The Cariocas, the Rio residents, believe an extra day was given to their city and they may be right, I find if it wasn't for those tropical hills, the city wouldn't be as spectacular at all. It's often referred to as Cidade Maravilhosa or the Marvellous City.
In the morning I went up to Cristo, who having his back facing the Atlantic rainforest had 50-50 odds of being clear or cloudy...
It started off cloudy but cleared a bit, enough to see his face. he is 10m tall, I thought it was bigger! It was a combo of two things that made the statue, the city wanted a cross, the locals wanted more, so the architect came up with this - it is both. From a distance it indeed just looks like a cross.
The views through the cloud down to Lagoa district not so good.
So I said a little prayer as I had come all this way, and yet again, the monument got ethereal light...just like my favourite Moai..
And by the time I left blue skies were poking through.
Clouds are a clearing.. that is Ipanema beach beyong the Jockey club.
Below is Maracana stadium, a total mess as they are redeveloping for the world cup 2014 - not very picture worthy.
Below is the Sambadrome! I would love to be here for Carnival.
You can dress up like an idiot if you like here.
It's a very plane stretch of 1.5km, the parade marches through over several nights of competition.
Below is the famous cathedral, nuclear power plant to some, monument to the future to others..
This is the bell tower.
And a neighbouring building. It was warm here, around 40C with humidity and it is just spring.
Inside the church is well... it is very Spanish to my mind, they all have the suspended crosses and are very open air in comparison to colder climes.
Cops everywhere, a couple ran into the hotel last nigh (I am staying on beach at Copacabana) as they had been held up at knifepoint, everyone has heard a story, many tourists I met said they had seen nothing but were careful. I had tried to extend my time in Rio, but this series of tickets had dozens of time changes and such - but they made those - when I wanted to make a change they said NO! It was too cheap a ticket.
The clearing in the mountain cloud is the Christ the redeemer statue point.
Below is sugarloaf (if you don't know what a sugar loaf is shame on you) or Pau de Aguacar - two cable cars, second stretch is .7 of a KM. The second hill, the taller one is the sugar loaf, the smaller one known as Urca.
They have jackfruit here! Yay!
View from the top after a mind numbing ride... Copacabana to the left, Botafogo to the right.
I should have come here in the morning, but now it is later, the sun is behind the hills...so these pics will take some tweaking.
From other side is city airport Santos Dumont, the planes swerve immediate after take off to avoid the Sugarloaf. The bigger airport with crap shopping is to the back of the bay here, this bay is Guanabara, the bridge goes over to Niteroi.
You can see how there's so many beaches here, the hills make all kinds of inlets.
Downtown is to the left and beyound that is North Rio, where most of the city is.
This is Zona Sul, or South Zone Rio, where the beaches and all the tourist stuff is, it's quite a way from north Rio. You see those God like Jesus rays shining down on me and the Pau de Aguacar?
In pic below downtown is behind the cable car.
Christo in the distance...
And the ride down is quick thank fully.
From Urca the view is different again.
It was cooler up here than down on the beaches.
Helicopter rides leave from Urca too. I am trying to pluck up the courage.. see Christo watching at the back, his cloud is now gone.
Back down on land.
This is copacabana late afternoon, sun sets behind the buildings so it darkens earlier on the beaches. Ipanema is due south so it gets better light, Copacabana lies South Easterly, so better in mornings I suppose.
Copacabana is the longest of all the beaches. Not the most exclusive though, Ipanema, Leblon, San Conrado all stretch west and get gradually more exclusive as you head that way.
The sidewalks are cute with their refreshment bars.. A lot of art has the way lines from Copacabana on it.. I am having real problems getting a good tee shirt though :( And not enough time to go too far. Rio is nice to visit, too hot for springtime, summer must be nuts, but you're always watching your back... not sure if it is justified but everyone talks about crime, the locals say it is far less than it was but if it happens to you...would ruin the trip! The couple held up at knifepoint lost camera, all their shots and wallets - the wife was freaking out because it was at knifepoint and wouldn't stop freaking till he told her to shut it - they were flying home that night!
Today's sand castle was nice, last night was grotesque nudes... odd.
And that was Friday.
Tonight i am going to eat fruit juices and local snack foods at a place known as BIBI, they have so many juices like Cuapucu and Chirimoya - and always the tast Acai... tomorrow Favelas!
I can now report Cuapacu I wont do again :( Buenos Noches!
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