From Ushuaia I flew up to Buenos Aires to join in on some tango classes. Then continued on to Montevideo, Uruguay just in time for the Iemanja celebration. This celebration comes from the African Umbanda religion and is to honor Iemanja, the goddess of procreation.

I continued on up the coast of Uruguay and stumbled upon paradise in Valizas. This tiny sandy street village is home to youthful hippie artist types. I met Jimena and Juan in a cafe and they invited me to their hostel of sorts, Satori.

Finally I carried on up the coast passing the bizarre border town with Brazil, Chui. On one side of the street you are in Brazil, the other, Uruguay.

I made it to Rio and was so grateful to have family there with a beautiful home right under the armpit of Cristo and overlooking the lagoon and Copacabana beach.

I would venture out into the oppressive heat now and then to explore Rio making it up to the Cristo, over to Sugarloaf, to the grave of Carmen Miranda, and on the back of a motorcycle to the Rocinha favela. The favela's are enormous "slums" that cover the surrounding mountainsides of Rio. We walked through the labyrinth of the favela and everywhere were tangled masses of wires "stealing" electricity and every house haphazardly built on top of another had blue plastic tanks to collect water.

But through all the struggles, they sure know how to party! Carne Vale! Farewell to the Flesh! Carnival! Now that's the way to prepare for lent.