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Published: January 6th 2007
Finally, the long wait was over...we pulled up onto Copacabana beach! The drive from the airport was an interesting welcome to Rio, we saw many strange and shocking sights of favelas, bare footed children - that were more than happy playing football in the streets.
Our home for the week was Copacabana Tropical Hostel, just 5 mins from the famous beach. After a bit of exploring we saw the white sanded beaches, the toned brazilian bodies and both sexes who wore minimal clothing!
Day 1 - joined the locals in jogging along Copacabana beach, and drank Coconuts on the beach in the day and Caphrinias in the evening!
Day 2 - experienced the sights of Rio - our first tour and it was really really good! The tour guide was top, and went out of his way to show us all the sights and culture of Rio - including stopoff´s along the road, when he spotted something exciting - like cheeky Monkeys - and a local bar!!! We treked up in the Parque Nacional da Floresta da Tijuca and saw the breath taking views of Rio de Janeiro, through it was long hot climb it was most definitely
worth it at the top!
Day 3 - went shopping at Rio Sul and got Kate a nice white dress for New Years Eve, and sunbathed on Copacabana beach, where Christian began his bodysurfing career! We admired the toned and tanned locals who weren´t afraid of showing some skin and drank coconuts on the beach!
Day 4 - ventured into Rio Centro - bit of a mission as we were directed onto the wrong bus and ended up somewhere completely random - despite our lack of portugese our sign language got us there in the end! We walked round the centre and went to the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes - which was cultural if not overly interesting!
New Year´s Eve - after having some Caiprinha´s at the Tropical Cocabana hostel with fellow traveller´s we joined the party at Copabana beach - 2 million people and more we out celebrating despite the rain - everyone was traditionally dressed in white, watching the fireworks on the beach to bring in the New Year! Later we joined the masses and walked 5 mins round the corner to Ipanema beach for the Black Eyed Peas concert which was really good!
Dancing samba and having a midnight dip in the sea followed by corns on the cob - made it an amazing night and definitely one to remember!
Last day in Copacabana - Christian slept off a hangover till 6pm, then we went out to a local restaurant for our first steak - which was very nice and tender and a barganous price of £3.50!
Our impressions of Copacabana - its a busy friendly place with millions of street sellers and beggars - there´s not a street or corner without a bar or coffee shop - the white sandy beach is really cool and a great place to people-watch and cringe or admire the pumped up bodies and bums of the locals - theres even a public gym on Ipamema beach, which of course our muscley Swede had to try out!
Now we´re looking forward to our 18hour bus journey north to Porto Seguro - where the Portugese first entered Brazil for a few days stay before we head up to Salvador. So far so good!!!
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Linda - sis
non-member comment
Wonderful
Hey guys, thanks for the fab pics. They were pretty amazing!! So fun to get to see what u are upto!!! Im so jealous... I love to go to Brazil!! It seems amazng. Miss u guys lots and lots. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX