The highs and lows of Rio

I am afraid Rio is struggling to rise up my list of cool places to go, but then I have never been a city person or a massive party goer.

Yes it is fairly stunning but I think I have spoilt myself before this with my travels and therefore  it doesn’t rise to the top there either! I am not sure I really get Rio- even the guide Patricia I was with today said everything is breaking down and happens very slowly in Rio

The people are clearly very passionate and the samba and music is all pretty cool When the sun came out yesterday people appeared on the famous Copacabana  beach. The different Poste as they call them are all quite amusing and a stroll along the beach can be quite enlightening.

Having got over my initial disappointment in Rio I set about seeing a fair bit of it yesterday and today. First up I may have had another 12 hours sleep through the joys of ear plugs and a blind fold. Seems to be fairly dangerous for me as I sometimes think I could just stay asleep.

So by the time I rose it was 1200 and I probably commited another little crime and hunted out a Starbucks so that I could do work! Which I achieved and ended up in a large Shopping Mall  called Rio Sol, it seemed to be mainly closed…..but when I left 4 hours later the shops were all open and very busy.

I then went by bus, yes I braved the bus again, to the Lago  and then to the Botanical Gardens before hitting Ipaneama for a caprini

My bus expeience was not without it flaws again. First up the bus I had been told that would take me there never came, so I got a different one. I then clearly got off it too early but despite my new haiviannas doing nothing for my feet I followed the road signs and made it there!

Low and behold they have turtles!!! I was actually quite impressed with the garden and strolled around for a couple of hours. It seemed to be fairly popular with people getting there potraits done. There were young girls and fully pregnant women posing for cameras. There was an orchid garden with no orchids, a rose garden with one rose, a monkey river with no monkeys and some really cool really tall trees!

Following this I deceided to try and catch a bus again and this time joined a group of people at the side of the road that were trying to flag down buses. When the majority of them failed and started to catch taxis I joined the taxi brigade!

Finally I got to Ipanema and watched the un go down with a caprini which gave me a hell of headache today!

Today I set off minus my wallet on an organised tour. First up we saw all the people landing having been hang-gliding  which was awesome. They coe in super quick and everyone who did it walked up from the beach with a massive smile on their face (either that or it was a scared grimace!). I think that is something I will have to do that I am sure is work related!!!

Following this we went to Part of the Nationl Park that Christ the Redeemer is in.Tijuca and walked to some waterfalls….think you might recognise them Mum/Dad

I kept my eagle eyes out for moore monkeys and Toucan but still no joy! Darn those hiding animals

We then went on the Pilgrimage t the 38 metre high statue that sits on top of 710 M hill overlooking the city. I didn’t expect t be blown away by it but when you get there it is pretty impressive and watching everyones faces as they first see it is pretty interesting. There were hoardes of people all doing the classic photo posing  and the views over the city are incredible- though I wonder if the hazy look ever really disappears

Following this we went for lunch where I managed to convince some on my tour to shout me a drink as I was slowly perspiring in the 36 degree heat and no longer have a penny to my name! We ate in a quirky little café just near the famous tiled steps. Some artist dude ( who is sadly now dead- some say murdered some say suicide) made it his life long job to tile the steps outside his home (215 steps to be precise). As he started peole soone heard and started sending tiles from all around the globe….so the name of the game is find your country that and there is apparently a tile worth $1000!!! The artist continually changed the tiles and there is a bit of blurb saying send him one and he  will put it up.

I finally returned to my hostel and began the quest to get some money followed by a mnor panic that my passport was in trousers at the laundry. Luckily not!!!