Rio De Janeiro

Trip Start Dec 08, 2007
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Trip End Aug 14, 2008


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Thursday, January 24, 2008

Came back to Rio after Ilha Grande a bit deflated, but really looking forward to exloring the city. Driving into Rio is an expereince in itself, as you come into the city via a really long bridge across the sea called Rio-Niterói. It´s over 8 miles long, which I think makes it one of the longeset bridges in the world! :)

We stayed in Copacobana and headed straight for the beach even though it wasn`t a beach day as the bad weather had followed us here!! It`s lovely there and we watched some surfers and body boarders who were having a competition; yet more massive waves.

We went to see the Maracana stadium which is huge, one of the largest in the world, said to hold up to 200,000 people until the accident in 1992 when part of the stadium collapsed during a game. Went onto the pitch, into the changing rooms and saw casts of all the famous Brazilian footballers footprints.

We had planned to go to Corcovado to see the Cristo de Redentor monument and Pao Ajucar - Sugar Loaf. It was really cloudy, but we soldiered on and went anyway... then it started to rain... the pictures speak for themselves I think!!! Could hardly see the thing even when we were up close to it!! Our spirits broken we decided to sack off the Sugar Loaf and traipsed off home.

It felt like a few drinks were called for so we headed to Ipanema, the next beach along the coast from Copacobana for some ales. Fortunately the next day was a lovely one so we were up early doors, back on the tourist circuit up the Sugar Loaf! You go up in two cable cars and the views from the top are fantastic. Rio looks amazing and although we couldn`t see Christ the Redeemer when we got up there, it made an unexpected appearance just before we left...see photo.

Time for Havaiana shopping, one last coconut and a caipirinha on Copacobana before we flew off to Santiago...
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