​There is nothing more exciting than venturing off on a weekend getaway! So, this summer Thomas and I intended to make the effort in seeking out the hidden adventures that lie in between the mountains of British Columbia, Canada. It has been a while since we have actually spent a whole summer at home and while our wanderlust continues to nudge us on our back, our home country, Canada, has some pretty spectacular beauty. One goal I had this summer was to visit our backyard wineries. Ok, I have a confession…I'm a wine-o!!! Spending time within our international travels, we have done our fair share of wine tastings in countries like Portugal, Argentina, Germany and France, Sooo… it only seemed fair to check out the local wine production for ‘quality control’ purposes. 

​Heading south bound on the Trans-Canada Highway we began our weekend on route to the town of Penticton. Our mission was to do a quick two hour pit stop in our mini-vacay to partake in the local tradition of 'floating' down the river. With the Canadian summer sunshine beaming down on us, we relaxed in the cool water, floating in our life jackets as the current of the water did all the work. Our desert surroundings reminded us on how hot it can get in the interior of British Columbia. When we reached the end of the river and dried off, we packed up and drove to the town of Peachland. Once we settled into our accommodation, we spent the rest of the night indulging our appetites with a fancy dinner at a local German style restaurant which embraced the traditional beer steins, wood carvings, music and culture. We enjoyed the rib tenderloin with a side of some sort of German styled bread and potatoes. Whatever it was, it was delicious.     

​The next day we woke up early and headed to the city of Kelowna. A quick thirty minute drive from Peachland, the city of Kelowna was the 'big ticket' item of our weekend adventure. After checking into our Airbnb, we grabbed some Timmies breakfast (complete with two bagel belts and coffee) and waited patiently to be picked up by the wine tour company, Uncorked! Thomas had planned out the day and surprised me by doing a guided day tour as part of our ten year anniversary gift. We were going to enjoy tasting wine, beer and spirits for the next six hours! When the van arrived, we were two of fourteen enthusiastic wine-o’s all quenching with thirst. The first winery we visited was Mission Hill; an up-scale styled vineyard that boasts their quality wine to family tradition and hard work. Although, the 45 minute wine tour is very knowledgeable and allows you to try quite a few different fine wines in their fancy tasting rooms, it felt a little too upscale for us. However, if you are looking for a romantic setting for any occasion, this vineyard could enhance that experience…for a shiny penny that is. One thing that I did take away from Mission Hill was a nice bottle of wine, a chardonnay to be exact! 

​The second winery we had the opportunity to visit was Quails Gate vineyard. Our host from the vineyard was named Pierre and his personality was fitting to the traditional wine connoisseurs we have met worldwide. Knowledgeable, but very seriously, he spoke of the importance of ageing wine and how to properly taste the wine. I enjoyed Pierre because of his obvious passion for wine which made the experience that much more enjoyable.  We relished in trying a variety of house wines along with spending a good chunk of time running through the vineyards and checking out the viewpoint overlooking Kelowna. It was a good thing that we had a hearty lunch before visiting Quails Gate as some of their reds had a good kick!  

​Our favourite winery of the day, hands-down would be at Rolling Dale vineyard. This small local business served up, in my opinion, excellent wine and great personality from the staff; Generating the energy that Rolling Dale wines serve up. Rolling Dale sparks some delicious fruity wines and even better ice wine! Different from other parts of the world, BC interior wine often has been infused by different fruits due to an overturn in fruit farms being transformed into vineyards. The soil that the vines have grown from have soaked up that cherry or apricot infused flavor which makes the wine that much more unique to the rest of the world. This small vineyard embodies true local-ism as their wine is not sold in liquor stores and can only be purchased in-house or online directly from the source. As you can imagine we left with our good share of bottles…you know…six or so. 

