Ok so far so good on the keyboard front...

Here are soMe travel observations ... I try not to be redundant viz previous posts. In no particular thematic order.

my sixth trip rio in 2 years.

my currency strengthened just after arrival 9th. For the first time in Brazil I finally found the ATM easy to navigate ... Santander in my district Catete

off line capacity for google translate text only option has been very useful. Getting by without SIM card, have wifi in Airbnb house.

Got a big place in Catete for my 8 nights. I will not provide the info as I do not want to compete with posters for future stays, and it can be hit and miss is here. Freaking amazing quality and price, all I can say. Mea culpa for the secret. No guests attempted, but not my thing. Host allowing me to store my shit until return to a long-ish local family home stay in Gloria in new year.

Language: the verb conjugations remain tough. If you know the verb in 'to' format, you can get by fairly well in with a 100 or so additional words. I am focusing on increasing word mastery ... later try to finess verbs. A lot of absolutely correct google translations leave the GPs puzzled. Oddly, flailing by with a few words and gestures seems to work better. Literacy issue? Not sure.

The ipanema leblon olympic park linha4 yellow metro extension closes at 9 pm and closed Sunday and holidays. You would be stuck with cabs and buses. 

Averaging one mosquito bite per day so far without CHIKV, zika, or dengue a 2nd subtype (had one may 2015).

Well that is it for now.

later will do a quick commentary NMM, might add some generic travel tips as they emerge, and will do a lengthier once-over review 117.

you will not need a PDE5 inhibitor

PS: catere helps round out my district roaming rio. It is perfectly fine and 10 min walk up to Gloria, has surprisingly more amenities, eatery choices, etc compared to Gloria. When I stayed Gloria befor  wish I had strolled the few blocks south.

 

2 more potentially useless tips:

whatsapp needs, i am pretty sure, the plus sign before country code to effectively function. Anyway, it only worked with the + in my iPhone contacts ... for example in rio for local use, + 55 21 9 12345678, where 55 is country Brazil, 21 is district rio, 9 is mobile system and the 8 digits are local number.

plastic store bags may bleed the brand dye onto your clothes if they rub up against, maybe it is sweat, moisture, etc? I will not know if it washes out until do laundry back home.