For about 5 days now, the Cariocas (people from Rio) have been complaining about the heat. I didn’t think it was anything unusual until I saw this photo in the newspaper. In downtown Rio the temperature hit 49 degrees yesterday.

That may explain why I don’t go to the beach till after 4pm and enjoy staying there till evening. I watch families coming to the beach, fathers with their children after work and they play in the water and the sand until after dark. Everyone heads out to walk and exercise (running, biking, skating, volleyball, football, swimming) in the late afternoon and the floodlit beach and promenade are busy all evening, every evening. I love this focus on being outdoors and having so many options which are cheap or free and always fun and social.

It may also explain why I hang around at home in just my pants most of the time and am drinking over 2.5 litres of water a day. Lovely! Very good for my soul.