Santa Teresa

Hello all,

I am officially back in the USA for one month.  I flew back on Thursday and Friday.  I can now upload my pictures and share the rest of my trip to Brasil.  I will pick up where I left off.  After the waterfalls in Iguacu, I came back to Rio and the neighborhood of Santa Teresa.  For three weeks I lived in a volunteer house with 20 other volunteers all working on some type of project from house construction to teaching English.  I taught English for three weeks in a favela and had a challenging, but valuable experience.

 This is the view from the best lookout spot in Santa Teresa.  That is Sugarloaf (Pao de Acucar) in the background.

                                                   Another view from the same lookout.

                                                                     And another.

One of the many buses in Rio and Santa Teresa.  Philadelphia feels like it has no bus transportation in comparison to Rio.  They are constant.

                  Rio has everything.  I found this on the sidewalk, at a street fair in Santa Teresa.

I also found this!  While the food of Brasil lacks the spice of other South American cuisine, the desserts are off the charts (Muito Bom!!!!)!  This was my lunch (almoco) one day.  What?

And I knew I was going to get Star Wars in here somewhere.  On the street, a food truck (just like we have in Philly) was also selling this Luke Skywalker action figure for the equivalent of $12.00 US.  Why?  For the same reason that Michael Jackson tunes are always on the radio here, a love/hate relationship with the US.  Our government and policies do not always go over well here, but our popular culture is pervasive.

The Arcos do Lapa (old aquaduct, that used to carry yellow tram cars -Bondes-from the city center through Santa Teresa).  Lapa is the nightlife center of Rio.  Samba clubs, music in the streets, party central.  Santa Teresa is in walking distance of Lapa.  Up the hill.  Put on your flippie-floppies and get up, or down, the hill.

Up the hill from the Arcos do Lapa is the still functioning Convent of Santa Teresa after whom the neighborhood is named.

                                                      For Bridget, Mais Amor Por Voce.

Anyone who has ever lived in Santa Teresa knows exactly where I took this picture.  You could give directions to places in Santa Teresa by stating, "Take a left at the calico cat".  It doesn't move.

                                  For my next installment, Jonny teaches English!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!