The Sweet Smell of Rice: Rio!!!

What a sight, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil! Am amazing array of high rise buildings set along the famous beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. Although it was the middle of the week, the beaches were filled with people sun bathing, playing in the water and playing sports on the beach. Two things definitely stood out: the abundance of red umbrellas and red beach chairs which lined the beaches from all of the stalls along the beach renting them out for the day, and the people of all ages and sizes wearing the ‘barely there’ Brazilian two-piece bikini.

Our first day in Rio was full of exploring the city and it’s people via the Metro. We traveled from the port area down to Copacabana, along the beaches and back through the city. We did spend some time on the beach, but it was a HOT day and the time in the sun was draining. The walkways along the beaches seemed famous for their black and white tile designs--the same pattern stretching as far as the eye could see. We took a break with some refreshing caprihanas, the local drink akin to a mojito with lime instead of mint, and some empanada snacks.

With an overnight in Rio, we hit the town with some friends Chris and Candice, going out for dinner in a very bohemian part of town with live jazz music, eclectic restaurants and lots of local activity. In this part of the world, the town comes alive after 9:00pm once it’s cooled down and everyone is ready to go out for dinner and a good time. Needless to say, we got back from dinner and hanging out around 1:45am, in time for some sleep before our crew tour the next morning at 7:30am.

Day two in Rio started off with a tour up Corcavado Mountain to see Christ the Redeemer, the massive statue overlooking the city of Rio. We took a bus to the tram station where we boarded this trolly to travel up to the top of the mountain through the lush rainforest. When we arrived at the top we were greeted by the amazing Christ the Redeemer statue as well as amazing and expansive views of the city. The sights were unbelievable looking down over the city and the coastline. It was also a great morning for photos and especially with Jesus looking down on us. An absolutely breathtaking and humbling experience to be at the top of the mountain at the base of the status.

Another great day in Rio!
Side note: on the bus ride during the tour, we encountered something that has inspired a great business idea for Amye... shoes for dogs. There was a little white dog being walked on the streets of Rio wearing shoes (no joke)! In thinking of the dogs at home and their various shoe needs, we think this has great potential. Just think, snow boots for Penny, swim fins for Charlie, running shoes for both, and probably some Converse for Luigi. Let us know if your interested in investing, Amye’s working on some design ideas during her free time :)

The sprawling crowds of Ipanema Beach