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Published: December 11th 2005
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So, we're finally here! This is our third and final day here so we do have a bit to tell you now! Getting here from snowy Maryland was no easy feat. We left the farm early Thursday morning arrived at BWI and had to wait for the rainstorms to pass through Atlanta before our Atlanta bound flight would take off. This meant that we eventually touched down in Atlanta at the exact same time our Rio flight was boarding...talk about a mad dash through three terminals!! We made it just as the doors were closing...and more surprisingly even our luggage made it to Rio!!!
The flight itself was a comedy. Nobody sat in their designated seats. Jen and I boarded the plane to discover that a family had already made themselves comfortable where we should have been sitting. Being the nice people that we are we moved further back and found two vacant seats. Upon departure I was able to enjoy the experience of take off in the fully reclined seat position. The people in front of me were doing it so I figured I could too (nobody seemed to care, the stewards passed a couple of times and seemed
unconcerned). Looking back it doesn´t seem that adventurous but at the time I felt like I was a real rebel.
The 9 hour flight actually passed fairly quickly, the meals were actually half decent and we got to enjoy a few laughs whenever the plane hit turbulence (which actually happened a lot). Usually on a flight when the fasten seat belt sign comes on people generally take their seat and cross their fingers and hope the plane doesn´t go down. On this flight however people would see the fasten seat belt sign come on and decide that it was a sign to relieve their bladder or get up and do their stretches in the isle, a few more even started rooting around in the overhead bins for hand moisturizer. That and a couple glasses of wine provided for our inflight entertainment. P.S. Thanks Sarah Gurfein for the Delta vouchers!
Ok, so we´re finally here. Rio at last. We quickly changed money at the airport and met the guy who drove us to the hostel in Copacabana. We are staying at the Mellow Yellow Hostel located a 2 min walk from all the action of Copacabana beach.
We spent
our first day walking along the beach from Copacabana to Ipanema. Enjoyed a beer at one of the many beach stands and just relaxed listening to the waves and taking in all the sights. Later that evening we joined a group from our hostel and went to the top of Corcovado where the statue of Christ the Redeemer is to enjoy the sunset over the city. It was really spectacular. That night we finished it off with our first of many caipirinhas (Brazilian drink made from cachaca rum, sugar and lime juice...... Yummy).
Yesterday we woke up a little late, lathered ourselves in factor 30 sunscreen and hit the beach to work on our tans. After finally working up the courage to strip down next to these bronze bombshells I lay out exposing my whiter than white skin to the suns intense rays. After about 10 mins I started to feel cooked on one side. Rolled over and repeated the process. We figured 30 mins each side and we´d be doing ok for a base tan. I swear to you staying under the sun was like sheer torture, Jen would roll over every now and again and ask me
if it was almost 30 mins? I would wipe the sweat from my eyes and tell her another 10 to go. It was insane, I could barely stand on the sand for 10 seconds without it burning my feet. We finished our beach session with a refreshing coconut and headed back to our hostel for a cool shower. Regardless to say we still have to work on our tans...
Later that day we took a taxi to the bottom of sugar loaf mountain (Pao de Acucar) and from there took the cable car in two stages to the top. From here you can see all across Rio. You can´t help but stare in awe. It really is the most beautiful setting of any city.
Today we haven´t done much at all. It´s been raining all day so its a good time to start this blog. We went to the hippie market in the morning to see the local crafts and paintings. They had some nice stuff but we decided to hold off and see what else we see as we continue the trip.
So, we´re off for Parati tomorrow morning a small colonial town 4 hours south
of Rio. More news from there...
Take care!
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Cristina
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Cute picture!
Dear John and Jen, I just have to say that the picture of you two together is adorable. Truly a beautiful and cute picture. I see the sun is pretty menacing. I miss that. Keep having fun!