21 Reykjavik, Iceland

It was approaching 8:30am on a mid-February morning as we pulled into the city of our latest travel adventure. It was as pitch black as the dead of night and the streets possessed an uncanny solitude. We were unsure if this could be attributed to a different lifestyle, a sort of sleepy metropolitanism, or simply the fact that it was a Saturday. After a few days in Iceland we realized that it was unquestionably the former.Reykjavik is a truly charming city. The center of town is filled with little shops and cafes, and there are no skyscrapers in sight. We spent our time visiting museums like the Reykjavik 871 +/-2 exhibit built on the ruins of an old settlement, and the National Gallery where we learned an impressive amount about Dieter Roth, who was actually Swiss-German, but after moving to Iceland in his late 20s grew to become seemingly the nation's most celebrated artist. Our favorite was the National Museum of Iceland. The halls of the museum are expansive and present the country's history in a very modern format with a great collection of artifacts, multimedia displays, and hands-on activities like dressing up in historical outfits. Make sure to put aside several hours for this one!

We also had fun visiting the huge 3D map of Iceland located in City Hall and Hallgrimur's Church with its statue of Leif Ericson outside. On the weekends there is also an indoor flea market by the harbor where we found Icelandic board games, 80s tshirts, and other fun items. Right outside is the most popular hot dog stand in the city--always a line! Be sure to ask for one "with everything" - onions, remoulade, ketchup, and what they call mustard. The fixings were a bit sweet for our tastes, but definitely worth a try.

Reykjavik has a surprisingly wide variety of restaurants, including the northernmost Indian restaurant in the world. We enjoyed sandwiches at Geysir, pizza at Eldsmidjan (where you can get snails as a topping!) and pastries and coffee at Sanholdt Bakery. Our favorite spot of all was Cafe Paris overlooking the town square. This restaurant is super cozy and offers a great combo of European dishes and traditional Icelandic fare. They also make a killer hot chocolate.

The city awakes from its slumberous state every Friday and Saturday night for what the locals call the runtur. The 20-somethings of Reykjavik hop between the bars and discos of the city from 12am to 6am for this weekly event. Our favorite stop was a bar located on Klapparstigur. It was so hip it didn't need a name--just a sign with a very serious man in a bowler hat. Though we did not put in the requisite six hours of revelry, we had enough Gulls to make the chilly 15 minute walk back to our hotel a little more palatable.

The really striking thing about Iceland is the setting--snow covered peaks and ice capped water guard the city of Reykjavik. Once you venture a few miles outside of the city you almost immediately enter an unaffected landscape of rolling hills speckled with rivers, lakes, and the occasional church steeple surrounded by a cluster of houses. It is hard to imagine that the Iceland we discovered for the first time was that much different than the one its settlers saw a thousand years before.

A popular day trip from Reykjavik is the Golden Circle tour. It's easy to join a group on bus through one of two rival companies: Reykjavik Excursions or Iceland Excursions, but it's much less expensive and more fun to rent a car and do it yourself. First stop is Thingvellir, where Iceland's first parliament was located. The backdrop for this landmark is an amazingly picturesque rift valley where the North American and European tectonic plates meet (for all you geography geeks like Patrick!)

The next stop is the original Geysir--that's right, the geysir from which all geysirs got their name! Unfortunately the original is no longer active, but it is still filled with steaming water and right next door is the very active Strokkur geysir. We watched maybe five or six blows that shot water 30 feet high and it never got old.

The final Golden Circle site is Gullfoss, the largest waterfall in Europe. The beauty of the falls were seemingly enhanced by the frigid landscape of frozen ice and snow surrounding the cascading water. It was also frigidly cold at Gullfoss and starting to rain, so we took some pictures and scooted out of there!

Another one of Iceland's natural wonders is the Blue Lagoon. Here we bathed in eerily blue geothermal waters that are part of a lava formation. The weather was crazy when we went: cold, drizzling, and very windy, which made swimming in the steamy lagoon that much more dramatic. The water is reputed to be very good for your skin, but it also made Katrina's hair distinctly hard and sticky for about a day. The Blue Lagoon is quite close to the international airport and it is very easy to arrange for this as a two hour stop on your way out of the country through one of the bus companies previously mentioned. Plus if you buy your entrance ticket from the bus company it is considerably discounted.