Wrapping up on our wine tasting experience, we continued forward onto hard liquor spirits. Although it was not my favourite part of the tour, it was a lot of fun to watch the gross post gin tasting expression that was left on Thomas’ face. After the second shot, I have come to realize that wine and gin do not mix.
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Our last stop of the day was visiting a local brewery right in the heart of Kelowna. Tree Brewing Co. serves amazing on tap beer and provided that relaxed environment to enjoy that perfect brew after a long hard day of work...or liquor tasting. Conversations and trivia questions from the Trivia Pursuit cards available on site, wrapped up the perfect day we had on the tour. The tour bonded over our lack of 1980’s trivia knowledge. 

Uncorked Tours provided quality service and we were lucky to have such a great tour guide (Chris) that kept the entire group laughing throughout the day. After being dropped off at our Airbnb, Thomas and I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing lake side, even getting in an afternoon nap! When we felt our stomachs rumble, we headed to a Greek restaurant to indulge in some tasty chicken and  prawn souvlaki. Feeling lucky, we finished the night off at the casino, where we played more than a few hands of blackjack only to leave with even money. 

Our weekend was fantastic! British Columbia boasts excellent wine and I am so happy that we took the time to visit only a handful of wineries available across the interior. Thomas and I plan to continue to venture back to the interior to visit smaller vineyards like Rolling Dale where we can kick back and indulge. After all, the key to a wine-o’s heart are those rolling fields of vines that last for days.   

​Heading to the south of Thailand, to Phuket, we hoped for clear skies and warm weather. The night before our flight, we checked the weather and against our wishes, it looked like we would be caught in a rainstorm. Great...So much for that beautiful golden tan! After all… a tan for any Canadian traveler is proof that you actually went somewhere. But I guess we shouldn’t have expected any different, it was rainy season in Thailand. Sigh…

​When we landed into Phuket Airport, we didn’t let the dark shades of grey clouds deter us from making our journey by ferry to Koh Phi Phi Island. Within three hours we would sit on a beautiful beach rain or shine. I was ready to feel fine sand between my toes and take a dip in that crystal clear water that I have seen plastered on every postcard of Thailand. However, on the day we arrived on Koh Phi Phi Island we began to feel the light drops of rain that turned into light showers and suddenly, torrential downpour. Being forcefully rained off the beaches, we headed to a nearby pub for some beer to pass the time. Looking around the pub it was evident that other backpackers had the same idea as us. Drinks, conversations of travel and oven-styled pizza were the alternative option to rainy days on the island. Alternatively, there was the option of heading to one of the many tattoo places available to get that special tattoo which was sparked by too many of those afternoon beers. Nothing better than a beer and tattoo combo, right!?
For us, we passed on the tattoo.  
 
Koh Phi Phi was exactly what we expected…a party epicenter, complete with fire dancing, beach limbo, musical chairs and Thai shots flowing on the beach at the Slinky’s nightclub. Add in those Thai bucket drinks and upbeat music being blasted into the early morning and you have a party that never slowed down the dancing on the beach as it poured along the coastline. However, the next morning we woke up so tired, realizing we were not 21 years old anymore. #hangover

​Fortunately, Thomas had splurged on getting a guesthouse equipped with an infinity pool that overlooked the island. It was amazing. We spent the majority of the day relaxing, as the clouds held up in our favor. Consistently checking the forecast for the next couple of days, it looked like sunshine was in the near future!! The next morning, we got up early and noticed the sun peeking out over the limestone cliffs. We instantly knew that the day was going to be perfect for island hopping. Rushing down to the pier, we booked a ‘Big Boat’ tour that would take us around the islands of the Koh Phi Phi region. The big boat tour was complete with kayaks and snorkeling, unlimited fresh drinking water, and provided a hearty Thai lunch with fruit. On the tour, we would visit Maya and Bamboo beach along with other destinations.

​As soon as we were on the boat, I rushed to the top deck to lay out my towel and enjoy the rays of sunshine on my skin. Arriving at our first destination (Vikings Cave) we soaked in the beauty of the cliffs and colour of the aqua blue water. The water was clear and we were ready to swim! It took us only two minutes to get our snorkel gear and leap off the boat like a flying fish. The water felt amazing on our skin. Taking a look underwater, schools of yellow tail fish surrounded us. In the distance you could see a couple dark spots that appeared to be sponge uprooted from the coral reef beneath us. The rays of sun showcased the beautiful colours of the fish that swam around us. We were in paradise. 

