Rio

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I arrived in Rio just over a week ago and I have had an amazing week here. The hostel I am staying in is really cool and Ipanema is a really safe area...not like some of the other areas around here. I have met so many people in one week, got to know different people and had a really nice time, going out to dinner, to the beach, walks and tourist sites.
I visited Christ Redeemer, Sugar Loaf mountain, Copacabana and Lapa. However, my favourite tour and place was Rochinha, a shanty town/Favela on the hill sides of Rio. I took a motorbike up to the top of the favela and then walked back down through the narrow runned down streets with wilting homes and small needy children. I was glad to know that over half of the money I paid to do the tour would go into the community, and help the poor people. One little boy ran away and came back with a flower and handed it to me, he was so gorgeous! I lost the photos from all the tourist stuff I had done and was totally gutted. I managed to go on the favela tour agin though, so was particularly lucky. Last Sunday I went to a favela Funk party, not really my scene, but it was really cool to experience the Brazilian night. There was a lot of grinding going on...bit like the film ´Save the last dance´. It was interesting. On Thursday evening I went to the biggest football stadium in the world, the Maracana stadium. I became a Botofogo fan for the night. The atmosphere was totally amazing, nothing like a match down the Villa! Drums, fireworks, chanting...it was wicked! Friday night I went to a local street party in Lapa, it´s a Friday night thing. Loads of locals with a few tourists mixed in...it was areally cool night out. Cheap drinks and lots of dancing. So far I have had quite a lot of late nights, time on Ipanema beach, but also lots of time to see Rio. Tomorrow I will be moving down to Copacobana where I will certainly be watching my bag, that´s if I even take a bag out. Copacabana is quite seedy, but I have to go there to meet my group with GAP who I´m going to be spending the next 4 weeks with travelling across South America. First stop I think will be Ilha Grande, a small island just off the coast of Brazil. Can´t wait to get there as it´s supposed to be paradise! I´ve loved Rio, but now I´m ready to move on.

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