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...

(which is hard, I no speaketh portugese and his English ain’t the best! (funny moment when I was trying to communicate I needed a UK adaptor and ended up resorting to Pictionary style drawings, we celebrated for about an hour when we both realised that we both understood what I was saying). Anyway, great couple of hours visiting a few of the local galleries.  I really hope the art of Latin America is adopted by the west, it is unbelievable, (as to is their fashion, in which I include accessories) uber creative bunch.

Dinner at Fronteria San Sebastio (dare I add this to my list of top 10 restaurants in the world ?) or was I just punch drunk .. who would have thought that mozzarella, kiwi fruit, ham and puff  pastry would be one of the tastiest things I have ever eaten.  This was followed by cocktails and setting sun on Ipanema (if you are at ground level on Copacabana, you cannot see the sunset).

again back to the apartment of my new acquaintance, (I love going to the homes of locals to see how they live), by now an electrical storm had kicked in.  Sergio lives in Copacabana which is actually quite rough and if you are off the main drag and away from the hotels, the apartments and living standards are not the best, his lounge room window though does provide a glimpse of Rio living and looks out onto apartment blocks and also a small view of Christ the Redeemer statue, not a bad way to spend a last night in Rio, a new friend and watching an electrical storm.

Before questions are asked …  a) I am a nice girl b) I had to be up at 4am for a flight to Panama c) I stayed back at my hotel ;-)

Thank you Rio

x