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Showing posts with label Copcacabana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Copcacabana. Show all posts

Monday, July 11, 2016

Rio de Janeiro (BRASIL) - And your Olympic city is.....

Rio de Janeiro (Brasil)
11 July - 14 July 2016



The first Olympics I was fully conscious of and that I can remember with some clarity was Los Angeles in 1984. I recall being on holiday with my family in Croatia. Back then Croatia wasn't a thing, it wasn't the burgeoning tourist destination that it is now, in fact, it wasn't even Croatia, it was still part of Yugoslavia and my family, living in the capital of Belgrade, would do the typical thing of heading to the seas-side over Summer.

There have been some great Olympics. Barcelona in 1992 was memorable and then of course I was lucky enough to have experienced a hometown Olympics in 2000. Now that was truly one of my favourite sporting experiences of all time. I recall riding the train to work each morning from Seven Hills and looking over at the Olympic stadium with the cauldron burning proudly. That was a hell of a good time.


How much do I love the Olympics!? - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


Since then I've personally had the feeling that the Olympics have been on the slide, that they may have lost the lustre of being the pinnacle (well, nearly the pinnacle), of world sporting events. My hope, my desire really, was that a somewhat exotic location like Rio, the first South American city to host an Olympics, would bring back some of the excitement and anticipation that had been lost in recent years.



Copacabana beach - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


Copacabana beach - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


Copacabana beach - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Copacabana - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Copacabana - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


Aside from my Olympic slant, the standing agreement that I have with Inga is that any time we go to Buenos Aires, that Rio is also included on our schedule. Her pilgrimage to Rio is as much about her paying North European homage to sun, sea and sand, as mine is to red wine, football and meat when going to Buenos Aires. In all honesty I'm a big fan of Rio too. What's not to like about the carioca culture, the marvellous beaches of Copacabana & Ipanema, the beautiful people on the beach or running them, the caipirinhas, the easy way of living. Simple pleasures but thoroughly enjoyable.


Copacabana beach from the Porto Bay - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil




Copacabana beach from the Porto Bay - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


Driving in from the airport is a known entity to us, and the beginning of that feeling of being in the city always commences when we see Cristo de Redentor. From a distances is always a lot smaller than you anticipate it to be but its position as guardian of the city is undeniable and understandably its acknowledgement is one of the new seven wonders of the world is deserved, I believe.

This time around we decided to stay at the wonderful
PortoBay Rio (Copacabana). Without question, its roof top bar and pool area has one of the great views in Rio. Some six years earlier I had made the wonderful discovery of this location with Janelle and Jet but have never had the opportunity to stay, now was our time and my, what an absolute treat. To virtually be right on the beach and to fall asleep listening to the sounds of the waves crashing on one of the worlds most famous beaches was such a highlight.


Copacabana beach from the Porto Bay - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


Copacabana beach from the Porto Bay - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil





Copacabana beach from the Porto Bay - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Porto Bay Hotel - Copacabana - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Porto Bay Hotel - Copacabana - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


A typical day for us in Rio is goes like this. An early morning run from the hotel down to the end of Ipanema and then back to the hotel (around 12kms). Shower and then down for the buffet breakfast inclusive of bottomless champagne. Post breakfast its time to change and then head out to the beach for a few hours in the sun, grabbing caipirinhas from the passing vendors who are brutal with the cachaca! As the light descends during the back part of the day we head up to the roof top bar at the Porto Bay for afternoon drinks and then discuss our options for heading out during the night. Once again, there's nothing overly complicated about the routine but that precisely what's great about it. It's beach culture at its finest.

Typically as a tourist in Rio, if you're not on the beach during the day then you're probably heading up to the viewing point at Cristo de Redentor, or, you're heading up to the top of Sugarloaf. We certainly did both on this trip too, Cristo we did conventionally, taking a bus up from Copacabana like all the other tourists, taking in the views, doing our panoramic photos and partaking in the outstretched arm poses. Sugarloaf however was a little different for us on this occasion.



Cristo de Redentor - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil



                                          Cristo de Redentor - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil





Cristo de Redentor - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

     Cristo de Redentor - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Lagoa rodrigo de freitas - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

 Cristo de Redentor - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

This time I suggested to Inga that we go about climbing Sugarloaf, which you can in fact do by two main routes. The front face belongs to the true climbers, those that know what they hell they're doing and can respect the challenge. The back way, which on the face of it appears like a steep walk is in fact slightly more difficult than that. We decided to take the challenge without entirely realising the degree of difficulty involved. Of course we didn't undertake the ascent on our own, it would have been foolhardy and potentially deadly to have done it that way, but still, we put ourselves into the hands of a knowledgeable local with a large amount of experience of this route.

Initially the ascent from the back of Sugarloaf is nothing more than a trail with a slight gradient. We had assumed that for the most part this would be the case. How wrong we were.