While we began to swim back towards the boat, Thomas shouted “watch out for those brown things! They sting!” Listening to Thomas, I began to worry about being stung and began to panic. My foggy goggles blinded my sight in the water. The boat sounded the horn indicating that time was up and to get back on the boat. Worried, I began to swim frantically…questioning if the brown things would get me! Thomas continued to warn me about how much the sting burned causing me to panic more. As soon as I lifted my arm to continue on wards I yelped in pain!!!!
 
                                                                        I HAD BEEN STUNG BY THE BROWN THING!!! 
 
I went into shell shock and curled up in a ball….floating in the water. Burning sensations running through my entire body, I shouted to Thomas that I couldn’t swim. Being the hero, Thomas swam back for me… being stung two more times in the process. As he pulled on my life jacket I was able to get composed enough to swim to the boat. Other passengers helped us back on board as they stated that they had tried to warn us about the jellyfish that surrounded Thomas and I. Looking out into the once clear water, it was now covered with medium-sized brown jellyfish!!! Horrified I couldn’t believe we were submerged amongst it all. Both of us injured… we took a look at our swollen arms; a crew member helped us with first aid. Thomas was stung on his arm, shoulder and head. I was stung on my inner bicep.
                                                                                                                                        ….and no…we did not have to pee on it. 

​As we continued venturing to other islands, the burning sensation continued putting a damper on wanting to get back into the beautiful ocean around us. When we reached Maya beach, I decided that the pain was worth the beauty around us. The infamous Maya beach from the movie 'The Beach' showcased that magical island paradise. The lush greenery, fine sand, clear water and limestone cliffs alongside with the traditional Thai boats sparked the appreciation of what surrounded us. Maya beach captured the beauty of Thailand, however, the popularity of the beach partly striped away some of that magical ambience. 

​The next couple of hours we had the luxury to venture to other beaches including Monkey Beach, which was my favourite. We had the opportunity to kayak to the beach and relax in the sand in peace. We were even lucky to encounter a monkey eating a bag of chips that were given to him by some silly tourist despite the sign stating “please don’t feed the monkeys” in five different languages. Ugh.  

​Shark point was our last stop before heading back to the main pier of Koh Phi Phi. With clear skies we planned to watch the sunset. Taking our last opportunity to snorkel in the ocean for the day, I built up the courage to get back into the water despite being attacked by a jellyfish. With no regrets, the tropical fish did not disappoint! As we watched the sunset floating in the water, the skies began to turn into shades of blue and orange while the sun hid behind a distant island. When we boarded the boat and sat along the edge, heading back to the pier, I breathed in the fresh salty air feeling forever grateful for the day.  

The time hit 3:45am, our alarm began to beep loudly in the distance, the mumbling sounds of regret, as Thomas and I began to question the late night drinks. As I rolled out of bed, Thomas laid in the bed trying to pretend that it wasn’t 4am. The night sky over-casted Siem Reap in darkness. As we left for the day in search for a tuk-tuk, we found a driver that was willing to take us on our adventure for a day. After bargaining a set price ($20 US) we were on our way to purchase our tickets.
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While driving to the ticket booth, the street lights lit the dark streets as locals began to set up their small vendors for the day. We arrived at the ticket booth to find it closed. It was 4:45am and the office opened at 5am. Thomas and I took advantage of arriving early to walk around and use the washroom. Since there was nothing else to do but wait, we joined another couple in line. As soon as we lined up we saw the heard of people pull up in tuk-tuks, taxi’s, rental cars, and tour buses as the Jumanji of people rushed up to the lines. Within 30 seconds the line that stood behind us was at least an hour wait!!!  Once the ticket office opened and we got our photo documented ticket, we felt as though we were on an episode of Amazing Race as the tuk-tuk drivers sped to get their clients to Angkor Wat for sunrise.   

