Sweat... my old friend (or enemy??)

Sweat. It has returned to my life. As much as I bitched about the cold of the European winter, at least I didn´t sweat. BUT, alles gut, and I will certainly not start to complain about Brazil when I just got here.

After posting yesterday, I took the dog for a walk (crazy fucker that it is)and sorted myself out at the beautician (Brazilian in Brazil, anyone?? haha still not old) before returning to the hotel and its rooftop pool. I´ll be squeezing every last drop from this free 4-star ride, you got that right. It is so nice just to have a room to myself with a big queen bed.

The rooftop had a cool view of Rio but unfortunately was situated right next to a building site so along with the pigeons, I had an audience of Brazilian builders. Ahh well. Good for the ego I guess. This place is gonna be good for that, at least. I certainly had to put F back in his place later in the night when he tried his luck. But more on that later.

I went back to the room for a quick kip, which turned into a 5-hour slumber that went right through the time I´d promised to be at F´s for dinner. Oops. So I ran over late and had a delicious soup (the boy can cook) as well as some capirinhas and beers. Things got a little too close for comfort when F was giving me a massage so I had to make the lines a little more definite, and ensure I would have no midnight visitors in my bed during my Carnival Couchsurf.

And I guess I got a taste of what the Brazilians will be like when the parties start. The old "can´t blame a guy for trying" seemed to be the way he was rolling, fine with me as long as the trying stops now. He is a nice guy and very generous with his apartment (and he has a cute dog!) so I would enjoy being friends with him. And getting the ego boost that he thinks I`m awesome and "stand out in a crowd". Well, I sure hope I do, he´s gotta find me some way when I dash off to go dance on a podium or something.

Small hints of Carnival are starting to appear on the street, little stalls with glittery masks and feathered hats, and about twice as many people as yesterday. I almost thought I would have less breakfast to choose from this morning cos the room was so much fuller. Alas, they must´ve known I was coming. Can´t wait to get to the beach when it´s sunny.

Should head out to the botanical gardens soon, F suggested it as a place to chill today despite the on-off rain. Apparently good weather is due to return for the weekend - just in time for the parties! Well, regardless it would be good to see some more of the city via the bus. And I wonder how many more people I can offend by speaking Spanish to today.

Best spread I seen in years

The day is not over yet, in fact for many I am sure it has just began, but I have already managed to stuff my face at the hotel`s buffet breakfast. Seriously, that was the best mother fucking breakfast spread I ever SEEN in a hotel!! And the fresh fruit... oh, how I missed the fresh fruit after months dealing with shitty European fruit. Being from Australia really does make me a fruit snob. So I stuffed my face in preparation for not eating for the whole day and saving money.

I rolled out of the breakfast room to meet F, my new CS friend who kindly offered to put me up for 10 DAYS during the Carnival period, and we walked around the local area. The weather is balmy, overcast but about 26 degrees so a pleasant change to the multi-jumper weather of Europe.

We had some beers then went back to F`s pad - not far from my hotel and guess what, he has a DOG!!! Cutest little Cocker Spaniel named Oled. He´s sitting under my desk atm and I only just remembered as a furry head popped up on my lap for some attention a second ago. Fully plan to walk him regularly. If only I didn´t look like an escaped Albino I would totes fit in. Already had some people tell me my hair is awesome. Thy rastas will be my greatest ally here!!!

F is really nice, keen to show me around and hang out so I am not a loner - but something tells me I will have no problem making friends here - and has already given me a key even though I won´t be staying until tomorrow. I think I´ll give Oled a walk today as I peruse the local beauty salons. Nothin like a dog to pick people up haha...

I think we´ll go salsa dancing tonight, me not being schooled at all in the arts of salsa and F apparently being quite good, so it should be interesting. Oh, also this morning I checked myself out in a full-length mirror (first time since forever as they didn´t have one in Austria) and I HAVE lost weight, gotten more toned as well. So I may actually potentially not look like a beached whale in my bikini, tutu and hosentrager outfit I have planned for the carnival parties. F laughed when I told him about it and said he´d need to be my bodyguard for the evening if I ended up going through it it. Going through with it?? No debate.

Alright. Time to take the dog for a walk (if I can find his lead), check out the beautician, go back to my hotel sans dog and go sit up on the roof on a banana chair by the pool. Ahh, it´s a hard life but someone´s gotta do it, right?