Rio

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January 23nd, 2006, second day in Rio de Janeiro, Bresil, day 17 of our cruise.

We are at the cruise ship dock of Rio, minutes from downtown, safe because the tourist police have a station at the gate. Rio is one of the most beautiful cities that I have had the privilege to visit.
Yesterday we went up Corcovado Mountain on a cog railcar to see the city and the statue of Christ the Redeemer. Back at sea level, we visited the new, cone shaped cathedral, San Sebastian, which can hold 20,000, it was built with openings in the walls and large doors that slide open to let the breeze in- making it cooler in church than outside.
The digital thermometers on Copacabana and Ipanema beaches registered a high of 42 degree Celsius and the humidity is stifling. Air conditioning in our room is set at 19.
Today, we climbed Sugar Loaf Mountain by cable car, it is also in town, and the sights were more magnificent. The photo is of a lovely beach with water, sand and colourful sunbrellas- and unfortunately none of our thousand pictures can do justice to the colour, heat and pure energy of this town.
We leave tomorrow morning at 8, we were suppose to go at 2 am, but because the sail away is so pretty, this being one of the most beautiful harbors in the world, the captain rescheduled .
I am enjoying the salt water pool on the 9th floor of the ship- I cool off there after getting home from touring and between meals. I might have lost a bit of weight!
My last post was short because it was lost in a save between Terry’s and my files. I now have a private save so bear with me if I have given the following information already: We have sailed from 49th degree of latitude north to the Equator at the Amazone basin. We are now 22 degrees south and going to 65. We left Canada just under 0 degree Celsius, are at our hottest at 42 and are aiming for 0 again at the Antarctic.
We are looking forward to Montevideo, Uruguay in two days and as Terry describes it, we are 8 miles away as on sea days, we walk 2 miles in the am and another 2 at sunset, around 6 or 7, before diner at 8:15 and show at 10. Tonight, the show is a folkloric Brazilian dance and music show. We are looking forward to it, even if we do tend to fall asleep during the entertainment.
Ttys, love to all

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