Climbing Sugarloaf - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


Climbing Sugarloaf - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Climbing Sugarloaf - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil



Climbing Sugarloaf - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Climbing Sugarloaf - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil
There's a drop of about 100mtrs just to the left of this photo


Climbing Sugarloaf - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


The early part of the climb takes place a vast expanse of rock that is quite open. The issue is that the gradient is relatively steep and the terrain is much the same as walking on a steep pebblecrete surface. Immediately we knew that we weren't prepared, our choice of footwear was enough to signal in the fact that we were less than novices We were more like your weekend experience backyard tree climbers. Having enough knowledge to know that positioning your centre of gravity forward and allowing yourself to 'grip something' for support was probably going to be the way to get this done. Here's where the problem was. This part of the mountain was pebblecrete rock face only. No handles, no crevices, just an upward gradient that made you feel like one slip could have you sliding 50mtrs down the face and into the Atlantic. To say it was disconcerting was a slight understatement. The most difficult section did have a long rope to alleviate the nerves but still, looking down to what could be a harrowing death was not appealing for either of us.



Sugarloaf - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


Sugarloaf - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


Sugarloaf - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


Sugarloaf - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


Conquering pebblecrete alley was one thing. What we didn't know, until such time that Daniel our guide explained it, was that there was about 20mtrs of vertical technical climbing that we needed to undertake...'Hey guide Daniel, excuse me sir, but WTF man, what is this vertical limit garbage and why are you making us wear helmets now'. This is probably where things took a severe turn for Inga. The climb was nerve racking and in moments left us dangling in mid air of the edge of a cliff. It wasn't at all the 'walk in the park' that we expected, and when Inga got to the top of the vertical stretch I could see that her nerves had been completely frazzled.  Admittedly from that point out the climb up was just a path, with some precarious drops to keep us company, but still, just a path. Poor Inga however had been pushed to the edge and she literally climbed 80% of the remaining way on all fours. It would have been looked more than odd from the perspective of a bystander but self preservation sometimes forces you to take drastic steps.


The prize for getting up Sugarloaf in this manner? Probably a saving of $20 for not paying the cable cars, which we more than paid for the guide, so I guess really it's just to say that we'd be some of the small numbers that have that achievement under our belt, and that's pretty cool to know.


Final morning run on Copacabana - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Final morning run on Copacabana - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil




Copacabana, Ipanema and Sugarloaf - all visible from this photo
Rio de Janeiro - Brasil - on the way back to Buenos Aires - Argentina

Whilst our time in Rio was only short lived on this occasion it certainly didn't diminish our enjoyment and love of this city. Just like Buenos Aires we know that this occasion is only one in a long line of visits that we'll inevitably be making in the future.


Thursday, June 11, 2015

Rio de Janeiro (BRASIL) - Carioca landscapes between the mountain and the sea

Rio de Janeiro (Brasil)
11 JUNE - 19 JUNE 2015
26 JUNE - 01 JULY 2015


The Portuguese first cruised into Guanabara Bay on the 1st of January, 1502. What a New Year's Day that must have been. Rolling over the waves of the Atlantic, the beams of sunlight hitting the seamen through their portholes, swimming in their own seas of semi-consciousness, green wine mixing with copious amounts of port, it was no wonder that when they made the turn into the bay even the best and brightest called it a river. In fact, Rio de Janeiro should have been known as Baia de Janeiro - but hell, what's in a name, a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, 'apparently'.

Dramatic mountains of emerald green rising directly from the sea and the molding of the urban landscape around those immovable features makes Rio a visually stunning city. Of course, like many places around the world, be they cultural, historic or geographical, the part of the city that encompasses the Tijuaca mountains, to Guanabara Bay, down to the coastline that includes Copacabana, Ipanema, and all the other great beaches heading south, are UNESCO Heritage listed. I get the feeling these days that UNESCO Heritage listing is a bit of laugh, apparently 'Vienesse coffee culture' is also on a 'list'....BUT...with that said, the outstanding universal value contributed by the Carioca landscapes between the mountain and the sea are undeniable.



Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


View from Corcovado - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Cristo Redentor - Corcovado - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil



Cristo Redentor - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil



Some cities have a power, an allure, a vibrancy. If they were people you would call them charismatic. Places of charm and energy (New York), romance and beauty (Paris), seductive vivacity (Buenos Aires), and then within that group, but also standing aside, you have Rio. This place is special in its own right.  Rio takes hold of you immediately and as you move eastwards from the airport to the coastline and as you do the small 'dot' of Christo on top of Corcovado draws you into its arms. You see the powerful conical shapes of Pao de Acucar (Sugarloaf), Urca, Caro de Cao and of course the famous mountain top of Corcovado. All those iconic images come into focus and you can't help but be drawn into its powerful allure.

Nestled between the mountains and the sea the urban landscape bends and is warped by the immovable objects in its way. The beauty of the city is undeniable and this, along with the more than acceptable weather, formulates the lifestyle and temperament of the people.

