Last Day in Brazil—At Vermelha Beach

Thursday, June 6, 2019

Rio de Janeiro

Last Day in Brazil.

Bom Dia on our last day in Brazil!

Llew kept saying, after a long lie-in, that we should take it easy today. We had flights at 8.30 and 9.20 pm respectively—his to New York, mine to Bombay via London. This left us the entire day to play with, but we had done so much walking yesterday that we really wanted to get some rest today.

Accordingly, we finished up the last of the muesli and yogurt we had bought and ate up all the bits and bobs (such as bread rolls from the aircraft) that we were carrying. We said bye to Rosana who left to teach for the day and to thank her for her hospitality. Then we took our showers and finished up our packing. Our idea was to get out only after we were all set to leave. We decided to call an Uber to get us to Galeoan airport at 5.00 pm for our respective flights.

Off to Largo do Machado:

As Llew had not walked in the area to the opposite side of Gloria and Lapa (i.e. Largo do Machado), I suggested we stroll along there. We went right by the Windsor Florida Hotel where my conference had been held the last tome I had visited Brazil, four years ago. Then we continued walking on what happened to be a really terrific day with full warm sunshine. So warm, in fact, that I needed a cold drink and we stepped into a Subway to get a cold diet one.

Off on a Bus Ride to Vermelha Beach:

As Llew had not had a chance to see Vermelha Beach, I suggested we take the 107 bus and get there. This lovely drive that rounds several pretty bays and marinas in the city as it heads to Urca is wonderful during the day. When we had done it, two nights ago, Llew had really seen nothing of it. This time, we received a far better idea of the beauty of this city from a very pretty bus ride.

Relaxing on Vermelha Beach:

We spent a little while on Vermelha Beach which is really my favorite little hidden spot in Rio. It is a beautiful little cove created by the picturesque protection of rocks that makes it seem like a secret hideaway. There are always people enjoying this beach: swimming, sunbathing or kayaking. We took a few pictures as we watched the cable cars ascend into the heights of Morro do Urca and the Pao do Acuar (Sugarloaf Mountain). 

Time for a Fab Buffet Luncheon:

Then it was time for us to have a wonderful last lunch together and spying a restaurant attached to the military and naval training schools that are concentrated in this area, we decided to go there for lunch. It turned out to be a really vast buffet lunch from which food was sold by weight. There was everything you could want to eat from a variety of salads to rice, pasta, pizza and meats of all sorts. We took excellent beef olives, fish (cod) stew, roast pork, roast beef, salads made with hearts of palm as well as tabouleh and quinoa. As if that were not enough, there was a vast offering of desserts and puddings so that we returned to the buffet later to get a variety of them: chocolate cake, passion fruit flan, cheesecake, you name it..I had my last caprinha and Llew had a last glass of red wine before we parted. Everything was bitter-sweet. We wanted to enjoy the last bits of our holiday and yet we were so sad to have to separate again.  The meal also turned out to be extremely reasonable. For a very delicious repast with drinks and dessert, we paid only $30 for the two of us. 

Back on the Bus to Gloria:

It was time for us to take our last looks of the beautiful rugged coastline of Rio and to jump on the 107 bus again that took us back to Gloria. Again, we enjoyed a very peaceful and scenic drive until we spied the Church of Our Lady of Glory perched on Gloria Hill which was our landmark to let us know that we had to alight.

We crossed the street to our road and got back home for really quick cat naps which both of us found very refreshing. Soon, the hands of the clock crept closer to our hour of departure and putting our things together, we called for an Uber to take us to the airport. Following Rosana’s instructions, we locked the door and slid the key back into her flat under her door. We’d had a very comfortable stay in her flat that was very centrally located and were very sorry that we did not have too much time with her as her work and evening schedules were so hectic. 

Off to the Airport:

The Uber came as expected and soon we were on our way. The ride was long and dense with traffic but an hour later, we were at Galeaon airport and after Llew checked in with American Airlines, he walked with me to British Airways where I checked in too. We had about an hour together to find something that we could buy to finish of the few Portuguese reals in our pockets. We ended up buying phone cables as we always need them as they wear out so easily.

And so finally the time came to say goodbye. I walked with Llew all the way to his gate and saw hm off—let’s just say there were tears. And then he was off  and I made my way to my gate for my flight which was leaving about an hour later. Sadly, I had left my umbrella on my trolley but despite trying to make attempts to retrieve it, I did not succeed.

