http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from South America , Brazil , Rio de Janeiro en-us Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:40:51 BST Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:40:51 BST Paraty est une ville touristique situee a environ 6 heures de bus de Sao Paulo et 4 heures de Rio. Cest une charmante petite ville avec la mer la plage et des iles paradisiaques. Un tour en bateau est presque oblige a Paraty car meme si la ville a du charme visiter les iles est super. Apres le froid du reste de lAmerique du Sud ca a fait du bien de sechouer sur les plages pendant une semaine http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-302899.html A Remembrance of Things Past In RIO In the interest of economizing blog space since when herersquos a summary of all the stuff I did in Rio that was not related to social project. Or at least these experiences were ldquosocial projectsrdquo of a different sort Lots of photos get psyched. So in Rio I stayed in this great little hostel called Botafogo Easy Hostel right near the Bo http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Botafogo/blog-302744.html Ahhh Thank you lovely people for your comments We like it and keep them coming. Thank you Nick for the Eastenders news Oh Stacey snogs Max hmmmm Once We figure out if we can reply to comments we will. One week already We are liking Rio a little edgy in parts like on the beach when gun fire echoed in the background and no one seemed to bat an eyelid and when a guy asked us for money and we http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Leblon/blog-302531.html Rio de JaneiroThe city remains the most danerous in the world according to figures. Its repuation made it quite nervous upon arrival. However the people we met and places we went made this seem ridiculous.On fisrt impressions the city was unique in its beauty. It is built around mountains and on the coast. The beaches are astounding and the water warm it was a pleasant feeling to be able to rel http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Copacabana/blog-302355.html PollyHad the most awesome day yesterday. Ross I went out on a boat around the neighboring islands and went diving and snorkelling. The weather was hot and sunny the winds were calm and the visibility was great.I was really nervous just before as I hadnt dived for yonks but after about 30 seconds of very unproductive rapid breathing I chilled out and sunk to the bottom. After about 10 minu http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Arraial-do-Cabo/blog-301525.html Well we have arrived to the end of our trip and what an amzing city to celebrate our five weeks. Everything about Rio is amazing. It is vibrant colourful and it has the most unbelievable landscape that a city can be built around. Every poster and photograph you have ever seen cant do it enough justice because everywhere you look is pretty unbelievable.We arrived in the afternoon and headed http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Copacabana/blog-301218.html Hello everyoneWell we can officially say WE LOVE BRAZIL Let us just set the scene for a moment . . .The landscape is green lush and basically a rainforest the beaches are strips of white sand with warm inviting water and the whole atmosphere just kind of tells you grab a drink and kick back for a while. The drink of choice of course being 'caiprihinias'...what else....We obliged. Ou http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Ilha-Grande/blog-301208.html Projeto MorrinhoToday the ldquoTour of Justicerdquo continues with a visit to Projeto Morrinho . Projeto Morrinho is located in the favela Vila Pereira da Silva close to the neighborhood Laranjeiras where coincidentally the seat of CDI is also located. Note Irsquoll be coming back to CDI this afternoon to meet with Rodrigo Baggio stay tuned My friend Carlos coowns a bed and breakfa http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Centro/blog-300995.html That means ldquothey said I came back lsquobrazilianizedrsquordquo. Thanks Carmen Miranda . My dad is back in the States and I think he has officially been ldquoBrazilianizedrdquo. Cachaa and caipirinhas shrimp in a pumpkin po de queijo agua de cco cake and fruit and of course brigadeiro basically chocolate frosting balls rolled in sprinkles. Not to mention his growin http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Ipanema/blog-300797.html Hello lovley people. We hope you are well and enjoying your day let us know what your up toIts very exciting to write our first blog entry. We arrived in Rio at 8am and first impressions are buzzy hectic lots of buses diverse and relaxed. When we got to the airport we were numb because getting ready became really hectic. On boarding a family of four took our exit row seats and lied through http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Leblon/blog-300752.html RossRighteo people. Escaped deadend Pero. Sure it was lovely but wed got our sights set on Buzios. Caught the local bus back to Cabo Frio and then another on to Buzios. Buzios was discovered by Bridget Bardot and has since been a holiday destination for the rich and the famous. Dermot OLeary was here a couple of months ago and Zinedine Zidane more recently according to our over friendly Argen http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/B-zios/blog-300736.html CDI Rio de JaneiroThis morning bright and early at 8 am Dad and I headed over to the center of Rio de Janeiro to meet up with Maurcio director of CDI Europe and Marisa one of the RJ metro area coordinators to visit two EICS Citizenship and Information Technology Schools. Right now CDI is having its semiannual international meeting in which coordinators from all the countries in whic http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Centro/blog-300700.html Here it was the conclusion to our tour. It is hard to think that we left Lima 7 weeks previous. Crazy. With all the amazing friends I have made on this trip it was obvious to see that as we all split over the next 7 days that the trip would be very quiet from this point on. Does not of course mean that it is going to be any less funWe arrived in Rio at around lunchtime and immediately there was http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/blog-300659.html We