Bangkok to Rio

No internet in our apartment means limited time for the travel blog. Hope you'll forgive us. Here are a few photos of what we've been up to:

First, Jesse's parents, Dan & Debbie, came to visit, prompting visits to Rio's various tourist attractions and lots of wandering around the city.

Wandering by the beach:

Kids playing on the escadaria selaron:

Roses at the Nossa Sra. da Candelaria Church:

Of course, the Pao de Acucar:

Then, I deserted Jesse for a week of backpacking on Ilha Grande, an island of jungly hills circled by quiet beaches and fishing villages.

Some of my hiking companions:

Then, Mike Marshall showed up in Rio, trailed by a whole bunch of mandolinists. Jesse became a tourguide for a week.

Now, with all visitors back in the US, we're back to normal life...

-Beth

My new favorite hobby: rock climbing. Trying to figure out how to move up a slab of rock, then getting to the top and looking out over the city and the bay - hard to find a better way to spend a Sunday in Rio.

The fact that I've been climbing is thanks to Fernando, a new friend (and climbing instructor):

I met Fernando through the Centro Excursionista Brasileiro, the oldest outing club in South America (of which I am the newest member). Last Saturday, I went on a hike with some CEB members in Petropolis, about an hour from Rio.

I didn't get a group photo, but I did get the group photographer:

Hiking through a valley:

We stopped by a waterfall:

I gotta do something to keep busy while Jesse's playing music, right?

Photo highlights from my weekend.

Watching and waiting:

The skyline:

Rock climbing with my friend Fernando:

Self-portrait on a ledge:

Contemplating, with pigeon:

-Beth

The relevant bit starts at about 5:20, but just watch the whole thing. I promise it'll make you laugh.

UPDATE: Sadly, it appears that only computers with Brazilian IP addresses can access the video clip. So... uh... come visit us in Rio and we'll sit you down in front of the laptop so you can watch Beth in all her Portuguese-speaking, frisbee-throwing, samba-dancing glory.

It only took three weeks in Rio for Beth to be featured on Brazilian daytime TV. For those of you who happened to miss the segment, click here.

On the right side of the page, click on "Anteriores" (just to the left of the search bar) and go to 20/3. In the list of shows, click on "Esportes diferentes no Brasil." Skip ahead about 5 minutes to see Beth's Brazilian debut.

In case your Portuguese is a little rusty, here's a translation:

Reporter: Beth Mitchell, an American social worker, liked the idea of combining frisbee with music for kids.

Beth: I've never seen it before, it's totally new to me, but it's cool. It seems like the students really like it; they like to dance, to combine the two things.

Reporter: In the U.S., do people ever do it with music?

Beth: No. Never.

The calls from soap opera casting agents haven't started pouring in yet, but it can only be a matter of time.