in communicado no Brasil

I am about halfway through my month long adventure here in Brazil and as you can ascertain from my cyber-silence, I AM HAVING AN EXCELLENT TIME and a much needed getaway from it all, doing what everybody needs to do for a while: Step away from the computer!

I last left you off at riding with Renata in Sao Paolo. My next stop was Curitiba, where I met a group of friends who ride around town on fixies. One of the gang, Victor, has written about the experience on his blog, so read on for the full account (that is, if you can understand portuguese).

I also spent a few days deep in the Pantanal, a vast alluvial plain about the size of France. Because it´s their rainy season, I was one of the only tourists at the lodge. But I did fulfill my dream to be surrounded by animals - monkeys, jacares (related to the crocodile), so many different species of tropical birds and MORE. The sounds of frogs croaking and birds singing in the savannah at night were enchanting.

Now I am in Salvador de Bahia with Carlos, and I´m surprised to see fewer bikes here than in any other city, though while marching in the Lavagem do Bonfim parade today, I did run into a group of men who get together for a bike ride once a month. Carlos and I decided that next year we need to start a Bicycle Bloco.

I am getting lots of sunshine, drinking lots of cachaçs, and taking lots of naps.

Happy trails! Tchau.