Since so much time has passed, I am going to share with you
the brief version of our experiences that are shaping our journey into one of
the most amazing times in my life. During my last update we were leaving
Central America and headed to Brazil
in South America.

We flew into Sao Paulo and it was the biggest city I have
ever seen  We headed up the Costa Verde (Green
Coast) stopping to enjoy the wild Brazilian beach life along the way . . .

We ended up in Rio de Janeiro  where we took a city tour of a
Shanty Town  and more

Our
next stop was the African-Brazilian city of Salvador where the music and
nightlife never stops

From
here we headed to the North East Coast, Brazil’s hidden gem and my
favorite stretch of our journey. The coast was dotted with small and wild or
quiet beach towns with jutting peninsulas and colorful tide-pools. This is
where we relaxed from our stressful and hectic lives, soaking up the Brazilian
sun and drinking Caipirinha’s . . .  We took a dune buggy ride up the coast
with “emotion”  and sand-boarded down the dunes  It was more difficult than we thought it
would be . . . .

The
Amazon  was our next destination and it was more
like a journey into the known with a tremendously “canned feel.” No
doubt we saw some of the same animals that everyone sees and the same tree that
everyone knocks on. But! Jim caught an alligator with his own two hands  and being on the river was totally
surreal  Even way out here the Brazilian culture
thrives

After
our short journey into the known, we headed to Iguassu
Falls, which borders Brazil, Argentina
and Uruguay.
Truly a natural wonder, these waterfalls were some of the most absolutely
spectacular scenery I have ever seen.

On to
Buenos Aires, Argentina  Without a doubt, my most favorite city. A
very cosmopolitan city full of culture with swanky clubs and restaurants on
every corner, shopping, and beautiful parks. The nightlife lasts until 6AM and we left feeling more full of
good steak and Argentine wine beyond our wildest imagination. We spent 10 days
here and visited every nook and cranny of the city. The Pedestrian mall was
favorite place to shop

La
Boca is where the tango originated and
unforgettable parks  We spent the next 4 weeks traveling
through the Patagonia. We visited Ushuaia, the most southern city on the
globe,   and its National Park Tierre Del Fuego . The
city had a very southern feel

Next,
we headed North to Torres Del Paine, Chile, and visited its spectacular lakes
and mountains  then visited

the
mountains of El Chalten  and the

Perito
Merino Glacier, one of the world most famous moving glaciers  We headed to the Lakes District in
Northern Patagonia to a town called Bariloche. The flora was some of the most
colorful and distinct I have ever seen and the panoramic views were
unbelievable.  We visited a Black Glacier  and tested our skills at White Water
rafting

This
ended the first leg of our trip and we spent the next 3 days heading home to
see all of you. Brazil and Argentina
offered rich cultures, beautiful beaches, jagged mountain terrains and some of
the best nightlife around. The journey doesn’t stop here so please stay
tuned.

Until
the next time!