Rio Day 2 – a reminder of some generalisations - 4th Nov

Rio is famous or infamous for a number of things. The statue, lovely beaches, samba, favelas, pick pocket and 'assualto' crime, people's preoccupation with looking good.

We started the day with another great, if unhealthy, breakfast including two large coffees followed by a walk down to the 'upmarket' district of Leblon, a 20min or so walk from out hotel. Once establishing that the centre of Leblon was mainly clothes shops we then head for the beach. As in Ipanema, to get to the beach you cross a couple of residential blocks – all with heavy bars and security doors keeping the outside world out. They must be there for a reason, but you can not help feel it must not be the most relaxing way to live. I guess if you have a beach as beautiful as they do you can maybe put up with it.

We walked along the beach back towards Ipanema, paddling in the water and watching the world go by.

On Leblon and Ipanema beach there seems to be no trouble or cloud of crime hanging over the area, the beach sellers are friendly and not to pushy and everyone seems to be there to soak up the rays or look good.

No trouble on the beach

 We spent at least 15min watching a lady have her photo taken in and around the sea with the great views in the background... shot after shot was preceded by many and varied poses found best in a Freeman' catalogue. Men walk down the beach with their chest puffed out... people really do make an effort to attempt to look good even at 11am on a Thursday morning. I am not sure how high the skin cancer rate is in Brazil but no one had a t-shirt or shirt on except for both of us.

For lunch Emma made some rolls and we then got on the bus (#511) to head for Sugar Loaf Mountain. We went up to the top at around 4ish and stayed till nightfall. The views were as spectacular as from the Christ the Redeemer statue.

We took rather too many photos, especially of the sunset and the statue lit up on the hill above the city with the favelas stretching up the many steep hills towards it. All the fevelas were lit also, linked to the national grid but apparently not paying a centavos for the pleasure... if the taxi driver on the first day was to be believed that is (“our rates are very expensive so that theirs are very very cheap”).

Copacabana Beach in the background

We got the bus back to towards the hotel, jumped off and went to get a takeaway pizza and a few cervejas from the supermarket.

To cap off a rock and roll evening we watched the first ever episode of Only Fools and Horses. Well I did, Emma fell asleep half way through... 10 points for knowing what was the fault with the briefcases the Trotters bought from Trigger!

P.S. Don't worry not all the postings will be this long.