Lets have a night to remember...

We we screaming and yelling for the ones on the left,

Not least because It was the first time in my life I've watched two football matches in one evening. I've never really been that fond of the game (i blame the wankers back at primary school... grrr - you  know who you are.) In any case,  there is no denying that in all probability, you're gonna wind up watching it from time to time. Living in Brazil meant that it was only a matter of time.

We have guests at the mo - and one of the things they were keen to do was to go to a game. The only one that worked with their timings was Botafogo vs Avaí.

2 - 1 to the locals! - A result - and the small but enthusiastic crowd went mental. Proper eleven out of ten mental. Both samba bands erupted. Grown men cried. Strangers embraced. This was a mid week league game against a small second from bottom club. Blimey.

No beer allowed inside which was staggering, seeing as it seems to be acceptable to drink it in any other situation whatsoever. Still, never mind - the soft drinks woman may or may not have been willing (for a fee) to spike your pepsi with vodka - I couldn't possibly comment.

Not only water into wine, but also on the bench for the men in red and black...

We watched the Flamengo vs Santos game in Arco Iris Da Lapa - with a decidedly chic young and beautiful and absolutely pissed crowed. Once again the enthusiasm for the match was equal to nothing else I've seen.

5 - 4 to the locals. Shit hot. Cab home just about as plastered as my 200 new Brazilian mates. Quality.

I would travel the world to get the beers in here. Oh, I did.

Tell It Like It Is....

Pint for me, bag of nuts for her...

No one likes to know what's going on in the world more than a Carioca - as far as I can make out anyway. I just grabbed a couple of free papers on my way home - merely part of my highly effective 'turning Brasilian' regime. The reporting takes some getting used to.

The news here is pretty much the same as back home (with perhaps a couple more armed robberies here and there) - the difference is that it seems to be reported in the most brutal, stripped down to the facts fashion. Never before has teatime telly involved footage of so many mangled bodies being dragged from twisted road wreckage. Or closed circuit footage of an armed robbery where a couple of people actually get shot.

Maybe I've led a sheltered life. Dunno - but I do know that having seen gory footage of countless real life human roadkill incidents, I make a special point out of looking both ways.

As I write this I'm watching Mais Voce on Globo. A barking bonkers mad woman is sharing her thoughts on life in general with a plastic parrot sat on the wall. I've seen a couple of robberies and two people get run over in 20 minutes. All with a choice selection of Amy Winehouse's finest playing in the background. Tasteful? Respectful? - you tell me.

Rock in Rio - Mais Um!

Or 'hock in hio' as its more popularly pronounced - have decided to add another evening to the festival over in Barra de Tijuca.

Now, I've yet to go to a stadium sized gig over here - but the endless marketing going on for this event gives me the impression that it might be time to give it a try.

So we got tickets for the extra evening. Coming, ready or not.... Here's the Globo listings. We're going on the 23rd and 29th. If I had a big bucket of spare cash I'd go to more.

Gadding about - Arraial do Cabo

This was a slightly warmer day...

The sea at Praia Grange, Arraial de Cabo  reminded me of the time I  swam in the Baltic Sea on a trip around Lithuania. Fortunately now that I am older and wiser, I stopped short of a full-on swim and called it a day once I'd dipped my big toe. Quite enough of that thank you very much. Apparently some feat of nature helped this stretch of water reach -2 degrees earlier in the year. Watching a Carioca take a dip in that would be a sight to behold.

The unusual temperature is explained by uninterrupted stretches of water reaching the south pole, according to Alex, the guy who sorted us out with a cool box full of tinnies. Its also the reason that there are types of fish here not seen elsewhere in Brazil. So There you have it.

Spectacular beach though, by even the snobbiest standards. And its some 50 kilometres long, so you can grab your own private bit of paradise if you don't mind a stroll.

We stayed a couple of nights at the pousada recanto do atalaia - just five minutes from the beach. A real warm welcome - even with a noisy nearly two-year-old. We'd definitely go back, even just to have one more night between the jungle-style sheets. Very Austin Powers.

oh my good grief

and this little piggy walked all the way home...

Ipanema Market Av. Visconde de Pirajá, 499 - Lunch of distinction

Click here for the website

Even the furniture looks better than Ian Beal's fruit and veg stall.

Ooooh - what a treat. If you fancy splashing out on a fancy lunch then this might well be the place for you.

We had skewers and mash. Literally a rare treat. Ladies had black risotto and cous cous. The risotto was probably made by the God of rice himself. No kidding. Greg Wallace would have shat his pants.

All accompanied by posh booze and coffee with a teaspoon of fudge on the side. Cute touch I thought.

Not exactly the lunch I could stretch to on a weekly basis, but quite the place to prove you can keep up with the Jones' if that seriously is still your thing.

Now, I may very well have not let him in...

Also, if you need any incentive to get up in the morning - the breakfast menu looks rather spectacular too.

For a more foody revew (or if you simply don't trust me) try here.

Santa Teresa

Blimey - its been a while - and I have so much to bang on about. I've been out and about and neglected to drone on about it. Just in case I someday need to jog my beer ridden memory - here goes with a wonderful morning out we had a couple of days ago.

Grab the Bonde for this one! - And hold on to your hat! - And by Bonde, I mean the 30ish seater street car that goes from Carioca right accross Lapa and up to yet another spectacular vista. Don't reckon I'll ever tire of looking at this place. Oh, and don't worry if there aren't enough seats - it seemed like it was perfectly acceptable to be a complete mentalist and just stand on the running boards, clinging on for dear life - this apparently used to also be the preferred use of the Bonde for the assorted bandits that liked the look of the captive transportees. Ahh, the good old days. Problem is, those days are nearly (but not absolutely) behind us. Best leave the family silver at home.

If you want to give your mother-in-law a souvenir then this is just the ticket. 50 metres up with a proper dodgy fence between you and certain smashed limbs is quite an adrenaline trip. Not to worry though, the views, beers, crafty  pricey hippyesque boutiques will make it all worth while.

Heres a link to the whole heath-robinson boneshaking experience.

Know what. If you only have a day in Rio, do this. It really is something.