BED-RIDDEN IN IPANEMA
BRAZIL TRAVELOGUE - DAY 11 - RIO DE JANEIRO BRAZIL

Breakfast on our balcony in Ipanema.	TOO MUCH GLUTEN We rise this morning to prepare for our journey to Buzios, described as beautiful by everyone we've spoken to. Unfortunately, Bertil is feeling ill - extremely ill. He is bed-ridden, unable even to get up. Marcelo arrives at 9:00AM to pick us up, but we have to ask that we reschedule. Luckily he just lives a couple of blocks from our apartment, so he is not terribly put out. Sandra, Kicki, and I spend the day playing Gin Rummy and Hearts on the balcony, doing laundry, drinking vodka tonics and Scotch.

I take a little opportunity to work, while they make a trip down to the local mini-market for some food. It is a very relaxing day for us, actually - quite enjoyable. For Bertil, it was quite another story. He suffered throughout the day, until, pumped full of medicine, he finally crawls out of bed around 5:00PM.

We all try to figure out what he ate the night before - he is allergic to Gluten (found in grains), but he is always very careful. After much research and much discussion, we figure out that the bisque he had the night before had contained flour - in addition, he'd had a couple of beers earlier in the day, and the combination was too much for his system. After joining us for a game of Hearts, we all get dressed and walk down the street to find somewhere for dinner. Of course, Bertil and Kicki just want to go to their favorite cafe, but Sandra and I want to try somewhere new. We settle on Bar do Beto on Rua Farme de Amoedo.	Bar do Beto in Ipanema, Rio de Janeiro Brazil..


As with most establishments on this street, there is a large gay contingent. It seems fairly nice, so we decide to give it a shot. Sandra and I order Entrecote, while Bertil and Kicki stick with soup. As with most places, the order is for 2 people. The Entrecote is pretty awful - tasteless and grizzly. The red wine was too warm. The soup was good, though, they said. The service is attentive, as with everywhere in Rio - this time it was more like hovering, we felt.

After dinner, we head back to the room and rest up - tomorrow Marcelo will take us to see the Botanical Gardens and the fruit market...

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