Another interesting day. The rooms in the hotel are apartment style. That is they come with a microwave, small refrigerator, dishes, etc. I decided the smart thing would be just to make breakfast in the room. So yesterday I went to the supermarket around the corner and bought some groceries. I expected to find good fruit at reasonable prices. Another wrong assumption. I picked up four tiny bananas for about double what we pay. All of the fruit and vegetables wer...

There is nothing like a different culture to make you feel like a moron. Anytime we step out of our comfort zones we must learn and adapt. And it is the simple things that leave us feeling stupid Simple things like how to use the elevator. (There are two sets of doors). How to turn the power on in your room (power is only available while the room is occupied, making charging things while you're out impossible) and then how to turn the lights off without cutting...

The flight from Calgary was uneventful but the landing was a little tricky. Must have been windy because he was struggling to keep it even. But from Dallas to Sao Paulo was another story It is always encouraging when the pilot comes on and says "the flight is going to be delayed because the ground crew has noticed some fluid leaking from one of the engines." Much better than saying it halfway across Caribbean. Take a much time as you need. Just means more sle...

Observations on Day 1 The city does not have the natural beauty of Rio or many of the other great cities in the world. On the way into the city there was a pall of smog hanging over the city which leaves virtually all the buildings looking grimy. Graffiti is everywhere and it does not present a good first impression What makes the city great is the people. It is the commercial and cultural centre of the country and there is a vibrancy to the city very simila...