Day 56
Today I'm in: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
I kicked off Day 56 with a run around the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, Rio's saltwater lagoon that breaks up the Zona Sul just north of Ipanema. There's a jogging/cycling path encircling the lagoon, and it was packed with people, including many folks using Rio's free bike rental service (you have to call a number with your cell phone to unlock the bikes, and since my phone is deactivated I'm not able to rent one.) It was much warmer today and I was sweating pretty badly by the time I finished, but it was really good to get some exercise.
When I was finished running I cleaned up and took the Metro up to Largo do Machado, a large square in the Laranjeiras neighborhood, midway between Ipanema and the city center. Laranjeiras is more middle-class than Ipanema but appeared to be pretty nice - lots of shady streets, sidewalk cafes, shops and the cookie-cutter high-rise apartment buildings that define Rio (and most Brazilian cities). From the Largo do Machado I caught a bus to the terminal of the cog railway that runs up Corcovado.
Corcovado is the home of the Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue, which along with the Sugar Loaf and Copacabana beach is probably Rio's most identifiable landmark. The cog railway is the easier and cheaper way to get up - you can also take a cab most of the way to the top and then ride a shuttle van - and it was pretty scenic, winding along the mountainside and passing through pretty thick jungle en route to the top. I sat next to Tim and Mike, a Delta captain and first officer who had flown down the morning before and were leaving that night. They were both visiting Rio for the first time and felt compelled to do something "touristy," which they said they don't normally do on their layovers.
At the top I discovered that Corcovado is much, much higher up than the Sugar Loaf (I'm not writing its Portuguese name because the tilde over the 'a' screws up the line spacing on Blogger). It was actually a little bit frightening up there, especially because the walkway basically runs right along the ridge with nothing but a sheer granite face for hundreds of feet below you. The view, naturally, is incredible, and you have the added bonus of getting the Sugar Loaf in your pictures. The weather was really cooperative - a little bit hazy but not too bad - and it was fun watching all of the visiting tourists impersonate Jesus' pose for pictures. Although his arms are out, not up, most of the tourists put their arms up like the letter "Y" in the "YMCA" song - Tim and Mike were joking that the three of us should get next to them and spell out M, C and A. In any event, I opted for a more traditional pose in my photo.
I had the chance to try a few Brazilian dishes today as well - for lunch I had a mini churrasco (left), which is the Brazilian barbecued meat that's become so popular at those eat-until-you-puke restaurant chains back home. This was a single portion, so I didn't get one of those red and green flags to put up when I wanted more, but it was three very salty kinds of meat, rice and beans. Tasty stuff.
At dinner I finally got around to trying feijoada (right), the unofficial national dish of Brazil, which consists of (surprise!) beans, rice, sausage, meat, fried manioc flour, shredded kale, and orange slices. I have to say I wasn't a really big fan. In general, I've found Brazilian cuisine to be very hearty and very filling, but very, very bland, and nothing embodied this more than feijoada. You'll never go hungry in Brazil - the portions are enormous - but I keep finding myself craving spiciness, or more seasoning, or sharper flavors.
Finally, just because I like English things that don't really make sense, here's an ad for a fast-food chain called "China In Box." It was all over the Metro stations and they did do a good job choosing a faintly Asian-looking little girl to appear in it. Tomorrow is my last full day in Rio, so I'll be headed into the center of town to see of the more historic sights.
Today I'm in: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
I kicked off Day 56 with a run around the Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas, Rio's saltwater lagoon that breaks up the Zona Sul just north of Ipanema. There's a jogging/cycling path encircling the lagoon, and it was packed with people, including many folks using Rio's free bike rental service (you have to call a number with your cell phone to unlock the bikes, and since my phone is deactivated I'm not able to rent one.) It was much warmer today and I was sweating pretty badly by the time I finished, but it was really good to get some exercise. 
When I was finished running I cleaned up and took the Metro up to Largo do Machado, a large square in the Laranjeiras neighborhood, midway between Ipanema and the city center. Laranjeiras is more middle-class than Ipanema but appeared to be pretty nice - lots of shady streets, sidewalk cafes, shops and the cookie-cutter high-rise apartment buildings that define Rio (and most Brazilian cities). From the Largo do Machado I caught a bus to the terminal of the cog railway that runs up Corcovado.
Corcovado is the home of the Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) statue, which along with the Sugar Loaf and Copacabana beach is probably Rio's most identifiable landmark. The cog railway is the easier and cheaper way to get up - you can also take a cab most of the way to the top and then ride a shuttle van - and it was pretty scenic, winding along the mountainside and passing through pretty thick jungle en route to the top. I sat next to Tim and Mike, a Delta captain and first officer who had flown down the morning before and were leaving that night. They were both visiting Rio for the first time and felt compelled to do something "touristy," which they said they don't normally do on their layovers. 
At the top I discovered that Corcovado is much, much higher up than the Sugar Loaf (I'm not writing its Portuguese name because the tilde over the 'a' screws up the line spacing on Blogger). It was actually a little bit frightening up there, especially because the walkway basically runs right along the ridge with nothing but a sheer granite face for hundreds of feet below you. The view, naturally, is incredible, and you have the added bonus of getting the Sugar Loaf in your pictures. The weather was really cooperative - a little bit hazy but not too bad - and it was fun watching all of the visiting tourists impersonate Jesus' pose for pictures. Although his arms are out, not up, most of the tourists put their arms up like the letter "Y" in the "YMCA" song - Tim and Mike were joking that the three of us should get next to them and spell out M, C and A. In any event, I opted for a more traditional pose in my photo. 
I had the chance to try a few Brazilian dishes today as well - for lunch I had a mini churrasco (left), which is the Brazilian barbecued meat that's become so popular at those eat-until-you-puke restaurant chains back home. This was a single portion, so I didn't get one of those red and green flags to put up when I wanted more, but it was three very salty kinds of meat, rice and beans. Tasty stuff. 
At dinner I finally got around to trying feijoada (right), the unofficial national dish of Brazil, which consists of (surprise!) beans, rice, sausage, meat, fried manioc flour, shredded kale, and orange slices. I have to say I wasn't a really big fan. In general, I've found Brazilian cuisine to be very hearty and very filling, but very, very bland, and nothing embodied this more than feijoada. You'll never go hungry in Brazil - the portions are enormous - but I keep finding myself craving spiciness, or more seasoning, or sharper flavors. 
Finally, just because I like English things that don't really make sense, here's an ad for a fast-food chain called "China In Box." It was all over the Metro stations and they did do a good job choosing a faintly Asian-looking little girl to appear in it. Tomorrow is my last full day in Rio, so I'll be headed into the center of town to see of the more historic sights. 
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