Monday, June 3, 2019
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Exploring Corcovado, Seeing Christ the Redeemer Up Close and Personal, Lingering in a Colonial Coffee Shop and Visiting The National Library.
Bom Dia from Rio!
Today was partly a wash-out as it bucketted down from about 1.00 pm onwards. We were just really blessed that we managed to climb up Corcovado and get up close and personal with Cristo Redentor as Christ The Redeemer as the sculpture is known in these parts.
Llew had a long lazy lie-in (he is, in fact, on vacation) while I, as usual, woke up at 6.00 am and got cracking with my phone. I checked email and Twitter, downloaded The Times of London here in Rosana’s flat in Gloria and began blogging. Then, by the time Llew awoke and was ready to get cracking himself, we went speedily through the day. Rosana has a bit of a flu and a cold and was confined in her room very quietly and awoke only after we had dressed and were ready to leave. I was really keen to get going and not to waste too much time as I was aware, from the weather reports, that rain was expected today. I hoped very sincerely that we’d be able to get to the mountain that is known as Corcovado for what was the Number One priority on our agenda for this trip: a visit to the statue of Christ the Redeemer that towers over the city of Rio and is its most recognizable landmark.
Rosana advised us to get an Uber—she told us it was would be cheaper than getting a metro and bus card and putting money into it. As time was of the essence, I agreed with her and we called an Uber to the the entrance of her building. It arrived in five minutes and we were off. Uber is such an international boon. I am delighted with it—and best of all, as I have discovered in the many places around the world in which I have used it, you do not ever need to have local currency in your pocket if you have registered your credit card with the company.
The cabbie swung us around the hills of Santa Teresa and brought us into the lovely environs of the Parco Nacionale Tijuca which is the Rain Forest and national park through which the monument is accessed. He dropped us at the foot of the mountain that is called Corcovado in the area that is known as Cosme Velho. Believe me, I thought I was in Panjim, Goa, all over again as there is a Cosme Velho neighborhood there too. The junction is called Trem. De Corcovado and there were already tourists milling around when we arrived. Tour touts tying to get our business told us that the next tram up the mountain would only be at 11.00 am (unless we bought tickets from them).
As I had been to Rio before, I kind of knew the drill. I was aware that the trams ply once in a half hour and that tickets are timed. We went straight to the ticket window and managed to get tickets for the very next tram which would be at 10.30 am. This gave us about 40 minutes to go and grab breakfast somewhere as I did not want to be up on the mountain on an empty stomach.
With our tickets in the bag (and beautiful tickets they are too—with really lovely color pictures on the back), we were off to search for a small cafe. We were really lucky to find the only one that actually had a waitress who was pretty fluent in English. It turns out that she had spent 6 months living with relatives in Philadelphia and is accustomed to visiting the USA periodically. We ordered decaf Americanos and toasted loaves with butter and jam. This really fitted the bill and fueled us up for our trip up the mountain.
Tram Trip up Corcovado:
We really really lucked out with the weather—and I cannot say this often enough. It was pleasantly cool and as the tram made its way past the urban buildings on the lower slopes of the mountain, we climbed higher and higher along curving bends to pass large swathes of ancient rain forest that was thick and lush and punctuated by trekking trails (for you can climb the mountain on foot) and bridges. As the train climbed higher, views of the city far below emerged.
There was one stop (for there is actually a museum of sorts that has to do with Botany in the park) and then we climbed ever higher. At the very top, I discovered that the escalator I had used, four years ago, to get to the summit, was out of order (there had been a notice at the ticket window informing visitors that all elevators and escalators were out of order today). This meant that we had to climb about six floors to get to the top. As we climbed each tier, more views of the city became visible to us. It is such an intriguingly constructed city. Most of the luxury high-rise buildings face the water—whether this is a beach view, a lake view or a river view, it does not matter. Cariocas love the water and they enjoy being close to it.
