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
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