Feenajeep

4x4 on top of "morro do vulcao"

Off-road "Vale da Lua" in Teresopolis

Long week-end due to public holiday on Thursday. Spent the day messing about with4x4's at Vale da Lua (Moon Valley) near Teresopolis and then ended up in a Russian restaurant called Donna Irene. Loads off straight moon-shined vodka!.... Watch the videos of the trail below. We managed to do some 5km in total and it took us pretty much the whole day (hence the need for vodka). Great fun:

Part I

Part II

Paulo Cesar Angel taxi-driver

Ever thought that nobody trusts strangers in a violant city like Rio? Well think again. When we got to Priscilla and Anri`s wedding I found out that I had left my cash on the kitchen table. The bride was more or less just walking in, gives me a note and just goes: "Here, don't worry, my name is Paulo Cesar and this is my number - call me tomorrow and you can pay me them." I aksed him if he wanted my phone as deposit or not at least take my name and phone number. Paulo Cesar just says "no, you have my number so that's ok. You need to hurry the brid is just walking in". The next day, I wrote him a short thank you note, put the meter-fare and a decent tip in an envelope with our door man and gave him a call to pick the money up. When we came back to the flat there was a thank you note from him and the CD that he was listening to in his car radio when we caught a ride with him as a present. Try that in Germany!

Wedding training take two : Priscilla and Anri

Sunday night we were invited to Priscilla and Anri's wedding. They had hired a boat which left from Marina da Gloria and went around the Bahia de Guanabara, along the bridge between Niteroi and Rio, Ilha Fiscal, Pao de Acucar (and back again). To get everyone loosened up, they plaid a pre-produced chav take-on pop-video in Bollywood style called "Eu te amo" (I love you). I have been told that the song is ranked as "brega". Hilarious - take a look. If you happen to not have lived in Aberdeen at any point of your life and are unfamiliar with the word chav, you can find an explanation by clicking here. If you don't know what "brega" means, then well, join the club. If you do, then please write me.

Needless to say, there was plenty of drink and dance, and following good Brazilian tradition, some themed fancy dress as well (towards the end of the night)

Watch a clip from the chav video below:

Camping in Visconde de Maua

Saturday, we packed our bags to head for Visconde de Maua for a "roof tent" owners gathering. Visconde de Maua lies at the border of Rio de Janeiro state and Minas Gerais state. To get there you have to climb a 30km dirt road that leads you over a mountain with loads of erosions and nasty potholes. It feels like proper 4x4 offroad stuff until you are overtaken by "Fuscas" (to Europeans: the VW beetle) which makes you feel real stupid. Once you are there, Visconde de Maua has loads of waterfalls, mountain biking, hiking, off-roading, etc... As we had to get back to Rio the next day for a wedding, we only stayed the night (in our roof tent) and did none of the outdoor activities. The roof tent worked and we met loads of new people that go for expedition type trips all across Brazil.

Wedding Training

Friday was Paula`s wedding in Praia de Botafogo. Very good liveband, very good Caipirinhas. So good even, that I nearly forgot is was my birthday come midnight. Thamine reminded with a spiked (labelled) champagne glas. We stayed until I don`t know when and we slept right through Saturday until I don`t know either.

In the evening I hijacked Kelda`s Birthday Party (actually her Birthday is on the 13th) so that I did not have to do my own... Next year, I will have a big party as compensation.