South America, Day 165 - Stage 33: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Selfie at Christ the Redeemer

Day 165 Monday 

A rude awakening at 03.55, downstairs for 04.30 and the driver was there, waiting. Off to Copacabana to collect 4 more, and the guide. One more stop, to pick up breakfast and we were off. To Dona Marta viewpoint for sunrise. We weren't alone. We looked out over Christ the Redeemer in one direction and Sugarloaf Mountain in the other, where the sun was going to rise. The sky was lightening slightly, and there coming into the harbour, with all it's lights on, a cruise ship. Must be ours, it's only ours in port today.

Dawn beginning at Dona Marta viewpoint. The iconic view of Rio with Sugarloaf mountain guarding the port entrance. There's an extra object in this photo and its our cruise ship for the next 18 days sailing into port. Do you see it all lit up at the foot of Sugarloaf mountain?

As the sky got lighter the prima Donna's came out, all these beautifully dressed, fully made up women appeared to be photographed, not once, but over and over. The guides had big torches to light the people in the foreground, it was crazy. Not as bad as the woman we had to wait for when we came to leave who was doing a whole photoshoot of a couple with Christ in the background, they were walking to and from holding hands, turning and kissing, ridiculous! Take a snap and be done!

It was absolutely worth getting up early to get this view of dawn breaking at one of the most recognisable viewpoints on earth. I think this photo is simply stunning and I might try and get this blown up and framed when we get home

It was a good viewpoint, as the pictures will show.

It was too early to go and queue for Christ the Redeemer, though many were going straight there, we were such a small group (which is why we booked it) that we had time to nip to the Selaron Steps. It was good to see them without people, and without rain.

Looking further round into the bay and our cruise  ship is making progress towards its berth. Can you see it?

Back into the van and up the very steep roadway to the base of the Statue, where we arrived bang on 07.30 to no queues at all as they had just gone. The statue was impressive, but the whole experience was hideous. All these people wanting their photo shoots, getting really grumpy if you dared to walk past, or try to squeeze through the absolute crush. What it's like at other times I dread to imagine.

Looking in the other direction there's Christ the Redeemer glowing up there on the hill

Stop number 4 was Park Lage Palace. A relatively new build, 1940's and built for love, like the Taj Mahal. As we walked towards the lines he asked if we wanted to be Brazilian? This involved Brian showing his ID as over 60, the other girl pretending to be pregnant (which I'm not sure she found very flattering) and we went in down the priority line! In theory it's one with a priority, but somehow all 7 of us got in.

The area had been cleared for photos and our guide insisted we have a photo too, so here it is

That's it, except for the drive along Copacabana beach front which we weren't bothered about. We were more bothered about getting back to the hotel at the promised 10.30 to check out and get to the cruise terminal for our 11.00 check-in. Traffic was rubbish, I was fretting when suddenly the guide pulled over and rushed us to the Uber he'd ordered to get us to the hotel. We arrived at 10.40, dropped the last of our breakfast at the feet of a sleeping homeless guy, who woke up and waved with a huge grin. Brian tried to pay while I went up to the 13th floor to collect 2 cases and 2 backpacks, not easy I can say. Only to come down to find that the receptionist wouldn't send housekeeping to check the minibar till I'd come down. Another Uber which dropped us off where we asked, which was sadly a fast 10 minute walk from where we actually wanted to be.

Just keeping an eye on our cruise ship. We can see it's berthed at the harbour now. It's there until 17:00 this afternoon, but our check in time is 11:00 to 12:00. Plenty of time, it's only about 06:30!

A lovely MSC lady scanned our boarding pass and took us in, to wait, and wait as she vanished.

She eventually reappeared with half a dozen more new arrivals and we were all brought aboard. Keycards issued, passports collected, safety briefing done and we are on. So much easier being able to take our own cases to the cabin, lunch and pop ashore to post this before unpacking for the next 18 days.