We were very excited that our visit to Iceland coincided with the annual Winter Lights Festival. We had read that this annual celebration of the return of longer daylight hours would be filled with performances, museum events and more. Unfortunately, the festivities turned out to be rather absent. We hiked to a beach where evening ocean swimming had been scheduled, but no swimmers showed. Disappointed, we made our way to the skating rink for the advertised performance of the Ice Skating Club of Reykjavik only to find that it was essentially a kids' recital. Not only were we the only tourists in attendance, but we were definitely the only people not related to one of the young skaters. So word to the wise, no need to plan your trip around the Winter Lights Festival.

Our home base in Iceland was Hotel Cabin. This very clean, comfortable hotel is about a 15-minute walk from downtown. The staff is very helpful (though not very cheery) and they not only let us check in at 8:30am on our day of arrival, they even upgraded us to a larger room for free because their standards were occupied. There is also a free basic breakfast buffet in the mornings. We've never been so comfortable for $25 a night! In closing we would like to give a shout out to the Sheffield High class of 2010. Breakfast just isn't the same with out these quirky, teenage Brits.

16 Istanbul, Turkey

While in Turkey we often got the question why Istanbul? Why Turkey? The best answer we usually had was "Why not?". Sure we were intrigued by the enormous history of the city and the whole East meets West concept, but when posed the question we could never come up with a good, concrete reason for being there. That being said, we are sure glad we went. Istanbul is a sprawling metropolis that is made of intimate neighborhoods each possessing character that make them unique. Months could be spent exploring this vast city and to say we didn't want to leave would be an understatement.

Our home base for the trip was the Dersaadet Oteli in Sultanahmet; an inn in a restored Ottoman wooden mansion. The Dersaadet is located practically next door to the Blue Mosque and has a soothing ambiance about it that makes it a welcome retreat after a long day of roaming around. The rooms are small, but in a cozy way, and the entire hotel itself is impeccable in decor and cleanliness. Our stay here exceeded all expectations and though we had only booked a room for two nights we ended up extending our stay here for almost the entire trip. Finally, the last night they had no room for us so they booked us at their sister hotel, Hotel Niles, which was not as kind on the eyes but was a little cheaper and had all the amenities a traveler could need. While in town we also visited friends of Katrina's from Pennsylvania, the Duttons, who were coincidentally touring Turkey at the same time and staying at the Sari Konak--another beautifully restored inn in Sultanahmet.

The Sultanahmet neighborhood in Old Istanbul is home to many of the city's historic sights, making it easy for the visitor. The beautiful Blue Mosque (seen below) is a stone's throw from Ayasofya--the prodigious structure (seen above) that was the major cathedral when the city was Constantinople, and was turned into a mosque under the Ottoman Empire. Thousand year old mosaics displaying Christian motifs have been uncovered here during excavations, and are displayed next to Muslim structures and large Arabic characters.

Across the street from Ayasofya is the Basilica Cistern that provided water to the area as far back as the 6th century, and down the street is Topkapi Palace. We spent hours exploring this royal residence of the sultans. The architecture and detailed tiling is amazing and the rooms go on and on. There are museum-like displays in certain sections, including imperial gold and jewels in the old treasury so opulent they make you blush. We were surprised by (and skeptical of) the exhibit of ancient religious relics including pieces of Mohammed's beard, John the Baptist's arm, Moses's staff, and Abraham's saucepan. The fee for Topkapi does not include entrance to the palace's adjoining harem, but nonetheless it's beautiful chambers were worth the extra lira. The halls of the Harem are eerily quiet, making it easier to daydream of the extravagant day to day lives its inhabitants once led.

Right next door to Topkapi is an unsuspecting series of buildings that houses the Istanbul Archaeology Museum. We almost missed it but are so glad we didn't! Once you enter through the main gates, you find three large buildings packed with truly ancient artifacts--sculptures and mosaics from several thousand years BC aplenty! Some of our favorite items were the notes and contracts chiseled in stone when writing was just beginning, including a love poem (seen at left) from 2000 BC. We had planned this museum as a short stop, but ended up spending several hours exploring the exhibits and could have spent several hours more.

