Dona

It's one of those lovely Rio mornings with sunshine, a slight freshness in the air, and people already making their way to the beach in their speedos and chiffony beach dresses. In my experience, there's no better city to wake up in on a Saturday morning.

I head out on our Saturday ritual, without Dd unfortunately. Suleiman, the kiosk owner, is delighted to see me and anxious to be reminded of the name of the publication in which his photo will be published. I explain in more detail about Blip and give my estimate of the number of members. That and the fact my total views is approaching a quarter of a million reassures him that our collaboration has some wider and, perhaps, useful purpose. I leave him the link.

Then onto the Shopping Cidade de Copacabana, the original mall here dating from the 1960s and packed full of interesting small shops selling everything you need including art, retro-furniture and antiques for all those empty spaces on your floor and walls! If any Scotiocas look in today there's a very new and airy modern art gallery just opened up near the NET music theatre on the first floor. And it's here in a little café beside the NET theatre that I find my lovely willing dona of the day who kindly poses for me and keeps asking, 'Why me?', to which I reply, 'Because you're beautiful!' Her large grumpy husband sits on a stool nearby and refuses even to look at the shot on the screen. His loss, though I say it myself!

Now it's off to the promenade along the beach with the 'O Globo' newspaper to read and think about where for lunch. I am carrying my Kindle, now that the big cam has been returned to the studio, so I might even sit for an hour on a beach chair, read a little more of 'The Chessmen' (sparing a thought for its author back in Stornoway today), and watch the breakers pound the shore.

PS
Lots of detail shows up in large, including the photographer! LARGE