New Years in Rio

Samba, Pagode, MPB, Forro, had a night of each in Rio. On the 30th then, there was this boat party organised by the hostel. I first thought that I wasn´t going to join but 15 minutes before leaving I changed my mind and went for it. It turned out to be a great party! We sailed out in the Guanabara bay of Rio, really good music playing (while that was my fear that it would be just trance and electro but it was great!), had FANTASTIC views of the whole city, Corcovado and Pao Açucar and went swimming many times. Included in the boat trip where some snacks and free caipirinha`s which turned out to be great and bad at the same time. I was mostly hanging out with Ben and Jen from England. Ben was a bit sick so the poor boy couldn`t join in the caipirinha drinking but Jen and me made up for that and drank an incredible amount. Not that that was planned or so but it just happened easily with all these free drinks. Eventually we started jumping, diving and backflipping of the tip of the boat and we must have been quite entertaining. It was great fun except for the times that we landed flat on out stomacks, backs and when Jen fell off the boat which turned into some nice bruises the next day. When it was dark we sailed back into the habour and went back to the hostel for an early night sleep.

Check out the pictures of the boat trip on this site, especially the one of me backflipping (in blue bikini).
http://www.101productions.tv/events/

The next day I wasn´t really hungover but sick. I guess it must have been a combination of too many caipirinha`s, a lack of sleep of the previous 6 days and someting I ate (or drank), but I really felt shitty. I mostly chilled that day but did go out to buy some white cloths for the night.

Jen, Ben Karin and Angelique went out to Copacabana around 9 pm where the beach was really starting to fill up. Families and friends had put up tents and umbrella`s, had coolers with drinks and were having a good time. We walked to the main stage in front of the Marriott hotel, hung out there for a bit and 15 min before midnight we went to the edge of the sea to watch the fire works together with about 2 million other people. The fireworks were very beautiful and especially the idea of being there, on Copacabana, most people dressed in white, cruise ships in the back, made it all really special. The rain could not spoil the fun and many people where diving into the sea. The only thing that did spoil the fun a bit was that I was feeling more sick again and had hardly any energy.
After the fireworks we hung out on the beach for a bit again, at the stage Vila Isabel samba school was playing at that time. Jen and Ben headed of to Ipanema to see the black eyed peas but I did not feel well enough to join them so Angelique, Karin and me just slowly headed back direction hostel where we hung out for a little and then went to sleep around 3 am. Early night!

January 1st was a boring rainy day. Same with the start of Jan 2nd. Then I flew with Andy, a dorm mate who was on the same flight, to Buenos Aires where I got last night, checked into a hostel and went out to get some pasta and Argentinian wine. That is where I am now. Going to discover BA for the next 3 days. Everyone says BA is great, I´ll find out if I will like it as much as I like Rio.