I ♥ Rio

Oh my goodness, what a city! I went for a few days and stayed for over two weeks! When you last heard from me, I was still recovering from the Cartagena incident and all the travelling required to make it over to Rio, and I was due for a rest... so that's exactly what I did!

The Rio city was tour was great and took in all the main sights. In the morning, we walked up Morro da Urca, the smaller mountain adjacent to Sugar Loaf. Luckily, it wasn't too long a walk as it was quite steep in parts and most of the group didn't have much energy for it! Once at the top, we then toke the cable car across to the main attraction and it didn't disappoint - the views from the summit over Rio were amazing! It was then time to head to Lapa to visit Escadaria Selarón, the famous tiled steps created by a Chilean artist, before stopping at a restaurant for lunch.

As always on tours like this, it was over-priced (for my budget anyway) and we spent way too long there, but eventually, it was time to head through Santa Teresa to Corcovado, the highest peak in rio and home of Cristo Redentor! We arrived in time for sunset and of course it was incredibly busy! The views, this time looking towards Sugar Loaf, were again amazing, and a girl form the tour very patiently took a photo of me with the statue in the background... without other random people in it! It took quite a while and a few attempts, but we got there in the end! The bus then took us back to our hostels and I just had enough time to run up the hill to Casa Carioka (ouch!), change my clothes and run back down the hill (ouch!) to take another tour to the Maracaná!!!

The game was great fun - even though the stadium was mostly empty, the Fluminense fans more than made up for it with flag waving, arm swaying and chanting... for the entire 90 minutes! At half time, it became very quiet and then we noticed that all th home fans had got up and moved seats to the other side of the stadium, so they could sit behind their own goal again, so of course, we followed them! Luck was on my side again, as it often is with football matches, and Fluminense won 5-1, including two penalties! I certainly got my money's worth! Back at the hostel it was gone midnight and so I flopped straight into bed after a really crammed day in Rio!

The following day was a complete write-off as the weather wasn't too great, and I needed to veg out as I was so tired! However, I made up for my laziness the next day as I went hang-gliding!!! The weather conditions were perfect and it was great fun - I went with Roberto and he ran through the proceedures with me - basically, don't jump off the pier and don't stop at the end as that's how accidents happen! Yikes! So, when it was time to go, I looked out to the horizon... and RAN! It was amazing fun and the scenery was spectacular, it was just a shame that we touched down onto the beach after just a few minutes! That afternoon, I headed down to the beach for the first time and what better way to end the day than to soak up the sun with the locals on Copacabana! I had a great afternoon with Kars (Netherlands), Silke (Germany) and Laura and Jamie (UK), being buried in the sand, dodging Atlantic waves and buying cheap and delicious ice cream for a vendor on the beach!

That evening, we headed out for caipirinhas, as I had been wanting to try one since making my own at home a year ago! They are really strong and from experience, I knew that I would have to buy a Sprite to mix it with. OK, that's not very authentic, but they are much nicer as a long drink! Well, the beach kiosk didn't sell Sprite, neither did any of the others nearby and it was too dark to go wandering around for a supermarket... so while the others ordered another round, I took about 2 hours to finish mine, tiny sip by sip! The next day, Sunday, was again glorious, so this time we headed to Ipanema and then to the hippie market as the sun began to set.

On Monday, Laura, Jamie and I went on a tour to Rocinha, the largest favela in Rio. We took motorbikes up to the top (which was hilarious fun for a veteran like me, but hair-raising for the girls as they had never been on motorbikes before!) Daniella, our guide, gave us loads of info about life in the favela and it was really interesting and informative. That afternoon, we headed back to Ipanema to meet Jasmine (UK) and Cristina (Spain) from the hostel, for more sun and people watching. We decided to head back to the hostl as the sun started to dip and no sooner than we stood up, a huge wind materialised from nowhere and parasols started flying along the beach! It was of biblical proportions and the entire beach emptied in a mass exodus! A storm was obviously on the way!

Indeed it was, Tuesday was another write-off and Laura and I spent most of the day moping in the hostel! Eventually, we ventured out to the shops and I bought another pair of Havaianas - £4 a pair, it would be rude not to stock up for future holidays!!! However, from Wednesday onwards, the sun came out in the afternoon and so began a week of serious sunbathing! I won't document it all but here's a run-down of the rest of my time in Rio:

Wednesday 12th August

Day on beach, got chatted up by a Brazilian guy for 2 hours who said that he would like to compliment my parents for creating me and that he really wanted to kiss me. No chance pal! Said guy came up to my hostel that evening, but I told the staff to tell him I was out!

Thursday 13th August

Stressed about leaving Rio - wanted to meet Anh in Iguazu the following weekend but weather forecast for Rio amazing, rainy at the falls. Sun out again, full day on beach! Went to Flamengo and Botafogo on the Metro with Laura in the evening, bought 2 more pairs of flip flops (so that makes 4!!!) Cooked big patch of pasta and sauce for the week!

Friday 14th August

Sun still out - another day on Copacabana with Laura, Jim (US), Guilhermo & Mayra (Sao Paulo) and Vikram (Canada). Tan coming along very nicely!

Saturday 15th August

Another full day on Copacabana, amazing weather and in their winter as well!!! After searching for Ice Cream Man for entire week, he finally returned, which I announced to the entire beach with shouts of "LAURA!!! ICE CREAM MAN!!!" Went to Sao Cristovoa market with Laura and Crystal (US). Bit worried about being in a really dodgy area at night with no idea where the bus stopped, but made it home again in one piece. Helped Karina (Australia) plan her art exhibition at the hostel.

Sunday 16th August

Back to the hippie market in Ipanema with Crystal and Laura. Wanted to buy a Brazil bikini, but lady wouldn't barter! Bought one on the Ipanema beach instead, for a higher price but at least that guy bargained with me! Decided that I prefered my regular patch on Copacabana, so headed back there for the afternoon, with a double order from Ice Cream Man, of course!

Monday 17th August

Copacabana again with Crystal and Jim. Had a buffet lunch by weight at 686 including sushi! Found delicious cake shop in the evening, 2 weeks too late!!!

Tuesday 18th August

Copacabana AGAIN with Rafael (Mexico). The weather turned overcast that afternoon and I knew things were changing!

Throughout all this time, I was so happy to just relax on the beach. I had said to myself before I arrived in Brazil that I had seen enough beautiful beaches on my trip so far and that it wasn't that important to see any more. However, Copacabana is just amazing - it's not a pretty little cove that you want to have all to yourself - it's a vibrant swathe of sand, full of people, but people of all walks of life, some tiny, some in tiny bikinis, some not so tiny, some not so tiny but still in tiny bikinis... I just loved the atmosphere and the feeling that it is a placed to be enjoyed by everyone. It also didn't hurt that the Brazilian Marines train there some mornings and I really enjoyed watching them jog past in their little white vests and tiny black shorts...

Anyway, when I woke up this morning, the sunny spell had ended. I had felt like I wanted to spend forever in Rio, but today , I had my first urge to leave. I checked the forecast for the next few days and it was rain, rain, rain. I checked Iguazu and there were two days of sun predicted for Friday and Saturday! That, coupled with the fact that there were two other girls from the hostel taking the overnight bus to Foz do Iguaçu this afternoon, prompted me into action! I rushed off to buy a bus ticket, packed my bags, said goodbye to all the great people I had met in the hostel - Laura, Karina, Rafael, and Alegra (Australia), who had made me feel so welcome in her hostel that she said I was now part of it - and am now waiting for a taxi to the rodoviária. Only 22 hours on th road... YIKES!!!