The Marvellous City!
Trip Start
Oct 21, 2009
1
32
34
Trip End
Dec 21, 2009
Where I stayed
Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Thursday, December 17, 2009
First thing we did as part of the group trip was go on a guided tour to the Racinha Favela. We were well chaperoned and the overall feeling was of a well trodden path but it did feel rather authentic. Perhaps the most exciting bit was paying off the local bike company so we had to ride pillion to the top of the favela. Perhaps not the best time for your first time on a motor bike. Still my rider took the fact I was one of the few in our group not wearing a mini skirt with a fair degree of pragmatism. Not sure I would want to re-attempt the hill start between a dumper truck and a bus again though. We visited some community projects where our money goes and did a bit of shopping in the local shops, visited a school etc. Wasn´t really that sure about doing it but glad I did.
Then had a fancy meal in Ipanema and visited the bar for some drinks where the girl from Ipanema was written.
Next day did not do much, pottering around Copabana which is a pretty good place for pottering around it has to be said...
Final night with the Group back in Ipanema trying out one of those fantastic buffet places where they bring huge slabs of meat on great skewers on an all you can eat basis. Then partying on Caipirnha´s until 3am.
Next day felt shit - unbelievably managed to catch a sodding cold from the Peaches Geldof type 19 yeal old Aussie girl in my group who I bearly spoke to for obvious incompatability reasons. Nothing to do with the Caipirnhas from the previous night...
Went to downtown Rio looked at Cathedrals, Nieymar architecture, bohemian Santa Theresa with great city views, Lapa Aquaduct and Gloria.
This morning went between Copacabana and Ipanema beaches for a few hours and fell victim to the South American mustard trick in humorous circumstances.
I must admit I wasn´t very inconspicous with full chest body hair standing proud and Noel Gallagher hat traversing the brief urban bit between the two beaches. However given that I was wearing open toe sandles and was only 150 metres from the beach I didn´t think I was an appropriate target for squirting mustard on my shoes and then have someone to offer to clean it off for me pointing out the shit on my shoe. Fortunately I was wise to this ´gag´ and able to give him the cold shoulder but shame I couldn´t say the following in Portuguese:
´`You cock I´m wearing sandals and you´ve got most of it on my toes so why would I need you to clean my shoes? I´m about 150 metres from the sea so I might as well clean it up there. You are not a very good scam artist are you? In fact are you f@#$&% retarded? Actually don´t bother responding to that last question because I think we both know the answer...``
With four days to go touch wood that this is the only mildly unsavoury incident in 8 weeks of travelling this intriguing continent.
No pictures for the mo as most Rio internet cafes don´t allow USB connections.