My flight was comfortable and I ended up watching the second season of Fleabag and becoming introduced to Killing Eve (both of which are, unbelievably, written by the same person—Phoebe Waller-Bridge (whose mother, I discovered, a day later, is a good friend of my London-based friend Rosemary (Roz). I really did like it very much and can see why it is such a hit. I also managed to get some sleep on the aircraft—for about four and a half hours. 

An Exhausting Day in Rio Spent Mainly on our Feet

Wednesday, June 5, 2019

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

An Exhausting Day In Rio Spent Mainly on our Feet

Bom Dia from Rio de Janeiro!

Today we got so carried away in our enthusiasm to complete seeing as much as we could in this endlessly fascinating city that we were properly exhausted by the end of the day and could barely sit down.

So let’s begin. Here’s what we did. First of all, the day was actually sunny and deciding to make the most of it, we thought of going on foot through the area of Gloria, which is where we were based, and to Lapa, which is the adjoining neighborhood. Fueled with a breakfast of muesli with passion fruit yogurt, we were ready to get going.

Exploring Lapa:

Lapa was probably a very run-down neighborhood that has seen recent gentrification in the shape of the sprouting of clubs, pubs and bars that are lending the area a lively vibe especially after dark. We passed by very old structures that have not seen much refurbishment but gave us a good idea of what old Rio would have looked like. At the Church of Our Lady of Lapa, Llew got his first idea of how strongly the Portuguese influenced the design of church altars in their colonies from Goa to Brazil. The altars are in tiered steps with the main deity given pride of place though a huge statue at the top.

The Seladon Staircase:

This staircase has, quite unwittingly, become a big tourist attraction in Rio. It was initiated in 1999 through the efforts of a local artist called Jorge Seladon who decided to brighten up the steps leading from Lapa to Santa Teresa by imbedding ceramic tiles into them. The idea caught on and very soon people from all over the world began to donate tiles to add to the structure. About 2000 very colorful ceramic tiles today cover the steps on which tourists pose. I was quite fascinated by the lovely tiles especially those from Islamic countries which have bas-reliefs that make them exceptional. Llew and I also posed for pictures here. Apparently, Seladon considers this a work in progress. Every time he has finished one segment of it, he strips it off and starts again. 

The Aqueduct of Lapa and Streetcar Ride to Santa Terasa:

Making a sharp left turn from the narrow lane that leads to the staircase, we were back on the main road and facing the towering structure known as the Aqueduct of Lapa. My notes told me that in the days before it became popular to relax at the beaches, Cariocas (natives of the city of Rio) built mansions in the hills of Santa Teresa. In order to make sure that water reached them, however, they needed to build an aqueduct—and build it they did! It is a lovely, impressive, two-tier structure with uniform arches that remind one very much of France’s Pont du Gard—except that there are three tiers there. Water pipes were laid on the structure and water did get up to the wealthy. 

In addition to water, the rich residents needed to make sure they could also get up and down the hill—and so, at the same time that the Aqueduct was built, they also created a street car system with lovely old-fashioned stations—which are now one of the most antiquated attractions of the city for it offers visitors joy rides to the top and back. 

The last time I was in Rio, I was unable to ride it as it was temporarily closed for refurbishment (in time for the 2016 Olympics in Rio). This time round, it was available for the pleasure of visitors and Llew and I asked local policemen where we could board it. Using their directions, we arrived at the embarkation point, about a five minute walk away. 

The ride cost us 20 reals each (about $5) and was a return fare. There was a street car leaving just as we got there—which made it easy for us to board it and go off and away. The streetcars themselves have not changed since the 19th century—they are built entirely of wood and are painted a bright yellow and brown. As they chug up the Aqueduct, they make a very picturesque sight below. 

Llew and I enjoyed our ride up to the hills of Santa Teresa and back. As one left the spiffy modern glass and concrete jungle of the base, one saw more and more mansions—many in quite a dilapidated state although a lot of them have been renovated and are quite reminiscent of the mansions in the urban areas of Goa. We took a lot of pictures. As we climbed higher and higher into the hills, we were rewarded with stunning views of the city spread out beneath us. 

Once we reached the top, however, we found nothing really there. We had thought of getting a coffee in a little cafe, if there was one. But we were disappointed and instead of waiting for a half hour for the next street car to come by, we simply jumped into the very same one and returned to base. This took us another half an hour...but the weather was holding out superbly and we had a chance to enjoy the heights of the city  through a most novel form of transportation. It was one of the most interesting experiences we enjoyed in Rio.

