Discover Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

Rio de Janeiro ("River of January", pronounced [ˈhiw dʒi ʒʌˈnejɾu] in Portuguese, /ˈriːoʊ di ʒəˈnɛroʊ/ in English), is the second major city of Brazil, behind São Paulo. (At one time it was the largest city.) The city is capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro. The city was the capital of Brazil for almost two centuries--from 1763 to 1822 while it was a Portuguese colony and from 1822 to 1960 as an independent nation. It was the de facto capital of the Portuguese Empire from 1808 to 1821. Commonly known as just Rio, the city is also nicknamed A Cidade Maravilhosa - "The Marvelous City".

It is famous for its spectacular natural setting, its Carnival celebrations, samba and other music, hotel-lined tourist beaches, such as Copacabana and Ipanema, paved with decorated black and cream swirl pattern mosaics. Some of the most famous local landmarks in addition to the beaches include the giant statue of Jesus, known as Christ the Redeemer ('Cristo Redentor') atop Corcovado mountain, which has recently been named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World; Sugarloaf mountain (Pão de Açúcar) with its cable car; the Sambódromo, a giant permanent parade stand used during Carnival; and Maracanã stadium, one of the world's largest football stadiums. Rio also boasts the two world's largest forests inside an urban area. The first is the forest in Parque Estadual da Pedra Branca, or White Stone State Park. The second, almost connected to the first, is the famous Floresta da Tijuca, or 'Tijuca Forest'.

The Galeão - Antônio Carlos Jobim International Airport connects Rio de Janeiro with many Brazilian cities and also operates some international flights.

The above statement is taken from Wikipedia.



Another place I really wanna discover....

Fiat Flies on London Eye

Publicity stunts don't come on much of a larger scale than this! To celebrate the launch of the new Fiat 500 in London, one of the vehicles was placed into a pod on the London Eye in January 2008.

The launch of this 'time capsule' was at 8pm, as one would expect for such an event, was a star-studded affair and included a light show that lit up the river Thames, and performances by Mika and The Feeling.(my favourite artist)

The car itself is a remodel of the original version which was first presented 50 years ago, and is Fiat's go at re-releasing a retro classic, as VW (Beetle) and BMW (Mini) have arguably both done quite successfully in recent years.

The 500 was recently named the 2008 Car of the Year and has been praised in numerous auto publications.

my can't-live-without Bacardi Apple

My Bacardi Apple bought back from last Hong Kong trip had finished like a month ago. I was so addicted to it like almost every night I had to drink at least 1-3 glass! I just love the pleasantness of apple flavor with light alcohol which made me relieved. Anyway I am happy that a friend of mine coming back from China for a short holiday who is helping his dad doing business in China. Nevertheless, before he came back from China asking me if I need anything. I was eagerly asking him to buy me a bottle of Bacardi Apple which I can't live without.... ;P

Yesterday I met up with this enduring good comrade of mine and we went for nice dinner as he was the boss (who treated me a nice Japanese meal with Sake) ;P arigatou gozaimasu! and he doubted to give me the Bacardi Apple as he worried I will become a Bacardi Apple alcoholic! I promised I won't...so give it to me!!! hahaha ;) anyway it wasn't a gift. I have to buy him the 'H' (which he claim 'H' for 'hentai' cigarette as an exchange when I go to Japan next month. Speechless, I nod for sure.

Bacardi Apple, which bottled by Bacardi in Hamburg Germany. Alcohol - 32%.

Bacardi

H2PIA - World's first hydrogen powered community (Denmark)

"As the debate about the efficiency and affordability of alternative energy sources continues, developers are planning to build the world's first hydrogen powered community in Denmark.
Click here for more information!

The suburb dubbed H2pia is geared towards balancing energy needs with the cost to the environment and our climate. Residents of this hydrogen community will collect their own energy via solar and wind sources, which will charge hydrogen fuel cells that power both the home and automobiles. The various structures within the neighborhood have been designed so that their curves and orientation can maximize returns on energy collection. With construction scheduled to begin in 2007, the completion of this project could provide essential feedback towards making hydrogen a viable option in the energy game."