​When we arrived at the entrance to Angkor Wat, the moto of our tuk-tuk was beginning to sound a little more raspy than those usual gasoline infused noises…the driver began to get a little worried. As we got off the tuk-tuk, we figured that the driver would solve the problem and we went along our way to get our spot for the beautiful sunrise of Angkor Wat. However, in the back of our minds we thought about the possibility of being stranded if our driver didn’t come back from his maintenance. When the sun began to rise, you could hear the sounds of cameras snapping and people asking one another for that perfect picture. We were no different in joining in with the crowd… soaking in every minute of the beauty that stood in front of us. After all, millions of tourists have come to Angkor to enjoy the amazing architecture; the largest religious site in the world.  

The day started off well. Thomas with much patience took picture after picture as I eagerly asked him to take “just one more!” I felt overwhelmed by the ancient civilization that was estimated to be over one million people strong. As we explored the temple of Angkor Wat, our tummies began to grumble in hunger but in my mind we had no time to eat! Digesting the beauty of the detailed stone architecture was fulfilling. Thomas on the other hand was feeling a little bit different in the food department. Hanger without any coffee took over his body.
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The humidity added to the uncomfortableness of the non-stretch material of my elephant-printed blue coloured pants I bought for a mighty $2US just the day before. The material stuck to my body like glue. It wasn’t long until this was the least of my worries. The time had come to capture a photo of us doing our “gladiator pose”. Thomas and his brother have enjoyed doing a rendition of the ‘300’ film as they yell out “This is Sparta!” while kicking the messenger into to the ‘endless’ pit. As we politely asked another tourist to take the master shot, Thomas helped me lift my leg to place my foot on his chest to capture the image of me kicking him off the ledge, however, as soon as we he lifted my foot we heard a rip! Looking at each other we laughed in disbelief. Not only we were tired, hangry and sweaty…
I was left with a giant rip in my pants …on the inside of my leg…by my crotch...

Trying to cover the hole, I managed to finish viewing Angkor Wat as the hole got progressively worse. Just outside of the Angkor Wat grounds, clothing vendors saw me coming towards them in the distance. By this time, I became emotional on the fact that I had ripped pants and would have to buy something quickly in order to visit the rest of the temples of Khmer Empire. Thomas tried to be as supportive as possible and convinced me to purchase a dress…but to be honest it was more like a bright orange ‘moo-moo’. He continued to say that he liked it as I stood there not impressed. Angry! I bought the item and took time to calm down. Stopping for food probably helped the situation because at some point I decided to embrace the moo-moo.
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Thankfully our tuk-tuk came back for us and stated that he was given bad gasoline (water-mixed gasoline) hence why his moto was stalling. The driver confidently helped us get into our tuk-tuk and we were on our way. After all, what else could go wrong? …Right?!?

​Trekking down the main roads at full speed, Thomas and I recouped ourselves, excited to see what else the grounds of Angkor had to offer us. As soon as we became optimistic, was when we heard those unusual sounds from our tuk-tuk. Our tuk-tuk puttered to a stall, and the engine cut out. As we rolled to a stop, we watched as the other tuk-tuks fly by us at top speed. At this point all we could do was laugh and try to help the driver in this mishap. Fortunately, he managed to get us to the next stop as the motor cut out to a stall again. At each stop our driver would frantically try to fix the engine, get the engine restarted and putter along to the next stop where it would cut out walking distance to the next stop.  By the seventh time our tuk-tuk broke down we just continued to encourage and support the driver as he continued to apologize to us. We bought chilled water bottles for all of us to stay hydrated in the mid-day heat before the moto of the tuk-tuk decided to participate again.

