Showing posts with label Rio. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rio. Show all posts

Thursday, 15 December 2011

Rio – could you be… the most beautiful place in the world (thanks prince / symbol)

Doing a wee catch up, and to be honest, Rio kinda’ passed in a bit of a hazy blur … mmm wonder why that was!? 

I spent 4 glorious days (not nearly enough), in what I honestly may be the closest city to paradise (well a CBT kinda paradise).  This place is packed with everything, it is not just the beaches, because it is also surrounded by lagoons, tropical forest, beautiful hills, amazing museums and galleries, and uber sexy people.  You hear all about the folk of Rio being the most beautiful in the world, but I came to the conclusion that it is not actually physical beauty, they are just so damn’ comfortable in their skin.  A real lack of make-up, no-one cares about size, they get it out regardless, hairy pits (not condoned by moi), just a real earthy quality.

Anyway, I would be uploading photos, but I am now in a place, where shall we say technology ain’t the best (more of that later though).  I will add them when in Mexico or the States.  (you need to read the other posts for updates on sugarloaf and my wondeful last day in Rio)
 a rough rundown on Rio … now there is no hop on – hop off bus in Rio (crazy and me thinks I should start one, although Hollywood tattoos and Tromso café are still up there), so feeling a little bit ahem unwell from the following day, I decided to take it relatively easy and booked myself on a half day trip to Tijuca forest and also to see Christ the Redeemer.  I struck lucky, the tour was booked out … damn those couples … so I got to actually go on a private tour 1:2:1 with a cousin of the dude that I originally booked the tour on, (this has happened quite a few times, most memorably in Morocco).

I crap myself on a ferris wheel, but Sugarloaf is a breeze !

Life is good.  Popped along to Rios biggest market (16 blocks), all home made goods and crafts.  I wanted to buy sooo much to a) support the locals b) some of the stuff is amazing, but I am on the road now and suitcase space is limited. 

Following the market, off to Sugarloaf mountain, the cable cars are split into two journeys, and believe me they are  freakin’ high!  Yet I felt completely calm about the ride.  Now given three week earlier I closed my eyes on the Hyde Park winter wonderland ferris wheel, I am starting to think I need to talk to someone. 

click for more ..

Rio - the extremes – my last day ..

I had been asking Sergio on the forest / Redeemer tour about the Favelas of Rio.  You pass a few on the way in from the airport, but the Government has built these huge fence / screen things to block the views and ensure the tourists only see the pretty, lovely bits … (it is a very pretty drive so they kinda did  good job) ….

Sergio picked me up at 7am, we spent the first couple of hours visiting the err umm safest favelas.  Soo hard to describe… and after much convincing from Sergio, I took no pics, (not safe to pull out a touch phone) but try to imagine the Mumbai slums, on about half the scale, with the threat, eeriness, and crime of central Jo’burg.

Back to Sergios, for mate and decisions on the rest of the day...

Monday, 12 December 2011

oh Rio - I wanna be the girl from Ipanema !

Tall and tan and young and lovely. The girl from Ipanema goes walking. That when she passes, each one she passes goes - ah

When she walks, she's like a samba. That swings so cool and sways so gentle. That when she passes, each one she passes goes - ooh


Okay .. so the description is a little way out ... :-) but I am in bloomin´ Rio ..  Ipanema to be exact, move to the hottest spot north of Havana in a couple of days, (Copacabana).

I love love love Rio, cosmopolitan, tropical, relaxed, fun, cocktails, scenic, sexy ...  just a quick story, longer blog later ...  in London Boris J has established (what has become known as Boris´ bikes) pushies that you swipe your visa and you can pick up ride and drop off at many many many points across London.  I discovered Boris bikes Rio style following circa 12 Cuba Libres, after a very drunken ride through Ipanema and Copacabana, and me not remembering much, the gent on reception reminded me this morning, that ´my´ bike is parked in the luggage storage room ... oh my ... (I am sure I am too old for this) ...

anyway few snaps of the glorious beaches (click on the links) Copacabana and Ipanema beach

Take Care
CBT - x