So I've been doing what one has to do when in Rio - and there's lots that fits that description. I visited Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer), or Turisto Redentor as it seemed to be today. He watches over Rio, and so I did too. (It was a nice day, but look at the haze. Bloody humans and their cars).
I've also partied in Lapa for two nights - Thursday and Friday. On Friday, after drinking on some plastic tables and chairs outside a couple bars, we went to a really good and old Samba club, with live music. I think it was the first in Rio, and the building atleast was build in 1867.I also walked around the centre area of the city, Centro, on Saturday. It was very quiet. Most people must just work there, and then stay in their neighbourhoods at week ends, which is understandable. All the shops that you need are nearby, and all the (wealthier) neighbourhoods are very nice. Centro has old buildings dotted in with new. There's a new Cathedral I went inside of that looks like a starwars parliament building from the outside - not too pretty, but inside is very different. Very peaceful, and powerfull, with an extremely high roof and beautiful stained glass.
Above are steps near Lapa, which are paved with tiles from some old artist. One day he just decided that they were his project, and now they are filled with tiles from all over the world - including one of a Tui. He's a bit crazy, apparently, and every picture he personally draws features a pregnant black woman as the main focus. The steps are always a work in progress - he smashes some tiles and replaces them, though he seemed to be taking Saturday off.
Above are the arches of Lapa. They are an old aquaduct that now support the tramline that runs to Santa Teresa, which I visited on my first day (see earlier post).After visiting Jesus and the neighbourhood below it today, I strolled along Copacabana beach and watched the sun set. A very romantic moment with myself.
Tomorrow I will probably visit the beach again more properly, as I haven't done so yet and it's my last day. I move to a hotel nearby to join the 42 day tour I'm doing, which takes me to Salvador on Tuesday.
