Kate+J

**April 8, 2009**--I am soon of recovering from jet lag after the prolonged plane ride to Brazil. After passing through fertile grounds with many crops like sugar cane, coffee tree's and cassava plants, we found a beautiful beach in Cabo Frio. There are many tourists that vacation in Cabo Frio and swim in the clear ocean blue waters. Along with beaches there are many tall buildings, houses and hotels. That night the view from the hotel window my assistant and I checked into was beautiful. From my window I loved watching the fading orange sun disappear beneath the steep granite rock hills.

 **April 13, 2009**--The major agriculture product in the area of Sossego is Coffee. Being the world’s largest producer of coffee, there is over a million square miles of coffee trees in Brazil present day. Other plants like Cassava and Tapioca producers are heard to be very useful in the late 1800’s. Far back the plants leaves and stalks were something for horses to dine on. The roots would be grounded into pulp and then could be made into flour, the foremost nourishment for Brazilians, by being dried and baked. There are many tourists in Sossego. I watched many surfers glide through the deep blue waters.
 * April 9, 2009**-- While trekking through tropical forests of Rio de Janeiro we drove a vehicle to Engenho. With the sun disappearing and the darkness of the night spreading across the sky, I am a bit worried about the vampire bats. Though they rarely feed on humans, some of the bats carry rabies. If you get bitten you are not harmed unless the bat carries rabies. Vampire bats mostly feed on mammals like horses, cows, pigs and birds. Instead of going horseback through the beautiful lush forest, my assistant and I are luckily going by foot and vehicle. I will make sure to cover my ankles and feet tonight while sleeping in our tents under the sparkling stars.


 * April 14, 2009**--After leaving Sossego we traveled to Macae. This place is a vacation spot for its magnificent beaches as I noticed many tourists. As we passed through, driving along the road of this city, there were several hotels and restaurants to accommodate and replenish the tourists. Macae is also a source of petroleum where the large reservoirs are located in the Basin of Campos. Along with beaches there are also valleys and massive granite rocks. While exploring the tropical forests I breathed in the fresh air and gazed at the bright green foliage and tree ferns around me. Being the winter season It was starting to get brisk and scarcely after I could feel splotches of water drop onto my boots and face.


 * April 18, 2009**-- Once arriving at Rio de Janeiro we journeyed among the forests of Sossego for two more days. There were many palm trees in this area of Brazil. The beautiful cabbage palm trees swayed against the wind amidst green leafs and branches of other plants in the forest. Though these palm trees are not very tall they are very thick and sturdy. While studying the different palm trees we also discovered a flowing waterfall. It looked like a painting, the water so clear and surrounded by rocks of granite and slightly covered in moss.


 * April 19, 2009**--Once we departed from Sossego we returned back to Rio de Janeiro. Many hills with granite and gneiss rock stretched across the lands of Rio de Janeiro. The house that we lived in for some parts of the journey was placed right beneath the Corcovado Mountains. These Mountains tower over 2,300 feet high and are an attraction for rock climbing. The weather was quite pleasant today. Throughout the day it was a warm in the low seventies and then rained shortly in the afternoon. It was an excellent day to explore the urban tropical forests of Rio de Janeiro. Parts of the forest’s are cleared out for sugar cane and coffee tree fields. Even so there was plenty of breath taking forest to exam and I’m excited to start our next journey tomorrow.