​While exploring the grounds of Angkor, the structures continued to leave us breathless. The abandoned structures were taken back by nature as tree roots submerged itself around, through and on top of the human made structures. Unearthing the grounds that are continuing to be taken back by nature over time added to the beauty and peacefulness of Angkor. Each temple visited throughout the day provided insight of the rituals, culture and wealth that the Khmer Empire once had. Buddhist Monks draped in bright orange cloth and lush grounds of greenery provided the perfect backdrop to the Zen energy of Cambodia. When we bumped into an elderly woman sitting peacefully in prayer within one of the temples, she greeted us with a smile. Her eyes embodied the light of compassion, positivity and love. She offered blessings to individuals who care to be blessed in one of the sacred temples. She spoke no English but spoke the human language of the world; A smile. Speaking in her native tongue she blessed us with a pray and tied a bright yellow and orange string on our left wrists. Smiling, we offered a donation for the blessing and I pointed to my camera asking in English if I could capture her beauty. She smiled back. This was by far my favourite part of the day. I felt connected.

(Blessed by Age..her positive energy captured my heart. As I write this blog post, her bracelet is still on my wrist)

​With an early start to the day, Thomas and I explored the temples of the Khmer Empire into the late afternoon. Angkor allowed us to experience the insightful and majestic beauty that Cambodian culture and history has to offer. The day ended with us grabbing two Cambodia brand beers at a local vendor. As we enjoyed the fresh beverage in the tuk-tuk, we watched the surrounding environment while on our way back to the heart of Siem Reap. After changing out of my moo-moo and getting a little rest from the heat, we managed to find a roof top patio where we indulged in our last Cambodian meal before heading to Thailand.        

- Budda                                                             

​ When we came across Elephants World, it was an easy decision to sign up for the overnight stay (2 Days/1Night) online and we are so happy we made that choice! When we arrived on the grounds, the thought of being able to play and just ‘be’ with the elephants sparked all kinds of bucket list goals of mine. After all who wouldn’t want to pet an elephant!!!

​The volunteers were kind hearted and very educated showcasing their love for these animals. We spent the first day prepping food and feeding the elephants while enjoying intervals of watching them interact with each other playing in the mud and bath time. Prepping food for the elephants included sorting out fruits and vegetables into each of the elephants designated baskets. I loved watching the elephants grab a watermelon with their trunk and eating it whole, grind and all. After fruits and vegetables, we tried our hand in cooking gourmet elephant food: Sticky-rice balls. The balls were a mixture of rice, squash, soft food pellets rolled in a nutrition powder. The elephants that are honored to be served these delicious rice balls were those that lost their adult teeth from age! Unfortunately, making dentures for elephants is too difficult! As we were making their sticky-rice balls, the two elephants watched in delight, reaching in and around us to try and get an early snack.

Once we completed the task of making the lunch, the two elephants that waited patiently indulged themselves. After all…did you know elephants eat 10% of their body weight! Crazy right!?! As we cleaned up and began to wash the dishes one friendly giant stuck around and hung out with us. It wasn’t too long before he used his trunk to get a fresh taste of water which caused Thomas to take the hose directly to his mouth which he definitely enjoyed!!! 

After we provided lunch to some of the elephants, it was lunch time for us humans. Lunch was provided to all day guests and included a variety of traditional Thai food. It was buffet style and so yummy! After lunch, we gathered back together and headed to the river. Some of the elephants were taking there afternoon baths and we got to join in! It was my favourite part of the day and words cannot describe the feeling of happiness and connection I felt to these beautiful giants as I washed away the mud and gave them a good scrub down with the brush.
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When 4pm arrived the day tour individuals were picked up and we were left at the sight. We were fortunate to be one of two couples staying overnight. We were shown to our bungalow which included a mosquito net and bed. It was perfect. After we settled in and changed into dry clothes we headed back out to join the mahouts in the fields where the elephants rest for the rest of the evening. During dinner and in the common area we were able to hang out with the volunteers and get to know their global backgrounds; all with one common interest; elephants. We were invited to join in on a small get together by the river that night for a volunteer’s birthday. There we had the opportunity to hang out with the local mahouts who work and care so hard for their elephants. We spent the rest of the night in very broken English conversation and dance. 

