DAY 33 TO 34

DAY 33 TO 34

DAY 33

TODAY WE WENT TO THE HIPPIE FAIR AND TO COPACABANA AND IPANEMA BEACHES.  THE WEATHER HAS SURPRISED US AND IS A DELIGHTFUL 78 DEGREES.  WELL, DELIGHTFUL TO ME, NOT TO THOSE WHO WANT TO BE ON THE BEACH.  EVEN IN THE “WINTER” RIO GETS HOT.  SO I’M JUST GOING TO ENJOY THE NICE WEATHER AS LONG AS IT LASTS.

OUR GUEST HOUSE HAS A VERY NICE BREAKFAST SO WE ONCE AGAIN ENJOYED THIS.  WE HEADED OUT AROUND 9:30 AND RODE OUR FIRST METRO HER IN RIO.   IT IS VERY NICE AND MODERN, WITH ONLY 3 LINES THAN BASICALLY RUN IN THE SAME DIRECTIONS, JUST DIFFERENT LEVELS.  SO THIS NECESSITATES ALSO CATCHING A BUS.  BUT WE DID IT WITHOUT GETTING LOST AND ARRIVED AT THE HIPPIE FAIR.   THIS FAIR HAS BEEN POPULAR SINCE IT STARTED IN 1968.  I ACTUALLY LIKE THE FAIR YESTERDAY, AS IT  SEEMED TO BE MORE ARTS AND CRAFTS.  BUT DID FIND A FEW MORE THINGS.  THEN WALKED DOWN TO IPANEMA BEACH, WHICH WAS WONDERFUL.  DISCOVERED THAT IPANEMA WAS CALLED Y-PANEMA BACK IN THE 1800’S , WHICH MEANS “ROUGH WATERS”.  OF COURSE WE HAVE ALL HEARD THE SONG, “THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA” FROM THE EARLY ‘60’S, AND FOR THOSE WHO ATTENDED THE DISTRICT CONFERENCE, THE BRAZILIAN TEAM SANG A SMALL PART OF THIS SONG.  IT IS ONLY ABOUT A MILE LONG, BUT MORE CHIC AND STYLISH (IN MY VIEW) THAN IT’S NEIGHBOR COPACABANA.  I ENJOYED WALKING THEM BOTH AND WATCHING MULTIPLE GAMES OF VOLLEY BALL.  DID STICK MY TOE IN THE WATER AND BOY WAS IT COLD.  THE SURFERS WERE WEARING THIN WET SUITS.  THERE IS A ROCK FORMATION BETWEEN IPANEMA BEACH AND COPACABANA THAT YOU CAN CLIMB AND GET SOME GOOD VIEWS.  BUT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO WALKED FROM ONE BEACH TO THE OTHER.  YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THE BEACH AND WALK FOR AWHILE ALONG THE ROAD, AND THEN BACK DOWN TO THE BEACH.  

TODAY IS THE FINAL PLAYOFF OF THE STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.  I WAS INCORRECTLY TOLD PREVIOUSLY THAT IT WAS THE NATIONAL.  SO THERE ARE 2 TEAMS FROM THIS STATE OF RIO PLAYING EACH OTHER SO IT IS FOR THE STATE TITLE.  THEN THE STATES WILL HAVE A PLAYOFF FOR THE NATIONAL TITLE.   MOST OF MY FAMILIES  WERE ON THE SIDE OF THE FLAMINGO TEAM.  ALL DAY LONG YOU COULD SEE EVERYONE DRESSED IN THEIR FAVORITE COLORS.  GOT THE CHANCE TO STOP AT A SUPPER MARKET AND GOT SOME VEGETABLES AND POTATOES FOR DINNER.

