Our jaunt to the highlands after leaving Rio was short lived. After deciding we were both too stuffed and bus weary to figure a side trip to nearby Petropolis, we headed back to Rio in heavy traffic on a morning bus, connecting with incredible efficiency and genuine service, to the surf capital, Saquarema. Evidently this place heaves at carnival time and hosts surf carnivals and competitions of international standards. And testament to this, the long stretches of white sand extended from Jacone, our first coastal glimpse on the bus, to Saquarema about 30 more minutes away. Deciding 15 Reals was a rip off for our midday hike to the hostel, we made the walk there in little time, hot 33C and bothered but with the choice of 3 rooms of different prices. This was despite being
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