South America Trip - Day 21

I’d been advised to be very careful about petty crime in Rio so I changed my normal plan of walking everywhere - Ubers work great in this city! This morning, I ate breakfast at the hotel and then got a ride (with Alvaro, 0800) to the neighborhood of Corcovado (“hunchback”). When I arrived (0800) at the ticket counter for the Cog Train that would take me to the summit and Cristo Redentor statue, I had no trouble getting a ride on the next train (0820) - it was much easier there than online… It was already quite warm (70s) and humid so a climb to 2300 feet promised to bring breezy relief. Along the way, we passed through the deep jungles of Parque da Tijuca (didn’t see any of the monkeys, though). After about 25 minutes in the incline (quite steep), I joined hundreds of other folks (on my train and earlier ones) in trying to get the best pictures of the statue and city skyline far below. Pao de Acucar (Sugarloaf) was easily viewable, since the weather was good. What a great day to be on top of the world! I didn’t tarry long up there (the huge number of selfie sticks and social media posers were tiresome). By 0930, I was back at the bottom of the hill amd ordered my second Uber. This time, the driver (Cesar, 1000) took me to the Santa Teresa neighborhood (1000) and dropped me off at the famous Arcos da Lapa. I was in luck: the “bonde” train passed over the span while I was watching. From there, it was a short walk to the equally famous Escadaria Selaron (colorful steps that reminded me of a town I’ve visited in Sicily. The commercialism and (more) selfie culture made me pause in climbing - I also found some shade. After reaching the top, I backtracked through the crowds until I found the Catedral Metropolitana, a huge pyramid shaped church near the Arcos. Once inside, I marveled at the pretty stained glass windows and ubiquitous statues of São Sebastião. Back in the hot sun (temps in the high 80s), I resisted the temptation to order my third Uber. Instead, I walked east into the Centro neighborhood. I’d heard that this place was safest during the work week so I crossed through several blocks of highrises and old, historic buildings (I believe I passed the Teatro Municipal and Museu Nacional de Belas Artes). I also walked through a series of pretty parks that were close to the water: Praca Pistóia, Jardins do MAM and Monumento Nacional aos Mortos da Segunda Guerra Mundial. After that, I found myself on the waterfront, following a route I’d last seen in Copacabana called Rio a Pe (“Walk Rio”) along with many bikers, joggers and other walkers. Passing Marina da Glória, I reached Parque do Flamengo. The views of the sun, sand and Sugarloaf (across the harbor) were tremendous! Also, I kept seeing other angles of Cristo Redentor - and I noticed a lot of paragliders near the big statue. I’d been going so long on foot that I began to believe I was really close to the Urca neighborhood but I soon realized I’d have to cross the entire Botafogo neighborhood first. That was where I ran out of steam (after more than six miles). Looking for a break, I bailed on the Rio Walk and found a little bistro (Farani 1903 Sports Bar) that specialized in steak. I may have disappointed them by only ordering two Sprites and French Fries… After I was finished with my food boost (1225), I walked a short distance to the south and looked inside of the Basílica Imaculada Conceição. Then it was time for another Uber (1235). Fortunately, the ride (with Fabio, 1250) was the fastest of the day and I was back in my hotel by 1250. With the hot sun, a huge list of “must sees” and a bit of a cold (it finally got me!), I’m happy with all the things I did this morning. I was hoping that another siesta would get me ready for a second wind in the evening but that never happened. Instead, I took a nap and rested in my room for the rest of the day. My dinner was an apple I’d been carrying with me since Buenos Aires. I found out that my hotel has HBO (English, with Portuguese subtitles) and enjoyed watching a movie called “Gunpowder Milkshake”. Went to bed just before 2100 - hoping to beat this cold with a lot of rest and hydration…