Rio de Janeiro

IMG_3916
see all photos »

Well, we finally arrived in Rio. Our flight with LAN again was very good which stopped in Sao Paulo for a while en route. We heard Rio was expensive and it is - US$35 for a taxi from the airport. No way. We caught a bus for $3 each which dropped us pretty near the hostel which was great. Rio's reputation means you get the fear a bit walking around with all your bags on you. In saying that, touch wood, we haven't come across any bad vibes.

On checking out the hostel, which is a maze, we stumbled upon the Kiwi boys (Travis, Hori and Nugget) we met in Quito and Colombia in the bar and started having a few beers with them, and thats pretty much how the night continued.

Checking out Rio and what it has to offer.

IMG_3697
see all photos »

The following day, we were in culture mode and checked out the Christ the Redeemer statue during the afternoon and then took in a sunset from the Sugar Loaf mountain. Its quite expensive to take the cable car (about US$17) but I have to say totally worth it. Seeing the sun set behind the mountains, becoming dark and then seeing Rio starting to light up is really spectacular. HK is similar but I haven't seen another place like it in that aspects. Really great! That night, it being a Friday (and the Kiwi's last day) we had drinks in the hostel followed by going to Lapa - where you can drink on the streets and walk in and out of little cool bars. A cheap night and its pretty cool, a good vibe.

IMG_3839
see all photos »

Our plans to hit Copacabana beach the next day and check out hot Brazilian girls in skimpy bikinis were ruined by the weather. It rained all day! Can you believe that. I think we'll be heading to another place mid-week for some beach time. Each night, it kicks off in the hostel and with dinner being served around 7pm people get there early - its a really good place to get to know fellow travellers. There's tonnes of places to choose from to go out in Rio. Loads of excellent nightclubs etc. Unfortunately, our choice bombed on us so we didn't have that great of a Saturday night.

IMG_3639
see all photos »

The next day we checked out a must-do thing while your in Brazil - a football match in the Maracana. The match Vasco v Fluminese a local derby was excellent. The crowd and atmosphere is simply superb, dancing, singing, swinging massive flags the whole game. I think everyone would enjoy the occasion. It finished 1-1. Just as were leaving the stadium they're looked to be the start of crowd trouble. The police on horses waving massive sticks went past us as we were wisked into our VIP mini-buses and drove away - everyone wanting to stay and see what was to unfold :o) That night, we checked out a Favela night party which the hostel organises. It was nuts looking down at the crowd, dancing and partying with the Samba music playing. We were up in a VIP area with all the gringos (a good and bad thing). It was a good night though and I'd recommend checking it out.

IMG_3719
see all photos »

Our plans to go to Ilha Grande were postponed for a day given the weekend had. Our hostel put on a Capoerio show that night though which was a laugh followed by a quiz which was fun. We left Rio at mid-day for Ilha Grande but we'll be back again for the weekend.