Brasil!

Next stop: Brasil!

We spent a few days in Sao Paulo, which is such a HUGE city. When we flew into the city, there were just lights and buildings for as far as you could see. I felt a bit of culture shock going from Chile to Brasil because they are pretty different.

It took awhile to warm up to Brasil, but I loved it.

Here's the view of Sao Paulo from the top of the tallest building in the city--37 stories high.

We got there at the perfect time, just as the sun was setting!
Beautiful, huh!

Derek, me, and Sam

This is a plaza out front of this beautiful Cathedral.

One night we went to eat at a Churrascarria, an authentic Brasillian grill.
They just kept bringing more and more meat... YUM!
Here's me, Chris, Sam--extrememly full and content after the feast :)

Our first Saturday in Brasil, we went on a jeep tour/hike through a Brasillian forest!
Andrea, Tyson, Lauren, Sam and I in the jeeps right before our adventure.

Leavin' the city in the jeeps....

and endin' in the forest!
This waterfall was sooooooooooooo huge and beautiful!
The picture doesn't really do it justice.

me and Maren on our hike

Exhibit A: Brasillian forest. Cool huh!

After some time in Sao Paulo, we headed to RIO!

Here is a view of Rio!

Brittany, Lauren, me, Becky at Corcavado, one of the seven wonders of the world!

It wouldn't be a trip to Brasil without going to a soccer game!!

Here's the group of us at the biggest futbol stadium in the world.

The inside of the stadium!

The fans are seriously, super fans.

I think cheering, yelling, screaming, and music were going on throughout the entire game... seriously! There were flags waving and faces painted, singing... so much energy in this stadium!

We stood out from the rest of the crowd just a little bit... haha!

Todd, Ross, me, Sam, Brian

Toward the end of the game, it started to rain!!

After the game, we ran back to the metro, but we ended up getting pretty wet... so cute!

Maren, me, Andrea, Lauren, Shannon

I love these girls!

When we were in Rio, we stayed at the Copacabanna Palace, just about three blocks from the ocean and Copacabanna Beach. Hello! This is the view from my window.

I gotta say, I ended up with stellar views at pretty much every hotel.

Team outing! We spent the day in Rio around the blocks of our hotel. At one little shop, they had a gazillion different flavors of Mentos packs, sooo we all bought Mentos! :)

Rob, Justin, Rob, Anthony, me

Okay. Hello. I'm drinking coconut water out of a coconut on Copacabanna Beach. We're talking I watched the man at the little shop punch a hole in the coconut and stick a straw in. Legit.

This was such a great afternoon! :)

Later that afternoon we met up with the rest of the group for BEACH DAY! :)

-the girls at the beach-

me, Kristina, Shannon, Irina, Lauren, Andrea, Maren

Andrea and me at The Churro Stand!

These churros were filled with chocolate or dulce,

and we seriously went to this stand like every day we were in Rio.

We packed so many activities in just a few days!

Brasil was beautiful.

-darcy