Rio to Quito + the Guianas

August 2016

Intro

Rio de Janeiro is one of my favorite cities on the planet – for so many reasons, but none more so than its incomparable location, with towering mountains affording sweeping views of the city and its harbor. Add in the delicious food, gorgeous urban beaches, colonial architecture, and joie de vivre of the Cariocas, and you have a winner. So in 2009, when Rio won its bid to become the first South American city to host the Summer Olympics (which coincidentally was the year of my first visit to the city), I already knew I would be back for it! By 2011, when I had returned to Rio for Carnaval (I couldn’t wait until 2016!), the Galeão Airport was already full of posters promoting the Games, though it was still five years away. They were so excited, and so was I!

I saved the Guianas (you know, those three countries at the top of South America that no one ever seems to talk about) for this trip, with the plan to start in Rio and work my way up the coast of Brazil until coming to French Guiana, Suriname and Guyana. As excited as I was about the Rio Olympics, it was this part, the Guianas, that really sparked my wanderlust. They have always intrigued me – these diverse, unknown, non-Spanish, non-Portuguese speaking nations that eluded the memory of most people. I was anxious to explore them.

Journey Map

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Featured Image

Fernando de Noronha

This beautiful island off the coast of northeastern Brazil is just over an hour’s flight from Natal or Recife, and has over 20 gorgeous beaches, many of them considered the best in Brazil – or in the case of Baia do Sancho, the best in the world! This is Praia da Conceição, one of the most stunning beaches on Noronha, thanks to the backdrop of the towering Morro do Pico, the highest point on the island.

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Instagram

#wndrlustr_riotoquito

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Aug 5

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Rio to Quito + the Guianas! 😆 tonight, i head out to #southamerica for a 3-week adventure to the #rio2016 #olympics, the cities of #brazil`s northeast, #fernandodenoronha, #frenchguiana, #suriname, #guyana, #colombia and #ecuador! follow me for some great photos along the way! ...

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Aug 7

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Panama City, Panama📍 - exactly ten years ago i visited the #panamacanal for the first time by cruising through it, and then, sadly -- i lost all my pictures thanks to a corrupted memory card. this time, i got to watch from the `other side` as ships slowly passed through the #miraflores locks, and just to be safe, i`m posting the picture here so it can never be lost! 😊 ...

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Aug 8

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Panama City, Panama📍 - wow, the views from ancon hill are stunning! from one side, you see a panorama of the #panamacanal zone, and on the other side is a beautiful view of the #city`s incredible #skyline. just beware of the thousands of HUGE spiders lurking about in the trees above and around you! ...

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Aug 8

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Panama City, Panama📍 - enjoying a cold #balboa #beer with one of the best views in the world - the #panamacity #skyline from flamenco island on calzada de amador ...

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Aug 9

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Panama City, Panama📍 - the #skyline of #panamacity is truly something to behold! so many amazing views of it from various points in the #city, but this one on calzada de amador is my favorite! especially with the ominous looming rain cloud 😜 now off to brasília! ...

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Aug 9

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Brasília, Brazil📍 - the catedral metropolitana de #brasilia with its unique belltower, the masterpiece of #brazil`s most famous #architect, oscar niemeyer ...

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Aug 10

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Brasília, Brazil📍 - the gorgeous #stainedglass and light-filled interior of the catedral metropolitana de #brasilia ...

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Aug 10

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil📍 - hello rio de janeiro!! so good to be back! here i am posing with the #rio sign at deodoro #olympicpark on the way to watch some hockey! ...

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Aug 10

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil📍 - the new olympic tennis center, one of the nicest looking stadiums at #rio`s barra #olympicpark, especially lit up at night! ...

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Aug 10

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Rio de Janeiro, Brazil📍 - sporting my vintage mexico city `68 shirt in front of the futuristic museum of tomorrow (museu do amanhã), designed by world-famous #architect santiago #calatrava ...

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