Avy No Brazil: The Road to Rio

The costal road to Rio was beautiful. Most of the way we drove along winding roads through forest covered mountains which would spill over into the ocean, occasionally cushioned from above by fluffy white clouds.

This typical landscape of Sao Paulo state extended for a couple of hundred kilometers until, a few hours later, the scenery changed as we were approaching Rio.

We didn´t exactly get the welcome we were expecting!

Let´s just say the road turned into a Rio. As we resurfaced on the other side of the storm, however, we entered the sun-drentched Rio de Janeiro that we were expecting, with views typical of what you see in the movies.

We were feeling rather pekish after our 4 hour journey so we stopped off at the one place in Rio from which we knew that we wouldn´t leave hungry - Porcao! A Rio institution, Porcao is the best know Chuhascarria in town serving excellent cuts of all-you-can-eat barbecued beef, by a elite team of knife yielding carving ninjas.

But there were a couple of simple rules every greedy guest has to learn before setting out on his carnivorous journey of debauched greed. So often do the waiters approach ones table with more meat that a simple signalling system was devised to allow the scoffing customer not to break his meaty momentum if he doesn´t want a 67th helping.

After loading our plates with various accompaniments from the unlimited buffet,

we were all systems go!

Another slice of picanha perhaps?

Yes please!

A little filet?

Why not?

Half a cow perhaps?

I thought you´d never ask!

Some other cow part that you´ve never heard of sir?

No thanks. Go feed some other greedy Porcao before i throw up!

Bursting at the seams, we unloaded our stuff at our rented apartment in Copacabana, before taking a stroll along the beach to aid our digestion. Even at a late hour the beach seemed to double as a market offering everything any cool Carioca (Rio native) would require.

Bikinis of course,