     

A Walking Tour of Downtown Rio:

Four years ago, when I had visited Rio on my own, I had carried notes from Lonely Planet. And, of course, after I visit a country, I blog about it in detail. Llew was unable to find Lonely Planet in the library and photocopied notes from Fodor. I used my blog notes, however, to supplement the notes he had carried and based on my memories of my last exploration, I led him on a tour of the downtown area.

Visiting the Metropolitan Cathedral:

The Metropolitan Cathedral is unmistakeable as its modernist conical shape is easily distinguishable all over the downtown area. We found our way there on foot and made a quick prayerful visit. The Cathedral is huge and is able to seat 5,000 members of a congregation with standing room for 20,000. It is distinguished for its four stained glass windows in primary colors: red, blue, green and yellow, that are also in Modernist design. The Cathedra or chair of the Cardinal is very prominent in the front. A lot of tourists make this a stop as the city sightseeing buses stop here on a regular basis.

The Glorious Sculpture of Cinelandia Square:

I absolutely love the grand sculpture of Cinelandia Square that features King Dom Pedro II of Portugal surrounded by depictions of the Amazon Indians that are related to the four rivers of the world: the Parauna, The San Francisco, The Amazon and one other The Indians are so realistically depicted, complete with native costume and head dresses that I was tempted to photograph them from every angle. 

Cinelandia Square gets its name from the fact that the area was once the stronghold of the entertainment industry and showed every manner of theatrical show and film in it vicinity. There are still some theaters to be found in this area such as the Teatre Joao Cetano. The area is also usually quite filled with dodgy, homeless characters—which does not make it very pleasant to hang out there.

A Disappointing Lunch:

En route to Cinelandia Square, we passed a restaurant that had a big sign outside it in Portuguese advertising Brazil’s National dish, Feijoada, which is a pork and black bean stew that takes many hours to prepare. As such, it is usually served in very select places only at the weekend. We misunderstood the sign and thought that we could eat feijoada there—I was keen for Llew to taste it as I had eaten some of it, four years ago.

As it turned out, the dish was only served on Friday and Saturday and we were unable to partake of it. However, being hungry by that point, we decided to stay there and ended up having a most disappointing meal of skewered and grilled kale and bean balls and shrimp. We also ordered a salad but this too was nothing to write home about. My Caprinha was very good, however, and I have to say that I ordered one wherever I had the chance to do so. Llew stuck to Argentinean Malbec.

After our very disappointing lunch, we decided to continue our walking tour. Sadly, by this point, it had started to drizzle and we dodged the rain as we continued with our walking tour. We found Avenida Passos which is filled with antiquated churches (many of which were closed) and rather run-down old buildings for we were in the heart of Old Rio that has not seen much improvement in years. 

The Real Gabinete Library:

This place, however, is one of the show-stoppers of the city and I was very keen that Llew, who is an avid bibliophile, should see it. We found it tucked away on a street that is named after Portugal’s most famous writer, Luis de Camoes, who wrote the country’s national epic, O Lusidas.  Built in the 1500s, this grand building, gorgeous on the outside and decorated with life-size sculptures of some contemporary worthies, is simply spectacular within. You enter through what looks like a palace and find yourself in a large Gothic-inspired space, like a Medieval hall, which contains about 150,000 leather-bound books in several tiers that surround wrought-iron floors and shelves. The interior ornamentation is so beautiful that it is hard to take your eyes off the many delights that the space offers. We were also thrilled to see a first edition of Camoes’ great work in a glass vitrine as well as newer translations of the same work in many different languages. Llew was just besides himself with happiness and was thoroughly pleased about what he could see.

When we had taken our fill of this incredible space, we paused to take some more pictures of the exterior and then we continued with our walk that led us to the neighboring church of St. Francis.                     

Off to Colonial Rio:

It was time then to leave the busy downtown area behind us with its crowds and its shoppers and make our way to the more stately part of the city that was characterized by three outstanding buildings: The Paco Imperial or Royal Palace, the Praca XV November Square and the Monastery of St, Bento (Monasterio de Sao Bento).

It was a very long walk through some of the busiest parts of commercial Rio filled with grand old solid buildings that reminded me very much of the Fort area in Bombay and get to the square that is known as Praca XV November. It is characterized by a vast space that has an equestrian sculpture of Dom Pedro in the center on a lofty pedestal. The square is surrounded by colonial buildings with wrought-iron balconies that reminded me very much of some parts of Panjim in Goa that have the exact same Portuguese aesthetic. We took a few pictures in this space and took a look at the Arc of Telles—another old colonial structure that leads the visitor into a very old part of the city with a very atmospheric vibe. We did not go through the arch, however as we were already pretty tired and wanted to conserve our energy to see the Monasterio which is a masterpiece of Baroque religious design.

