Rio and Iguasu Falls

Since my last post I spent a wondefull week in Rio and a few days at the amazing Iguasu falls. On account of the slow internet connections of late I wont be posting any photos instead I talk a bit about food.

Food has been the best part of this trip so far and I got to try all kinds of new things with Patricia and her Aunt guiding me around Rio. They have all kinds of great fresh juices made of all kinds of great tropical fruits. My favorite has been the Acai which is a kind of energy rich berry (we get them at home) that they make into a thick smothie, then you eat it with these crunchy tapioca balls... mmmmm. I have also made a habit of doping my self with maricuja (passion fruit) juice daily - aparently it has a sedative effect, they give passion fruit concentrate to hyperactive kids down here... as a result I have been feeling very chill... though that could be attributed to the fact that I~m on vacation, I will have to do a control trial when I get home and start working again.

I have also been eating record quantities of chese, milk, yogurt and meat... the meat here truly does taste better than at home, by leaps and bounds, all you need is a little salt for seasoning and it~s pretty much the best thing ever. You can get all kinds of cuts at any resaurant that does a barbecue - my favorite cut so far is called picanha I have no idea what cut it is but it sure is good. It~s supposedly better because all the cattle here is grass fed.

Then there are these things called Pastel that are just fried dough stuffed with pretty much whatever your heart desires, chese, meat, shrimp, chocolate, bananas...whatever, and served piping hot.....

Pão de Queijo (cheese bread) are buns of variose shapes and sizes made of a dough of manioc flour and cheese and baked to a deliciouse stretchy chewy deliciousness...these are very addictive and very dangerouse to anyone attempting any sort of a diet.

Finally I will mention this crazy soup called Tacacá that is from the north and made of variouse goopy and soupy manioc products and a certain kind of leaf called Jambú and served with dried shrimp. It somehow makes your toung go numb as you are eating it which is a kind of cool sensation, and it tastes very awsome....

Hmmm, I think I am going to have go go eat now