Although you could spend an entire trip to Istanbul without leaving Sultanahmet, a short tram or ferry ride takes you to many rewarding sights. Chora Church in western Istanbul has an extensive display of tile mosaics. Galata Tower on the other side of the Golden Horn offers unrivaled views of the mosque-dotted city skyline. And one of our absolute favorite places was Rumeli Hisari (seen at right) to the north. For a few dollars entrance fee you are given free reign to scramble up and down the walls of this ancient fortress used during the Ottoman siege of Constantinople. A great way to get there is to take a picturesque ferry ride up the Bosphorus, and then a bus that leaves you at the entrance gate.

Another great neighborhood to explore is the young and hip Beyoglu--the perfect place for a night out. After eating a traditional meal of mezes (small plates) at Sofyali 9, we met a fun Turkish couple at a bar down the street with whom we drink away the night. Dawid and Seda directed us to explore Ortikoy for the next day, where we enjoyed cafes buzzing with activity and a most spectacular sunset over the Bosphorus. We also hopped a ferry to the Asian side of Istanbul to take in a Champions league match between the local 11 Fenerbahce and Portugal side Porto. We thought the atmosphere at Fenway is intense--but Sox fans have nothing on the faithful (seen below) of the Yellow Canaries.

We enjoyed a variety of Turkish cuisine while in Istanbul with the ubiquitous kebaps and pides high on our list. For a quick snack, you can always find a street vendor selling roasted chestnuts, corn on the cob, or simit--which is strikingly similar to a sesame bagel. The alcohol of choice is an anise-flavored liquor called raki served with water and ice. We had a tough time stomaching this, so we mostly stuck to the local pint, Efes (Katrina enjoys below). The real drink of choice, however, is cay: black tea served in a small tulip-shaped glass at any hour of the day or night. We were definitely hooked on this reliable caffeine fix. Our favorite restaurant in Old Istanbul for all these treats was without a doubt Hamdi.

Shopping in Istanbul is an experience in itself. The Grand Bazaar, one of the world's most famous markets, is a maze of stores hawking everything from jewelry and home goods to leather and preppy clothing (knockoff Ralph Lauren, Abercrombie and Lacoste are very popular). Shopowners hound you incessantly as you make your way through the Bazaar; if you want to make a purchase, get ready to bargain. After the salesperson states the price, it's a good idea to look doubtful and offer 50% of the requested amount. Bargaining goes back and forth until an agreeable price is reached. If you are like us, you might find this process very uncomfortable, but

it's really what is expected.

The Spice Bazaar (which Katrina shops at right) is more what we expected from the Turkish

bazaars--rustic stalls, displaying mountains of colorful spices, teas and candies. This was our

favorite place to shop for lokum (Turkish delight) and hot chili peppers to bring home.

Another distinctly Turkish experience is visiting a hamam (Turkish bath). Katrina was nervous about not knowing proper bath etiquette, but we found a great place with lots of bossy staff: Cemberlitas. After paying at the entrance we were led to our separate men's and women's areas of the hamam. Once changed into a light cloth, we went to our respective sauna rooms where everyone lies down on the hot marble stone in the center of the room. After baking for a while and getting your skin nice and soft, the masseurs/euses begin to work their magic: a good scrub, wash and rinse takes about 15 minutes. We could definitely get used to bathing like this on a daily basis.

We were able to squeeze in four hours of Amsterdam on the way back from our action packed week in Istanbul. Four hours was enough to realize one thing...we missed Istanbul. Sure there will probably be a time for a thorough visit to Amsterdam, but not before a return visit to Istanbul.

1 West Coast

We have enjoyed our recent trips to the left coast so much that we decided to plan an action-packed Memorial Day getaway out west. Accompanying us for the trip was Patrick's brother, Riley "Carl" Foster, for his first visit out west since the time he prowled Disneyland in a stroller. Much to the delight of the brothers they were able to catch all of Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals en route thanks to Jet Blue's 34 channel's of Direct TV (yes we are a walking Jet Blue ad). Much to their dismay however, the Celts lost their first home game of the playoffs. Upon arrival at the Days Hotel in Oakland late that night we were checked in by a large man wearing a sky blue Days Inn polo, suspenders, and a mickey mouse timepiece around his neck. A more welcoming sight I cannot imagine.