We've been here before, the Selaron Steps, the third most visited site in Rio. We came here in the rain on Saturday during our walking tour, but then it was wet and full of people, this morning it's dry and almost no people! Created by Jorge Selaron between 1990 and his death in 2013, he used tiles sent to him from all over the world to create his masterpiece that is now a protected monument. Many countries of the world are represented here. At the top is a representation of the Brazilian flag, but almost every country you can think of has something there. Our fellow guests were from Hawaii and our guide was able to point out an Hawaii section

Here's a British section and, on the right you might be able to make out Princess Di

He was an accomplished artist and this represents Rio with Sugarloaf mountain on the left anf Christ the Redeemer on the right

On up to Christ the Redeemer and we were driven all the way. Unbelievably there's a road all the way up there. We got so far and were dropped off from our minivan (he had to go and come back later as there's almost no parking there - if ever you go and you have your own hire car, don't use it, get a cab, you cannot park!), we then had to pay to go in (ours was included in our tour) and then queue for a minivan to take us to the top. Very little queue when we got there (but a huge queue when we got down as the MSC shore excursion had got there by then!) and got on the second minibus. That took us to an elevator and after that two escalators that took us right to the top - no effort whatsoever!

Se here it is with all the crowds. It's actually a sacred site with a small chapel inside. Only the devoted can go in so we didn't. We were also told that the stature is completely hollow and there is a stairway inside that allows you to ascend up to shoulder height. Our guide told us that only people invited by the catholic church can go up, so obviously that didn't include us (nor anyone else that we noticed that day either). Just to get to this spot took a lot of effort due to people posing and wanting as much space as possible for the Instagram photo!

Just so you know, this is from the statue looking down. There's a few people! You really need to get down there too as that's where the view is. It's glared out by the sun in this photo but that's the harbour and Sugarloaf mountain down there

A pity the sun's straight into the camera, but I think you can see Sugarloaf and, to the right Cocacabana beach (and then someone's camera!)

Further round to the right and the beach beyond the lagoon is Ipanema beach. Left is Cocacabana beach

I think I'm a bit out of order here, I took this one at the Dona Marta viewpoint. I remember I was being instructed to get out of the way as someone was posing! Not before I've taken this photo! You can see Sugarloaf on the left, Cocacobana in the middle, Ipanema on the right and Christ the Redeemer on the peak far right

So there we are, another view before we went down and left the posers to it!

Down at the Parque Lage Palace which is set in very beautiful grounds  with a view of Christ the Redeemer as a backdrop. You could have a meal here if you really wanted, but for us just a photo from the side. The centre was reserved for a queue of people who wanted to pose

Once again our guide insisted we have a photo, but still at the side notice, the centre is occupied!

And there's the man himself zoomed in from the palace

There's the palace from outside in the grounds. It's a very nice place and we were quite surprised it was only built in 1940, it looks much older. By now it was getting on towards 10:00am and Jackie's getting twitchy, particularly as we re-entered Rio slow moving rush hour traffic with about 10km from our hotel and another 5km from there to the harbour with the additional delay of having to check out and pay our bill (which always takes so long when you're in a hurry!). We made it and we've now got on our ship, which seems OK. We're just treating it as an easy journey home, if it's better than that so much the better but I, in particular, have low expectations! We're sitting in the harbour where free wifi is provided with many other people from onboard. Next stop for us Ilheus, further up the Brazilian coast with a day of being at sea in between. If you want to track our journey google 'where is MSC Poesia', which Jackie did and up popped a little map

South America, Days 162 to 164 - Stage 32: The Pantanal to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Through the aircraft window on our final approach to Rio. That strip of land is, I think, the Ilha de Marambaia just down from Rio 

Day 162 Friday 

We went downstairs after breakfast in time to get the 09.00 bus to the airport, which is 5 minutes away, if that, to just get put in a car and delivered. We weren't sure if the piece of paper each we were given yesterday were actually our boarding passes as there was just one QR code and 2 flights, but it turned out it was as we were given the same when we dropped the luggage off. I swear my hand luggage weighed the same as my hold bag, but that's fine, I'll just put it casually on one shoulder....

