Brazil is beautiful. After a quick breakfast of guava, toast and jam at the hostel James and I headed down to find the ATM. The adventure began after an impromptu decision to visit a small 'palace' on an island led us on to a ferry. Thanks to the famous Gibbs directions that ferry, however, took us right past the palace and on towards a random island off the coast of Rio. Once there we decided to walk to the only listed site in the lonely planet, the museum of contemporary art. Well...fourty minutes later we had walked into a fishing village where it was clear there was no museum in the near future. After a frazzled bus trip we were definitely in the right area. Oh, and the bus drivers...CRAZY! We were zipping through those windy roads like a bat out of hell.

Had lunch in a small restaurant which was clearly the common worker's choice. A line out the door for a $6 real buffet meal was definitely what was in order. After some advice from a local woman to "not cross street there, brazilian people no stop, and no care" we crossed the road at a 'safe' crossing, and walked to the contemporary building of contemporary art. Most interesting piece was a black canvas, no difference in shape, tilted ...ON ITS SIDE! Clearly art is a subjective experience because, baby, that was not art, that was a mistake! Pink velvet pajama pants hung up by a peg with only wooden feet coming out of the end? Now THAT is art. Or what about some notepad paper wripped out of the book and put in a case?

The trip ended, we returned to Rio after another tense Ferry ride ('please let this be the right one, please let this be the right one'). I was fading fast so a quick nibble of a custard filled strudel did the trick.

Walked through the city, passing stalls, good everywhere to be sold. My favourite store owner was a man in white, with his white beard covered in gold butterfly clips. Now THAT is advertising in its finest!

Took a walk through a rough area to get to the mosaic tiled staircase. The artist was there completing the upper staircase and asked me to place one of the tiles. I can now say that I was a part of this staircase. Incidentally, close to the bottom there is a Bermuda tile! Clearly someone sent it in....any takers? Anyone?

Off to have some Antartica beer and dinner and maybe go to a club for some dancing!