The Beginning

01.-02.05, Rio de Janeiro 
 
Thus far, I can't upload any pictures, as the resident computers are lacking in SD card readers. Too bad mine's in Germany...

 After the frenzied preparations of the last couple of days, which included Doro and I moving our stuff while desperately trying to compensate for mediocre (some might say absent) planning of the trip, Sunday morning went quite well, until we arrived at the check-in counter on time -- thank you, Caecilia and Tobi, for driving us. Then, Condor Airlines stepped in to prevent things from going too smoothly...

EU citizens can visit South American countries up to 90 days without any visa -- provided they have an itinerary proving they wish to leave within the alloted time. Condor deigns to enforce this rule in the countries stead (without, by the way, explaning this all to closely when the flights are booked online), with the added catch that they demand both entry and exit be by plane.

While rather surprising and brazen, this did not shock me. After all, I had booked a flight from Bogotá, Columbia to New York two months onward. I felt this would be adequate proof that we indeed intended to leave Brasil. Condor, on the other hand, demanded we book a flight actually leaving from Brasil itself. Since our pissed off protests did not affect the staff, we had to run to the last minute counter ("Cash only!") to book some random flight which would then be canceled the following day -- for the trifling fee of 150 Euro per person...

The flight was more entertaining than 10 hours of sitting around promised to be, mostly thanks to the brazilian kids running around and their parents letting them be children (playing ball in the aisle, pillow fights, a toddler entertaining himself by grabbing my foot repeatedly...)

Due to our late arrival after 16 hours of travels -- 10 h was the flight time to Salvadore da Bahia, where we changed planes -- we spent a restless night at the airport in Rio de Janeiro, to take the bus into the city at 6 am.

We got out of the bus in the quarter of Botafogo, and decided to try our luck with Ace Backpackers hostel right around the corner. While asking for directions, I had a painful lesson instilled: after 3 semesters of Português classes, my Portuguese sucks unbelievably. The English-speaking population quickly changes to that language when addressed by me em Portugês, even when I'm sure I've used all the right words. Those unable to do so must answer in their native tongue, which, although I can read a little, I obviously cannot understand at all.

After getting directions to the hostel ("PLEASE speak English! Where do you want to go?"), we booked, with the help of a Greek speaking Spanish, Portuguese and broken English, currently taking his vacation in said hostel, 3 days for 25 Reais per day and person, in a cramped but clean 8 person dorm.

We then walked past the Pão do Açucar, one of the incredibly steep hills dotting the bay of Rio do Janeiro, and went on an Odysee trying to find the next tourist information, a one hour walk through Botafogo and Copacabana, including a trek through the fringe of a military compound (slightly worrying) and along the edge of the worlds allegedly largest inner city rainforest, Floresta da Tijuca. Also my first ever first-hand sight of a rainforest -- yay!

The incredibly knowledgeable woman from the tourist office aided us in planning our next days. Another success, after rainforest and tourist information, was my being able to communicate to a waiter in Portuguese almost exactly what Doro and I wished to eat. I may have stressed the vegetarian part a mite too strong, as my sandwich was missing the ham, but I shant be picky.