Rio de Janeiro - The Icons

Christ the Redeemer  

The famous Christ the Redeemer statue is regarded as one of the Seven wonders of the new world on a list assembled in 2007. It stands 39m including a 10m pedestal. It is a worldwide symbol for peace

Christ the Redeemer statue stands on Corcovado Mountain. The visual effect is refections on the bus window

It stands on the 700m high granite domed peak of Corcovado mountain (meaning 'hunchback' in Portuguese) in the Tijuca Forest National Park which is west of the city but wholly within the city limits. 

The statue was constructed between 1922 and 1931 - designed by a local engineer,  Heitor de Silva Costa and sculpted by a French sculptor, Paul Landowski. 

It is made of reinforced concrete with outer layers of Swedish soapstone (chosen for its durability and ease of work). 

The construction was entirely funded by the Catholic community of Brazil. 

Access is via the Corcovado Rack Railway (or alternatively via a narrow winding road). The rack railway is electric and was opened in 1884 and refurbished in 1980.

The outstretched arms resemble the cross

The views of the city from here are incredible, the mountains and the sea make the setting very alluring 

Sugarloaf is center-shot,  Cabritos Hill on the right

Looking North East, Botafogo Bay is in front of Sugarloaf Mountain   

Looking  East, the  Jockey Club is in the foreground and Copacabana Beach is on the Atlantic Coast.
 Cantagalo Hill is on the right

Looking South east, the Rodrigo de Freitas Lake. It will be the venue for rowing and canoeing events at the 2016 summer Olympic games.
It has a 8 Km pathway circling the lake and is popular for walkers, skaters and cyclists. 

This capuchin monkey looks like he posed for the photo

Sugarloaf Mountain (Pao de Acucar in Portuguese) is almost 400m high and is a striking natural landmark that rises straight from the water's edge. It sits at the entrance to Guanabara Bay and overlooks Rio de Janeiro. 

Sugarloaf from Botafolo Beach, Urca's mountain is the closer, lower peak.

Two italian-made, glass-walled cable cars travel to the summit where stunning view of Rio and its beautiful landscape can be seen. 

The first cable car goes to Urca's Mountain
220m

The second ascends to Sugarloaf

Because Sugarloaf is on a peninsular that stretches into the Atlantic ocean, it offers a scenic views  of a bustling city, a tranquil bay and a sparkling ocean.

Corcovado  Mountain in the distance with Christ the Redeemer statue

Copacabana Beach seen from Sugarloaf Mountain. Babylon Mountain is in the foreground.

Looking North, Guanabara Bay reaches about 30Km inland and small hills that originally lined the bay were flatted and used as landfill. Santos Dumont airport, Rio's city airport is on the right. The International airport is further North of the city
The 13.3 Km  box girder bridge is in the background, nicknamed the Rio-Niteroi Bridge (officially  the  President Costa e Silva after the Brazilian President who order its construction in 1968) It saves a 100Km trip round Guanabara Bay from Rio to the municipality of Niteroi.

A large vessel being towed in the bay.  The town of Niterio is in the background

A cross is being incorporated into this city building

Guanabara Bay (literally Bosom of the Sea)

Is a body of water which stretches over 30Km inland and has over 130 islands.  Originally it was thought to be a river when discovered on 1st January 1502, and named the River of January (Rio de Janeiro)  

Rio-Niteroi Bridge.

The central span is 72m above the water to allow passage of large ships that use the bay. It was completed in 1974, having taken  just under 6 years to build.

The Cathedral of San Sebastian - Rio de Janeiro Cathedral

In contrast to the baroque style of other churches, this church has a unique beehive concrete exterior and outstanding stained glass windows and interior that feels warm and inviting yet has a capacity of over 20,000.

A modern office block opposite the church has its interesting shape reflected on its glass

Rio Sambodromo

The wild celebration held 46days before Easter in Rio is called Carnivale. It is held in Sambodromo which is a dedicated area of stands and a variety of seating and boxes with a total capacity of 25,700. At other time the boxes are classrooms in what is a poor favela (shanty town) neighbourhood. Free education is available to all children in Brazil.

Dolls and costumes are made all year

Rio de Janeiro - Arrival

Flying into Rio, one sees a sprawling city on the Atlantic coast surrounded by rocky mountain peaks. The population is about 7 million. It has many major Brazilian companies and was the former capital of Brazil for nearly two centuries during the Portuguese colonial era .

We stayed at the end of Copacabana beach with views across the Atlantic to Sugarloaf Mountain

By Day

By Night - the beachfront and street is floodlit all night

Rose enjoying a Pina Colada at the hotel

If I give the impression that people in Rio know how to eat, you are not mistaken! Lunch the next day was at a local restaurant in the city, called Columbo, which featured amazing dishes both amazing buffet lunch and desserts.

A colonial street in downtown Rio

Dinner at Porcao

This was an amazing restaurant in Rio called a churrascaria (Brazilian barbecue steakhouse) where they served different meats to guests by carving the roasts off a metal skewer. And you can have all you can eat. Amazing .... wish I had not eaten breakfast or lunch before going there!

Anyone for seconds?

Carved off the skewer onto the plate

Other meat dishes and salads were all available

In the kitchen - all meats are charcoal grilled

Unusual light fittings too!