Finding new places to explore never gets old. Earlier this month I picked up booking on a cruise ship heading through a country I’ve never visited: Brazil. If you’re thinking soccer, samba, and the Amazon (the river, not the website), you’d be right.
Brazil has changed its visa restrictions for US visitors, so that process took less than a week. I found myself waiting/traveling/flying for 20 hours until I arrived at my destination.
Rio de Janeiro was one of the ports of call, and like many, I hoped to see the world-famous “Christ the Redeemer” statue. (Would you skip the Eiffel Tower on your first visit to Paris?) Well, others who had planned their trips far longer than I did filled all the available spots, and it is the paying passengers who keep the boat afloat.
On to Plan B. I didn’t have time to make other arrangements, so I just wandered the city and encountered art, people (and a cat or two) and the Museu do Amanhã (Museum of Tomorrow, pictured). And—very important—coffee.
My rule of thumb is to look at life’s outcomes instead of its perceived disappointments. This sentiment is concisely reflected in the popular advice about making lemonade out life’s lemons. My day in Rio was filled with ice-cold lemonade. Here’s a try at my own personal proverbs:
• When in doubt, wander about.
• Break a sweat to enjoy what you get.
• The treasure you find is all in the mind.
Here’s to Rio’s street artists, museum curators, coffee makers, and to always grabbing onto the moments you can!