12th – 18th February (Thought it might be useful if I put the dates when we were in certain places, particularly as I’m so far behind with the blog. We’re currently in
Anyway back to the plot. So we arrived in Rio by bus from Ubatuba, (Please note bus, and not coach. In terms of comfort there is a massive difference.), and found out where to catch the local bus to Ipanema, the area next to Copacabana which we’d chosen to stay in. Once again Lorraine and the girls stood guard over the bags, this time in MacDonalds, whilst I went off in search of a roof. In our book there were several entries for Hostels in the Barao de Torre which turned out to be a lovely alleyway off one of the main roads, with hostels on either side. Although Carnival was over it was still pretty much booked up, however I spoke to Stephan, (nice chap) in Casa 6 who offered me a room with an enormous bed which I duly took. Having collected the girls we settled down top-to-tail and got a pretty good nights rest. As our room was only available for one night I was up bright and early to find some longer term accommodation. Although it was only 8am the heat was intense and I was quickly drenched with sweat. I found a place that seemed reasonable, if a little pricey and agreed to bring Lorraine and the girls to take a look. We set off on the 20 minute journey with our world on our backs. I’m carrying about 35 kilos in total so it didn’t take long for me to look like I either had an automatic shower for my head or I was doing a pretty good impression of Iguacu Falls. To be honest I probably have another 5 kilos on my stomach which I could dispense with to lighten the load. Needless to say we took several breathers along the way and in hindsight a taxi would have been a better bet. Having walked over half way there we were approached by Stella, a lively lady of maturing years who asked us if we were arriving or leaving. Having confirmed the former she said she had an apartment to rent as she was off to see her relatives for a week in Iguacu, (I know, it’s a recurring theme), so I went off to see it. Her apartment turned out to be just around the corner from where we had come from and just what we needed! So, by 9am we had a nice apartment in a safe area only two blocks from the beach. Result! The rest of the day was spent familiarizing ourselves with Ipanema and generally unwinding. After a couple of beach days playing in the sea, despite the current, and admiring the tanned bodies, (ok, that was just me), we decided to take in some of the other sights and visited Corcovado, the 710 m peak surmounted by O Cristo Redentor, the 38 m statue of Christ the Redeemer.
To reach the top you can either take a taxi, minibus or cog railway. We decided to take the latter and set off on the 3.8 km journey to the top. To reach the statue itself you need to climb remarkably few steps followed by a series of escalators which makes it accessible for just about anyone. Aside from a couple of moments on the railway there was no sense of being near an edge which enables anyone with a fear of heights to enjoy the experience as well.
To say the scenery is amazing is an understatement and as the weather was kind we were treated to spectacular views of Rio and the surrounding area, as well as being able to appreciate the awesome statue of Christ. Altogether a fabulous experience with a ‘Wow factor’ of 9! 
The following day we took in one of the other well known symbols of Rio, Sugar Loaf Mountain or Pao de Acucar, the 396 m granite cone that stands at the entrance to
As it was another bright sunny day we had even more spectacular views of Rio including some eerie views of Christ through the mist. (Sorry for the repetition but I need to increase my vocabulary of superlatives.) Unlike the previous day there were plenty of sheer drops to enjoy, endure or ignore. Having had our fill of breathtaking scenery we all made it safely back to Ipanema and reflected on our day over a few Caipirinhas.
Safety is an interesting subject for travellers, particularly for those like us with children. Whilst planning the trip we looked at reports provided by the Foreign Office website to get updates on safety in certain countries and cities. Our handbook also provides safety advice for each location and both the book and the websites said to be extremely careful and vigilant in Rio. My own experience was that as long as you didn’t stick out like a sore thumb with the trappings of wealth on show, (not that we have any!) and attempted to integrate when possible with the locals you should be ok. Obviously you need to keep an eye on your belongings and common sense should prevail, but I wouldn’t let the general advice put you off enjoying Rio’s sights and sounds and engaging with the locals. We were advised not to go to the seafront at night; well we were down on the beach at gone 10pm and had a great time. I also spent a couple of magical hours on the rocks at the end of Ipanema beach watching the sun go down along with many locals and tourists alike. In all our time in Rio we didn’t see or experience anything other than warm hospitality and I’d recommend the city to anyone. 