Today I got up around 8am, not bad given only about 3 hours sleep. I finally started reading the Catcher in the Rye again, before getting stuck into an amazing breakfast that the hostel puts on every morning.
The weather promised to be absolutely superb all day so I hastily got ready to head up the statue of Christ Redeemer. I opted to just do it myself rather than through the hostel, to save a few buck and give more freedom. I am glad I did because when I got up there I was just blown away. It has to be on of the, if not the most, amazing thing I have ever seen!! It is such a well known landmark and symbol and has the most amazing location right in the heat for the great city area affording 360 degree views. With not a cloud in the sky, I just sat up there for hours just taking in the view and taking a heap of photos! Just superb!!
I headed back down with a kiwi couple I had met in the hostel the night I arrived and jumped on the local bus back to Copacabana, opting to get off at the far end of the beach and walk back. I don’t think I had realized just how long the beach really is!! It must have taken a good 45 minutes to walk most of the length of it, stopping to take photos of course! A beautiful evening to end a superb day in Rio de Janeiro.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Rio Exploring
What an action packed day today was. The weather the past few days had been a bit cloudy so when we awoke to fine skies I decided a trip up sugar loaf mountain would be a good way to spend the morning while it was clear. I jumped a local bus to the gondola areas to kick off the two stage ride up the two distinctive bumps on the northern end of Copacabana Beach. I met a cool aussie woman who was also travelling solo and headed up. The gondola is amazing, holding up to 75 people at a time. We hung around the first knob for a bit taking in the view before getting on the second gondola to head up to the top. The cloud had started to come in a bit with views of the top of the Christ Redeemer statute covered but it was still very dramatic. I shot a few photos and waited around for the view to clear (which it didn’t immediately but did so several hours after leaving).
One getting down from the sugar loaf I decided it would be a good idea to back up my photos before going to the football match at Maracana stadium. However, the computer at the hostel corrupted my card and I now have to try and recover the images (which I am doing). Worse still, my backup was on my pen drive, which was also corrupted as I have a combined pen drive/card reader. Dramas which put me in a terrible mood!! So may more things to think about with digital camera gear!
Oh well, off to the football with a new card and battery. It was really pretty exciting going to one of the largest stadiums in the world which is renowned for violent clashes between rival team fans. While waiting outside the vans entered the main gates with police horses surrounding them as a few scuffles broke out!! Inside the stadium we sat with the Botafogo fans who have huge flags, flares, drums and all the works! It was absolutely amazing to be a part of such an awesome atmosphere. The team drew one all but when the goal was scored there was absolute chaos, it was just amazing! Apparently the night before there was a larger match which a few guys went to and they said they saw snipers on the light towers!
After getting back to the hostel, we had a few hours to get read for a Fovela Funk party out with the local riff raff some 45 minutes from Copacabana. It was a massive warehouse with an upstairs vip and a dance floor that can fit several thousand, just huge! We had a great night ending up around 430. A great event not to be missed by anyone visiting Rio!
One getting down from the sugar loaf I decided it would be a good idea to back up my photos before going to the football match at Maracana stadium. However, the computer at the hostel corrupted my card and I now have to try and recover the images (which I am doing). Worse still, my backup was on my pen drive, which was also corrupted as I have a combined pen drive/card reader. Dramas which put me in a terrible mood!! So may more things to think about with digital camera gear!
Oh well, off to the football with a new card and battery. It was really pretty exciting going to one of the largest stadiums in the world which is renowned for violent clashes between rival team fans. While waiting outside the vans entered the main gates with police horses surrounding them as a few scuffles broke out!! Inside the stadium we sat with the Botafogo fans who have huge flags, flares, drums and all the works! It was absolutely amazing to be a part of such an awesome atmosphere. The team drew one all but when the goal was scored there was absolute chaos, it was just amazing! Apparently the night before there was a larger match which a few guys went to and they said they saw snipers on the light towers!
After getting back to the hostel, we had a few hours to get read for a Fovela Funk party out with the local riff raff some 45 minutes from Copacabana. It was a massive warehouse with an upstairs vip and a dance floor that can fit several thousand, just huge! We had a great night ending up around 430. A great event not to be missed by anyone visiting Rio!
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