Things I seriously can't wait to do when I get home

• Read books made out of paper
• Sort through my mail
• Get my hair cut
• Sort through my pajamas
• Exfoliate
• Wear summer clothes
• Watch Much Ado About Nothing
• Use my Metrocard

One of eight

The last time I took a look at those goals to your right was over a year ago. Eek. So, how are they coming?

"Travel to Brazil" has been crossed off, because, in case you haven't noticed, well … here I am. Related to that, my Portuguese is improving but is in no way close to fluent.

Doing macaco, holding a handstand, traversing the swing-a-ring, and doing Annapurna are all off-limits to me due to my ongoing tendonosis. (You can't do Annapurna with a roller bag.)

The novel … that's something I'm thinking about. Get back to you later.

That leaves practicing my Portuguese, which I can continue to do, and walking across a slackline. I don't have a yard to practice in, but I could get one anyway. Hey, I'm going camping soon.

Brazilian food

Vegetarian dining, a photo by TheTurducken on Flickr.

When I planned the trip to Brazil, I was worried about being a vegetarian in the land of churrascarias and on an island renowned for its fish. As it turns out, being a vegetarian in Florianopolis is about the same as being veggie in Nashville - you'll find fewer choices, and a few restaurants are off-limits, but it's doable. (Foz do Iguacu was a different story - it was more like being a vegetarian in New Orelans.)

I'm been surprised by some things, though. I really miss American-style breakfast, even though five days a week at home I have a protein shake. Brazilians don't do hot food at breakfast.

However, there are some things Brazil doesn't do so well at:

• Cheese: To be fair, it is possible to find good cheese. It's not that the technology isn't there. However, the vast majority of cheese in grocery stories is pre-sliced and tastes processed.
• Juice: Ironic, given how much fruit grows here, and that you can get fresh juices in many restaurants. But everything at the grocery store is what in America would be labelled "juice drink." Lots of sugar, and it tastes watery.
• Yogurt: They like it more liquid here. I don't mind liquid if it's unsweet (like raita), but I can't handle this stuff.

Not that Brazil doesn't have its strong spots:

• Coffee: Brazil has a reputation for good coffee, and it's deserved. It's very strong, and the Brazilians are genius enough to serve it with hot milk.
• Por kilos: These buffet-style lunch spots vary in quality, but the better ones are far better than any American buffet.

Praia Joaquina

Praia Joaquina, a photo by TheTurducken on Flickr.

I could show you the sweeping, sandy beach of Praia Joaquina, a famous surf spot. But instead, this is a photo where it looks a little otherworldly. In addition to its surf fame, it's also famous for its sand dunes. People go sandboarding on these giant, pure sand hills - not me, though. I hated my one snowboard experience, and I don't think getting sand in my eyes would improve it.

This is a little ways back from the beach, in between the dunes and the shore.

Iguacu Falls

Iguacu Falls, a photo by TheTurducken on Flickr.

I left Florianopolis for a few days to go to Foz do Iguacu. Argentina and Brazil are divided by the Iguacu River, and at one point the water plunges into a spectacular set of waterfalls. Most of the falls are on the Argentine side, so the views from Brazil are panoramic, while the views from Argentina are up-close.

I visited both sides. The water is at a seven-year high, so a few trails on the Argentina side were closed. Of course, the falls were spectacular on both. This photo is of the view from the Brazilian side.