Rio de Janeiro BRAZIL

Rio de Janeiro is a city of ever-changing vistas and breathtaking sights. As we entered the Guanabara Bay the views were mysterious:  time of day...place...direction....focus....Wow! 

As there is no commercial equivalent in Rio, SAS organized a 'hop-on-hop-off' bus which was ambitious, if not successful.  Turns out that multiple buses moving continuously are the best people-movers.  Long waits were pro forma for this SAS bus and apparently no one was able to accomplish the full circuit. 

On the funicular tram up to Corcovado,  the humpback mountaintop location of Christ the Redeemer, a Samba band jumped aboard as we ascended at a 45 degree angle upwards. Joyful Samba is ubiquitous.
Not pictured:  We passed by the Sambadrome where the many Samba Schools compete annually for the Carnival Samba championship.

John, Jake, Stacy, and Julie.  Jones must be there somewhere??? 

At the top Louise, Julie and I enjoy a cool juice drink while striving to enjoy the sights through Rio air pollution.  It was hot. 

At  Corcovado the marmosets were the show-stealers.  CUTE! (and I do not generally use that word!!) Crowds gathered snapping photos of these darling creatures who enjoyed bit of food and ice cream wrappers for the licking. 

Views into the several valleys below from Corcovado.  Here the rocks of Sugarloaf in the center plus Ipanema Beach on the right and Copacabana Beach on the left.  Rio is a modern high-rise city lined with lovely and crowded white beaches. Breath-taking. 

Copacabana Beach by the busy city of Rio. The MV Explorer was docked just to the left of this photo.

Afternoon sun atop Sugarloaf.

Tourists linger to view sunset from the top of Sugarloaf.

Corcovada with Christ the Redeemer is silhouetted by the setting sun. 

Rio is trendy, ebullient, and ever-so-hip. 

A full dashboard in this Rio taxi.

On this national holiday,  it was not possible to actually see the water at Ipanema Beach.  Rio folks,  young and old, rich and poor, turn out by the hundreds of thousands, (VERY) scantily clad (Louise had quite a time getting used to so much skin, so little fabric!!!).  The gangs of rampant teens were also active, stealing and bullying - so much that our tour bus drivers whisked us away at the sign of an incident, not allowing beach strolling.

Sugarloaf in the background, the urban city of Rio, Copacabana, and here is Ipanema Beach

Santa Marta Favela 

Over the last century as Brazilians  arrived in Rio from the poor northern countryside seeking work, the favelas have grown organically up the steep hillsides and valleys surrounding the chic urban districts of the city. Squatters clustered shanties up along mud pathways with open drainage and sewage trenches running down.  Lawless centers for drugs and gangs, the favelas were dangerous and crazy. 

Beginning in the 90's the government has been forcefully entering (with guns and assault weapons) claiming, and "pacifying" the favelas.  Pacification includes building stairways and sidewalks, running water, contained drainage, complete electrification, schools,  and establishing local homeowners associations, community centers, and recycling centers.  

Our hostess and tour guide. 

Santa Marta was the first favela pacified and is a model community.  In this central section a paint manufacturer donated colors and design for the beautification of the community.  Locals take small groups of tourists up, up, up to the top and then serve a home-cooked lunch to the groups. 

Coming down is much easier than going up.  There is a funicular for passengers and cargo but it only works 1/3 of the way up.  It was hot here! 

Protests on structures at the top against and planned hotel. 

Michael Jackson was flown in by helicopter to this location to film the video "They don't care about us" 1996.  He is a HUGE local hero in Santa Marta.