My trip to Brazil

I had an awesome time in Brazil over the New Year's holiday starting 2001 off. While I've lost the friend I went traveling with, I still have excellent memories... and photos.

Fireworks started off the year. They had set up about a dozen fireworks platform along Copacabana beach. Even though it was raining ridiculously, they set off the fireworks on time at midnight. People were standing very close to the launching platforms, and sure enough, people were actually injured by mis-fired (or malfunctioning?) fireworks shortly after I took this pretty photograph.

I might look really tired here (come to think of it, I was), but I was really happy to be there.

Here's a photo of Ipanema beach. As you can see, Rio is smack dab in the middle of some lush mountainous terrain.

These are supposedly the dangerous neighborhoods of Rio. The ghettos on the hill. I can see why the people might be surly, cars are driving under their houses all hours of the day & night. This is a rare photograph, no doubt, no sign of cars (but that's because they were barreling down the tunnel as I took this shot... freed from the barrier of red lights on the other side).

Which contrasts well with: a little town I saw while floating down the Amazon River. Probably about two hours west (?) from Manaus.

Iguassu Falls straddles the border of Argentina and Brazil. Think Niagra Falls multiplied by 250. It's spectacular. Here are two views from the Brazilian side.

And as you can see, at some points of the waterfalls, you can get verrrrrry close to the edge. By the way, those little dots in the middle of the photograph are actually spiders. About as big as my hand. I've never seen them so big.

If you want to see more photos, just send me a message and tell me to add 'em onto this page. I always am curious who's checking these pages of memories and travel photos out.