Posted by Marc on August 1st, 2009
We got married!
We captured our honeymoon, our “Journey around the World” from September to December 2009. You can read all about our magical trip below. Enjoy over 1200 Photos, too.
Our original Wedding site is archived here as well. Check it out, if you’re interested on how it all started:
Posted by Marc on October 3rd, 2010
You might have wondered if Kitty and The Germ are stuck in South Africa or how their Journey Around The World continued. Well, we are back home in Toronto for a long time already but we just didn’t get around posting the remaining stories and photos. Anyway, here we go… two more stunning blogs on South Africa and then one week in Rio de Jainero!
Enjoy,
Kitty and The Germ
PS: We are also adding photos to the locations in China where we were not allowed to access the Internet. Stay tuned.
Posted by Marc on December 31st, 2009
Best Food
Worst Food
Best Wine
Worst Wine
Best Tipping
Worst Tipping
Best Hotel
Worst Hotel
Best Internet Availability
Worst Internet Availability
Worst Internet Connectivity
Best Service
Best Post Office
Worst Post Office
Worst Traffic
Worst Pedestrian Right-Away
Best Boat Ride
Worst Boat Ride
Best Temples & Churches & Palaces
Best Monuments
Best Live Show
Best Wild Life Encounters
Worst Wild Life Encounters
Best Starry Sky
Worst Starry Sky
Best Beach
Best Animal Control
Worst Animal Control
Worst Manners
Worst Children Begging
Worst Smoking
Worst Air Quality
Posted by Catherine on December 22nd, 2009
Posted by Catherine on December 21st, 2009
One of the things I really, really wanted to visit was the Carmen Miranda Museum. All I needed was some fruit for my head and a pair of sky-high platforms. We found the museum (with some great effort) and to our surprise, it is free. Yay! The tiny museum has lots of her costumes, shoes, trunks, and headpieces. There are TVs with scenes from her movies and performances looping.
Museum Building
Museum
Pose
Grandios
Carmen Miranda
Carmen Miranda
Museum Sign
Inspired
Trees
Some impressions of Christmas time in Rio.
Christmas Time
Christmas Time
Christmas Time
Christmas Time
Christmas Time
Christmas Time
Christmas Time
Posted by Catherine on December 20th, 2009
The beaches are really important and interesting to see in Rio. They are very different. There are different crowds, different atmospheres, different goals at each one. Walking from beach to beach you start to pick up the various vibes. A big thing is beach volleyball. Of course, played by men in Speedos who are ridiculously tanned. After our samba school excursion, we did a big tour, me still sporting my phony tattoos and got a better understanding of the Rio de Janeiro way of life.
Beach
Beach
Beach
Beach
Beach
Beach
We had such a good time at the Copacabana Palace, we decided to go, try a different restaurant and decided to hit the night club. While we were eating, we watched a parade of girls, all dressed in amazing dresses go to the club “Bar do Copa”. Of course, we wanted in the action. We were surprised to see such a mix of women–specifically in terms of age. There were young girls in their 20s to what could easily be described as cougarlicious women in their late 40s and early 50s. We got a bottle of champagne, drank, people watched and of course danced.
Copacabana Palace
Copacabana Palace
Copacabana Palace
Copacabana Palace
Copacabana Palace
Copacabana Palace
Copacabana Palace
Posted by Catherine on December 19th, 2009
Off we go to the samba school which is VERY local. No tourists in sight–except us. Since I have ink, I have immediate street credibility. I am starting to panic because people are loving my work. Those people that can speak English approach me. I am not happy about this at all and am worried about getting busted.
Samba School
Dancers
Samba All Night
The Band
Samba All Night
The samba school looks like a big hockey arena and they are practicing and it is packed. We are dancing, drinking beer and watching amazing dancers, great costumes, awesome musicians and lively drummers providing the beats. We are thrilled.
Samba All Night
Samba All Night
Samba All Night
Samba All Night
We don’t leave until dawn. We are coming back for Carnival.
Posted by Catherine on December 19th, 2009
We are looking for authentic things to do. We have heard good things about the Rio Scenarium. A samba club. We get dressed and when we were in China, I had purchased a bunch of temporary tattoos. If you know me, you know that I am not a proponent nor a fan of ink in any form. For some reason, I had been saving these temporary ones for months–and waiting for just the occasion.
Ready for the Night
Rio Scenarium
Rio Scenarium
Rio Scenarium
Well, out they came. Not one, but two packages and I created a sleeve of flowers. The moment they were on, I went badass. I kept saying to Marc–don’t worry, I’ve got your back. I’ll look after you this evening.
Rio Scenarium
Rio Scenarium
Rio Scenarium
So off we go to the Scenarium. There are a bunch of ladies singing and I feel like we are at a Portuguese wedding. I start falling asleep in my chair while we are waiting for things to really get going. The place is crawling with tourists and after two hours, me fighting to stay awake (not all that successfully), Marc claims that this place sucks and we are going to the Samba School.
Posted by Catherine on December 19th, 2009
We decide that we need to go to the top of Sugarloaf. Sporting my new tiger T-shirt, we go.
Base Station
Going Up
Going Up
View of Cristos
View of Copa Cabana
Sugarloaf
Frame
This Way
This Way
It is actually fantastic and I would recommend doing both, Corcovado and Sugar Loaf. All about different perspectives.
Posted by Catherine on December 18th, 2009
So in our book, one of the places we need to see is Buzios. Why is this fishing resort town on the map? Well because it was Brigitte Bardot’s favorite place “on earth”. We got picked up at our hotel and took a bus to the town. We were starting to lose our minds because when we make a rest stop, the bus is waiting on people that are shopping, taking their time, clacking. The break was 15 minutes. Some assholes were gone an hour. Of course, we waited. The Germ wasn’t happy…
Buzios Beach
Buzios Beach
Boat Tour
Buzios Beach
Kids
Buzios is charming. There are all kinds of interesting stores, restaurants, and cafes. We take a boat cruise and have a fantastic view of the town. It is a little fishing village turned into a resort town. I am thinking about Kristi–our resident Brigitte Bardot the entire day.
Cheers!
Kisses
Buzios
Posted by Catherine on December 17th, 2009
The next day we decide to take a tour of the favelas–pretty much the ghetto. We go with this couple from LA. The girl is Brazilian. It is something to see. What do you do when you run out of space? Build up.
Favelas
The Favela of Rio is one of the largest and functions as a mini-city. There are stores and winding roads and of course lots of people hanging about. We have been instructed on when we can and when we cannot take pictures. We go inside someone’s home and all I can think about is the struggle it would be to hike your groceries up and home. Clearly, there are no big Costco shops if you live in a favela.
Favelas
Favelas
Favelas
Favelas
Favelas
Favelas
Favelas
The stairs were each so high, it was powering your quads to climb them. We got to our host’s favela and the one thing about being high–you have an incredible view. We took some pictures and then back to the tour we went.
Favelas
We only later find out that there is a huge epidemic of TB in the favelas. Really? Information we would have appreciated knowing before we went. It really was something.
Favelas
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