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| View south from Tijuca Park |
February is high summer season in Rio - temperatures at 90 degrees and above, Carnavale anticipation rising. We opted for Hotel Santa Teresa located up in the hills overlooking the city [an area much like Fiesole outside Florence] and spent the entire first day hopping from one view over the city to the next [Corcovado where the Christ statue is, Tijuca National Park which is the largest urban park in the world, Sugar Loaf mountain]. Rio truly is a beautiful city to view from above- the blue blue sea, white sand beaches, skyscrapers and remnants of the Atlantic rain forest and rolling hills and rocky outposts. We also drove through a favela, the so-called slums which are really independent villages within the city, with stores and restaurants, teeming street-life and, sadly, lots and lots of garbage. Last stop was, of course, Ipanema and Copacabana beaches. Pretty yes, but looked hot and Brazilians don't seem to like the slightly chilly water... Best eating was on the Sofitel hotel second floor terrace overlooking Copacabana beach and at Aprazivel in Santa Teresa district overlooking the whole lovely city. Back home now nursing a horrible cough...
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| Ipanema Beach |
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| Repair shop in favela |
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