Obrigado anne_ct, I've been there three times accompanying my wife who was there for conferences or other meetings associated with a US/Brazil exchange program she was running between two universities in Brazil and two here (Ohio State and University of Virginia) Since she was often in meetings or conferences I often spent that time traveling around the city alone. Its such a city of contrasts: the beaches, the mountains, the urban buildings, the tijuca forest, the skyscrapers and the favelas. This is looking down from somewhere within the Santa Marta favela out over the skyscrapers below. and looking down the length of Copacabana Beach toward Sugar Loaf. The bridge for the trolley from Rio Centro to Santa Teresa Tudo Bem

I don't recall ever flying into Dulles... I was supposed to once and my luggage made it, but I did not, so my vision of Dulles is something quite different -- the dreary grey cages where they hold luggage hostage. :p Pic from a taste test of my earliest tomatoes last year. As I recall, Sun Gold won with Black Cherry a close second.

Hi Jasdip, What - you need more pictures of snow? Did anyone ever tell you that you have a quirky personality? That said ... winter did spoil us somewhat, this year, with all of that "spring-like" weather, part way through. o j

Puschkinia in the sunken garden:Fratillaria:Fritillaria Persica (new this year, planted last Fall. Two out of three bulbs came up. Eventually there will be tall purple blooms - I hope):