Rio City centre and Niteroi
Day 5: Sept 3, Rio/Niteroi
I woke up early and took the bus to the city centre. My attempt at speaking Portuguese elicited a smile and a shake of the head from the pretty conductor (In Brasilian buses, you enter through the front and pay a person who is in charge of taking money, giving change and letting you through a turnstile. You eventually get out the door at the back). Fighting through the morning traffic in Copacabana, Flamengo, Botofago etc, the bus made it to the city centre in about an hour!
I started my wandering at the Sao Bento monastery. Made my way around the city centre, watching the poor employed productive citizens of Rio out and about the busy lives. (It is hard work being me at the moment. I feel as if I have to enjoy for all those poor, hardworking people and also my friends far away.)
Brasilian elections are at hand. People handing out flyers all over centro. The folk don’t really wait to let you finish saying “Nao, obrigado”, but shove the flyer in your hand and look out for their next victim. Lula’s protege seems to be leading the polls and looks like a certainty for the next President.
I was struck by the fact that Romario and Bebeto are standing for elections or are supporting some candidate. Deputado.. I have no idea what that means. Parliament, maybe? (Bebeto and Romario, for my non-football speaking friends, are two strikers who were part of the 1994 world cup winning Brasilian team. Bebeto became famous for his iconic celebration after scoring a goal in the semifinal against the Netherlands. Romario and another player joined in. The three of them mimicked rocking a baby, as Bebeto dedicated his goal to his 2 or 3 day old new-born. I remember seeing the game and couldnt understand what they were doing!)
Stopped by the tourist office and there was nobody there! I wonder if this is why the folks of Sao Paulo tease the Cariocas. I was directed to the tourist office upstairs where again I was thwarted by the absence of anyone manning the fort. I finally managed to stop a young lady and ask her how to get to Niteroi in a combination of broken Portuguese and Spanish. Armed with a map and instructions in hand, I head down to the ferry terminal.
My main reason to head to Niteroi was to visit the museum designed by Oscar Niemeyer, and the great view of Rio across the bay. (The equivalent for us in Seattle is the view from Alki). The panoramic view encompasses Pao de Azucar, the neighbourhoods of Urca, Flamengo, Botofago, Sta Teresa, Centro and the statue of Cristo Redendor looming over the neighbourhood. It was a very pleasant 20 minute walk along the coast. There are of course beaches along the way, with people playing football, sunbathing, enjoying life. There were also some construction workers taking a siesta during the mid-day break. Very pleasant 23 deg weather with a light breeze. Very enjoyble walk.
Got back to the hostel and took it easy the rest of the evening. The only time I headed out of the hostel was for an hour long walk around the neighbourhood. I havent seen the neighbourhood at night much yet!
Photos: (you don’t need a facebook account to view them)
Niteroi
Rio
2 consecutive posts! It is good to have free internet access at the hostel. It also helps that everyone is out to party on a Sat night, leaving us old folks with unhindered access to the computer!
Heading out of Rio on Tuesday. Ilha Grande, Paraty, Trinidade and Sao Paulo …
Day 6: Sept 4, Rio
The weather forecast for the day was sunny, and a high of 37 deg C. After a decade in Seattle, I wasnt sure I wanted to deal with it, and took to the hills. I spent the day getting to & back, and hiking in the Tijuca national forest.
Floresta Tijuca is the biggest jungle in the middle of a city. I got there around 11:30. Getting there was a wee bit more complicated than it should have been, but I managed to flag down the wrong bus. More stabs at Portuguese. I love listening to Brasilians speak Portuguese. It sounds extremely musical. All the more fun because I dont understand it. I am sure the conversations wouldnt sound quite so poetical if I were to translate it to the mundane details of life.
I spent the afternoon hiking. Went up a hill; it was meant to be a medium hike. I am not sure whom they had in mind for there were parts I felt I were a mountain climber. Lovely views from the top. View of the city, shrouded by forest. After that I went on a fairly flat hike to a waterfall where a couple of families were having showers, taking photos and having a picnic. A nice day spent in a beautiful setting. I was alone for long periods of time that I couldn’t really believe that I was only a bus ride away from the crowded bustle of the city!
2 posts in 3 days. It can only go downhill from here….
Tags: Travel
Damu