Arriving at the Top of Corcovado:
We caught our first glimpses of the wonderful statue of Christ the Redeemer from the back of it. At the base are two sculpted busts: one of Cardinal Leme (who has a beach named after him) and who was in-charge of the Archdiocese when the commission for the statue was made; the other is of Heitor de Silva Costa, the engineer who built it to a design by the sculptor Paul Landowski. It was 1931 when it was decided to build a monumental statue to which all the people of Brazil could contribute.Apparently, the Church went door to door soliciting contributions and managed finally to raise enough money to build the statue that has become the very cornerstone of Rio tourism and the most recognizable icon for the very country.
There were thousands of people pouring in and out of the summit—there came as individuals, as pairs and as large tour groups (many from the United States). It can get a little overwhelming at the top—the noise, the crowds, people jostling to get the best pictures, professional photographers, others trying all sorts of tricks with their cameras to join hands with Christ (I must admit that we were tempted to try the same tricks!) and all vying for the best spot, right at the very front, that overlooks the grand landscape of the city spreads out at our feet with the Sugarloaf Mountain dominating it.
But before we got to the most coveted spot, I told Llew about the little chapel tucked at the base of the pedestal upon which the statue towers. This tiny chapel was closed for renovation when I was last there, four years ago, as the entire city was getting a face lift for the Olympics. Pope John Paul II had said Mass in this chapel on his visit to Rio. I was very elated to be able to go in on this visit and to actually make my three wishes (customary when one is visiting a new church) and to make a prayerful visit.
That holy visit done, we made our way to the front. The observation areas have been very ingeniously designed in tiers, so that you can get your picture taken at various points. I absolutely love the expression on the face of Jesus in this sculpture—it is so very kind and loving and benign. I also noticed that in relation to the massive dimensions of the statue, the sculpted heart in his chest is really tiny. The statue is 193 feet tall with a hand span spread of 192 feet. So it is almost as wide as it is tall.
We got a few really good pictures and then, before our very eyes, clouds moved in. It was a very thrilling experience to be right in the midst of clouds! This was probably a first time for me. The entire city was obscured for a few minutes and we could see nothing but fog. And then, just a few minutes later, the cloud moved away and Jesus came back into view again—now you see Him, now you don’t. Yes, we took a lot of pictures and identified a lot of the city’s landmarks: the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, the famed Maracana stadium where Brazilian football legends such as Pele have played, the lake called Roderigo Freitas around which luxury buildings have been constructed, etc. Looking at it, it is easy to see why there is so much climbing to be done here—the city is built on a series of hills of varied heights. And yet, there is a plan to it all. It is not haphazard (as Bombay is). There is a beauty to it that is rare is other urban spaces because you are never very far away from the natural landscape of hills and beaches.
When we had our fill of the location and had taken all the pictures we wanted and had admired the city from every angle, we were ready to leave. So we took the tram down (our entry fee of 65 reals each—about $25–covered the return tram fare and entry to the monument) and were at the summit in the next hour.
Exploring Lago de Boticario:
Lonely Planet had suggested that all visitors to Corcovado should walk five minutes to a small square called Lago de Boticario to see how Rio looked in the 19th century before modernization. I remember going out in search of it, four years ago, and being rather disappointed by what I saw. Still, I thought that Llew should experience it too especially as his guide book had also recommended a visit there.
Before we got there, we passed by a bus terminus and found a person at the Information kiosk who could give us instructions in English. He told us which bus to take to the city (Centro) and how to pay on the bus (each ride costs 4.05 reals). He also directed us to Lago de Boticario which we found five minutes later.
This time too, I did not alter my opinion of the place. It is just a very shabby facade of a building in a quiet cobbled square over which the river Carioca which flows through the national park finds its way—this time in a rather shabby channel that is no wider or bigger than a gutter. There are Portuguese tiles on the walls of the building but since it is in rather a decrepit condition, I really do not think there is much to commend this square except for the structure and the potted plant in the center of it. Honestly, one needs to pay no more than a ten minute visit to this place and we left soon enough.
