There is something about Rio.

There's a reason why just saying those three letters summons images of good times, good looks and one of Earth's most beautiful places. It's a city of contrasts and paradoxes. The mountains that soar up near the shore are stunning gorgeous. Some are also home to the most squalid of shantytowns. On the beaches you find beautiful people with beautiful bodies. You also find thieves by the dozen waiting to pounce. Rio is at once touristy and harshly real.

"Literally surrounded by beauty."
I suppose it's those mountains that make the place unique. That and the islands that pop up just off the coast. Oh, and the amazingly good looking people in their bikinis and speedos. Of course you also have those who must have been hallucinating when donning said bikini or speedo, but hey... good for them. But it's hard not to notice while walking on the beach that you're literally surrounded by beauty.

I'm staying at a place near Ipanema beach. Apparently there was a song about a "Little Old Lady" from here. Either it was before my time or I wasn't paying attention... or both. All I remember is the little old lady from Pasadena.

Anyhoo... today I walked (and later ran) to the end of that beach and made the turn onto what is supposedly the world's most famous strip of sand. Copacabana beach.

"They don't take them in June."
At this point I should say that whatever it is that draws people to Rio, it's at low ebb right now. Maybe because it's summer up north... I dunno... but there aren't many people here. You know those photos you see of jammed Rio beaches? They don't take them in June. Copacabana beach was not deserted, but it wasn't packed, either. People were huddled in a few groups of sunbathers with long stretches of mostly empty beach.

I don't know why. It's fantastic here. The worst part about the beach is always that it's so hot. Today was perfect. You could walk around in a swimsuit and not get cold, and you could lay on the beach all day and not get hot. What more could you ask for?

I meant to do so much today. I ended up walking on the beach and going running at sunset. Oh well. One more chance tomorow.

Now a few random happenings that I don't have time or energy to get into depth with.

"There was so much baggage."
The bus trip here was excruciating. 23 hours in a not-very-luxurious bus. Brazillians who'd been shopping on the cheap in Argentina were returning with their loot. There was so much baggage. I swear to God there was even a kitchen sink. OK... I can't confirm it was a kitchen sink, but the box said "lavadora." Sink.

Three of them were obnoxiously loud the entire trip. They were all the way in the back and I was in the second row from the front. I could hear their conversations clearly. To myself I began calling them "The Fat Boy Mafia" for what were obvious reasons.

I ran into a nerdy guy from Pennsylvania who I met at Iguazu. He salutes me whenever we part company.

"A shattered radius and ulna."
I was nearly killed by an automatic door at my hotel. Actually, it would have been a shattered radius and ulna. I was stuck for probably ten seconds, my palm on the door and my elbow in the door jam. Finally I forced it back open.

Today marks six months since I headed off across Mexico. No soul searching to be found today, but an interesting landmark. I don't know if I've mentioned this, but traveling has begun to feel like my job. Not in a bad way. It just seems perfectly normal that I get up whenever I please, go see some tourist sites and ride buses all day. Some of the "wow I'm really doing this" is gone and it all feels like it's what I'm supposed to be doing.

Here's to twelve more months, more or less.