Dublin or NothingI can't think of a better place to wrap-up nearly two and half years of european travels than Dublin. Besides being the land of Guinness and little green leprechauns, Ireland is also home to the nicest group of folks I've probably ever met- the Irish.

Dublin, always a good time; even better when the city fills up up with probably the second nicest group of folks I've ever met- the Scots.
Funny accents galore and 6-Nations Rugby- a potato-lover's dream- Dublin was a great way to go out. Big win for the Irish! (trust me- willie's really happy... he just doesn't like to smile...)

It's been a good ride, Mac- thanks for all the great pictures.

So, now it's time to say good-bye to London and start looking east...

Brazil: Rio-diculous and Morro de Sao Paulo-fect...


Rio carnival in a word- ridiculous, completely crazy. "But why would the Brazilians schedule carnival during the rainy season?" asked one of my better educated travel companions twice before I had the heart to explain that carnival was the four day lead-up to Ash Wednesday. "Ash Wednesday?" he queried. Amidst a tropical rainstorm and the biggest street party I've ever seen I didn't have the heart to explain the life story of the redeemer of this great city, so I let it go.

(Redeemer? No not me, the big guy in the back ground and on the hill top below)

My friend was on to something. The beginning of lent is earlier than usual this year pushing carnival in to the rainy season, and thus allowing me to take some time off to travel to Brazil to celebrate. The daily rain showers and thunderstorms did only little to dampen things.

Five days and nights of street parties, dancing and samba music was about all I could take and by Wednesday I was ready to chill out and head to the beach.
Fortunately, we'd heard about the Ressaca festival on the island of Morro de Sao Paulo a short flight off the coast of Brazil.

I was never really able to figure out exactly what Resseca means, but I was told it loosely translates from Portuguese to "dry-up" or "hang-over" for the fact that it occurs each year following carnival.

(Some had spent more time in the sun than others...)

Morro in a word, perfect... the perfect place to start fasting- an amazingly beautiful tropical island, no cars and the only roads on the island paved with beach sand with a the tiny village and four beaches filled to the brim with the most beautiful Chilean, Argentinean, etc, etc, South American girls ever seen. Everybody sleeping on the beach by day and fasting from sobriety on the beach by night. Perfect.
In the five nights I was there, I fell in love at least 6 times and had my heart broken at least once...

My first venture into South America was a huge success- after a few days in Rio I realised I'd have to come back; after a few more days on Morro I decided I'll have to live there someday...
Ridiculously perfect!