Rio in Three Days

Well, we are trying to make the most of Rio, and have done as much as we can in the few days we have, but have fitted it in around sleeping, being lazy and generally doing nothing. On the first day we struggled quite a bit.

After getting up early and taking a walk along the Cococpana and Ipanema beaches (which are beautiful), we visited a market and then decieded to return home to change and go sunbathe. So after a brief nap we emerged from our room at 4.30pm, slightly shiny with suntan cream, armed with books, sunglasses, scanty clothes etc ready to hit the beach. We had already got burnt necks earlier (in my defence- my hair is not normally this short!) so were extra cautious this time around with the lotion. However, our mistake was to not realise that we are in the southern hemisphere, so as we strolled down the road to the beach, in the dark, we felt like idiots. But at least we were shiny idiots so the cars did not hit us.

(Left Copacabana, still buzzing at 2pm)

The last two days we went on the local bus (we feel victorious) to Christ the Redemer and Sugar loaf mountain (photos to follow - i have now found out that we cannot upload pictures here). Both had great views. Nothing that exciting to report, the pictures pretty much speak for themselves (or not as the case is now). Tomorrow we leave for Paraty a 4 hour bus ride south-ish.

Observations on Rio so far.
- everyone has a tiny dog, dressed in an outfit, with bows in their hair, apart from the lady at the beach who had a cockrel in a football jersey on a lead. There are no real dogs.
- the birds at the beach who circle the shore at night are the dead ringers for teridactiles, have i missed the newspaper article about dinosaurs still being alive in South America?
- There are m0re pec implants on Copocabana beach than there are fake boobs. The glamerous string bikini front is a lie! Celulite and wobbly bits are all the rage here.
- You can´t see the Christ the redeemer statue everywhere, and its not that big.
- The tree´s here are massive and very cool.
- Rio´s dont like living in big, beautiful, old houses and they seem to be leaving them to age badly (ie dericlition) in order to live in tower blocks of ugliness.
- The police must have done a good job at shooting all the street kids a few years ago as i havent seen any yet.
- It is ok to do grafitti everywhere here, and not tags, actual good pictures- See below of the one a man did of Xss and I as we were passing through a park.