I’m back in California.  To make a long story short, I came home early because:

a.) I knew Bolivia & Argentina (my other options) would be cold and the Bay Area would be warm
b.) I Couchsurfed with an amazing family (Úrsula & fam.. hola!) in Sao Paulo that made me miss home
c.) The idea of wearing different clothes sounded really good
d.) My laptop battery died

My friend Binder wrote something that I totally relate to: 

“I’ve been home long enough to tell a lot of people my trip was “really good” as well as say “yes I am back” and “yes it really was 9 months” … What I was not initially prepared for was the overwhelming number of people who immediately asked: “What was your favorite part?”.”

Each place that we went to had it’s unique vibe, scenery, people and charm.  I loved different things about each place, so I created a list of my bests and worsts of South America:

Cutest Girls: Rosario, Argentina
Best Food:  Rice plates w/ meat, beans & plantains; Colombia
Best Beach:  Tortuga Bay, The Galapagos Islands
Best View: Rio de Janeiro, from the Sugar Loaf
Best Party: Funk/Soul/Hip-Hop @ AfroMamaJams; Buenos Aires, Argentina
Craziest Party: Carnaval; Salvador, Brazil
Hottest Place: Guayaquil, Ecuador
Best Weather: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Best Natural Scenery: Tayrona National Park, Colombia
Most Tired Human: Brian, post-sand dune climb in Florianopolis, Brazil
Best Hostel Vibe: Hostel Portunhol; Florianopolis, Brazil
Best Snacks: Sucos & Acai, Brazil
Best Sports Fans: Brazil
Wildest Drivers: Bus drivers in Peru
Country That’s Not As Dangerous as People Think: Colombia
Scariest Moment:  Getting held up at knifepoint in Colombia, twice.  We’re alive w/ all our belongings.
Most Unforgettable Moment: Riding a speedboat underneath the waterfalls in Iguazu, Brazil/Argentina
Biggest Up-Close Animal Encounter: Giant Manta Ray, snorkeling in the Galapagos
First Country I’d Go Back To: Argentina, to see Patagonia
Best Kept Secret: Medellin, Colombia
Best Discovery: Couchsurfing

Snoop Dogg and Pharrell shot the “Beautiful” music video here in Rio.  One of the scenes was filmed at the Selaron steps.  Selaron is a Chilean artist who takes tiles from all over the world and constantly reworks this staircase.  He pointed out his San Francisco tiles, and even his Philippines tiles.  He has a strange obsession with painting pregnant ladies (he says it’s due to a “personal problem”), sometimes with his own head on their bodies.  We met him and he’s cool, though.  He also said that one day he will be more famous than Michelangelo.

“Snoopy Dogg” also filmed a scene at Parque Lage.