Just coming into land. We'd looked at the forecast and it wasn't good. Heavy rain and, indeed, it was not wrong. Centre of the photo is Sugarloaf mountain, just about visible

A new airline, but we still had priority boarding, for the over 60's and their carers! Take full advantage, I need to get my rucksack in the overhead locker! I think Azul might be my new favourite airline, jelly airplanes as well as nuts with a drink! Campinas airport still felt quite big as we seemed to walk miles between flights, but an hour and 45 should be time for the luggage. So it was, though it came through with the carry on bags that hadn't fitted in the overhead lockers so had been moved to the hold so had been pretty late in the loading process.

After our dawn hike to Christ the Redeemer was cancelled we booked onto a free walking tour. This is the meeting place, the guides are in red t-shirts carrying umbrellas, one English speaking, one Spanish and one Portuguese. I think the English guide had most people as it's the default language for anyone who doesn't speak Portuguese. We had Japanese, Germans, a Spanish girl married to an English man and a Portuguese man married to a Spaniard. She found it hard to understand Portuguese, despite its similarity to Spanish so preferred the tour in English. As you can see, it's raining 

An Uber from the airport, very well organised here, taxi pickup to the right, Uber to the left, then 3 zones one of whom you were sent to when you made the booking. Into the city in double quick time, it all feels a bit shabby and rundown, even the airport looked grim as we taxied to our pier. Lots of activity round where he dropped us, not quite at the front door, but that's ok, except all that activity appears to be tonight only. We couldn't face going out, just needed to eat, and out sunrise tour is collecting at 04.40 so stayed in the hotel, however while browsing for tomorrow it appears we are in the business area and everything is closed now until Monday! 

These people are queueing to get into Colombo Confeitaria which, apparently is very well known in Rio and the place to be seen in

Day 163 Saturday

We had booked a sunrise tour of Rio starting with Christ the Redeemer, collection 04.40 so awake at 04.00. WhatsApp at 04.10 saying it was pouring down and there would be no visibility did we have any other options? We can probably fit it in on Monday before boarding the ship, so we agreed that, and went back to sleep.

Looks quite nice inside

Awoke at 08.00 and it's still raining, though it's eased slightly, shall we book a walking tour?

It rained for the whole tour, but we are still pleased we did it as we did see lots as well as being told not to walk around the business area (where the hotel is) after dark. Bearing in mind we had to avoid many people sleeping on the street at 11.00 am this is probably good advice. It was a good tour, lots of people all looking slightly shell shocked by the rain wearing everything from technical walking jackets (Brian) to $1.50 ponchos from Ecuador (me). I still think mine is the best option, not as sweaty, comes down to my shins and will go over my backpack. The fact that I look ridiculous is a small price to pay!

This is Rio's oldest church, built in 1743. It's recently been refurbished inside...

Back to the hotel after a light lunch and chill. It has eased again, but is still raining which doesn't bode well for our climb on Sugarloaf mountain tomorrow. We had word from our guide a few days ago that rain was expected and he wasn't sure what we would be able to do, so we don't have high hopes. His message prompted Brian to look at his many weather apps to see that there is a lot of wind, waves and weather just off the coast, between Buenos Aires and here, just where we would be if we'd got on the MSC Poesia in BA as we've paid for! Monday however, the weather is back to calm and settled ready for our embarkation.

It really is quite beautiful inside

Day 164 Sunday 

We went out, in the rain, to go and look at the cathedral which just looks weird, like a nosecone from a shuttle space ship. We avoided all the people on the streets and picked our route round the mess and smells associated with them. We got to the cathedral at 10.00, just as the service started. It isn't to our taste though the stained glass was great. What we did have to be impressed with though were the acoustics, the sound of singing followed us for streets as we tried to find our way to the viaduct avoiding the areas inhabited by the druggies!. Mission accomplished we headed back, via a market as we thought we'd be relatively safe.

