Reo de Janerio

 Reo de Janeiro 23rd to the 25th April

We flew to Rio from Iguazu and had a day with Nathaly.  Rio was very nice probably the pick of the cities we have visited and easy to get around. Nice beach close to hotel and plenty of options for eating. Also the money was a lot simpler not the drama as with Argentina. You could just go to an ATM and make a withdrawal. Had a nice day exploring the beaches and had a swim in the evening and in the morning. The weather has been amazing with clear blue sky each day.

We did a city tour with a guide up to the Christ the Redeemer statue then through older parts of the city including the 'Selaron Steps' and up Sugar Loaf on the cable car for sunset. Then back to the hotel and getting ready for the flight to Mendoza at 12.10 am. Yep that was an early flight but best we could get. Would have been good to have another few days in Rio.

Christ the Redeemer from Sugar Loaf on sunset.

Iguazu to Rio

Some of the city with the lake used during the Olympics

One of the Rio favelas tucked under a hillside

Sugar Loaf from the view point at Christ the Redeemer

One of the old forts at the harbours entrance

Copacabana beach where we stayed 

Taken at night from the hotel

Christ the Redeemer is made of a mosaic on the exterior

Another one of the early sunset getting buzzed by helicopters

Just to prove Maree was there and show the crowds. They said it wasn't that busy. 

The little chapel inside Christ the Redeemer

The old part of Rio that we visited on the tour

Brazil was the last nation in the Western world to abolish slavery in 1888, and by then it had imported an estimated 4,000,000 slaves from Africa. This was 40% of all slaves shipped to the Americas.

The widow at the bottom of this building from the 1800 was the slave quarters

The Rio Cathedral - the 1970s have a lot to answer for.

Maree on the Selaron Steps

Beach photos below from Copacabana and the next beach along

Trip in the Cable Car to Sugar Loaf

We found a cake shop that got Maree quite excited