COPACABANA!

Aqui estou em Rio de Janeiro, cem metros do Oceano Atlántico.  Whilst taking this photo I was nearly dragged back to the UK by the current, so no swimming here!
I got here on Wednesday and yesterday went off for two meetings with contacts
And I finally managed to MAKE A SALE - yippee! - doing some workshops at a theatre here, which means I'll be returning to Rio in May.
The spirit of the trade mission has caught me up.  My fellow delegates are selling different kinds of stuff - medical implants, fitness accreditation certificates, roller doors, and there's a guy from Ponteland who is a sustainable building consultant.  Most evenings we have met up to discuss how our various meetings have gone.  On Wednesday I attended a barbecue at the deputy governor-general's residence (!)

OK here is the obligatory picture of Copacabana beach...nice...no underpants to look out for this time, though
Actually, I went out took the picture then went straight back to the laptop - today I have a meeting with a cultural development officer at Afroreggae and a theatre school who run corporate courses...got to get ready, do my advance prep...
Tomorrow it's off the the Rodoviária (coach terminus) to get an ônibus back to São Paulo and 6 hours of the Brasilian countryside
Tchau Rio, mas até logo!
Paddy