On the Bus to Cinelandia:
My next port of call was for lunch at a cafe called Confiteria Colombo, one of the most famous coffee houses in Rio. I did not know which street it was on but asking around, we were told to get off at Cinelandia and then walk a few blocks to the stop. It was a mistake. We ought to have gotten off at Uruguiana (as my notes from a former visit had told me). Finding it was not difficult, as everyone knew the place, but it was a very long walk that we are both trying to cut down on so as not to tire ourselves completely.
We managed to find it eventually and, in the process, we passed through beautiful Cinelandia square (which is devoted to culture and the arts and boasts a host of well-known cinemas houses and theaters) and arrived at the end of it—the modern gives way to the Baroque as the buildings at the opposite end of the square are simple gorgeous and pronounce the importance of the city.
Exploring the Buildings of Cinelandia Square:
We saw the gorgeous face of the Municipal Theater in front of us with its ornamental cupola topped by a gilded sculpture, its Greek-style ornamental features and its wonderful old solidity. This place is modeled after the Opera Garner in Paris (which, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful buildings in the world both inside and out). But before we actually went by it, we were attracted by the Bibliotheca Nacionale which is the National Library. You climb up a series of steps to arrive at the entrance where security is strict. Once through the metal detectors, we were in the front hall, I was told to deposit my bag in a locker after which we were permitted to climb the stairs to get to the upper levels. There is heavy ornamentation in the building. It’s marble walls, its beautiful wrought-iron stair case, the stained glass ceilings that let light in beautiful pattern, are all part of the stunning quality of this interior. We actually saw the stacks and the shelves and the ways in which readers can access one of the most important Portuguese collections of literature in the world. We also insisted a special exhibition of the works of the translator Monterio Lobato who brought world classics such as Tarzan, The Grimm’s Fairy Tales and other such books, to the attention of Brazil’s children through beautiful hard bound books filled with lovely illustrations.
When we were ready to get out of the library, the heavens opened and there was shower that soaked everything outside. We felt fortunate that we were in the library and able to stay dry while waiting for it to pass. This gave us about 15 minutes more to admire the grand foyer of the building with its huge murals painted by modern artists.
When the shower passed, we quickly found our way to our destination—the coffee house is located on a narrow side street in the midst of a concrete jungle of high-rise office buildings in a very busy area.
Enjoying a Snack at Confiteria Columbe:
As this is essentially a coffee or tea house, we had arrived at the wrong time—but I was keen for Llew to see the inside of this gorgeous place which represents the lives of luxury that were permitted to colonial officials in the time when Brazil was still a Portuguese colony. It is a small space but by the ingenious use of floor to ceiling mirrors that are placed opposite each other multiplying images to eternity, we thought we were in a vast cavernous space.
We ordered a Shrimp Pie for me (a Fried Shrimp Tartlet for Llew) and a Pot of Hot Chocolate for me (which Llew shared). It was all very good but it was actually for the experience of old-world Rio that we were in the place.
Back Home for a Quiet and Rainy Evening:
It was still raining when we got out of the cafe. We had no choice but to buy ourselves an umbrella each and since our sight seeing for the day had come to a rude and very wet standstill—there was no point going to Copacabana Beach in the downpour— we had no choice but to get back home and take it easy.
We found the Carioca metro station close by and we joined a long line to buy a card and to fill it with enough money to allow us to have a few rides on the public transport system during the next few days.
It was only two stops to Gloria and when we got off, we went into the supermarket from which I used to buy my grocery supplies. Llew fought a bottle of Argentinian Malbec wine, I bought a passion fruit smoothie, some passion fruit yogurt and some muesli for our breakfast tomorrow and then we were out and making our way up the hill of Rua Candido Mendez to find our building.
We really did not do much for the day as it continued to bucket down. Llew and I both had our showers and drinks and snacks and sat chatting until Rosana joined us. Dinner was out on her terrace as neither of us wanted to brave a wet evening to find a restaurant. Hence, we ate the remains of yesterday’s meal (eggplant lasagna) and our chicken rolls from the air craft and after a very relaxing evening with some chit chat with Rosana, we eventually went to bed.
Hopefully, we will have better weather tomorrow.
Until tomorrow
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