This is pretty cool! I wanna live in this community!

the COOLEST TATTOO

Found out this fascinating new technique you can cover yourself in body art and no one will be the wiser, unless they see you in the dark, which is the only time these tattoos are visible. The new technique uses blacklight reactive ink, which is reactive to UV light. It's kinda freaky but imagine the fun you could have after dark!

- It contains NO phosphors
- It is NOT radio active
- It DOES NOT contain EverGlow
- It does NOT cause cancer
- It has FDA approval as a Spectral Marking [tattoo] Pigment that was developed for use in tracking [tattooing] animals and fish - and yes the same ones we eat, and has been tested and used with NO adverse reaction in humans for over 10 years.
- the florescent dye is completely safe and has NO carcinogen and is human safe and does not spread or “blow out” because the dye is contained in micro capsules, and never

http://www.tattooartists.org/Gal3975_UV_Blacklight_Ink.asp

only when we close that story or chapter can we begin the next one...

It's so important to let certain things go. To release them. To cut loose. People need to understand that no one is playing with marked cards; sometimes we win and sometimes we lose. Don't expect to get anything back, don't expect recognition for your efforts, don't expect your genius to be discovered or your love to be understood. Complete the circle. Not out of pride, inability, or arrogance, but simply because whatever it is no longer fits in your life. Close the door, change the record, clean the house, get rid of the dust.Stop being who you were and become who you are.

***Signs provoked not by anything that comes from outside, but by instinct, by my capacity to forget the old rules and create new situations.

in love with wakeboarding!

Last Sat I went for wakeboarding and it was super fun, exciting and thrillingl!!! I definitely gonna do it again!

looking for an answer....

“Do more than belong: participate. Do more than care: help. Do more than believe: practice. Do more than be fair: be kind. Do more than forgive: forget. Do more than dream: work.” - William Arthur Ward

We're all looking for the right answers, aren't we? We look in self-help books and churches and seek out teachers and therapists and gurus and astrologists and some folks even hire fortune tellers. But what if I told you the best way to find what you're looking for is to stop looking?
Seriously.

Sometimes we look and search too much. Our minds are filled with knowledge, facts and philosophies but we never find peace because we can't stop thinking!
Many Buddhist teachers refer to this phenomenon as 'monkey-mind' because it's similar to the way a monkey will swing from tree to tree tasting a banana from each one before dropping it and moving to the next tree. Like these monkeys, we often jump from thought to thought without ever really being in the present moment.
The cure for this is to make a conscious effort to quiet the mind. Or take what I like to refer to as a 'mental vacation.'

There are many different techniques for this but the easiest way is to find a quiet place, close your eyes and simply concentrate on your breathing. That's it. You don't have to be a yogi or a meditation master and you don't need any special equipment. If you have eyelids and a pair of lungs you are properly equipped!

Now, when your mind starts to wander (and it will!) do not be overly-concerned. Let that thought float away like a cloud in the sky and bring your attention back to your breathing.

The goal is to quiet your mind as much as possible... to be totally aware of your thoughts as they come in and go out, understanding that they are just thoughts... just clouds passing through on an otherwise sunny day.

With a little bit of practice you'll get good at this! When you first start out try it for five or ten minutes. Even in this short amount of time you'll notice a difference in the way you think and feel. But with extended and daily practice you'll see major improvements in your health and overall well-being.

There are many reasons for this but all we really need to know is that a calm and uncluttered mind is a vibrant mind. It is fertile and alive with creative energy. It has the ability to perfectly regulate millions of simultaneous activities without any conscious effort and in this same way can bring us everything else we desire.

So the next time you feel overwhelmed or you just can't find the answer you're looking for, remember to stop swinging from tree to tree. Take a deep breath, quiet your mind and enjoy every precious minute of your mental vacation.