birthday.

My birthday fell on a Tuesday this year, so having a huge birthday bash was a little bit out of the question. Luckily, I had really only wanted to get a big group together and have drinks at Bar Urca-- which was exactly what I did. I was praying all day that it wouldn't rain... luckily, it didn't. Bar Urca is a little bar at the edge of Urca. You grab some choppe and sit along with Bay of Guanabara, watching the sunset, the boats on the dock, and the locals fishing along the side of the bay. It's a magical place, where I feel like I'm in another part of Rio. My roommate surprised me with a birthday cake (delicious, I think it was from Torta and Cia in Cobal do Humaita) and I ended up having a large group of people-- a mix of foreigners, Brazilians, and Fulbrighters (I categorize them into their own group).

I spent the other part of my day reading the newspaper at Parque Lage, and eating a delicious dessert at the Copacabana Fort. I had never been, but the views were splendid. It was worth my 2 reais entrance fee.

All in all, I couldn't have had a better birthday-- spending the night with a wonderful group of people, beautiful views, and wonderful weather.