And Speaking of Brazil...

During the same trip I have to say that I was less than impressed with Rio de Janiero. While I did enjoy the enormous feat I ate at a beachside shack for 5 bucks, I wasn't so fond of walking in shit up to my knees.

Yes you read that right.

While out walking, a torrential downpour appeared (perhaps the craziest rain I have ever seen) and literally within 10 minutes the streets were flooded with water and all kinds of crap. As many know there are these hillside villages called favelas, which are basically rudimentary accommodations perched above the city. In the simplest terms they are slums, and are similar to what you would have seen in the movie City of God - great movie by the way. Well, most of these villages do not have running water or plumbing, so when it rains the garbage and other unsanitary items come running down the hills to the streets below, and the street drainage of Rio doesn't quite work fast enough.

Wading through the streets for 10 minutes was definitely not the most fun aspect of the trip, though it was one of the most memorable. This was only enhanced by my poor friend who had to go get his laundry and carry it back in the shit-filled streets. Poor thing.

My advice: take an umbrella and some rubber boots just in case.