Rio - Copacabana / Ipanema

---

Hello everyone!

Just to update you as to where we are at on our trek around Brazil - We're currently in Salvador, having completed a massive 29 hour bus journey from Rio - not a pleasant experience I can tell you. So in this travel blog, we will update you on our time in Rio.

Initially stayed in Ipanema Thursday onwards, gorgeous beaches, and visited Sugar Loaf Mountain on the Saturday and spent some time on the beach watching the Volley Ball. We took the cable car to the top of Sugar Loaf, which had a fantastic view of Rio, if a little cloudy as were so high up. Hostel that we stayed in was pretty cool, enjoyed some very nice Caiprinhas at their bar very chilled out place. Also, visited the bar where 'Girl from Ipanema'was written. Not particularly impressed with Ipanema in general, due to lack of afodable restaurants and nice bars.
On the Sunday morning we went to the 'Ipanema Hippy Market', which sold lots of wierd and wonderful things - for only R$ 50 (about 12 pounds), we bought a canvass oil painting of the oldest Favela in Rio. Bargain.

In the afternoon of Sunday, we moved to Copacabana - hostel not too bad, dodgy area as ever.
Sunday evening we went to the Football to watch Flamengo V Vasco de Gama, local derby league match, which was pretty impressive. Admittedly the skills seemed lacking, but watching the fans was the most impressive part, as well as being in the largest stadium in the world, the Maracena Stadium. They're absolutely obsessed with football over here, and hence get overly passionate during the game!

Monday morning we tried to find cheap flight to Salvador, to no avail. Afternoon we went on the Favela Tour, which was awesome. We went to Rochina, which is the biggest Favela in the world, and run under the ruling of the ADA - Amigo Des Amigos - Friend of Friends - one of the most powerful drugs groups in Rio. Perfectly safe, infact much safer than on the streets of Rio, as no one dare commit a crime in the Favela as it attracts Police attention. The poverty there is astounding, though they all manage to run off free electricity, water etc etc by tapping into City supplies! They even have Playstations, which I (Paul) do not even have, gutted.

Next day (Tuesday), we went on a bit of a rushed visit to the Christ the Redeemer statue. Went on a little red train to the top of the mountain, and it literally was above th clouds, which made for a bit of an eery atmosphere - its ginormous - was lovely to visit though (despite both feeling a little peeky due to what we can only guess was dodgy cake we bought from a shop in the Favela). Recovered now thank god.

Mad rush to Bus stop, to catch what turned out to be a 29 hour bus journey from hell! Glad to be in Salvador. Rio was unsettling, as you felt people were always out to get you, and therefoe you just couldn´t relax. Salvador is just what you expect from Brazil, music / dance / culture. We´ll update you after our time here; today we plan just to leisurely look around the town, and to some Samba shows and bars tonight. Wohhoo!

Hope you are all well, and the weather is good in England ; we hear its hotter than it is here?!

Love Paul and Susie xxxx

---

Photos

Paul with Favela Child
Doing my bit for the Community! I also bought a cake.

Comments

[Guy Stamp]

Paul!!!
Hey mate, what are you doing holding a small child????!!!!!