Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Mar 3-4)

Rio! Second to São Paulo in size, but second to none in reputation and excitement. Famed for its Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, Sugarloaf Mountain, Christ the Redeemer statue atop Mount Corcovado, the world’s largest Carnaval celebration (which we missed by a week), Maracana futbol stadium (for soccer fans), and favelas (slums, which we missed by design!) Rio was briefly the capital of the Portuguese empire when Queen Maria I moved her court there to flee Napoleon’s invasion in 1808. It has interesting colonial architecture interspersed with a jumble of modern buildings, many marked with graffiti.

We took a 5 1/2 hour bus tour featuring a ride to the top of Sugarloaf by cable car, and a drive by the Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon, and Ipanema and Copacabana beaches. 

Modern Catholic cathedral and colonial buildings

Christ the Redeemer statue from ship where we docked and from cable car (over my right shoulder)

 

Views of and from Sugarloaf

Travel companions Kendie and Joseph

Murals on wall of funicular

Flora at top

Lagoon 

Ipanema

Copacabana

Classic Copacabana Palace Hotel 

Bob getting caipirinha: Brazil’s national drink made with Cachaça (sugarcane hard liquor), sugar, and lime 

Bill’s costume options for next Carnaval