Superlative Edits/Additions: Coolest people that I will never see again, in no specific order: Shame on me...how could I forget the ones from the beginning: The beautiful and brilliant Brazilian woman I split a cab with from NYC to Newark Airport who who lived in Costa Rica. I knew it was going to be an amazing trip when the first person I met on my travels, even before departing Manhattan, was Brazilian. She was fascinated in my work and was really intrigued about sports and social change. And the Haitian woman who went through the same travel delays with me....she was so sweet, reminded me of my college roommate LT, and I hoped she made it to her final destination on time to enjoy the wedding festivities of her friend in Brazil. Runner up: The cab driver on the way to Lapa in Rio who welcomed 5 people and joined in on the Carlos Bocanegra chants. One of the few times I hate being the only girl and the shortest person because you always get the worst seat in the cab, but having a fun cab driver makes up for it. Runnner up #2: The 3 Americans who within 30 seconds of introductions offered me a beer. It was USA/Portugal game day so we were all decked out in our gear and I loved hearing their World Cup experiences, both past and present, and one of them spoke Portuguese, so he was very helpful in helping me translate to the hotel that I was waiting for a friend. And last but not least, the super friendly, beautiful, English speaking hotel staffer who eventually helped me find my friend. She was the most helpful hotel staffer in my 11 days. I am a big fan of great customer service and we don't get much of that in the Northeast so whenever I experience it I am always pleasantly reminded that there are some really genuinely nice people in this world. Best Tourist Moment: The half day trip to the Amazon takes the lead especially since I did the other things in Rio in 2011. Even if it is touristy as heck, I love doing these things. Gives you a greater appreciation of another place and how people live, you meet new people, it enhances your perspective and without fail, you learn more about others and about yourself. Side note: There is something about being on a boat and feeling the wind rush right by you and smelling the scent of the water/river/ocean that is amazing. My hair gets tangled as shit, but there is no better feeling. Whether it's in Brazil, South Africa, Australia, Vietnam, Italy, Greece, Hawaii, Fiji, Belize, or the NY/NJ Ferry, I love it each and every time. Best on the pitch moment: Experiencing every range of emotion possible during USA/Portugal: singing the national anthem with 30K US supporters in the Amazon, celebrating the 2 goal comeback, anxiously waiting for that final whistle, and then the complete and utter shock of the final result. You could hear a pin drop in the stadium since fans of both teams were at a loss for words. Runner up: Everytime Ronaldo touched the ball. He was booed and chants of overrated began. I had mixed feelings. His presence is unmatched. Way more than Suarez, Gerrard or anyone on the Spanish team, but it does rival Messi. He is no doubt incredible on the pitch, but he is a whiney ass baby....what you see on TV is true in person. It's a shame, but I still respect him on the pitch and can't bring myself to boo him like everyone else. Best fans: Sorry US, Chile still takes the lead here, although I will create a new category that the US dominated: Best pregame party: Holy goodness I thought I was at EDC in Las Vegas. It was a legit rave and I had no qualms with fist pumping to Alesso and Calvin Harris and rocking to Journey, Born in the USA and every Americana song you could think of. And I bumped into Nancy Laroche so it really doesn't get any better than that. Best travel decision: Flying home from Manaus. I can get to Miami in 5.5 hours whereas everyone else traveling to where the US plays next has to take what seems like 4 flights and some overnight. Domestic travel in Brazil is terrible, but I like to think I did it right with no layovers and early morning flights so I could maximize my time in each city. Best food: Everything in Manaus. Thanks to Luan and his father for making sure we hit the local spots and the native food. It reminded me very much of being home when my parents would talk about all of the food they miss in the Philippines, especially the fruit. Also some of the best food I've had around the world is local fish...fried, grilled, baked, salted, hot sauce, home cooked, restaurant cooked, with rice, in a burger, in soup, by itself, you name it, I love it. Speaking of parents, coolest adults I hung out with on this trip: Easy one, Andre's mom and Luan's dad. Reminded me of my parents....sense of comfort, openness, hospitality, love for their children, pride for their country and they always looked out for me. They welcomed my sense of adventure and for that I am truly thankful. Thing I will miss the most: Looking up and seeing Christ the Reedemer in Rio. Reminds me of Athens, another beautiful city, where you can look up and see the Parthenon. Especially at night, both structures are an amazing sight. Thing that I missed the most in the US: One of my best friend, Si Chen, got married on June 22. She is one of the smartest, most determined and focused people I know (she's a doctor dammit, and actually doing important things in life...so proud of her!) and I love her free spirit. Anyway, I am sad to have missed it, but as fellow US soccer supporters, they knew I was fulfilling my patriotic duties. She looked absolutely stunning in some of the photos I saw and I can't wait to hear all about it. Most, 'wait, really' moment: Realizing that I saw the US/Ghana game at a bar in Ipanema in Rio, the US/Portugal game in the stadium in Manaus, and I'll watch the US/Germany game in good ol' NYC with my coworkers. That is life right there. Number of flights since the NBA Conference Finals (includes layovers): 12...13 and 14 to come shortly, in addition to the shuttle I took from Newark to JFK during the disaster of Day 1 travel. Thank you, Brazil, you're incredible, but at the end of the day, it is what you make of it so I'm thankful to have experienced this with so many amazing people along the way.
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