The next morning we took a stroll along the highway to get to the Oakland BART station. We obviously looked a bit lost upon walking in to the station as we were immediately approached by a friendly Oaklander looking to help. He asked where we were going, showed us exactly how much fare we needed, and helped us purchase our tickets. As we very gratefully thanked him, he pointed to a destination where he was going, and showed us exactly how much he needed to get there. While it was clear he wasn't going anywhere, we very happily provided him the fare. Our conclusion: the beggars in Boston have much to learn from their helpful West Coast counterparts.

We rode the BART to the Mission District, San Francisco's Latin Quarter, to begin our day of exploring the city. The streets of the Mission District are colorful, lined with fabulous murals, cafes, and markets displaying fresh produce. Dolores Park, a sprawling greenspace located in the heart of the Mission District, provided fantastic views of the city skyline. After a few hours of wandering around we refueled with a strawberry soda from a local shop and hopped a bus to the other side of town. No first trip to San Francisco would be complete without a visit to Lombard Street and that was our next stop. This is the crookedest street in the world--tourists' cars line up to take a turn to wind their way down the hill, dodging people who jump into the street to take pictures (like us).

It has long been a Bergmann family tradition to visit Ghiradelli Square when in San Francisco. The chocolate shop offers free samples as well as every flavor, shape and gift basket they make. The adjoining ice cream parlor makes phenomenal sundaes, including a gigantic creation called "The Earthquake". The 10-scoop, fully-loaded treat taunted us, and we decided to take on the

challenge. The first bite was delicious, but as we worked our way through the task grew more arduous, the process messier. Eighteen minutes later, we finally took the last bite. Victory! As Riley and Katrina hobbled outside holding their stomachs, Patrick boldly declared that he was hungry, and the two looked on as Patrick downed an In-N-Out burger and fries. Once Patrick finished stuffing his face, we walked along Fisherman's Wharf to work off our mid-afternoon gluttony. We passed by street artists, musicians, and the infamous Bushman who jumps from his leafy disguise to scare tourists for tips. When comparing notes with Bay Area natives later we found out that this guy has been working the Wharf for years.

We returned to the Days Hotel in Oakland to get ready for that night's Sox-A's game at McAfee Coliseum. To prepare for the game we decided to indulge ourselves with some of the prominent local fare- Jack in the Box and 40's of Budweiser. After many ounces of Bud we were ready to be loud, rowdy, and represent. Unfortunately the Sox weren't quite as prepared and fell to the local nine 8-3. After the game the suddenly cocky hometown fans decided to verbally berate our red and blue clad crew. Patrick was more than up to the task and the walk back to our hotel was heated to say the least.

Before anyone came looking for the loud Sox fan in the number 24 shirt, we got out of town the next morning. We swung back by the airport to pick up our rental car for the day, Black Beauty, and set off northward for Seattle. The first few hours of the trip were rainy and quiet as people caught up on sleep but all were quickly roused by the promise of a visit to the northernmost In-N-Out burger in Redding. The next leg of the drive was truly scenic with vistas ranging from Mt. Shasta in northern California to the rolling, fir tree speckled terrain of Oregon. We were able to squeeze in a short visit to Portland, Oregon and were impressed by the green downtown and the local Thai food. That Saturday was a busy one as in the span of 5 minutes we came across two weddings and a prom (obvious Hugh Grant joke omitted here). The last miles of our day long drive were highlighted by a Celtics victory over Detroit with an assist from XM radio and a stunning setting sun to the west. After a 3 minute stand off between Patrick and traffic spikes at the entrance to the Rental Car Return, we finally reached our destination...at 10PM on the dot which was Black Beauty's curfew that Saturday night.

It was early to bed that night and late to rise the next morning as we continued our adjustment to PDT. Once the crew, now including Katrina's family, was assembled we set off for Tiger Mountain for a hike in the Washington woods. Tiger Mountain is well-known as a take off point for local paragliders and we were treated to quite the aerial show at both the top and base of the mountain.

