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12/28/03: Marvilhosa

I had plans to go south to Florianopolis. Instead I'm turning west and heading off to Rio de Janeiro tomorrow.

This abrupt change is all from two simultaneously recieved emails. One, from a friend who landed in Brazil then was immediately sent back to the US. This is a really interesting story, naturally, but putting it up here would be a little indiscreet, no? Sorry. Anyway, this friend had the houses in Flor?pa and now there's a lot of sad twentysomethings who risk having a lousy New Year's.

The second was from a surfing-backpacker friend who was making his way down from the Northeast, saying that he was staying by Rio on the 29th, then stopping by S?o Paulo the next day, not sure about New Year's but wondering what I'm up to. I immediately shot back - "Stop! Stay where you are! Sampa sucks! I'm going over to you.!"

Those weren't the exact words. And I don't actually think that Sampa sucks, but everyone here jets off to their own personal favorite beach to pay hommage to Iemanj? and one is best to leave this dirty noise for a little bit of ocean cleansing before jumping back into the grind.

Anyway, Rio is probably bursting with tourists right now (and with the tourists, the stalkers, the pickpocketers, "creamers," errant cabbies, etc.), but I could use a little a little of its craziness right about now. And after an afternoon of listening to those gorgeously thick Carioca accents on the phone while finding hostel reservations I realized that I've been missing something in S?o Paulo's more buttoned-down version of Brazilian-ness.

Exciting stuff, this New Year's.