We left São Paulo around 9:30 Thursday morning en route to Rio de Janeiro. We finally arrive 7 hours later to our final destination of the South American road trip. After being ripped off by yet another taxi driver (for any who's counting that's like the 5th time) we made it to the Windsor Plaza in Copacabana. Staying in hostels can be fun but it can be difficult to get a good night's sleep or a warm shower. The hotel was located a mere 2 blocks from the famous Copacabana beach. And most of you might be familiar with "The Girl from Ipanema," a bossa-nova song by Tom Jobim, which was only about ten minutes away.
Rio stood up to its name at the the Ciudade Maravilhosa as it quickly became my favorite city we visited. Large and lush mountains reach the white sandy beaches making for a stunning back drop from any vantage point. It was about 90 degrees- perfect weather for going to the beach. The waves were big and the water was refreshing. We did sustain one casualty however; Emily attempted to enjoy the waves but ended being topped over by a smaller wave by most people's standards. From farther in the water I watched Emily go down- with a look of terror on her face. She grabbed her head in a vain attempt to save her glasses.... but all was for nought and they were donated to the sea. So if you see any fashionable sunglasses floating around the Atlantic Ocean, let us know.
The city was our most expensive destination due to plethora of tourist attractions. The first we visited was Sugar Loaf or Pão de Açucar. This large mountain was originally named by the indeginous people of the area, but the Portuguese explorers thought the name sounded like Sugar Loaf. After taking two three minute trams to the top we had an AMAZING view of the city. The beaches, the moutains, and of course the smog. Although some Cariocas (people from Rio) claim that São Paulo was too big, Rio is home to around 10 million people.
That night we went out to the famous "Lapa" area which is known for it's bars and clubs. It was similar to Bourbon St. perhaps in the fact that the streets were filled with people and lined by restaurants and places to party. People walked down the street serving shots of tequila as others just enjoyed themselves. While it is common for most to stay out until about 8 AM, Emily and I only lasted until about 2 AM. We had been waking up early to take advantage of the city, and thus barely getting any sleep. The Cariocas we met were disappointed.
On Saturday we made our way to the famous statue of "Christ the Redeemer" which sits atop a mountain which can easily be seen from most parts of the city. It was a windy road to the top and we were joined by hundreds of other people.
For me it was climax of the trip because about 4 months ago I pointed out the statue to Emily on a post card. We were in Minnesota at the time and all of this seemed so far away. But finally after 10 days of exhausting travel we had made it- and it was worth it.
Enjoy the pictures! Until next time- Jamila
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