rio by caipirissima

Ah Rio. A Cidade Maravilhosa. The Marvellous City. Heading to Rio is always a treat as there is lots to do and plenty to see. We easily filled up our days there, heading up Corcovado and the Pão de Açúcar, strolling on the beaches, going to a samba house in Lapa, staring in awe at the various churches, museums and cultural centres, eating at the famous Confeitaria Colombo, a century-old café where Rio's intellectual and artistic elite congregated during Rio's belle epoque, hanging out with friends, shopping, and of course, eating. Unfortunately, as always, there was more adventure than stictly necessary.

This trip's memories include:

1. Pão de Açúcar, as seen from Corcovado.

2. The bar, previously called Veloso, now named Garota de Ipanema [The Girl from Ipanema], where Tom Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes used to spend their days. Inspired by the frequent passings of eighteen-year-old Heloísa Eneida Menezes Paes Pinto they were inspired to pen the music (Jobim) and write the lyrics (Moraes) for the hit A Garota de Ipanema. Quite possibily the single most recognised bossanova tune out there.

3. Ipanema's sidewalk.

4. Copacabana's sidewalk.

5. Copacabana and Praia Vermelha as seen from the Pão de Açúcar.

6. The gardens of the Palacio Catete, the former official residence of Brazil's presidents and now the Museum of the Republic.

7. Floresta da Tijuca, the world's largest urban forest.

8. Ah, the beach!

9. Getting robbed at knife-point outside the Museum of Modern Art.