BLOG SEVEN
Our hotel is NOT in the best part of town... we look out on an array of favelas so we don't wander far. In fact we take cabs everywhere. Guide told heather to take off her gold chain as kids ride by on bikes and just rip it off your neck and are gone.
View of favela at nite from our hotel
View by day
each hill top is connected by cable cars across the valleys.
Downtown favelas
Up early today for a full day tour of Rio which Heather found on-line. Interesting booking with Danielle, a lady working at the front desk who spoke very good English. We took down the Ipad and showed her the website; Danielle used her personal cell phone and I talked with Eduardo to arrange the tour and he told us the cost did not include a hotel pickup as advertised on the web and told us we had to meet at the statue in front of the Copacabana Hotel at the beach at 9:30. We were waiting for Eduardo (who didn’t show), our tour guide turned out to be Daniel who did show up, while waiting… a fellow named Ataida wandered over and tried to scoop the tour we were committed to take. Our tour cost 140 (35$ CAD) Reals per person and Ataida offered us the same tour for 130 Real and his comment was “What kid of tour doesn’t pick you up at your hotel?” Our return taxi rides cost and extra 140 Reals ($30 CAD). Heather figured out from the comments of our tour guide that led us to believe that Daniel arranged a tour thru a friend or by a friend and NOT the guy that was advertising on the internet; lot’s of interesting deals, sub deals, networks, connections, drop offs at chosen souvenir shops, arranged deals at selected restaurants, etc. , etc. Part of the game! Ataida compared prices openly for various tours and offered Daniel (his competitor) a commission if he referred business to him; yes… competition and free enterprise is alive and well in Brazil.
View of favela at nite from our hotel
View by day
each hill top is connected by cable cars across the valleys.
Downtown favelas
Up early today for a full day tour of Rio which Heather found on-line. Interesting booking with Danielle, a lady working at the front desk who spoke very good English. We took down the Ipad and showed her the website; Danielle used her personal cell phone and I talked with Eduardo to arrange the tour and he told us the cost did not include a hotel pickup as advertised on the web and told us we had to meet at the statue in front of the Copacabana Hotel at the beach at 9:30. We were waiting for Eduardo (who didn’t show), our tour guide turned out to be Daniel who did show up, while waiting… a fellow named Ataida wandered over and tried to scoop the tour we were committed to take. Our tour cost 140 (35$ CAD) Reals per person and Ataida offered us the same tour for 130 Real and his comment was “What kid of tour doesn’t pick you up at your hotel?” Our return taxi rides cost and extra 140 Reals ($30 CAD). Heather figured out from the comments of our tour guide that led us to believe that Daniel arranged a tour thru a friend or by a friend and NOT the guy that was advertising on the internet; lot’s of interesting deals, sub deals, networks, connections, drop offs at chosen souvenir shops, arranged deals at selected restaurants, etc. , etc. Part of the game! Ataida compared prices openly for various tours and offered Daniel (his competitor) a commission if he referred business to him; yes… competition and free enterprise is alive and well in Brazil.
Toured
Copacabana Beach, Olympic water sport venue which is so polluted many international
aquatic sports teams probably won’t show. Rio is all under construction and scrambling
to get roads, metro lines, tram lines, etc. built in the last 6 months before the
Olympics… GOOD LUCK! Brazilians have a fatalistic (and forgiving) view of why
all projects take 3-4-5 years longer than expected. Went to Ipanema Beach and Leblon
which is CLAIMED to be the richest real estate in the world.
Stopped at Sao
Conrado beach where the wealthy Rio-ans live and where the hang gliders land
after they jump off the mountain behind Cristo Redemptor Corovado mountain.
Brazilans
(according to our tour guide) brag a lot and claim they have the best, the
most, the largest, the most beautiful, the finest, the grandest, the most
expensive, etc. etc. in the WORLD! Daniel said take it all with a grain of
salt.
Travelled up
to Tijuca National Park and thru the Park… it is the largest national rainforest
park in a major city (more Brazilian bravado?). Nice and cool and green and
lush with waterfalls and no Zika mossies.
The area was a coffee plantation until the 1920s and the government reforested the whole area. Mata is the name to describe the re-newed eastern Brazilian rain forest. Next stop, Cristo Redempto, whose outstretched arms point due north and due south and face directly east to “welcome” all those entering the harbour. Never saw so many selfie sticks in one place at one time EVER and not one Asian in sight! Was that my outside voice?? The panoramic view is absolutely stunning. The Brazilians are partially correct, at least!
Panorama views from Cristo Redemptor follow: Cristo is over 100 meters above sea level and stands about 30 meters high
Worlds largest soccer stadium Maracana (white do nut)
Had a
fabulous buffet dinner at 3 pm… we were all starved by then. St Theresa neighbourhood is "old" Rio with beautiful old buildings, churches, wooden doors, etc.
The area was a coffee plantation until the 1920s and the government reforested the whole area. Mata is the name to describe the re-newed eastern Brazilian rain forest. Next stop, Cristo Redempto, whose outstretched arms point due north and due south and face directly east to “welcome” all those entering the harbour. Never saw so many selfie sticks in one place at one time EVER and not one Asian in sight! Was that my outside voice?? The panoramic view is absolutely stunning. The Brazilians are partially correct, at least!
Panorama views from Cristo Redemptor follow: Cristo is over 100 meters above sea level and stands about 30 meters high
Worlds largest soccer stadium Maracana (white do nut)
Lively area at nite with bars, sidewalk cafes, and music. Wrought iron, old buildings reminiscent of New Orleans.
Last stop was the Lapa steps, thousands upon thousands of tiles on steps that join Lapa with another barrio.
Tiles have been laid by people, cities, groups, organizations from all over the world… even the Moore’s from Ireland; your relatives… Rod?
The Chilean artist that started this project was named Carlos Selaron, Arcos of Lapa, had a fixation on black, pregnant women (it is speculated he had something to do with creating one or more of people characterized by the images). Ataida told us he was not responsible for the pregnancies as he was gay but he was fixated on black, pregnant women. He was found dead a year or so ago; some speculated suicide some speculated he was killed by his lover.
Last stop was the Lapa steps, thousands upon thousands of tiles on steps that join Lapa with another barrio.
Tiles have been laid by people, cities, groups, organizations from all over the world… even the Moore’s from Ireland; your relatives… Rod?
The Chilean artist that started this project was named Carlos Selaron, Arcos of Lapa, had a fixation on black, pregnant women (it is speculated he had something to do with creating one or more of people characterized by the images). Ataida told us he was not responsible for the pregnancies as he was gay but he was fixated on black, pregnant women. He was found dead a year or so ago; some speculated suicide some speculated he was killed by his lover.
Rio street art graffiti is so vibrant and colourful. We have a walking tour thru the favela booked for tomorrow. Should be interesting. Two more sleeps and we are on our way home… we are READY!
No comments:
Post a Comment