Dinner that evening was at the heralded (at least by us) La Cocina y Cantina in the Capitol Hill neighborhood in Seattle. There are two musts when you visit La Cocina, the massive La Cocina Burrito and an equally massive Margarita. Impressively, more burritos were finished than not, a rare feat that will undoubtedly live in lore for decades if not centuries to come. Jump-started by the aforementioned margaritas a night of game playing and imbibing ensued that lingered into the morning hours.

The next morning we slept in even later, but determined not to let our next to last day slip away. We rallied and headed to Pike Place Market, Seattle's famous destination for all things commerce (and tourist). There we scoured the sizeable selection of scaly seafood, contributed to the impressive yet disgusting gum wall, and received a singing fortune from Elvis. Next we skipped crosstown to the International District for a delicious dinner at Shangai Garden featuring Katrina's favorite--hand shaven green barley noodles.

From the the International District, Safeco Field is a short walk. Another baseball game you ask? You know it! The Olde Towne Team was facing off against the Mariners and this time the outcome (and ballpark) was much more to our liking. Thankfully following the 5-3 victory the post-game shouting matches were limited to deciding who was going to sit on who's lap as the six of us wedged into a Honda Civic. The loser was Katrina.

The majority of the final day of our trip was spent at the Museum of Flight housed at Seattle's captain of industry's Boeing Field. To say this museum is a must-visit is an under statement. Think Air and Space Museum times ten. We first toured a British Airways Concorde and then an Air Force One that made many historic flights and was in use from the Eisenhower to Clinton administrations. Other highlights included an entire wing on World War I and II history, an exhibit on flight attendants featuring the risque past of airline advertising, and enough interactive simulators to occupy Patrick for hours. The 4 hours we spent there was not nearly enough and we will probably go back to see what we missed the first time.

We were sent off in style that night with a gourmet home BBQ. Armed with a belly full of food to fight off hunger and induce sleep, we boarded our red-eye flight back to Boston. Though we once again had the luxury of our Direct TV there really isn't much on at 3AM. We aren't ashamed to say that a mini marathon of "The X Effect" did help pass the time. Morning greeted us at Logan and we bid goodbye to Riley as we hopped the T for work. Vacation days are a precious commodity and we certainly weren't going to waste one sleeping.

8 Budapest, Hungary

In Patrick's free time he searches for travel deals online. A week and a half prior to Martin Luther King Day he found a trip to Budapest at a big discount at Best Travel Store, by Monday Katrina had her day off approved, and that Friday night we were off to Hungary.

We took a red-eye to Amsterdam where we connected to our flight to Budapest on Malev--Hungary's national airline. At first Patrick was shocked to see how many blue-passport toting Americans were on the flight. He was also surprised to see one of these Americans wearing a cossack hat. Turns out that Hungary's passports are also blue and that we were definitely the only people on the plane who were not Hungarian.

Upon arrival, we went through the easiest customs we had ever experienced and were out within two minutes. Our plan was to purchase the Budapest Card first thing: a tourist card that allows free transportation around the city via bus and subway and free or discounted admission to most museums. Patrick spotted the booth immediately and asked if the vendor spoke English. "Of course," was his reply, and he promptly sold us a 72-hour card for our stay in the city at the hefty price of 8000 Forint each (170 Forint=1 dollar).

Unfortunately, we found this card to be a major rip-off. We walked nearly everywhere during our stay, and many of the high-profile sites and museums were barely discounted or not at all.

The bus from the airport took us to the subway station, and there we hopped on a spray paint decorated Soviet-era train to the city center. Our arrival in Budapest was nothing short of stunning. We stood in Buda in the shadow of Castle Hill looking out across the Danube to Pest which was punctuated by Parliament (at right) and statuesque old churches. We navigated the quiet cobblestone streets of Buda to find our accommodations for our visit, Hotel Carlton.

