Week 3

The gecko I found on the wall in the hall

Today, I'll be rounding out my third week in Brazil by visiting the Sambódromo (again). Every Sunday night they have technical rehearsals there in preparation for the parades during Carnaval, and these rehearsals are open to the public. We're going in a big group, and bringing at least one of the Brazilian friends we've made so that we have a local to help us out. It should be pretty fun!

Yesterday, the CCCI (I have no idea what that acronym stands for, but it is the acronym of the international student office of the university) took us on a passeio, or field trip, to the historical city of Petrópolis. It was where the Imperial Palace stood (and now stands as a museum), and was a vacation retreat of Emperors and later Presidents. It's about an hour away from Rio, up in the hills.

This is the house of inventor Alberto Santos Dumont. Brazilians say he invented airplanes.

He made it so you could only start walking up his stairs with your right foot.

This is me in front of a cathedral there.

This is part of my lunch. They had square eggs...I didn't really get it.

This is a road in Petrópolis.

This is the view facing away from the cathedral.