Rio de Janiero - 2025

To me, opulent exploration is about total immersion—spending the day engaged in the very experiences that define a destination you’ve long dreamed of seeing up close. It’s that perfect view, that iconic site brought to life by the right guide, the kind who makes the moment unforgettable. It’s snapping a photo—whether on a Leica or an iPhone—that you immediately explain “doesn’t do it justice.” And it’s returning at day’s end to a setting so elevated, so deeply worth the flight, that you pause with a drink in hand, soaking it in before a meal that ties it all together—the colors, the flavors, the culture, the joy. This is why we travel. So when a supplier you adore—whose properties are the gold standard, whose people are not just the best in the business but have become friends—invites you to Rio de Janeiro for their first-ever North American summit, you go. I was honored to be one of fewer than 40 advisors invited by Belmond to spend four extraordinary days with their senior leadership and general managers, exploring this vibrant city together. Rio was the perfect backdrop, made even more unforgettable by Belmond’s signature touches: one morning, they closed the normally jam-packed Christ the Redeemer statue at the top of Corcovado just for us, allowing our group to experience sunrise in peaceful silence, followed by breakfast with that jaw-dropping view. It was the kind of moment you don’t forget—and exactly what this trip was full of. One of the most unexpected highlights? A behind-the-scenes tour of a Premier League samba school’s Carnival warehouse. Think $3 million budgets, soaring floats, and costumes stacked to the ceiling—all in pursuit of Carnival glory. We tried on the outrageous outfits, climbed the floats, and sipped caipirinhas while watching the band rehearse. I thought I understood Carnival… but after walking through its creative nerve center, I realized I’d barely scratched the surface. This was Brazil’s true national pastime—and I had a front-row seat.