3 Days To Rio

"Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer." 
 --Anonymous





After two great days in Buenos Aires it was time to move away from Argentina and on to Brazil.  Our first two stops were Santos, a sizeable beach city and Ilhabela, a lovely little resort island off the mainland coast of Brazil.  We also enjoyed a sea day in there somewhere, where shipboard activities include lectures, snoozing in a comfy chair by a window, walking the deck, knitting, staring at rainbows (and watching unicorns fly), knitting and collaborating over jigsaw puzzles in the beautifully appointed and well-stocked library.


These guys are deep into puzzle solving here............

We've enjoyed quite a bit of rain on this trip, which makes me exceedingly happy. And we have seen our share of rainbows too.

In Santos, I got a real treat with a visit from Mariana, Pedro, and their two lovely children.  I've known Mariana since she was a teenager and lived with me as an exchange student waaaaay back in 2001/2002.  We had a short but sweet visit at a local restaurant.  They drove nearly three hours to come see me, from Sao Paulo.

Pietra sure looks a lot like her papa.

Santos is the port city if you're on a ship and want to visit Sao Paulo.  While only about 40 kilometers away, traffic in and around Sao Paulo can be horrendous, so if you want to visit there, an overnight is usually recommended.

And Nuno favors Mariana.  At least that's the consensus.

Our other stop was on the island of Ilhabela.  It's quite a nice resort area.  The name means "beautiful island" in Portuguese. Sleepy little town, pretty beaches, and soft winds made for a nice visit.

Oh lookie!  Another rainbow!!

Kathi, Pat and I at the tender pier. 

This building used to be a jail. 

While a beautiful place, Ilhabela was also quite hot.  The three of us settled down for a rest and a beer to cool off.

We've enjoyed some nice sunsets on board.

I discovered a new phone app called Happy Color.  I thought a penguin would be appropriate for my first paint job.

Stay tuned for more Pig Tales!!

Let’s Tango!

The Tango is a very famous social dance that originated in Uruguay and Argentina in the late 1800's.  It was first seen in the impoverished areas along the River Plate and was performed by natives mixed with slaves and other European immigrants.  It is a combination of many types of dances, including the waltz, polka, habanera, milonga and candombe.

Its popularity soon spread and before long the dance was being performed in all areas of Buenos Aires and Montevideo.  It then spread across the world!  It is a difficult dance to learn, and requires a true symbiosis between partners, but when done properly, is a gorgeous thing to behold. 

We visited the Cafe de los Angelinos the evening we were in Buenos Aires, to see their particular tango show.  The performance showed us the history of tango, from the more strait-laced beginnings to today's sleek and sexy version.  It was wonderful. 

Below are some photos I captured during the hour-long show.

Travel quote:  "We need the possibility of escape just as surely as we need hope" -- Edward Abbey

Stay tuned for more Pig Tales!!