Where in Brazil?

Araxa. Flying into SP then transferring onto the corporate jet to go to the mine site. These people are not attempting to influence what I write about them and their industry. Oh no, not at all.

You'll be staying at the Grande, I take it?

<Yes, of course I googled it>

I only wanted to know how jealous I should be this time. At least it's not the Copacabana.

I have no idea where I'm staying. For business reasons, I declined to allow the company to pay my way to Brazil but consented to allow it to make my arrangements once there. I am enough of a cynic to recognise a nobble when I see one.

I'm now insanely jealous.

I'd offer to carry your bags, but I'm currently limited to 5lbs or less so I guess that's out.

There's got to be some smart nobble - niobium remark that I should be making, but it just won't come to me right now. Anyway, Steve's watching and we can't make him laugh.

Please don't hold back on my account.

As painful as it can be I'd rather laugh than not.

I like that attitude. I'm not as decrepit as you , but I certainly notice that I'm no longer young when enjoying the little pleasures that the snowplow driver leaves for me on days like today.

How do you know it's about niobium? I don't recall mentioning it on this forum.

no, but as he googled Araxa, the Wikipedia entry lists niobium mining as one of the principal economic activities besides tourism... element-ary, innit, Watson?

Fair point.

And completely accurate.

Hello, we went up to Quebec last summer and had a lovely time. We booked actually through the Montreal tourist board who gave us lots of advice on places to stay and then booked them for us as well. The tourist office in Quebec was full of information and you could book boat trips to see fjords and whales there as well.