Our hotel was in the perfect location at the foot of Castle Hill, mere minutes from beautiful Széchenyi Chain Bridge (pictured with Buda Castle below), our gateway to Pest. After checking into the Carlton we hiked up the hill to the castle to take in fantastic views of the city at dusk. Buda Castle is the latest of a number of incarnations of a royal residence to sit atop the hill. We visited the art museum that is currently housed inside the castle, which features Hungarian paintings ranging artistic periods from the last 5 centuries.

A short walk from Buda Castle is the seven towers of the Fisherman's Bastion (one of which is pictured at left), a neo-gothic tribute to the guild of fishermen that defended the hills of Buda during the Middle Ages. The winding staircases, narrow corridors, and beautiful vistas from the Bastion definitely make it a must explore.

Underneath Buda castle are six miles of tunnels originally used as a wine cellar. During WWII, the subterranean layer became a bunker and now it is a tourist attraction known as the Labyrinth. We had a blast navigating through the tunnels—especially the "Labyrinth of Courage", a pitch-black section where a rope along the wall is your only guide. Patrick was very excited to have a chance to prove his bravery.

In Pest, we got to see many impressive buildings including Parliament (and the very intimidating guards at its gate), St Stephen Cathedral, and the Great Synagogue: the largest synagogue in Europe. Patrick enjoyed his first opportunity to wear a yarmulke and had trouble giving it back. Attached to the synagogue is a museum on Jewish history that we got to visit as well. This was the only place we went in Budapest where we had to pass through security.

The Museum of National History is also in Pest. While only some of the exhibits were translated into English, it was fascinating to see the maps of Hungary's changing borders throughout the ages. The most interesting part of the museum was the exhibit on the Soviet Era. While we have of course read a great deal about this time period and seen pictures and propaganda, it was an entirely different experience to be seeing this in the country where it happened, surrounded by people who lived through it. We found ourselves not only taking in the exhibit, but also watching the other visitors' reactions.

Our experience at the Museum of National History primed us for the House of Terror (pictured
at right). This museum, dedicated to telling the story of Hungary under Nazi and then Soviet
rule, is actually housed in what used to be the Nazi Party headquarters and then the Communist Party headquarters, during their respective regimes. We heard stories and saw pictures of unimaginable misdeeds that happened in the very building in which we stood. The aura in the building alone was enough to chill one to the bone.

In need of a lifting of spirits we sought out one of the public baths for which Hungary is renowned. As it turns out, Hungary is situated over a number of natural hot springs, including the springs that lie underneath the biggest public bath in Europe, Széchényi Spa. Once at the spa, we rented towels and changed into our bathing suits (Patrick's rented), and walked from pool to pool to test the waters. Outside we found steam rising from the biggest pool into the chilly January night. We hopped in with the teenagers, grandparents, and new moms with babies in tow. If you do anything in Budapest, go to Széchényi Spa.

One of our most surprising cross-cultural interactions came the night of the AFC Championship football game. Patrick had researched sports bars in Budapest prior to our trip, so we were able to find one of the few places showing American football in Hungary. Upon arrival we were told that all tables had been reserved and that we could try to squeeze in at the bar. Instead, we found a table of twenty Hungarians clad in Patriots gear who invited us to join them. Hungarian Patriots fans? We were intrigued. We befriended a few during the course of the game who spoke English and who introduced us to a variety of their favorite libations: a pear-flavored schnapps, a very strong blackberry liqueur, and Unicum—a Hungarian alcohol similar to Jaegermeister, but less sweet and more herbal.

Unfortunately, before we knew it the time had come to return home. Though it was not the most relaxing vacation ever (not counting the spa), our whirlwind tour of Budapest was exciting, thought-provoking, and ultimately an amazing weekend getaway.

16 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

November marked six months at our new jobs, which most importantly meant that we now qualified to take vacation days! Wasting no time, we set out on our maiden voyage to South America-- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil to be exact.

We quickly learned that traveling overseas to South America is nothing like the transatlantic flights to Europe. Our combined 13-hours in the air on American Airlines was cramped and uncomfortable and to make matters worse the promised showing of "Evan Almighty" never happened.

