Búzios

Wouldn't you know it -- as we left Rio yesterday, the sun came out and the mist was slowly rising from Corcovado. From the window of our departing car we could see Jesus magically reappearing over the city. Oh well!

Here in Búzios, which is a three-hour drive east of Rio, it's much sunnier (above). The community is spread out over a rocky peninsula, a collection of guest houses and modest hotels surrounding a small patchwork of streets, shops, restaurants, parks and undeveloped green space. And all that encircled by a rocky coastline and a few tiny islands. There are beaches, but they're tucked among the rocks. It's a very interesting landscape.

Getting here was an adventure. We left our hotel about 10 a.m. with a driver named Mario, who insisted on taking our picture with a banner from his tour company before we began. ("It's so he can send it to the kidnappers and tell them who's on offer today," Dave said. Nothing like dark humor!)

We drove over the bay in Rio and through Niterói, and then eastward along the coast. We got held up by a traffic accident on the expressway, and then Mario drove like a maniac on some of the less busy stretches of road -- we think he was trying to make up the time. Lines on the pavement were mere suggestions to Mario. I put in my AirPods and listened to Stan Getz and João Gilberto as I watched the hilly farmland, roadside fruit stands and red clay soil roll past.

In Búzios, where the winding, cobbled roads forced Mario to go slower, we came around a corner to find this guy strolling across the street. It's a capybara (world's largest rodent!) and it was rejoining its pals, as you can see. This is the only picture I had a chance to take because Mario was not stopping.

But based on the signs I'm seeing around Búzios, I'm guessing that won't be our last capybara. (Extra points if we catch them playing football and wearing sunglasses!)

We got checked into our hotel, which is nice but also kind of strange -- we think it might be run by a religious cult. The guy who checked us in was named William and he had a curious serenity. There are bible verses on the patio wall and a boat on display in the courtyard called "God is Good." We're surprised they allowed us sinful homosexuals in, but so far it's been very pleasant and no one has looked askance at us. (I'm pretty sure William bats for our team, too.)

After lunch I took a walk to Praia da Foca, across the peninsula. There's a beach down below and to the left, but this shows the rocky coastline.

 Flocks of huge frigate birds soared overhead...

...and the great kiskadees called attention to themselves with their tropical screeee sounds.

Aside from the birdcalls and the occasional passing vehicle, it was so quiet on my walk. A big change from the urban sounds of Buenos Aires and Rio, and the steady rumble of Iguaçu Falls.

Today we have some kind of boat trip planned. Dave isn't keen on going but I'll go either way. Maybe he'll join me!