were all looking forward to relaxing on the beach after 2 12 days of traveling on the truck. We were also all very optimistic about the place that we were heading as our tour guide and driver had talked it up a lot. Unfortunately them talking something up was not always a good thing and so while optimistic we were hesitant to get too excited about what lay ahead. We arrived just after sunse http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-300195.html PollyWe went to the Favela yesterday which was really good. We visited Rocinho Favela on an organised tour. A bit apprehensive before hand after watching City of God but it was fine and actually probably safer inside than walking down the street in Copacobana. Favela means slum or Shanty town in Portuguese. They are scattered all over Rio mainly on the hill sides where they cannot bui http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Ipanema/blog-298569.html NeilHaving dragged ourselves away from the tropical paradise of Ilha Grande we made our way along the coast in the direction of Sao Paulo. Before we hit the metropolis of SP we have dropped into the small colonial town of Paraty.Paraty is one of the local holiday destinations of Sao Paulo residents and is a picturesque seaside town with cobbled streets 300 year old buildings and beaches all s http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Paraty/blog-298099.html RossBusy day yesterday folks so updating the blog before I forget. Pol I got up relatively early for brekkie then headed to the main street in Ipanema to catch the 583 bus to Cosme Velho R2.10 each with Erin from Kentucky...Located at Cosme Velho is the lower station of the furnicular railway cog train up Corcovado the mountain on which Christs statue stands. The cog train costs R36 ab http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Ipanema/blog-298010.html To Ilha Grande for more scubadiving I arrived in Rio on Sunday but headed off for Ilha Grande south of Rio on Monday. I heard from many travellers that this beautiful island without any roads or cars and fantastic beaches spread around the Island is worth a visit. I went there with the aim of doing some more scuba diving. I think Ilha Grande is the closest spot to Rio which is not to bad for d http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Ilha-Grande/blog-297682.html Bom GioPollyWell we are really loving Rio. We moved hostels after 2 nights as it was a bit rough round the edges and sleeping in a 14 bed dorm was quite hectic. Thought wed ease ourselves in a bit more gently so moved to the Ipanema Beach House. Its nearly twice the price but really pretty and has a pool and a bar area to sit out and meet other travellers. It also includes a great all you http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Ipanema/blog-297167.html Rio June 08'At least we have a flight next is what I was thinking as our 4th 24 hour bus in 9 days headed into Rio. We had booked a flight back to Buenos Airies so we could have as long as possible in Rio before meeting up with Bro and Hollers. Once we had arrived we dropped the bags off at the hostel and then went straight to Copacabana beach which was brilliant especially as it had been http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Copacabana/blog-296111.html HeyHere are the rest of the Rio pictures... paragliding etc. olots of love xxxxxxxxxx http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Ipanema/blog-295738.html Hey allThought it was time for a weekly update.... We are in Foz do Iguazu right now and over the next couple of days we are visiting the Iguazu Falls and visiting Argentina Paraguay and Brasil in the process. Thankfully Ive got a couple of blank pages left in that battered passport of mine...I cant believe it was almost a week ago that we left Rio. Feels like weve seen so much and done ev http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/blog-295348.html well after four days on some of the worst busses ever encountred including 3 over night and one 24 hour we finally made it to brazil once we got our bearings we checked in to the mellow yellow hostel. it had been recomended to us by pretty much everyone we had met so we were expecting good things. and it delivered. though brazil was soooo much more expensive than all the previous countrys w http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Copacabana/blog-295320.html RossWell we escaped relatively unscathed from Sao Paulo apart from a major toe nail incident with a school kid. Sampa as the locals call it is a bit of a dive and really not much to see or do so we went to the zoo. Weve learnt some Portuguese Sao means shit and Paulo means hole...Hotel was basic but clean and right in the middle of the city centre. The room had an ensuite bathroom a f http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Ipanema/blog-295296.html NeilOne overnight bus and a boat ride later we have arrived in Ilha Grande a tropical island off the south coast of Brazil blessed with white sandy beaches and covered with atlantic rainforest.The island is quite large but only about 3000 people inhabit the island plus a few hundred tourists. Weve decieded to stay for a week and soak up the sun and relax before the final leg of our round the http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Ilha-Grande/blog-294929.html Hello all well I have finally arrived left for Hethrow about 4am and arrived in Hostel approx midnight so was a very long and knackering journey Hostel is nice clean but rooms are small however everyone is very friendly. Im in a shared room with a french girl a dutch girl a german girl a norwegian lady and another girl who doesnt seem to speak so I dont know where she is from I have been http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Santa-Teresa/blog-294013.html Hey everyoneMy stay at Rio had finally come to an end am leaving tomorrow on the night bus for Ouro Preto just for a few days on the way to Salvador Heading north where its hopefully going to be even hotter oAs most of you have probably heard... i didnt even last a day in the fevelas o It was awful so I ran away I met the American woman at the bottom of the fevelas and we hiked up to http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Brazil/Rio-de-Janeiro/Rio-de-Janeiro/Ipanema/blog-293346.html