Rio de Janeiro

Hola chicos,

The last week has gone by very fast, it is hard to believe that I have already been in Rio for a week. The weekend was spent catching up on sleep and lounging on the beach (every time I don't mention what we did during the day, you can assume we spent it on the beach). We were staying in a hotel in Copacabana for two nights before moving to our hostel, our last two nights of comfort for 2 and a half months. On Saturday night we decided to go out to a club recommended by a barman. This was to be our first night out in Rio so we were very excited. Unfortunately it did not live up to expectations. We ended up gate crashing a Birthday Party and had pretty much found the Rio de Janeiro equivalent of "Fusion" (some people may not understand this reference). Our last night in the hotel was spent on the roof eating pizza, watching friends and enjoying the view of the Christo Redemptor lit up at night.

We are now living in a place in Rio called Vidigal, it is first and foremost a favela. Weirdly enough I feel very safe, especially as there is a constant police presence outside our hostel. One of the other guests of the hostel was saying that the reason the police are there is due to Rio hosting the World Cup and the Olympics. Brazil has to be seen to be cutting down on crime. It is highly unlikely that after 2016 the policemen will remain. Walking back to our hostel in the dark can be a bit intimidating though. However, I feel safer in our favela than I do walking through Copacabana and Ipanema. We have gone for a couple meals in favela and all the residents are very friendly and welcoming towards us. I feel we are definitely getting more of the cultural experience, living in the same place as the locals. One of the most outstanding things about this hostel is the view we have from our room. It looks out directly over ocean, and it is possible to see the whole of Ipanema beach sprawling out across the seafront - very beautiful.

On Tuesday night we went to a bar in Copacabana and listened to some live salsa music. There was a great atmosphere, especially when people got up and started dancing. South American dancing is light years ahead of Europe. When they dance they actually move their feet. I feel my robot and sprinkler aren't quite so well appreciated here. 

We rented bikes to go visit the botanic gardens on Wednesday. The rain started to fall about 5 minutes into our trip. When it rains here, it rains very very hard. Any plans to enjoy the plants, the trees and the impressive waterfalls disappeared extremely quickly. When the rain ebbed a bit we went for a cycle around the lake in the middle of Rio. We enjoyed some stunning views and scenery on the ride round, even with the rain soaking us through.

On Thursday our group of 2 became 3 as Tom has finally arrived. Thursday was a bit of a lazy day with little done. The highlight was when Ed ordered a hamburger, instead he received the most pitiful piece of meat, stuffed between bread that looked very sorry for itself. Today we went to see Christo Redemptor (the huge statue of Jesus Christ looking over Rio). Although it took us a very long time to get to actual statue, it was so worth it. Amazing panoramic views over the whole of Rio de Janeiro while being at one of the wonders of the world.

Then a two hour lunch eating the typical Brazilian fried chicken, chips, rice, beans and salad. I cannot explain how good this dish is, it is like eating a rainbow.

If you have ever had a Caipirinha, you will realise they are quite strong, I am writing this after three Caiprinhas, I think this is justified as it is Friday night. We are about to go out for night in Lapa.

Will be blogging in a few days.