Sections - Rio Samba & Sugarloaf Mountain | Hotel, Beach & Christ Reedemer Statue | Rio Churches & S�o Paulo IMG_4187 More tunnel photos IMG_4190 Death! Destruction! Fries! Caiphirinia! That was the caption I'd like to propose for our dinner at Porcao, an excellent churrascaria in Rio. IMG_4191 They had the red/green tokens used to indicate if you wanted the meat train to keep visiting your table or not, but the paper ones although more festive were less fancy than plastic ones I saw (and got to keep) from a previous trip IMG_4198 Nisha savoring the last taste of her petite gateau (brownie with chocolate filling) IMG_4199 Servers pose with another table IMG_4201 A fancy decoration in front of the kitchen entrance IMG_4204 There was a giant dress-shaped object made of wine corks in front of the piggy logo of Porcao (which I always felt was more like Poor-Cow...) IMG_4210 Unfortunately it was VERY dim in the cab, but I thought the swinging of the football team logo stuck to the front windshield was entertaining ( Flamengo club I believe) IMG_4212 On the back of a tourist brochure from Cidade do Samba was this entertaining advertisement for the OFFICIAL supermarket of Carnival - isn't that kind of like trying to be the official supermarket of like Easter or Christmas? In the Grand Carnival Guanabara Highlight and Economy! Carnival Supermarkets Guanabara The official Carnival Supermarket IMG_4213 The hotel room at Best Western Sol Ipanemawas fine, although the view was of a rooftop on the 3rd floor or something like that - so much for ocean views. The good news it was RIGHT on Ipanema beach so very convenient location. To the right of the TV you can see some cleaning product which I assumed was just in case I found anything to clean in the room... IMG_4215 This was THE most complicated hotel room safe I've ever had to work - you ask for a lock downstairs upon check-in (which costs extra) and then after loading your belongings in you must close the door and drop in the roughly 1 inch cube with the key (the right direction) which took applying quite a bit of pressure to the door to fit the lock into the square hole. Then, you turn the key and two arms come out either side and you take the key with you - I guess it makes forgetting the combination less probable... IMG_4216 What is this paper seal? Why it's a clean and disinfected seal for the toilet seat - I guess a lot of people are worried about that to the degree that making a meaningless paper seal makes everyone feel more at ease. IMG_4218 For me, the bidet always freaks me out more. Here's a fun fact from Wikipedia, that Bidet is a french word for pony since you "ride" a bidet much like a pony. I don't think that helps my fear or understanding of the bidet much but perhaps it makes me more afraid of ponies... IMG_4219 Soap and shampoo, it's amazing that EVERYTHING in Brazil is required to have an expiration date (Val 09/10 on the soap) IMG_4240 The Christmas tree in Rio's Lagoon was pretty and entertaining at night from the roof of the hotel IMG_4243 Now why would people be hanging out at the beach at night with candles and flowers? From Wikipedia: "The Umbanda religion worships Iemanj� (known as Yemanj� or Jana�na in Brazilian Candombl�) as one of the seven orix�s of the African Pantheon. She is the Queen of the Ocean, the patron deity of the fishermen and the survivors of shipwrecks, the feminine principle of creation and the spirit of moonlight. A syncretism happens between the catholic Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes (Our Lady of the Seafaring) and the orix� Iemanj� of the African Mythology. Sometimes, a feast can honor both." "Small offerings of flowers and floating candles are left in the sea on many nights at Copacabana." IMG_4254 From the roof of the hotel although the beach was nice and glitsy, more interesting was the candle-like lights from Vidigal, the favela (slum) depicted in the movie "City of God" IMG_4254_bw IMG_4267 What fun to drive by the ocean every day... IMG_4273 IMG_4276 Meanwhile my TV said "Philips Institutional TV" when turned on which for a second made me slightly paranoid, then I saw the only broadcast anywhere in South America mentioning Wisconsin for the next 5 years... perhaps the topic was our great cheese, cold weather, or wonderful Door County vistas? No, it was a skit on Saturday Night Live about a class for dog owners and their pooches to learn to dance together. Super... "Dog owners in Wisconsin can now pay $275 dollars to go to a camp to learn to do various dances with their dogs, including the cha-cha, twish and rumba. Or, they can pay no dollars and skip the camp altogether." IMG_4280 Waking up early to take photos is always a good idea - a view of outer islands from Ipanema IMG_4282 Early morning bike ride IMG_4286 IMG_4287 The informal economy isn't any less work (and probably more) than the "formal" economy - here a worker takes beach chairs and other supplies from a cart on Ipanema Beach IMG_4290 It's Sunday morning - what's on TV? Church - and much more charismatic Roman Catholic television than most places Tom_IMG_0075 Tom and I on the beautiful Ipanema beach - Nisha, Tom and I went on a nice morning walk along the beach Tom_IMG_0076 An apple washed up on the shore - Tom titled this photo "When Apples Vacation" Tom_IMG_0077 Paradise! Tom_IMG_0082 A crazy surfer catches a wave Tom_IMG_0083 This was the front of our hotel IMG_4297 The Christmas tree looks less luminous during the day IMG_4300 Now it was again time to visit the Christ Redeemer statue, up the STEEP hills of Corcovado IMG_4305 A nice plant growing at the point where we parked (only official taxis, vans, or the train are allowed the rest of the way up - we took a van) IMG_4306 The huge 89,000 capacity football venue of Maracan� Stadium IMG_4313 The Lagoon, strip of land between is Ipanema beach, and the ocean IMG_4316 IMG_4317 You can see the stands having the Flamengo logo, perhaps where they practice? IMG_4328 The jockey club of Rio IMG_4330 Poor Christo was feeling a bit under the weather (or over the weather) as clouds passed over the top part of the mountain most of the time we were there IMG_4335 GE has lit the structure for decades for free IMG_4342 IMG_4343 Tourists and clouds IMG_4351 Isn't that the cutest thing you've seen all day? IMG_4367 I think this is the official entrance to the protected/park area on top of the mountain (near where we got the van) IMG_4370 Traffic at our start back down the mountain! Sections - Rio Samba & Sugarloaf Mountain | Hotel, Beach & Christ Reedemer Statue | Rio Churches & S�o Paulo Return to Features