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| Rio Part II | |||||||||||||||||||
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30th - 6th July (Sun-Sat): Although the locals had been threatening not to work on Monday, things started functioning normally as soon as I did - about 2 pm. On Tuesday at 4 (during our surf lesson) the plane carrying the victorious players back from Japan and from seeing the president in Brasilia was supposed to pass over, so people gathered on the esplanade to wave... I was fortunate enough to be around at 8pm when the plane actually did fly overhead and had to laugh at the 40yo woman waving her 20cmx20cm Brasilian flag in the darkness. Tuesday was a day when I didn't feel like talking Portuguese. I was given Leon as a 1 on 1 instructor during the surf lesson (plenty of advice given) then went to my first and last volleyball lesson with Stephan's mother Christiana where the two instructors were overkeen to let me know everything to do differently as well as the rest of the class who just wanted to practice their english!!! Crikey. I learnt how to say `si si Ana` from a little kid at training - it seems to get an instructor to stop paying attention to you. Tuesday night I went to Copacabana to meet up with a friend returning to Rio (who didn't show up) so instead went to the esplanade where the street was packed with people waiting for the players to drive down in a parade. They had been waiting since about 2030, and I left at 1230 - still without siting players. Lucky I was only there to soak up the atmosphere of the hatch-back beatboxes and hawkers who seemed to be able to sense any gathering of humanity with uncanny ability. Wednesday night I went to Nuth bar which is very reminiscent of Que in Adelaide with a beach feel. Met an okay guy from Sao Paulo, but also met many ignorant Cariocans. I left the place in disgust around 1 (closes about 4). There is very much a dog eat dog attitude in Barra da Tijuca and I hope that one day I can understand it. In the meantime I can't wait for the 15th of July to come around so that I can leave!! If I wanted such unpolished capitalism I would go to some of the lawyer infested areas of New York. Barra is the powerhouse of Rio - work no play. Drive a car (it gives you even less empathy with other people), never walk a dog or talk to people on the street - of which there are few with pedestrians. At 630 on Thursday morning I had to wash the stench of Nuth bar from my sinuses, so I packed my backpack and rode the 40km south-west to the beaches beyond Rio - fantastic. An eco-park, national parks, beautiful bars and great surf. At the end of my journey, at a beach called Grumarinhaya I was hailed by Alex, a physical ed instructor who was there to sell me a condominium but in the meantime show me some beautiful walks around the headland which seemed populated only by his family. He proved very hospitable and restored my faith in Brasilians. The combination of cliffs and fishing boats cryed Pondalowie to me - great seafood. He invited me to stay with him and use his surfboard any time. On the way back I nursed my sore throat, visiting the eco-park which was luscious (except that I could swat 4 mosquitoes with one blow) and Terra-encontrada, a Brasilian Disney Land in Barra. Unfortunately the chocolate factory was closed but the park was well worth a walk around, crumbling as it is beneath the glitz. Many of the churches in Rio were built facing the sea which has created an interesting effect when the city is built behind the church - the grand entrance facing away from the city.. The circular Barra church is the first place in the world where I have heard recorded bells announcing mid-day blasted through loud speakers (and abruptly attenuated by an announcer!!). Barra is not all bad and Capoeira and surfing are going well.
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10th July Photos More Photos Even more Rio photos Back to Rio page Terra Encantada amusement park Pousada Barra do Sol The Gym Back to Home | |||||||||||||||||||
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| Name: | Craig | ||||||||||||||||||
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