Rio de Janeiro
This trip was a step into the deep end of travel that for us is usually by land in familiar countries where we are comfortable with the local languages. The southern Atlantic and Pacific are, indeed, deep and cold oceans, even in the summer months of December and January—our winter. The voyage took us to the "end of the world". This very special trip was far more tame than it was wild. After all, we were in the lap of luxury on a rather high-end cruise; we did not venture all that far from shore; we made new friends. Despite the fantasy world of the cruise ship, we richly experienced the good, the nearly bad, and the seriously ugly: our kind of travel, after all.
 |
| offering of the coconut water at Copacabana |
Getting to Rio de Janeiro on three planes was 22 hrs of terrible: Vancouver-Minneapolis-Atlanta-Rio. We arrived as zombies early morning pre check-in time at hotel, sleepless, and humourless. But the mind soon scratches out that dark whose-stupid-idea-was-this cloud, and the fun began.
Once rested, fed, rested more, then stripped down for the 36 degrees C and 60% humidity it was time to jump in the lake/ocean.
Joanne stole a picture of the old man and the sea, well, the oldest man on the beach, anyway, as he staggered out of the south Atlantic surf, refreshed and ready for showtime.
 |
| Q: Wad in da coconut? A: Funny juice in da coconut Das wad in da coconut Jo in da coconut Gary in da coconut Wanna drink mo coconut Gary gon coconut Coco crazzeee Nut! |
We walked around to shop for wine, beer, snacks, and to meet our guide for two days, Fernando. (Candy, many thx for the recommendation). What a guy. Did so much touring with Fernando, including meals in local establishments where you won't find a tourist, beating the lineups at the famous hot spots, shopping with the locals, commentaries on current affairs, both cultural and political, and a momentous late dinner out with him and his wonderful wife, Valerie.
Dinner was at 2200, that's 10 pm. "When in Rio ... "
We ordered the specialty of the restaurant—pintado, a (large) freshwater fish found in the rivers of South America.
The fish was grilled and served on skewers, not a delicate meat, but very tasty. Do a search on pintado and you will see a type of very large catfish.
TIP for viewing photos
On the peak of the 700 metre Corcovado Mountain stands the famous landmark statue of Christ the Redeemer. From the city, you drive through the jungle-like Tijuca National Park and snake up the hill to parking, elevators, escalators and stairs, all of which are accessible through the souvenir shop.
Rio's geography is truly amazing. Sugarloaf Mountain is most unusual. What a natural tourist attraction. Do not go up there if you are afraid of heights. One can really feel the rush of vertigo at the top.
This favela—a shanty town that developed into an urban slum—is one of many poor and rough neighbourhoods in Rio. Surely, Christ the Redeemer blesses these citizens too, though his back is to them.
We never felt unsafe in Fernando's company. He ordered our food. They speak Portuguese in Brazil, right? And little English. He brought us the national high-test cocktail— caipirinha—with sugar cane liquor, lime, ice).
There is more in the photos than
can be displayed in this format.
Click on a photo to enlarge it then
return to the page by clicking on
the left arrow of your browser.
 |
| Christ the Redeemer on the peak of Corcovado Mountain |
On the peak of the 700 metre Corcovado Mountain stands the famous landmark statue of Christ the Redeemer. From the city, you drive through the jungle-like Tijuca National Park and snake up the hill to parking, elevators, escalators and stairs, all of which are accessible through the souvenir shop.
This "modern wonder of the world" was erected in 1931. Sculpture and engineering by French and Brazilian collaboration.
 |
| View of Sugarloaf and Guanabara Bay from Christ the Redeemer |
The view is awesome—on a clear day. We were lucky with the weather. Often in this sub-tropical climate the robed man is obscured in cloud.
 |
| Rio's outer harbour and Sugarloaf |
My filtering and tweaking of the photographs helped reveal what is seen here. Over most of the city there is a yellowy blanket of befouled air. This is typical of big cities on hot days when the wind is not blowing—Paris, Los Angeles, Vancouver ...
 |
| Standing 30 metres tall, blessed art thou all |
Rio's geography is truly amazing. Sugarloaf Mountain is most unusual. What a natural tourist attraction. Do not go up there if you are afraid of heights. One can really feel the rush of vertigo at the top.
 |
| Sugarloaf cable car |
Below, is Copacabana Beach.
The water is remarkably clear and clean, as is the sand.
And it is warm(ish) for bathing!
 |
| Copacabana Beach from Sugarloaf |
Ipanema Beach is around the point, top right.
 |
| Copacabana |
Our hotel was a block from the beach. Zoom in on the photo (above) and you will see long dark lines in the sand extending from the street to where the people are lounging.
 |
| The cool damp path |
These are soaker hoses that leak water onto the scorching sand creating a narrow wet patch to walk along. From where they end, the burning soles of your feet send you goose stepping to the waves.
Walking along the wet zone of the beach requires a heads up be-prepared-to-duck-deek-kick readiness. This is one of Brazil's main football training grounds. Very impressive!
 |
| Soccer balls are always flying on Copacabana Beach |
 |
| Favela Rocinha at Christ's backside |
This favela—a shanty town that developed into an urban slum—is one of many poor and rough neighbourhoods in Rio. Surely, Christ the Redeemer blesses these citizens too, though his back is to them.
Rio was our first experience of Latin American cities with serious infrastructure problems. On the drive from the airport to our hotel we passed many abandoned shells of buildings. Some are multilevel concrete structures where construction stopped several years ago because of lack of funding. These concrete skeletons loom large. Someone's investment gone bad? Somebody's dream became a nightmare? Embarrassment for governments at all levels.
 |
| Street food on Ladeira Santa Tereza |
 |
| Near the corner of heartache & crime |
Caipirinha = happy tranquilizer.
The word for thank you is obrigado (roll the rrr).
Pedestrians on any street in old Rio must frequently have eyes down to avoid a twisted ankle, or worse. Broken or missing pavers, collapsed sidewalks, loose stones—they are ever-present, so watch your step.
 |
| Typical rat-nest street wiring |
Street art in old Rio is intricate, messy, political, scary, beautiful, and more or less out of control.
Brazil has the greatest number of practising Catholics in the world.
The gilded chapel at the Mosteiro de Sao Bento, Benedictine Monastery (1590) is jaw-dropping. We have seen much Catholic architecture in the western world but nothing like this.
 |
| The gilded chapel |
Santa Joanna was equally impressed.
