Ipanema B&B

Where were we?
I think I sang Mexico's praises to death, so moving on...
From previous posts, the Ipanema beach video and the Liza-dancing-with-muppets, I think it is clear that my next stop was *drum-roll* Rio de Janeiro.
Had an American Airlines redeye from Miami (have i mentioned the breakfast? man, that was a pretty ugly episode) and landed in Rio airport bright and early on a Wednesday morning.
When I was looking for a place to stay in Rio, I figured out pretty quickly that I wanted to go for Ipanema (too many years of Bossa Nove I guess). And seeing that all hotels seemed like huge, overpriced concrete monsters, I ended up booking the Ipanema Bed & Breakfast, which ended up being quite the cultural experience (and, at least at first, a bit of a cultural shock).
Brazilians don't really do B&B. So these guys just made their own version of it by renting out two of the bedrooms and bathrooms in their Ipanema apartment. So you had the apartment where they all lived (mum, dad and two 20-and-a-bit boys). It was in no way big, so it was pretty much me living in their space and vice verse. I assume that most people who know me (especially those I used to share a place with- old flatmates, parents, Jamie, the rest...) would have a bit of a giggle. I mean- it's no big secret that I like my space. Living with people I am close to is really stretching things, sharing with strangers is the stuff nightmares are made of.
But surprisingly it ended up being one of the best places I stayed in so far on this trip. Main reason was the sheer niceness of the family. The kids were great to hang around and chat to (well, the parents spoke no English). I even went to the footy with Felipe, which was a super cool day out (more on that later). The dad acted as if his sole mission during my stay was to mix me Capiriniahs, and after 12 days and countless Capirinhas all around Rio I can honestly say that he mixes the best ones in town. And the mom? Well, she did the rest from making sure my breakfast is ready whatever time I wake up (how she knew when to prepare it is beyond me. Must be clairvoyant!) to washing my clothes. And ironing them. All of them - undies included. God I love these guys.
Location too couldn't have been better. Walking to the beach would take less than a minute. And I am not talking some dodgy, muddy beach here. I am talking Ipanema Posto 9. Ipanema is a pretty glamorous beach (I think I posted pics below), and there are pretty clear lines of demarcation that designate who goes where. So the gays go to Posto 8.5, and the families are around 8. Around 10 is where most tourists are (and the local golddiggers). Posto 9 is where the really really good looking crowd goes. And in a city where physical looks is the be all and end all, that says a lot. I don't know how many of the boobs, calves, pecs, bums etc were real and how many were silicon, but who cares. Ipanema beach was the bomb!