The Paco Imperial (Imperial Palace):

   The Imperial Palace was only a short block away and we found it very easily by making a sharp left turn on Ave Rio Branco. This gorgeous building that is maintained in perfect condition, was once the seat of colonial Brazil. When Dom Pedro moved his courtly base from Lisbon to Rio (following the invasion of Portugal by Napoleon), this building became the seat of governance. It is characterized by lovely large classical sculptures. However, we were unable to get inside as the place seemed to be mobbed by hundreds of people who appeared to have tickets to enter the building for a particular event. It was very impressive from the outside, though, and we were glad we had a chance to see it.

Visiting the Monasterio de Sao Bento:

It is often said that if one has the time to see just one church in Rio, it should be this one. Having visited it earlier on a Sunday, when the Gregorian chant was a part of the Mass, I was clear that I wanted Llew to see this place. During the week, it is open to visitors, although it does not have the drama of incense or Gregorian music that makes it so atmospheric. 

  We had a very hard time finding the place (as we had a really small and very irritating map to help us out) and ended up taking a cab to get to the monastery. I did remember that it was at the top of a winding hill and both Llew and I had walked for several miles already and were starting to feel fatigued. I had no energy left to go out in search of this place and was very grateful when the cabbie dropped up the crest of the hill. There we found ourselves looking at a rather plain church that was flanked by twin bell towers in colonial design.

Just past the entrance, however, the visitor gets the shock of his life for the place becomes a super ornate space that has a main altar and several side chapels made of barley twist pillar altars and wooden carved facades that are then entirely gilded in pure gold. The effect is so arresting that you simply cannot stop taking pictures. As I have seen all these spots before, I knew what to expect, but I could see that Llew just stopped in his tracks as he encountered these amazing spaces. He too ended up taking a bunch of pictures before we left the space and made our way downhill on foot.

The Church of Our Lady of Candelaria (And an Unexpected Concert):

Although this entire area is dotted with churches (and after a while one blends into the other and one cannot remember what one is actually seeing), the Church of Our Lady of Candelaria stands out for its lovely colonial facade and deeply Baroque interior. One finds it if one walks south along Ave Rio Branco and in a sheltered square, the beautiful church beckons.

By this time, we were really deeply tired and Llew was also ‘churched out’—but I suggested he enter this church as it was so different from the ones we had seen all day. And boy oh boy, was he thrilled he entered it. 

The Church of our Lady of Candelaria was built originally by a couple in gratitude for favors received but not much remains of the original church. This one is almost entirely built in the 18th century and reminded us very much of grand-domed European churches such as St Paul’s Cathedral in London. It has lovely detailed plantings on the inside of the dome and the walls.

But the unexpected surprise was that there was the rehearsal of a full orchestral concert going on when we visited and we had the chance to actually listen to at least three items on the repertoire for the evening’s performance—one of which was the title song from Andrew Lloyd-Weber’s The Phantom of the Opera. You can just imagine how thrilled we were to catch this rehearsal and to listen to a composition that we know well done in a brilliant duet that really made our evening. I mean, how cool is that?    

Listening to the concert gave us the chance to rest our feet a bit until we were told that we had to leave as the orchestra were getting ready for the evening’s performance. Overall, though, it was another one of our fun experiences in Rio.

Off to Ipanema Beach:

With the weather still holding out, somewhat, we decided to take the metro and go to Ipanema Beach—which was one of the highlights on our agenda that we had to cover. It was already 4.00 pm and we were able to find the metro stop at Carioca which would permit us to ride to Gen. Osiris Metro station which was a good jumping off point for Ipanema Beach.

Outside Carioca Metro station, I had the chance to show Llew the two churches that are the oldest in Rio and which I had seen on my last visit. But Llew had enough of churches by this point and was ready to give it a rest. He was also very tired and was able to muster only enough energy (as I did) to make the Metro ride to Ipanema Beach as we did not want to leave Rio without seeing this famous beach.

As almost every one knows, Ipanema is associated with the famous song ‘The Girl from Ipanema” that was composed by Vincinius Morales who has a major street at the beach named after hm.The story states that he used to see this gorgeous women walking towards the beach each morning and was absolutely struck by her beauty, Knowing that she was way beyond his league, all he could do was compose a song that extolled her beauty—the song that became one of the classics of our time. 

