Pooped....

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Yes, we are pooped....pooped from all the craziness of Carnaval. It has been six days of non-stop noise, mobs, music, drumming, dancing, partying, and merry-making. It has been wonderful but we are ready to GO! So we are going tomorrow to Ilha Grande, a small island of 2,300 two hours south of Rio. It is a natural conservation so there are no roads, cars, or buses. YIPEEEE!!!!! Quite a change from the 15 million plus here in rio!

When we first arrived in Rio six long days ago, we headed to a bloco which is a block party full of locals filling the streets with their dancing hips and feet, and of course, lots of beer and other drinks! The 12 person drumming band began their samba drumming and we all began or attempted to shake fast our fast feet. Becky and I were right next to the band, and could feel and hear the sound of the beat through our bones and sweat!

The next day we headed to Ipanema beach, one of the most beautiful beaches of Rio which was packed, packed, packed with bright colors, and butts, and white and brown and pink skin, and food, and smells, and SEA. Sooo many people there packed for a Carnaval sun bath, we could barely find a place to lie our things down! But, we did and we ran into the great Blue to play with the waves and taste the salt of the Atlantic and burn our poor Ohio white winter skin.

On Monday we went to the Botanical Gardens, a tree lovers paradise! I have never seen so many different shades and shapes and sizes of trees! It amazes me how many different type of plants and trees there are, with different functions and smells, all adding to the great mystery, uniqueness, and richness of life! The palm trees reached high to the sky and the jungle type trees swirled out and about with flowers and fruit hanging and hummingbirds flying to smell and lick the sweetness.

And in between all of this, the craziness of Carnaval raved on. I have seen so many crazy things with these eyes, but my mind is struggling to understand and even remember it all...but i most definitely remember all the men dressing, and dancing, and trying to act as women, the constant drumming, dancing in the rain and in puddles, meeting happy, drunk, joyful brazilians, smelling waves and waves and waves of urine, peeing in an almost overflowing port a potty, smiling at all the merrymaking, hanging and riding on a trolley up through the hills of rio, and feeling the exhaustion of the party capital of the world.

And so, I rest from it all 😊

Love you all so much, so much!

Raquel

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