The splendid looking Municipal theatre. Opened in 1909, the gold adornments are real gold and, apparently there is about 100kg of gold there

We got the message we were expecting as we were returning to the hotel, climbing is off. It's not a surprise, wet, greasy rock is nobody's idea of a good time, and when it did stop and the sun came out for a moment the humidity was horrendous. Sad, but at least now we know we can plan our day.

This relatively unassuming building is a palace. It's in a square now called 11th November, after the day Brazil declared itself a republic and expelled the royal family. Up until 1808 Brazil was a colony of Portugal and allowed to trade only with Portugal. They were not allowed industry or universities. In 1808 Napoleon of France threatened to invade Portugal unless they stopped trading with Britain, then their major trading partner. Britain, in turn threatened to bomb Portugal if they turned to France. Late one night the Royal family escaped to Brazil, arriving and living here until a bigger palace could be built. Citizens were overjoyed as suddenly Brazil became an equal nation to Portugal and able to trade internationally for the first time. In 1821, after Wellington had defeated Napoleon in Portugal, the Royal family returned home leaving a son to become emperor of Brazil. In 1888 they passed a law banning slavery and the wealthy landowners revolted and took over, sending the emperor into exile, who left without a fight. Brazil thus became a republic 

So, may not be climbing Sugar loaf mountain but we ought to try to look at it. We went to our rooftop, floor 22, it was coming and going. He decides there was a window of opportunity at 14.00 so he'd book tickets to avoid the queues. His card wouldn't go through, so we thought we'd just hop into an Uber.

This is known as the Escadaria Selaron and its a set of concrete stairs that have been covered in coloured tiles and became the life's work of the artist Jorge Selaron. He started work on it in 1990 and kept modifying it as people sent him new different tiles from around the world, as he had promised. He said it will only stop and be considered complete on the day he dies. He was found dead at the bottom of his stairs in 2013 and it is not known if he died of natural causes, whether he committed suicide or he was murdered. Apparently in the days before his death he was very depressed. Anyway it now is the third 'must see' in Rio after Christ the Redeemer and Sugarloaf mountain  

Brian got the senior discount (half price) and the priority boarding which I don't think made any difference, there was barely a queue. We didn't wait at the mid station, just in case, and went straight to the top. No the sun didn't come out, but yes, we could see Christ the Redeemer and the other hills. From the top we could also see what we assume was the MSC Grandiose, the ship that would have been cheaper, but with 5000 people on, and didn't actually stop in the UK. We did go past a ships tour as we went down the priority lane but I think they all got in the same cable car anyway! Cute little marmosets, pizza, beer and a donut, and very glad we made the effort.

Fingers crossed for our dawn tour tomorrow, before boarding the MSC Poesia and heading for home.

Waking up this morning and seeing more rain, we went up to the roof pool and bar on the 22nd floor to see around and to decide what to do. The distance summit to the white of the right tower with a near vertical left side and sloping on the right has Christ the Redeemer on top. 

This is zoomed in so you can see it a bit clearer. Not very clear is it!

And this is the other direction to Sugarloaf mountain. It's there on the left. We'll go out in the rain and look at the new cathedral...

Before I put on the new one, this is the old one that's in the square with the old kings palace. Quite a nice building this one and, apparently there's a lot of people that still wish it was. Are you ready to see the new cathedral.....

Here it is! It's certainly ...different! But that's how architecture should be, it should provoke a response - and this one certainly does. I felt that I'd read somewhere that it was designed by the same man who designed the new Coventry cathedral in the UK, that generates a similar reaction to this. But I may be wrong on that and I haven't googled it either. I stand to be corrected - I'm sure someone will

Inside it's just completely open. I only took one photo as there was a Sunday service going on at the time. What we could say though is that the acoustics are absolutely sensational. They had a small orchestra in there and singers who were fabulous, not like the ordinary choirs were used to, beautiful music and it percolated out of the building into the surrounding streets. From that point of view it is amazing

This is the belltower!