Alas, by the time we arrived at Ipanema, the light was starting to fade as it is winter in the souther hemisphere and it does get dark rather early. We made a quick bee-line towards the shore and admired again the wonderful wavy patterns made with black and white Belgian block on all the beach front promenades of Rio—so that it has become a signature look for the city. Unfortunately, as in Copacabana, so too on Ipanema, there was no one on the sands and we had the beach to ourselves. However, the wind was rather strong and not wishing to linger too long, we crossed and made our way to the interior promenade where Llew wished to buy the famous Hawaianana rubber slippers as gifts ( I had bought a whole load of these myself the last time I was here and given them away as gifts). He was very happy to come upon a store right away from where he found exactly what he was seeking. With our buys in the bag, we went in search of a Starbucks as it was still much too early to settle down for dinner (although we did decide that our last dinner in Brazil would be at Ipanema).          

  We found the Starbucks soon enough—it was the same place where I had met my friend Anna-Teresa the last time I was here. This time she had not responded to my email message and so we did not have the opportunity to meet her. Llew and I ordered coffee but there is no decaf in Brazil (just as there is no decaf in Bombay). Neither of us ordered anything other than a chocolate cruffin (a cross between a croissant and a muffin). Llew and I both accessed our email through the WiFi at the coffee shop from where I also found suggestions for a restaurant for dinner. One of the suggestions was for a place called Joana Pizza and since a small meal was what we were after we decided to go there.

Dinner at Joanna Pizzeria:

We ended up ordering a pepperoni pizza at Jonna Pizzeria as they had a promotion deal on their classic pizzas. I also ordered a caprinha which I thought would be my last one in Brazil. Llew ordered a red Malbec and we also ordered a Caesar Salad. We really did enjoy our meal and I was able to take some of it packed off home as it was a tad too much for me. (I would be very grateful for it, the next morning at breakfast).

There was not much time to lose, once our dinner was done, as we were really pooped. The vibrant night life of Ipanema was beginning to come into its own but we were simply too exhausted to enjoy it. We found the metro station right away and, in no time at all, we were on our way back home, where we reached in about half an hour after what had been a really eventful day. 

Rosanna was home when we arrived. We spent the next half hour chatting with her before she called it a night and we followed suit. With almost all of Rio’s highlights covered in three days, we were free to spent the next day—the day of our departure—taking it very easy as we prepared to depart.

I know that this has been a very long post and you are probably fatigued just reading it. Just imagine how tired we were when we went to bed at night.

Until tomorrow... 

A Day of Wonderfully Mixed Treats in Rio!

Tuesday, June 4, 2019

Rio de Janeiro

A Day of Wonderfully Mixed Treats in Rio!

Bom Dia from Rio de Janeiro!

Rain has been dogging us since our arrival in this vibrant city. But, being the seasoned travelers we are, we know how to dodge it in the most effective ways. Today was a good example.

Awake at about 8.00 (Llew—for me, its still 5.30 am), I got down to a bit of blogging. Also downloaded The Times of London to find out what Trump has been up to in London. Then it was time for brekkie (as the rain came down) with muesli and passion fruit yogurt. Dressed (I wish I had thrown on a cardigan as it turned cooler as the day went by), we were out. Armed with our public transport card, Llew and I found Gloria metro station at the bottom of the hill that is Rua Candido Mendes and rode it for one stop to Cinelandia. Had it not been raining, we’d have walked there, of course. Our aim was to wait out the rain at the Museum of Fine Arts which is open today (as all museums are in the city). Since it opens at 10.00 am, we had about a half hour for a quick coffee.

Coffee at Amelhino de Cinelandia:

This coffee-shop was recommended by the guide book Llew carried along, as a good place to get a coffee while seated on the pavement watching the artistic world go by in the space outside Cinelandia metro station right opposite the Municipal Theater. As it turned out, the sogginess of the day drove us inside but the coffee was hot and good and we found fine use of our time as we planned our day—given the vagaries of the weather. Half an hour later, we were ready to stroll across the street to the Museum to begin our browsing into the world of Brazilian fine arts.

Exploring the Museum of Fine Arts:

As happens in many parts of the world, Llew and I were allowed free entry into the Museum of Fine Arts on the strength of my Metropolitan Museum ID card. I have been to this museum before (four years ago) and I remember how much I had loved it and its collection. It is a vast space, set in what was obviously a palace for the exterior (in Baroque mode) and the interior details (fabulous plaster of Paris cherubs, family crests, crown molding, etc.) tell of its former use as a colonial building. It was only the efforts of a bunch of Rio artists that led to its conversion into a fine arts museums. There are vast halls and galleries inside and what also looks like a judging chamber in a small court.

