After the long 10 hour flight our collaborator, Esteban Clua and one of his PhD students, Eric Passos picked us up at the Rio de Janeiro Airport. First thing we did when we arrived was go the Policia Federal Department to register as researchers, but Detective told us we can't do it here, we had to go the Policia Federal of Niteroi. After speaking with the Detective, we put our bags on Esteban's and Eric's car and left the airport. During the drive, Esteban showed us around Rio de Janiero, the route we took contained a lot of Favelas's (Ghetto's), Esteban kept stressing that the route we took didn't give Rio de Janeiro it's proper due. Since Niteroi is on another island, we drove on one of the longest bridges in South America, the bridge connects Rio de Janeiro to Niteroi. Esteban was nice enough to drop us off at our apartments, the apartments (known as Flats in Brazil) were small but enough room to stretch out and relax. Since the only thing we had to eat was the terrible Airplane food of American Airlines, Esteban took us out to eat at the Museum of Contemporary Arts, and met with more of his PhD students. The restaurant is very beautiful with a great ocean view.  

The Flat

View from our Balcony

Museum of Contemporary Arts 

Once we finished eating, Eric took us to supermarket to get some very important essentials (like toilet paper,bread and a pillow). Once we arrived at our current residence, we started to unpack our bags and get comfortable. We found out that the Internet that was promised to us was not ready yet, that we have to wait a couple of more days. Later on at night, we decided to go out as a whole group and enjoy the nightlife of Niteroi, we went to a great pizza place called Paludo. After the eating, we decided to call it a night and get some rest.

The PIRE Group at Paludos 

The following morning Esteban took us on a tour of the University (Universidade Federal Fluminense), there we met some of the PhD students, faculty, staff and the Director of the Computer Science Department. While we were there, they created our student accounts so we can access the school Internet and lab. The lab can only be access with your fingerprints, so they had to scan our index finger. Now that we got Internet connection, the entire group was now able to communicate with their love ones back home in Miami, some of us took the opportunity to get in contact with the reps from Kaseya. Later on that night, the PhD students took us out to a local pizzeria place where the majority of the students from UFF go, it was a great place with a great college atmosphere, we met with some other students and had pizza's and drinks.

AJ and I at UFF

Seijiro, Esteban, Erick and I at the Lab

On the third day Esteban and Eric wanted to show us the Beautiful side of Rio, they took us to one of the most popular beaches in Rio, Copacabana Beach. We took a walk across the one of the lakes in Copacabana and went to one of the popular tourist sites in Copacabana Beach, Forte de Copacabana. We also walked along side the beach and ate some churrasco as well. Overall, the food in Brazil is excellent and has exceeded my expectations, eating will not be the same once I leave Brazil. 

At the Copacabana Lake

Me, AJ and Eric at Copacabana Beach

Forte de Copacabana