight.

It's fun to be out, the rain is warm and you don't need sunscreen! There are monitors that tell you how strong the sunscreen you should put on, how much water to drink, and what temp: when I came back it was pouring and read:

26c/0/0!

Which is the only reason I would be out at temperature maximum...

There are little sand altars all along the beach where people have lit candles and set out flowers... Victor offered to help me do it for the little film canister of Braum's ashes I brought... He would love it! there is music everywhere of course, pairs of guys playing pagode or chorinhos in the barracas along the beach, the reflection of something played or being practiced is bouncing off the building and echoing nicely into the apartment as I write.

It's fun here. I am so fortunate to have such great friends who live is such fine places!

6pm on the West Coast will be 12 midnight here... so hugs to all and best wishes if I don't get to the computer tomorrow!

Muito Paz e Muito Saude a todos!

Sorry, no pics… it’s too wet to walk with the camera…