​The next morning we woke up early with a full day itinerary. After breakfast, we gathered baskets of corn to go feed the elephants privately. At first only two elephants joined in on the meal but it wasn’t long until we noticed one….two….three….four…extra trunks getting in the way. Suddenly, we were surrounded by six elephants all in search for that corn in our hands. This was the moment where we really got to see the personalities of the elephants and we couldn’t help but laugh as some stepped in front of another or gave that extra little nudge trying to say “hey I am still here you know!”. My favourite thing was watching the different ways they chose to eat the corn. Some ate it whole as others would wait until you took the green leaves off because they were picky and disliked the green. We found ourselves quickly running back to get more corn once or twice but each time it was fun and a highlight of our trip! 

After the long hauls of corn, it was time to take some elephants for a bath in the river. This time it was some personal time with the elephants and just us ‘over-nighters’. Over the course of the day we received special time with the elephants away from the day tour which gave us an experience of a lifetime. When it was mud bath time for the 28 elephants on the reserve, we spent the time going floating in the river. The 45 minute floating adventure down the river with nothing but a life jacket was so peaceful. We were able to enjoy the natural surroundings…a part of the real Thailand has to offer. When we reached our final destination back at Elephants World, we had another opportunity to hang out in the river with the elephants and feed them our goodbye snack consisting of those delicious watermelons they enjoyed eating whole. As we grabbed our belongings and waited for the bell to ring to let us know that our ride was here to leave, we said goodbye to the mahouts, volunteers and our giant friends that forever took a piece of our heart with them.  
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A special thank you to Elephants World for the amazing time.

​One of the most fascinating cities within our travels has been Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Within the two weeks that we ventured around the city, we found ourselves looking up at the mountainside upon the Favelas (Brazilian slums). It became apparent that the city was split into two populations; the rich and the poor. Rio de Janeiro is so often placed on the front covers of travel magazines as the most beautiful city in the world, however, a majority of the city’s population lives in extreme poverty. The Portuguese-styled cobble stoned sidewalks along the Copacabana beach highlights that ‘tourism-beauty’ Rio de Janeiro has to offer but we often found ourselves on the outskirts of the favelas wanting more. The favelas vibrated with their own life, culture and beauty.   

As an outsider, the favelas are dangerous. When we arrived to our hostel, we continued to hear night after night about stories of tourists being robbed and threatened. Favelas are often operated by underground gangs and for the general public are quite dangerous to just wander about. I remember sitting down at the hostel one night with a group of backpackers and we watched the movie ‘City of God’ which is a film based on the history of how favela gangs came to exist. If you have yet to watch this film, be sure to check it out (It is on Netflix!). The film is in Portuguese, but you can watch it with English subtitles. After watching the movie, Thomas and I became more intrigued and fortunately we found an opportunity to check out the favelas with a community-based tour where the cost per person goes directly back into supporting public childcare and youth groups within the favelas.   
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The next morning after breakfast a tour van arrived to pick us up. Before leaving Canada, Thomas and I packed up some small hand-outs, including some pencils, pins, and stickers that showcased the Canadian flag. We brought them on the tour with the intent to leave it behind at the childcare centre that the tour supports. 

When we reached the base of the largest favela in Rio and gazed up the mountainside upon the thousands of shacks that made up Rochina, my body filled with excitement. The Rochina Favela is one of the most developed favelas. It is estimated that between 150,000-300,000 individuals live here.  The tour guide explained that in order to get to the top, we would need to take motorcycle taxis. As the guide paid a dozen drivers to take our small group up the hill, I noticed that he was only providing a half-payment to each driver to ensure that all participants would get to the top safety. As I climbed onto the back of the motorcycle taxi, I looked over at Thomas, sitting upon the motorcycle straddling the back of some Brazilian man. Thomas smiled and gave me the thumbs up without any hesitation. My driver explained that it was ok for me to hold onto him in his broken English. When I responded back in Portuguese, he explained in Portuguese that “my husband better hold onto the railing because we don’t like men holding onto us”.