Opposite the church is this high rise building with an opening in the middle at the top. Our walking tour guide had pointed out that it forms a cross and appears right above the cathedral from the top of Sugarloaf mountain. Must remember to look out for that when we're up there 

Well, fast forward to this afternoon, we did go up Sugarloaf mountain and here's the view. She's right, a cross above the cathedral. How good is that!

Back to this morning and we walked round, avoiding the homeless and druggies nearby to get this photo of an old viaduct, the only one still in Brazil. It's a tramway and I would have liked to have ridden the tram over it, but we didn't have enough time

We came back to the hotel and went back up to the 22nd floor to check the view. This was it, absolutely no view at all. What shall we do? I looked at my weather apps and saw a possible weather window at around 2:00pm, lets go up Sugarloaf mountain arguing that it's now or never - Jackie laughed! I tried to buy tickets online but it wouldn't accept my credit card so I said lets just get an Uber and go. We'd heard of massive queues and it might be raining, but I said lets go and if it's bad we'll just get an Uber back again

As we arrived it wasn't bad at all and there were no queues at all, so we decided to go for it. I got half price senior discount and we got through the priority lane for over 60's (not that there was much of a queue - just about 30 or so from an MSC shore excursion - the MSC cruise line we're going home with tomorrow, but not our ship a much larger one). The man at the gate asked if we were with the group - no, not us! We're on our own, so we went through and up

There are two cable cars to get to the top, this is going up the first to the mid station. Interesting rock, I wonder if this has been scoured by glaciers. Seems unlikely this close to the equator. Must make a note to google it, I don't have time now (beers calling!) 

Here's our cable car for the next lift to the top

On our way up

Look at these views from the top! The beach sweeping away down the on the left is the famous Copacabana beach (Barry Manilow eat your heart out!), beyond the hill at the end of that beach is Ipanema beach (who was it that sang The Girl from Ipanema?). Further right, the pointy peak is the Christ the Redeemer summit

Looking the other side into the bay. You can really understand how, when the Portuguese first arrived here they thought this was the mouth of a river rather than a bay. They arrived on the 21st January so named it Rio de Janeiro (January River)

I forgot to mention earlier that our walking tour guide had told us that originally the old city centre of Rio was in a valley surrounded by four hills. This created a hot, stuffy environment choked with smoke and fumes making it a very uncomfortable and unhealthy place to live. In the early 20th century three of the hills were bulldozed to allow a flow of air through the city, making it a healthier place to live. Along with the hills were many of the old colonial buildings, so few remain today, replaced by high rise buildings. The debris from the hills was used to reclaim some land from the sea and this strip here is now used for the city's domestic airport (the international one is further north beyond that bridge)

We watched a plane hurtling down the runway and it seemed to get airborne without difficulty, but you only get one chance!

Beer and pizza on the top - because we can! We might not have been able to climb it today as planned, but we can still enjoy it  in another way!

And we've seen many of these very cute little creatures running around hoping to steal someones lunch. They are marmosets

There's Christ the Redeemer. Tomorrow morning our dawn walk should be on and we hope to be standing up there and getting the classic Rio de Janeiro photo from there. I'm finishing now as it's beer o' clock on Sunday evening. Tomorrow we have to be up at 4:00am as we're being collected at 4:40. I'm not posting this now, I'll add to it tomorrow after we've done our dawn walk and before we get on our ship home, so there should be many more photos below in glorious sunshine. The forecast looks good so our fingers are crossed! ---After eating dinner we've decided to post this now and do tomorrows and maybe the first part of our sea journey on the MSC Poesia at some port on the way. There maybe a blog tomorrow, or sometime later...