Hand Picking Coconuts?!

Photo from: http://www.conservationmagazine.org/2010/08/coconut-cars/

So I was at my slacklining class when some dude starting climbing his ass up a tree and hand picking some coconuts. He was totally casual about it as if he were plucking an orange off a tree.

Anyway, I took the opportunity to make a little video when he went up his second tree.

Watch:

Free Bootcamp in Aterro

So Bootcamp is all the rage these days and Rio de Janeiro is right on it! Ok, so maybe it's not exactly Bootcamp but it's pretty damn close.

In Aterro, the government of Rio de Janeiro is giving free circuit training exercise classes! FREE!  There they were, 20 or so citizens, doing their crunches. I had just caught the end of class.

So if you are in the Flamengo, Laranjeiras, Catete area, come down to class. It's Monday thru Friday from either 7am to 8am or 8am to 9am.  All you need is a note from your doctor and 2 of those small photos they collect for anything and everything in this city. You register right there and BAM, you are working out.  And where better than near the water and under the shade of trees.

The class is located in the tennis court near the Aterro entrance between Correa Dutra and Dois do Decembro.

Where to ride in Rio de Janeiro

Here's a feel good post + Rio de Janeiro tip for all you out there.

There's nothing better than riding your bike in Aterro. Continue riding down all of Praia Flamengo and Praia Botafogo. The daring can maneuver the tunnel and head into Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon.

I just took my youngest on this ride. Not the long one down to Leblon. This Momma is far too out of shape to do that at this point.  Plus the tunnels scare me. I won't walk through them, much less ride with my kid basically sitting on my handlebars (in a seat).

We rode over to Aterro from our apartment and continued down all of Praia Flamengo and then back. It wasn't a long ride but it was a good one.

The view is amazing. Walking, running, cycling, crawling, or even skipping, Aterro is the place to do it.  The view of sugarloaf on a sunny day will take away any Rio de Janeiro woes you have.

My favorite thing to do when I hate this city, which happens sometimes, is to run in Aterro. I don't get to do it often but I don't hate that city that often either.

Rio de Janeiro can get to a foreigner sometimes. Hell, it can get to a Carioca.  It could be bureaucracy drama, condominium problems, family problems, or something as simple as traffic.  I've gotten pissed when the grocery store didn't have one box of milk. Seriously, the delivery guy hadn't come and there was absolutely no regular milk. I had to buy powered. It was ridiculous.  Add that to no sleep and an already cranky Rachel and you have I hate Rio de Janeiro.

A quick run and it's better. You can't help but feel lucky to live here running past that view!

The beach also works. Actually, the beach works so well that Cariocas have a saying about it.

"There's nothing a good day at the beach can't cure"

I have to say, I do agree

What do you do to make yourself fall in love with Rio de Janeiro all over again?