Here are my highlights—the ones that caught my eye.

1. The lovely Cast Courts: There are two of these. They feature plaster casts of some of the world’s most famous sculpture from some of the most famous museums in the world. What caught our eye was Laocoon and His Sons and The Wrestlers from the Vatican Museum, Venus di Milo and The Winged Victory of Samotrace from the Louvre and Michelangelo’s The Prisoner from the Academia in Venice. 
2. Absolutely stunning ceramic vase—the largest specimen I have ever seen, it had an entire gallery to itself. There was no literature available about it in the room and so I have no idea what it is all about. It depicted Beethoven and seemed to be devoted to a musical theme—there were Harmony and Music personified as 18th century women, seated at a harpsichord at the base of the vase. The size, the detail, the creativity and craftsmanship were so intense that if I had not seen one more item in this Museum, I would have had my fill of artistic delights for the day. It was simply brilliant and I took many pictures. Imagine a towering vase (at least 5 feet tall) placed on a towering pedestal. The background is glazed cobalt blue, the lavish embossed three-dimensional decoration all around it and on its base is in soft shades of sky blue and white. It is quite the most glorious example of ceramic art that I have ever seen (and I am a real lover of ceramics). It reminded me a little bit of the gorgeous staircase in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London that, I believe, is the work of either Proctor or Gamble (or both).     
3. Interactive Wall of Glass Bottles: This was such a fantastic piece of art installation that I fell in love with it and had to become a part of it at once. It is a mirrored wall that contains glass shelves. On the shelves are glass bottles with various colored glass stoppers that look like perfume bottles. On the lower two shelves are smaller bottles with cork stoppers in small sizes. In each of the bottles, you will find something tucked. I read the label and it explained that visitors are welcome to place something in a bottle that represents ‘scent’ or our olfactory sense. In this way, the art work will grow and become interactive. I loved the concept and searched in my pockets for something I could add. I found a discount coupon for purchases from the Boots store at Heathrow airport in London that would give me discounts on their No. 7 range of skin products (which I use). This was simply perfect. It represents the sense of smell that attracts me to these skin cosmetics which was in-keeping with the thematic concept of this installation and it represented a ery personal part of who I am. We inserted the little coupon into the bottle (never to be removed again) and were given a sheet of paper on which we had to give details about our addition. Each bottle has a number at the base—so the curator, in the end, will know exactly what the contents of every single bottle on those shelves are all about. Isn’t that a simply fantastic idea? I loved it!
4. A series of glass art by Josely Carvalho. These were objects in blown glass that were scattered all over the Museum in a special exhibition. They features very delicate glass objects in curving, globular shapes that were usually placed on a bed of what looked like fine salt. Smaller—really tiny—glass beads then filled some of the hollowed crevices of the objects. It was all very ingeniously conceived and because I love glass (almost as much as I love ceramics), I found it all quite delightful.
5. An untitled work by Anish Kapoor. This featured a huge mirrored concave bowl with shining reflective surfaces that was placed against a wall. Anish Kapoor who was born in Bombay, India, and made London his home, is also responsible for the Acelor Mital Orbit sculpture in the Queen Elizabeth II Olympics Park in Stratford in London. 
6. On the top floor are the bulk of the paintings of which we liked the two large canvasses—one of which was by Pedro Americo on the Battle of Avai (which is considered the largest painting in the world done on an easel). The artists depicts himself in the foreground wearing a cap with the No. 33 on it. 
7. A another huge canvas depicted Victor Meirelles depiction of The Battle of Guararappes done in 1878.It is also huge and very impressive.
8. Judith with the Head of Holophenes. I do not remember the name of the painter.
9. The First Mass in Brazil. I loved this painting then and I loved it this time too. It is by Victor Mereilles and it depicts the Jesuits arriving on the shores of Brazil and saying their first mass at a hastily-erected altar while the natives look on.
10. The machete depicting Gloria (the Glory of the Republic) by an Italian sculptor whose name I do not remember was very attractive to me. Imagine my thrill when I saw the real thing in Gloria Park at the end of the day when Llew and I got off the bus and made our way home.There were many other paintings of this kind for the Museum is devoted to Brazilian historical art and its many forms.