To be part of this environment even for a week changes your whole mindset, even for the shortest period of time. Inga and I occupied a small apartment on a street named Rua Djalma Ulrich. Located a block back from Avenida Atlantico and therefore one block back from Copacabana beach, it was the perfect location for us, beach, sand, sun, surf. It's a hell of a lifestyle to throw yourself into.


 Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


Pao de Acucar - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


Copacabana beach from the Porto Bay - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil



For me personally, there's no argument to be made between Copacabana and Ipanema -  its the former that wins hands down. Of course, Ipanema is beautiful in its own right, the sunsets there are fantastic, but its just not Copacabana. What the beaches do have, and what you get pulled into, is the beach life culture. All activity revolves around what occurs on the sand, or just off it. From early morning, pre-dawn, the early morning fitness freaks are already making their way up and down the running paths of Copacabana and Ipanema. As the morning lengthens and the rays start to peak over the mountains of Pao de Acucar, the mix of runners, cyclists, walkers and alike morph into a continuum of  mobile fitness obsessed ornaments. Of course there are shapes, sizes and oddities but the fact that you live most of your life half naked here means that you need to also do as much as you can to take care of yourself - that part is obvious.

The beach itself is a hive of activity during the day.  Those that occupy the sand attract those that are trying to make a quick dollar by selling absolutely everything and anything, from hammocks to fried cheese, to sunglasses, to passionfruit caipirinhas. Those that sell are relentless in their pursuit of acquiring your Reals, and gradually, one by one, you get broken down into parting with them. For us it was the mobile caipirinha vendor that had us reaching for our wallets. And the product - WHOA - literally rocket full. At the best of times a caipirinha is cachaca mixed with lime juice, ice and brown sugar. The way that the guys on the beach made it was something altogether different. Within two drinks you were transported to an alternate universe where Barry Manilows 'Copacabana' was on endless play and where Borat's mankini all of a sudden seemed to be kind of 'legit'.



Rio de Janeiro from the air - Ipanema

Ipanema - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

The entrance to Guanabara Bay - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


Ipanema - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil



Of course, Rio isn't just about the beaches, there's a lot of other mind blowingly stunning places that need to be experienced in this part of the world. It's a virtual cornucopia of stunning vistas. First there's the most famous 'hill' within the most famous status of the big J-man in all of the world.  Cristo Redentor is a 30mtr high cultural icon. Not just of Rio de Janeiro but of Brazil. As recognisable as the Eiffel Tower or the Opera House,  its pride of place on Corcovado overlooking the city, arms outstretched, is a treasure for humanity. That is not an overstatement. Unsurprisingly included within the list of the New7Wonders of the World, this overwhelming symbol of Christianity occupies a position that is dramatic, wonderful and special on its own right. Standing at the base of Christo the city of Rio unfurls itself before you. From the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, to Lagoa de Freitas, to Humaita, Botofoga, out to Sugarloaf and then Guanabara Bay, on a sunny day the views here are priceless .


Cristo Redentor


Cristo Redentor - Corcovado - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


 The view from Sugarloaf mountain - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


The view down the beaches to Copacabana and Ipanema from Sugaloaf

Cristo Redentor


View of Rio from the air




In much the same manner, the oddities of Pao de Acucar are an incredible drawcard. Rising nearly 400mtrs directly out of the Atlantic ocean, these granite and quartz mountains provide the perfect support cast to a vista to a scene that already has a plethora of riches. The peak is accessible by a glass window cable car, which once again, as you'll come to expect in Rio, provide such gorgeous scenery that its hard to absorb everything at once. Its easy to spend a few hours at the top of Sugarloaf, looking down the beaches, across to the mountains and out to the bay.  You also grasp an idea of the views that domestic travelers have when arriving in Rio. Most flights swooping low over the mountains, dropping in over the bay in front of Botofogo, turning sharply by Sugarloaf and then landing on the runway that juts out into Guanbara Bay - its a hell of an introduction.


Sugarloaf - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Sugarloaf - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Escadaria Selaron - Lapa - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Escadaria Selaron - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Lapa - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Escadaria Selaron - Lapa - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


Rio literally has an embarrassment of riches. We spent many days on the beach or at the rooftop bar/pool the Porto Bay Hotel, which to me, has one of the greatest views over Copacabana. At night it was places like Lapa, or visiting the Esacadaria Selaron, or heading to one of the many churrascarias (like Rio's or Mario's), or in fact heading to an outstanding restaurant like Aprazivel in Santa Theresa.



 Lapa - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

 Ipanema - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


 View to Ipanema from Pedro de Aproador - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil


Sunrise on Copacabana - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Sunrise on Copacabana - Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

It's easy to fall for Rio, it is a beauty, but also, it's the way of life that captures you also. If you don't watch out then you may find yourself spending a lot of time here, which isn't going to be a bad thing.