Bangkok to Rio

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

It's 35 degrees and raining right now. Last night I drove home in a snowstorm. Southeast Asia feels very, very, very far away.

But I wanted to post photos from the rest of our trip before I fly to Brazil, and a whole new set of stories begins.

So here goes... the wrap-up post:

In mid-December, we left Luang Prabang for Northern Laos. Our main activity there was sitting in hammocks. There was a hike, and a kayak trip, and a bike ride, but most of the time it was just hammocks.

Photos from Muang Ngoi, accessible only by river:

This is the main road in town:

Freshly-caught worm:

Bus transport, Lao-style:

Chillis drying on the asphalt:

Around New Years, we crossed the Mekong back into Thailand. We spent a few days in Chiang Mai, the largest city in Thailand after Bangkok, wandering through night markets, biking around a temple in the forest, whitewater rafting, and reacquainting ourselves with Thai food.

Inside the temple:

On New Years Eve, thousands of people light and then release paper lanterns, which float slowly up into the sky - sort of like hot air baloons.

We spent a day at Sukhothai, visiting more ruins:

then we booked it to the beach...

The week in Ko Phi Phi, on the Andaman Coast in Southern Thailand, was pretty much perfect.

Finally, back to Bangkok. On the last day of the trip, Jesse made friends with a Thai bluegrass band. For them, he was the real deal - an authentic American bluegrass musician. They totally outshined him in the Wild West fashion category, though.

Then, home for a few weeks. It's been so nice to see everyone, in CA and MA. Jesse's in Brazil already, and I will be a week from now. So the next post will be from Rio...

-Beth