Our descent through the early morning clouds was breathtaking and the very first thing we saw upon touching down in Rio was a soccer pitch in the middle of the airport tarmac. After spending a few hours navigating customs we stepped out into the humid (and thankfully warm) air of springtime in Brazil to grab the bus. The journey from the airport to the tourist beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana is about 45 minutes, so rather than start out the visit with an expensive cab ride we took the Real Autobus from the airport. Thanks to a little pre-trip research we found this transportation gem which for the price of 6 Real (the currency of Brazil, which is somehow pronounced hay-ow) drops you off at the door of your hotel upon request.

After passing by dozens of rundown hotels en route, we were relieved to see that Hotel Praia Ipanema was clean, modern and in one piece. It was perfectly located in the heart of Ipanema, surrounded by shops and restaurants, and a short walk east to rowdy Copacabana or west to pedestrian Leblon. It's also one of the few hotels with private balconies off each room. We spent many evenings sitting on our balcony (pictured above) with a cold Skol taking in the sunset and local youth playing soccer on the fields placed end to end all the way down the beach.

If you haven't been able to glean it from the previous paragraphs....soccer is kind of a big deal in Brazil. As a matter of fact our trip coincided with the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup which was being held on Copacabana Beach. We made a point of attending a club match while in town so we ventured out to Maracana, one of the world's great soccer stadiums, to take in local Flamengo versus Santos, the former club of the one and only Pele. Much to our dismay, though we arrived 4 hours before game time, there wasn't a seat available of the 95,000 in the cavernous stadium. Patrick, decked out in his new Flamengo jersey, even tried to buy tickets from two scalpers but his hand gestures were not very effective. We were left to take in the pregame festivities/fireworks show which was a spectacle in itself.

Rio offers an amazing combination of natural beauty and city life. We took the cable car up Sugarloaf Mountain to get spectacular views of Copacabana Beach on one side, and bustling downtown Rio on the other. At the botanical gardens we saw lush, tropical foliage from rainforests across South America. And on our clearest day we took the cog rail up to Christ the Redeemer to see this "New" Wonder of the World (pictured below).

Of course we also used that good weather to spend an afternoon on the beach, where vendors peddled snacks, caprinhas, beer and other goodies as we soaked in the sun. Katrina took a dip in the chilly ocean, but made sure to stay on the Ipanema side of the smelly canal that divides the beach from Leblon. A strong ocean current moves the city waste from the canal east to west, so we do NOT recommend swimming in Leblon.

Downtown Rio, known as "Centro", offers all the benefits of a metropolitan city. We saw historical landmarks like the Palacio de Catete and Quinta da Boa Vista, both former imperial palaces, as well as the National Museum of History. We also made a point to visit a samba club at night to hear great live music and watch the very skilled dancers. Though it was apparent that we had no idea what we were doing, we had a fantastic time faking a samba and dancing the night away.

While in Rio we became addicted to sucos tropicales--tropical fruit juice that is freshly prepared for you at sucos stands (our favorite, "Natural e Sabor", is below) on every corner. They offer every fruit you could possibly name, and many we couldn't. Like acai, a purple amazonian berry that is popular for blending with other fruits. On one occasion we ordered a pineapple sucos and were surprised by the thick green concoction presented to us. Halfway through the drink we figured out that it was definitely an avocado milkshake we were consuming. The words for pineapple and avocado are very similar in Portuguese, and our pronunciation skills are definitely lacking. Who knew sweetened, liquified avocado was so delicious?

One of our favorite meals was at the Garota de Ipanema restaurant where we tried a banana and pineapple pizza. For you bossa nova buffs out there- Garota de Ipanema is the location where the famous tune "The Girl from Ipanema" was penned, hence the name of the restaurant.

Aside from fruit, what Brazilians seemed to love most was their meat and cheese. The churrascarias (traditional, all-you-can-eat barbecues) offered dozens of different meats, which the waiters served by shaving slices off of skewers directly onto our plates. Pay-per-weight buffets are also very popular in Rio. We tried this out at a popular chain called Kilograma, where almost all the dishes were covered in heavy amounts of cheese and cream. We don't know how those Brazilians manage to squeeze into their itsy bitsy bathing suits!

All and all our first visit to South America exceeded expectations and we are looking forward to returning to the great continent to the south!