In South America

I have been in South America since 22 February. I started in Sao Paulo with 3 wonderful days with my daughter Anna in Sao Paulo. It was hot and humid. Cab fares were awful. I saw an economy booming! I went up to San Jose dos Campos and saw an incredible booming city with all sors of green and bio tech industries going in. I then flew to Rio de Janeiro and landed at Santos Dumont Airport. I marveled at a harbor full of off shore oil rigs, freighters, and tug boats. Rio is booming!!!!! I got a cab to the Acapulco Hotel. It has been my hangout in Rio since 1975. I got checked in and walked around Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. It was such a nostalgic moment. I was also surprised to see that street crime had gone down and one could walk safely along the beaches. The following day I took a cab drive over to Niteroi across the big bridge to go and see my dear friends Fabiano and Fabiane Vieiera. Their new apartment was spectacular. We went out to lunch and I got to know their two sons better. They took me on a tour of Niteroi afterwards including the beach area and Nedemeyer Museum. I was sad when the wonderful day ended. The following day I flew from Santos Dumont Airport to Campinas. I then flew to Goiania. This is a small and provincial city near Brasilia. I was met by Joao and Djenane. We had lunch with a poor and humble family. It was a wonderful meal. We then went to their apartment. I unloaded the things I had brought for them. I also got to meet my 22 month old grand daughter Bianca. She is addorable. I spent two days with them and flew back to Campinas and caught a bus to Sao Paulo. I stayed in my daughters apartment one night and took a long taxi ride to the Sao Paulo internationl aiport. I caught a flight to Rio de Janeiro and landed at the Aero Parque Airport. I was able to use my Argentina DNI to enter and saved a $132 fee. Poor Elena and Patricia had gone to the international airport to meet me. THey then went to the airport where I landed. They missed me. They found me at the Bohemia Buenos Aires Hotel. We went to Federale and had a great lunch. We had two good days of exploring Buenos Aires. We had a wonderful evening with Elenas brother Miguel.Then we got the shocking news that our dog Eloisa is terminally ill. It was a giant crisis. On Sunday morning I flew to Bariloche in the Andes Mountains I will be here two weeks. I hope to find some peace and rest.