Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Maravilhosa

  BRAZIL 

 

 

The first decision we had to make when designing our round the world trip was: to the East or to the West? No words were needed. We immediately realized that we wanted to cross the world following the sun…

 

Pedra da Gávea at sunset

 

It was clear then that South America would be our first destination. Brazil would be necessarily our first stop as we have friends living in this open wide arms land.

It is hard for a Portuguese to feel as a foreigner here. The people, the language, the sounds, the flavors, the architecture are so familiar and at the same time so exotic and authentic in the way they mixed with local elements. It is this diversity that makes the beauty and uniqueness of Brazilian culture. Rio is its paradigm.

 

Downtown	View to the Pão de Açúcar

 

The city was named Rio de Janeiro (January River) by the early Portuguese explorers who understood that the extensive bay of Guanabara was a river, when they entered it in January 1502. The exotic beaches, the luxuriant rainforests, and eccentric mountains make the city of colorful and festive cariocas a fascinating natural beauty.

 

  View from the Corcovado

 

We were immediately seduced by the charm of Rio from the first minute. Our hardest experience was standing in a four-hour queue to take the funicular to Corcovado (hunchback) where the iconic statue of Cristo Redentor is. The ticket office was crowded with people, most part of them from other regions of Brazil, as our visit coincided with the the main holiday period here. While waiting for our ride, we were able to make a very nice walk in Cosme Velho and ate a delicious açaí. When the old, fragile funicular eventually came out of the dense rainforest we were offered a spectacular sunset view over the Cidade Maravilhosa (Marvelous City).

 

Boy practicing capoeira

 

We ended our last day in Rio surfing great breaks off in Prainha. It was then the 30th of December. Several people came to the beach dressed in white to offer gifts to Yemanjá so as that she will grant them their requests for 2009. A specific ritual was followed and would be finalized with a wooden toy boats being sent into the sea with flowers, fruits and other gifts inside.

 

By nightfall, we started a new trip…

 

Surfing in Prainha by sunset

 

 

Highlights: - eating açaí with banana and granola - drinking passionfruit caipirinha - cable car to Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain) - funicular ride to Cristo Redentor and the view from Corcovado - hike through Tijuca’s Atlantic rainforest, a 120 sq km refuge - listen to a live concert of Bossa Nova - buy a pair of Havaianas

Our special thanks to: Gustavo & Pati, for their friendship and warm hospitality