then another quarter were from Quebec! We were all sat at the back and you could feel the excitement of Carnival already, with everyone eager to experience this world renown festival.

Upon landing, I managed to get some cash out, and then take a taxi to my hostel in Botafogo (021 Hostel). This is a nice area. It is more residential than the nearby Copacabana and Ipanema, but I think I preferred it. As “Eu no falou Portuguese” I spoke to my driver in Spanish, and he replied in Portuguese. As long as people speak slowly, I can generally understand what is being said. He informed me about Flamengo and Botafogo, letting me know that the beaches are not safe to swim in as they are very dirty from the boats. As I can pass reasonably (in looks) as a Brazilian (or at least South American), I had no issues when I went walking around the neighbourhood. It is only confusing to people when they spout off something in Portuguese and I give them a deer in the headlights look. For everyday things, such as at the grocery store, it is not so bad. I can order my food with only a slightly awful accent, and I can guess what is being said to me based off the situation (for example, at the cash register, I understood the question of whether I would be paying by cash or card).