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Published: February 4th 2008
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Our Route
This is the route we will be taking around South America Arrival
Wow, so I'm finally here. And what an adventure. The flight over was relatively ok. I managed to get a emergency exit seat but that was about the only good part of my trip. Firstly, even though it was a 10hr 30min flight, there were only main screen t.v's which showed nothing for the first two hours. This was also how long we had to wait to get our food. So then it was 1.30am and everyone decided to go to sleep, as you would. I woke up an hour later and they had just started showing the first film, Rush Hour 3! I managed to get some sleep, though highly uncomfortable, which was good. When I finally woke up they were serving breakfast as we had started to descend. The food was disgusting (some strange raw meat dish) and Air France came over the speakers to apologise that they didn't have enough immigration forms for the economy passengers, so we would just have to go find some when we entered the arrivals hall. Hmmmm. So all in all not a good experience with Air France. Though numerous people I have met here came with Iberia, and I don't
Corcovado
The statue of Christ the Reedemer believe their experiences were much better!!
Immigration was fine once I had received my forms. Pretty painless and they didn't ask me a single question. Not even how long I was here for or where I was staying or anything! Got down to the luggage hall and my bag was already there and left to find my transport there waiting for me! Had a crazy drive to my hotel, checked in to my room and met Kathryn, the girl I had met on facebook, who was on my tour. At that stage we were the only people in the hotel!!
Kathryn had already been here a day or two so she took me straight away to this market to buy stuff for carnival. It was a nice walk through Lapa to the metro which compared to London's underground, is amazing and air conditioned!!! It was only one or two stops and we were greeted by this huge street market. It was so unbelievably busy but in a great way, the atmosphere was buzzing. We just walked around and bought several things: I got a flower garland, a purple feather fan and a yellow and black feather for my
hair! It's pretty incredible here actually, hardly anyone speaks a word of English. Even at the airport (here's mum saying I told you so). So we are having to work on our Portugese!!
When we got back to the hotel hundreds more people had arrived, all finishing their tours, so we still felt a little out of place. We relaxed for the afternoon and went out for a bite to eat in the evening before having an early night (I say early it was about midnight).
Being a Tourist
The next day I met one of my roomies first thing, a lovely girl called Charlotte and because it was a beautifully sunny day, we decided to go up to Corcovado (Statue of Christ the Reedemer). We asked the reception desk the way to the bus station, but still got lost on the way. So Kat used her wonderful Portugese booklet to ask people where we were going. Luckily we found it and finally got on the bus. We had a fun conversation on the way with the bus conductor which involved a lot of sign language on out part!! We find we've been using the thumbs up
sign quite a lot so we hope it's acceptible over here! We got off at the train station and queued to get our tickets and queued to get the train. The train to the top though was brilliant. The scenery and views going up the mountain through different gardens was fantastic and half way up, a samba band joined the train and we had a little mini party! Once at the top, the view was sensational. We'd picked the perfect day and the statue was just incredible. The whole thing was really enjoyable.
Meeting the group
Once back down and back at the hotel, loads of other people from our tour began to arrive. Kat's room became the social room and we all just sat around all afternoon and evening getting to know each other. The group is really nice and diverse, though there are still about 20 people we haven't met yet. We range from school leavers to school teachers, from South Africa, Germany, Poland, Canada and UK. Think we're gonna have a great time together though 10 weeks is a long time so who knows what will happen.
Trouble at the football
We have
Marcana Stadium
The football stadium where we saw Vasco vs. Botofogo also been to see a football match at the amazing Marcana Stadium. Seriosuly, this place is huge! The match we went to see was between Vasco vs. Botafogo, two local Rio teams. We paid extra to get seats in the "party stand" and we were sat right by the band. This band took over the entire upper stand of where we were sat and even before the match started everyone was singing and dancing! It really was like being at a street party. Our team (Vasco) were losing 2-0 by the end of the first half. However, after a disallowed goal for us, we managed to equalise in the second half. Then there was trouble. A supporter from the other team managed to get into our half and all hell broke loose. Luckily we saw it all before it happened so we were able to run and get out of the way but it was all very exciting!! We also lost two girls but we found out later they were rescued by four Australian guys with bodyguards so they were happy. Anyway our team ended up losing 3-2 after a last minute penalty, which we did not get to see
Rocinha Favela
The largest favela in Latin America with over 300,000 inhabitants due to the trouble. However, watching Brazil football is like watch a dance show; everyone falls over, rolls around for half an hour and then a little golf cart has to come and take them off, where they get back on their feet and go back out an play!
Favela Tour
Now I was in two minds to begin with about doing this. But I decided that beacuse I was here and had studied them so much through my education, I should give it a go. It was nothing like I had expected at all. We were taken to Rocinha, the largest favela in Latin America; home to 300,000 people. Our guide was a lovely lady called Louisa, who actually lived in the favela. At the very beginning of the tour, she stated that these tours were a good thing. For starters it gives people like her employment and a chance to practice English but most importantly, she wanted the world to know that favela's are not as bad as everyone thinks. And she really is right. They have their problems, most crucially hygenic problems of open sewers, but they are not nearly as poor as everyone thinks. Most homes have television and many of those have cable! Most people would choose to live in these places anyways beacuse they do not have to pay tax.
So Louisa took us on a guided tour and stated that this was one of 811 favelas in Rio de Janeiro alone, but was the only real safe one to visit. The rest I believe have a lot of problems with gangs. We went through all the little streets and got to visit the house of a lovely little old lady called Maria, who was so happy to have us there. They have thousands of shops there, hospitals, dentists and 3 banks so it is very much like there own little town. It was completely fascinating. Yet again I will put photos up when I eventually get chance!
So that has been the main events of my first few days here in Brazil. Rio really is a beautiful city, never have I seen a city so alive and colourful. There is a music and dancing everywhere and everyone has been really lovely to us. Hope you are all well and I will soon do my carnival entry when I get all my photos sorted! Only two more days left here and then we start the tour! A lot of my photos are on my disposible so I will upload more when I have chance!
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Mum
non-member comment
Ha Ha
I told you so!!!xxx