Beforehand the guide had explained that there is still homophobia with male taxis and for men not to hold onto them as they may tell you to get off. Men are required to hold onto the bottom of the seat. After hearing it for myself, I was not impressed and stated back to my driver that I would be ok. With no helmets in sight, my inner self began to pray for a safe ride….

​With a quick kick back, my taxi was off like a rocket!!! I screamed “OH MEU DEUS!!! (OH MY GOD) and without hesitation I grabbed the stranger for dear life. The driver laughed at me and I swear he purposely drove faster up the hill... The whole experience was a major blur. I felt the sides of cars and people graze my legs. At one point I vividly remember seeing Thomas’ on that back of his motorcycle; both of us having the facial expressions that we were going to die! Quick flashes of cars, motorcycles, people, and metal shack buildings caused my eyes to water. I was unable to focus on what was happening. With only room for one vehicle to get by, the motorcycles would play ‘chicken’ with other drivers coming the opposite way and continue to drive until the other moved out of the way! It was very frightening….and after what felt like a lifelong ride...we reached the top…barely in one piece.  

​Thomas’ ride had reached the top first and as I slowly got off the motorcycle still with tears in my eyes, I thanked whoever was watching over us. The ground felt so good beneath my feet. Thomas hugged me and had that ‘what the f*** just happened’ kind of laugh. The tour guide was the last to arrive and he paid the second portion to each individual driver. When we were able to take the focus off the journey we had just experienced and take a look around, we realized we were in the middle of the slum jungle. 

Walking down the small streets… which were really man made paths… it was obvious that the favelas were a maze that only locals could understand. We ensured to stay close to the group while we passed people holding guns by doorways. At some points we could see the guide pay men off for safe access to the street.
​Kids followed along…excited to talk us; the gringos.

After asking the guide if it was appropriate for us to hand out stuff, Thomas began to open our small backpack that had all the goodies we brought for the kids. And as soon as Thomas grabbed the pack of pencils and handed it to one child no more than 4 years old… the child screamed with excitement “UM LÁPIS!!!!!” (A PENCIL!!!)
 
Thomas and I were swarmed by children!!!
 
With concerned faces from children not knowing if they would get a pencil...they grabbed our bodies asking over and over if they could have one. I continued to say in Portuguese to stay calm...stay calm, everyone will get something, but the thrity-ish children all yelled with excitement. Two other tourists who were with us were swarmed and began to worry as the children yelled for pencils!!!! They began to take money out and give it to the children, however, the guide yelled “NO!” and told the kids who received the financial gain to give it back. In that moment, I realized the real rapport this individual (the guide) had in this community as the kids listened and gave it back. I handed two pencils to the kids to ensure they would leave happy. The other tourists were given a lecture from the guide to never to give children money anywhere in the world as it causes them to become beggers instead of contributers to the society. Fortunately, in the end, we did have enough pencils...

​Continuing on, we had time to visit local shops and purchase a variety of tasty treats. My favourite part was when two youth were drumming in the streets for fun. They were so talented! We gave them a small token of our appreciation and I stated to them that they should continue performing. When we reached the childcare centre, we were able to get a better understanding on the importance of the establishment and meet some of the volunteers and workers. The centre provided several different programs for all ages and was a safe place for at-risk youth. Because I am a youth worker, my heart melted that the volunteers made a safe space for street entrenched youth. One volunteer, who was a single mother, stated to me that there is a high need for safe-nights for youth. It was a great in-sight to the individual needs within this community and I forever have held that conversation in my heart.  
 
Taking a few moments standing in this man-made jungle, we sought out to gain a dose of the lives of the everyday brazilian. We feel we found a piece of the real Rio. The one often forgetten by visitors. The favelas are filled with that spark of unique beauty and instead of turning a blind eye on this community, we encountered amazing locals...with amazing talent. We do not recommend visiting the favelas on your own as there are many dangers and people do get robbed. But if you have an opportunity to check out the favelas through a community supported tour that contributes to social development be sure to do it! Sure...you may find yourself holding onto dear life wanting to experience it but trust me, its worth it.