Rio Day 2
Prior to our little side trip to Puerto Madryn last week, the plan was to have multiple options for exploring Rio. But, to make up a bit of lost time, we had to sail out of Rio at 3 p.m. instead of spending the entire day. That left less time on Sunday to cram it all in. We chose to go up Corcovado (see the aforementioned really tall Jesus – or more formally Christo Redentor), and the cable cars up Sugarloaf. Going to a city like this for the first time, the iconic landmarks were a must.
Rio doesn’t wake up well on a Sunday morning. A 7:30 a.m. departure from the dock got us ahead of most tourists. Driving to Corcovado, we passed government buildings, statues, many many (many) cathedrals, favelas (slums) and, most importantly, the SambaDrome. An explanation for the non-Carnivale afficianados: This is a several block long strip of pavement, with seating on either side for 30,000(?) or 60,000 (?). (I guess I didn’t wake too quickly that morning either). It’s where the Samba schools parade during the last 2 nights of Carnivale. Not quite the size of the world’s largest futbol stadium just down the road, but impressive never the less.
Anyway…Corcovado. After several tunnels and varying neighborhoods, we arrived at the foot of the cog railway that took us up the mountain. It’s about a 15 minute ride in an ancient train car up a very steep slope. We were 5 across in a pretty narrow car with some seats facing uphill and some downhill. Despite starting in the city, the railway cuts through a forest. Dense growth, flowering trees and occasional peeks of the surrounding landscape surrounded us. I was also momentarily bombarded by a very confused hummingbird, which flew in through the open windows and decided it would be a good idea to fly down my shirt. Now I was awake.
The train took us within about 200 steps of the top. The stairs wind around behind the statue, which was between us and the sun. So we emerged at the top, suddenly bathed in sunlight, beside this massive icon and the city of Rio laid out far below us. Your literal religious experience.
Attempting to further describe this would be an injustice. I’ll let a few of our pictures try to do that. But the people-watching was world class. There is another set of steps in front of the statue, leading to a point overlooking the city. Everyone went there for pictures of the view and to turn around to photograph each other in front of the statue. Group photos, individual photos, selfies and even attempted glamour shots all competed for prime spots. Of course, no one succeeded completely, which made it that much more fun. I would hate to see this place on a really crowded day, and really wouldn’t want to be up there when the Olympic throngs arrive.
Back down the mountain and on to Sugarloaf. You ascend Sugarloaf in two stages, both by cable car. As you would expect, the glass cable cars are packed, so everyone tries to get a prime spot. Actually, it wasn’t that hard….old people are slow.
While not nearly as high as Corcovado, Sugarloaf is not to be sneezed at, and has the added advantage of being in the heart of Rio. On one side are two huge beaches and the city center. On the other side are the better known beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. Vultures and other birds sail on the updrafts beneath and around you. Small monkeys scamper in the trees. One was trapped in a garbage can, but was released by a slightly nervous passer-by. Rock climbers scale the faces and rapelle down. The views were spectacular.
Rio is spectacular and magical. It is a place that is every bit what it is purported to be. Water, multi-shaped and soaring mountains, green patches, bright sand beaches, glass high-rises, crumbling colonial architecture and favelas that fill in the gaps, all combine in a chaotic, sometime depressing, sometime dangerous, but always charming and entrancing way.
That’s the end of my attempt at Rio. Back now to random experiences and stray thoughts.