There were a bunch of other works that caught my eye and, had I more time, I would no doubt have spent the entire day on this lovely collection. But we had to leave and before we strayed too far from the grand area filled with Baroque 19th century buildings, we decided to encircle the Municipal Theater to take in, once again, the design that was inspired by Paris’ Opera Garnier. The rain had stopped and we thought it sensible to take advantage of good weather—who knows how long it would last. So off we went to Copacabana.

Exploring Copacabana—One of the World’s Most Famous Beaches:

We took the metro from Cinelandia station to Cardeal Arcoverde station from where we walked for about ten minutes before the beach at Copacabana came into sight. Needless to say, in the winter, with the frequent wet spells this city has been having, there was no one on the beach. We had one of the world’s most famous beaches entirely to ourselves as giant jade waves lashed the shore leaving foamy frills behind. We enjoyed the sight of the many islands that dot the sea off the coast of Rio and behind us, the curvature of one of the snazziest water fronts in the world. The beach is wide and the sand pristine. A few pictures later, we were off. Since neither one of us had carried swimming gear or intended to take a dip, all we did was admire the grandeur of the waterside buildings.

A Rest in the Copacabana Hotel Palace:

I do recall tasking a rest, when I was in Rio the last time, in the Copacabana Palace Hotel that has played host to some of the world’s most recognizable people from heads of state and members of royalty to sportsmen and entertainers. There is a Wall of Fame on the first floor that can be accessed via a very pretty staircase that leads from the spiffy marble lobby. We climbed the stairs and spent a while looking at the pictures before we took a bit of a rest on one of the sofas dotting the lobby on the top. It was good to be able to have a bit of a sit-down as the damp sand did not even allow us to enjoy that small pleasure when we were at the beach.  

Lunch at Copacabana Fort:

It was lunch time and we were both hungry by this point and decided to take the advice of our friend Rosana who suggested we eat at the restaurant at Copacabana Fort which lies at the extreme end of the beach on the promontory that juts out into the water. She said that while the military and naval bases there are closed to the public anyone can enjoy the cafes.

Since it was a very long way to the Fort from where we were, we hopped into a bus that went along the inner street and dropped us off not too far from our desired spot. At this point, we were afforded even more stunning views of the entire C-shaped curve that is the beach of Copacabana. In fact, by this point, the sun was out again and we were able to get some lovely pictures of one of the ritziest parts of the city.

We then made our way on foot to the entrance of the Fort. As they did in Goa, so too in their other colonies, the Portuguese chose these locations to build forts to keep conquerors and enemies away. This one is very well-preserved and we discovered, soon enough, that it contains a lovely Museum of Military History which is also open to the public. However, we were famished and were ready to eat a horse—so it was to the restaurant that we headed.

And when we got there, we realized that it was actually a small branch of the Confiteria Colombe that we had visited yesterday at its flagship location. Not to be daunted, I ordered my first caprinha—the national cocktail that Brazil has gifted to the world. It is made from cashew fruit juice liqueur (similar, I suppose, to feni in Goa), lots of sugar cane juice and lime juice and is served with plenty of ice. Llew had a glass of wine and the two of us decided to share a giant panini with smoked turkey and ham which came with a small side salad. It was the perfect lunch as we watched other visitors tuck into what looked like giant pastas and salads. With our lunch done and a much-welcomed rest, we were able to move on to the next item on our agenda—but after taking beautiful pictures of ourselves on the parapet facing the grand Copacabana beach.

Visiting the Museum of Military History:

Although it was not on our agenda, we thought that since we were actually passing by the entrance of the Museum of Military History, we ought to visit it. Again, this is the sort of place that lends itself to much time-spending and quiet contemplation. It is a beautifully laid-out and well-curated space filled with life-size mannequins dressed in military costume through the ages as well as a plethora of objects and items that comprise memorabilia of the history of Rio warfare. Students and school children would find this place fascinating, no doubt. We did a quick round of some of the vignettes, strolled through many of the galleries to take in the manner in which the Portuguese engaged with their enemies to acquire and hold on to the colony of Brazil. Through it all, the language (I suppose), made me think I was in Europe. It was with difficulty that I had to keep reminding myself that I was, in fact, in Latin-America.

   The weather was still holding out by the time we finished lunch and decided to scale the heights of the Sugarloaf Mountain. And so began our long journey to get there. 

Getting to Sugarloaf Mountain (Pao de Acuar):

It was a longish walk from the Fort of Copacabana to the Metro station to get the train to Botafogo (which means Cable Car and which is the name of one of the city’s most famous football teams). However, find it we did and off we went on to our destination. 

