Rio De Janerio

We have been in Rio De Janerio for 2 days now and we haven´t been mugged - whoohoo! In fact up to now I haven´t even felt worried in any of the places we have been. We are still being really careful, but there are a lot of police around all the time and the people are really friendly and helpful. I think we are just a little over cautious. This morning we got the bus to Corcovado, where Christ the Redeemer is (the massive statue!!!) or Cristo Redentor as it is known here and the bus driver pointed for us to stay at the front of the bus. we thought this was so we didn´t get mugged at the back of the bus, but it turned out he wanted us there so that he could point out exactly where to get off the bus!! He took us right to the door step of where we needed to be and then waved us off!!!!

Saw a monkey on the way up to Christ the Redeemer

We opted for the taxi ride to the top of the mountain, my God it is a long way up. The taxi driver was really nice too, we stopped on the way up at a couple of viewing points for photos. The weather has actually been better today than yesterday, but we weren´t able to get those classic Rio photos that you see on all the movies and postcards, but the experience was great anyway and the views were breathtaking.

A spider we spotted on the way up!

One of things that you can see quite clearly from the view points are all of the Favelas, these are like shanty towns that have been built onto the hillsides around Rio. They are fairly dangerous places to visit and live and are reknowned for drugs and violence. The biggest of the Favelas is home to 1 million people - so they are pretty big places these days. We actually heard what sounded like gun shots coming from the direction of the Favelas, it may well have been fireworks in preparation for the carnival, but we saw no fireworks and this was mid afternoon!

We were glad that we got there when we did, all of the books say get there before 11am and the traffic was backed up as we were leaving. The taxi up and down was $70 Br, so about 20 pounds, this is probably one of the most expensive tourist things we have done so far, but it was worth it - only wish we could have afforded to do the helicopter ride too, that must be so cool!

This is a Favela in the distance

From there we headed back to the hostel to download the pictures, in case we got mugged later in the day and lost all our photos, hey you laugh but that is what happened to me in Australia!!!! We then headed out to Sugar loaf Mountain (Pâo de Açùcar) to get another fantastic view of the city and hopefully a good view of Christ the Redeemer too. You have to take 2 cable cars to get up the mountain, setting us back another $70 Br - man this country is expensive! But once again the views were amazing. The clouds had got worse so we couldn´t get any views of the Christ the Redeemer, but got some good shots of the city. The cable car was a big huge one, like the one on the London eye and went pretty fast, so I didn´t have time to get too stressed out! Keep taking photos and you don´t even notice you are floating miles above the ground!!!!

A closer shot of the Favela

It is Carnival here in a weeks time and we were lucky enough to see a practice going on in the street as we walked back to the hostel. I love the music and the fact that everyone just starts partying in the streets, we saw a load of people partying on the bus too - they sure know how to party here!

Our hostel is ok, we are staying in Botafogo, which is actually positioned between Sugar loaf and Christ the Redeemer, so when the clouds do life we have great views on our door step!

We were a bit knackered yesterday after our long bus ride, but we did manage to get out to see Copocabana. It was cloudy so the beach wasn´t all that busy, but it was good just to be there and see the infamous beach where all the beautiful people live and of course that Barry Manilow sings about!!!! Yes Kerry, I have been singing Barry Manilow for the last 2 days and thinking of you!!!!

And closer still

View towards Copacabana

View of Sugar Loaf Mountain

All we could see of Christ the Redeemer at first!

Then finally when we got there - blue sky!!!!

Epi at Cristo Redentor

Me at Cristo Redentor

Epi and I with Sugar Loaf Mountain in background

Going up sugar Loaf

Long way up!

Epi and I heading up to the top of Sugar Loaf

The cable car

A view of Bogafoto, where we are staying

View of Central (downtown)

Carnival in the street

Copacabana beach - on a cloudy day!

Even the sandcastles are fantastic here in Rio!

Copacabana Palace - very expensive Hotel!