Into my third week and finally settling down. The project work teaching in Tijuca is finally starting to take off and the kids are a really nice bunch. Things I've done so far: loved eating north-eastern treats such as brigedeiros from the brigideiro lady in Santa and acaragey from the acaragey lady in carioca. Some crazy things too. Just the other day something crazy, advice don't walk along the arcos do lapa even if its cert that the bonde is not running cos in our case it was, we just managed to pass the arches before we heard the s***scary chime of the bondes bell hurling itself down the beat up track. Another thing the bonde itself is a joke if it decides to turn up it takes so long to get to carioca and it falls of the tracks the electric cable becomes lose and Brazilians park their cars right on the tracks so most of the time is watching the drivers attempts to keep this quaint thing alive. Also did prainha the city of god beach. Good place to go but well worth it. The beach was sparsely occupied by rich beautiful cariocas. It's difficult to get to though, we here so much about the 'surfer bus' but as of yet seems non existent. However we were taken by the best kombi driver in town for the price of 3 reais (originally 4) speeding down from Gloria through Zona Sul and through to Barra . These guys run a tight operation speeding and swerving through all the traffic crossing 3 lanes to get to the bus stop to get to the impatient of the Brazilians who can't be bothered to wait for a bus (many Brazilians are not impatient, some would even say they are a tad too patient and relaxed).