Back to Rio-mania

---

FriBreakfast 7.30am again. This getting up early is nightmare but necessary as sundown is 6pm. I'm not a celebrity but "get me out of here!"Last canoe ride and we are back in Manaus, flight on time, and 4 hrs later back in Rio. I'm an expert now so rather than pay inflated airport taxi I saunter out to local taxi rank and negotiate decent fare for 25 min ride to Santa Theresa, the oldest (and dodgiest) part of town. Our pousada is an impressive colonial house shrouded by two large mango trees. Irs alai got a small pool. We arrive late but the owner is brilliant and makes the boys a cold platter cause they're starving again!. We are taken up a spiral stair to the room at the top to find our best accommodation so far (wouldn't be hard!). The views to downtown Rio are superb and even better King Kong is on tv in English. So we take the opportunity to leave the boys in bed watching film while we nip down the road to Lapa. It's 11.30pm and the short 7min walk was pretty nerve wracking given that this area is surrounded by Favelas run by drug lords. Anyway, after walking past a few guys sleeping rough we walk into what I can only describe as organised mayhem. If you think Newcastle on a Saturday night is busy, try Lapa. Mobbed with 60%!B(MISSING)razillians , 20%!t(MISSING)ourists and the remaining 20%!t(MISSING)otal weirdos. It was scary and enjoyable at the same time. Trick is to blend in and not look scared! Anyway we get sat down in a cool bar with live band I be greeted by yet another incredibly friendly brazillian waiter whom we discover lived in Scotland for 10yrs. Inverness, Ullapool and Glasgow. What part of Glasgow we ask. Paisley comes the reply. Small world indeed. After a few beers and caipirinhas with some tasty tapas, we remember we've got kids so head back. Having been advised its not safe to walk up the hill after midnight (7 min walk) we can't find a taxi that will go such a short distance. The favela taxi vans were our best bet but those that passed us were full. So no choice but to walk through the valley of death. After a severe beating and having our money, camera and phones stolen.............................................…only kidding. As we neared our grand villa we are stopped by the police who don't speak a jot of English ( how selfish), but work out that they were just checking that we were ok and knew where we were going.What a day, from jungle to plane to colonial mansion and mayhem. Jut another typical day for us in brazil. Pity we leave here tomorrow morning cause this house is just superb, mind you we are back here for our last night in 8 days time

---