LAST WORD

A final word now that no-one is looking anymore. The time here in Rio is almost at an end. We fly out on Sunday night and there is only the packing still to do. Mostly we have just been pottering about as its been very hot and humid the whole time, but we did make a couple of good excursions. One of these was up to the village on a hill in the middle of the city, Santa Teresa. We queued and waited (ages) for the ancient little tram, known as the "bondinho", where almost as many people hang from the outside as are inside sitting down on the little wooden benches. We went with Roman on his day off from college. At the top there is an old house which has been restored and opened to the public, with its own terraced gardens. The views all over Rio, sea, islands, mountains, the Pão Açucar and the Christ etc. All fabulous.
Then last night, Alamo and Roman took me for the promised game of football in the huge Maracana Stadium. It was a local derby between Botafogo (Alamo´s club) and Vasco. The stadium was not as full as it could be but still a good crowd and plenty of atmosphere under the full moon. A good game too, except that Botafogo lost!!
This morning I have been to the Jardim Botanico again, particularly to see an exhibition about the life and work of Chico Mendes. He was born and spent his life in the Amazon region of Acre, becoming a rubber tapper at age 15. He went on to be a strong union organiser and environmentalist, fighting to save the rainforest from destruction and for the rubber tappers and other forest dwellers to be able to make a modest living in harmony with the forest. However, in December 1988 he was murdered, as he had predicted he would be, and despite a 24 hr. police protection!! Now 20 years later this exhibition is to help continue to educate people with environmentally sound attitudes and to continue his struggle.
So ends my word. La luta continua! Although first I will go back to Spain to lie in my new hammock for a while.