You Never Know What the New Year Will Bring...

Marilia and Marco

Brazilians. Of course. But very unusual Brazilians.

First up, most Brazilians do not ride bicycles very much. Secondly, they certainly do not ride them halfway 'round the world: from Thailand, across much of Southeast Asia to China, on through Kyrgyzstan (try spelling that without help), Kazakhstan, Iran, and into Turkey. Then west across much of Europe to Morocco. And onward to Oakland.

Who are these Brazilians? Well, Marilia is the daughter of a friend who hasn't been sighted for 30ish years and Marco is her best buddy who is crazy adventurous enough to pedal all that way with her. Together they are 2 Bikes and the World.

A little assist from modern-day air travel allowed them and their bikes to arrive here just before the new year. They came for a short visit (their big surprise was that they were not permitted to ride their bikes across the Bay Bridge, but had to take BART instead. I mean, really, it's on the map, already...) and stayed for a week.

They then cycled up the coast to Ratna Ling, a Buddhist (nope, that's right, most Brazilians definitely are not Buddhist) retreat center, where they are spending the next five months working - binding books to help preserve Tibetan Buddhism and culture.

I haven't heard what the bikes are up to, but I'm sure it's something very interesting as well.