I remember getting out of the station and finding (with linguistic difficulty), a bus right outside the station that would take me to Urca (which is the place to which one needs to head for an excursion up Sugarloaf Mountain). But this time, we were led to a place a good few blocks and on a street far away from the Metro stop. It turned out to be the 107 bus which one of the bus drivers told us to take. Luckily, a bus was pulling up to the bus stop just as we got there. We jumped in, paid the fare in cash and then enjoyed a ride along the lovely Rio waterfront past beautiful mansions that are now either universities or museums or cultural and educational centers before we arrived at the last stop—Urca.

Once we were there, I did recognize the street and we walked along it to make a sharp right and arrive at the base where tickets for the cable car ride up the mountain can be bought. At about 4.00 pm, most of the crowds for the day had left and we pretty much had the place to ourselves with just a few other visitors ahead of us. We purchased our tickets and followed the route to the embarkation point of the cable car. This was one of the more exciting parts of the excursion because it is not often that one gets the opportunity to take such a ride. The last time Llew and I had done this had been in Seoul, South Korea, when we had taken the cable car up to Seoul Tower from where we had magnificent views of another stunning city.

Exploring Morro de Urca and Sugarloaf Mountain:

As it turns out, the cable car ride up is undertaken in two stages as there are two tiers of mountains to scale before one gets to the top. The two mountains are separated by several hundred meters. As we awaited the car, we were offered a lot of facts on the TV screens that drew your attention. 

The ride to the first tier takes barely three minutes. As the city receded beneath us, it also got darker as twilight fell swiftly over the city and the seascape. We did not spend too much time on this tier—the Morro de Urca—as we did want to get to the final attraction before we lost all light.

So off we raced to the embarkation point for the next tier to Sugarloaf Mountain itself and we were up there in another three minutes in another cable car. Come to think of it, we arrived at this point at the right time—just when the day was dying and dusk was bringing on night-time. The lights started to come up all over the city by the time we reached the top and we were able to get a sense of the day and night time effects from this towering vantage point. In the distance, across the bay, we could see Corcovado and the sculpture of Christ the Redeemer reduced to Lilliputian proportions—no larger than an inch (this was the exact same sight I had seen when we were landing in Rio—so I was not mistaken).  

Unfortunately, the winds were so fierce when we were at the top that it was all we could do to brave them as we took a few pictures and returned to the more sheltered parts of the mountain. We got lovely glimpses of Copacabana Beach and Leme Beach from the top as well as the various lit-up sculptures along the sailing marina in another sheltered cove that was completely dotted with sailing boats. In the distance, across the long bridge that connects mainland Rio with the island of Niteroi, we could see the faint outlines of Oscar Neimeyer’s newly-designed Opera House. It was really more stunning to look at Rio from this point than it had been from Corcovado—that had been my opinion when I had visited, four years ago, and it remained my opinion. 

By the time we had taken our fill of city sights and photographs, darkness had well and truly descended upon the city and we were ready to get down to the base again as the summit was far more uncomfortable (wind and weather-wise) than we would have liked. Still, we were so grateful that there was not a drop of rain and that we were able to continue our sightseeing for the day without a major disruption in our plans.

On the Bus Back to Gloria:

All we had to do then was find a bus that would take us back home as we were really beat by this time and ready to sink down into comfortable sofas again. Luckily, we discovered that the same 107 bus that got us from Botafogo and which terminated at Urca made a turnaround and returned to the city via Gloria. This was simply perfect as it eliminated having to change from bus to metro to get home.

The ride home was simply lovely as we wound through so many picturesque neighborhoods of this beautiful city. Eventually, we arrived at Gloria which I recognized from spying the Church of Our Lady of Gloria high on Gloria Hill. We rang the bell to get the bus to stop and then all it took was a walk across Gloria Park to get home, This was when I spotted the grand sculpture of ‘Gloria’ (the Glory of the Republic) that I had seen in much smaller version in the Museum of Fine Arts in the morning. We took a picture of it and then we continued to get across the park to arrive at the supermarket from where we picked up supplies before getting back home.

We then spent about half an hour with our friend Rosana before she left to go out for the premier of a film made by her friend. Llew and I pulled out the signature burger that we had brought with us from McDonald’s and it made a good light dinner with some fruit before we went to bed feeling as if we had made the most of another wonderful day in Rio.

Hopefully, the weather will continue to hold out tomorrow.

Until tomorrow...