AMBER, TRACY, MICHELLE, NATALIE AND PAUL DECIDED TO HEAD OVER TO THE STADIUM TO SEE IF THEY COULD FIND AFFORDABLE TICKETS FROM A “SCALPER”.  SHERRY AND I HEADED BACK HOME.  THE LADY WHO RUNS THE GUEST HOUSE (TERESA) HAD INVITED US TO GO OUT TO THE SUBURBS TO WATCH SOME “REAL” SAMBA DANCING TONIGHT.  I DECIDED TO DO THIS AND SHERRY DECIDED TO STAY HOME AND REST.   SO AT 7 OCLOCK WE TOOK A CAB OUT TO THE BURBS AND LISTENED TO SOME GREAT SAMBA MUSIC.  THIS STARTED MANY YEARS AGO, WITH A FAMOUS .  ON THE WAY OUT, WE PASSED THE STADIUM.  IT WAS FUN LISTENING TO THE CHEERS FROM THE STATDIUM FROM THE GUEST HOUSE BEFORE WE LEFT FOR THE DANCING.  AND IT WAS FUN WATCHING THE CROWD COME OUT.   LOTS OF TRAFFIC, BUT WE MANAGED TO GET AROUND IT. 

I DON’T THINK I’VE TALKED ABOUT WHERE WE ARE STAYING.  THE AREA IS CALLED SANTA TERESA, AND IT IS UP ON THE MOUNTAIN, AS IS MUCH OF RIO.  IT IS THE ARTSY AREA AND I LOVE BEING UP HERE, WHAT A VIEW.  WE ARE MORE THAN HALF WAY UP TO THE CHRIST STATUE AND MOST OF US CAN SEE IT FROM OUR WINDOWS.

WHEN WE ARRIVED, I GOT TO MEET THE SAMBA DANCER, WHO OPENED HER FRONT YARD TO PEOPLE WHO LIKED TO SAMBA.  IT IS NOW A WELL KNOWN THINGFOR SERIOUS DANCERS, , THOUGH NOT KNOWN TO TOURISTS.  I WAS THE ONLY NON BRASILIAN THERE.   WE STAYED ABOUT 3 HOURS AND BY THE TIME WE LEFT, THERE WERE AT LEAST 250-300 PEOPLE DANCING AND SWAYING.  I MET SOME NICE GUYS AND THEIR WIVES,  AND THEY TRIED TO HELP ME LEARN TO SAMBA.  I FINALLY GOT IT, BUT IT IS A LOT OF WORK, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY DANCE FAST.  WE ARE HOME NOW AND I’M SURE I’M GOING TO SLEEP WELL. 

 

DAY 34

I DID SLEEP WELL LAST NIGHT  I ACTUALLY HAD TO PULL UP THE BLANKET.  IT IS CLOUDY AGAIN TODAY.  WE MANAGED TO GET OUT AROUND 9:30 AFTER ANOTHER GOOD BREAKFAST, AND HEADED FOR SUGAR LOAF.  INSTEAD OF CATCHING THE BUS DOWN TO THE METRO, WE CAUGHT ONE OF THE LITTLE MINI VANS (KOMBI).  WHILE WE WERE WAITING FOR THE BUS, THE KOMBI CAME BY, SO WE DECIDED, WHY NOT.  IT REMINDS ME OF THE “DOLMA” IN ISTANBUL-  IT IS A SMALL VAN THAT TRIES TO PACK AS MANY PEOPLE IN AS POSSIBLE.  IT’S A FEW CENTS CHEAPER THAN THE BUS, BUT THAT IS NOT THE POINT, OF COURSE-IT WAS JUST PART OF THE CULTURE WE HAD TO TRY.  QUITE HONESTLY, THE DRIVER DROVE BETTER THAN THE BUS DRIVERS.   WE CAUGHT THE METRO TO A DIFFERENT STOP AND ANOTHER BUS AND ARRIVED WITHOUT ANY TRAUMA TO SUGAR LOAF.  I WISH IT COULD HAVE BEEN A LITTLE MORE CLEAR, AS WE COULD NOT COULD NOT SEE THE CHRIST STATUE ACROSS THE WATER DUE TO THE FOG. BUT IT WAS BEAUTIFUL.   IT WAS FUN REMEMBERING THE JAMES BOND MOVIE “MOONRAKER” WHILE WE WERE TAKING THE CABLE CAR UP.  THANK GOD I DID NOT SEE JAWS WHILE WE WERE TRAVELING UP EITHER OF THE MOUNTAINS.  ROGER MOORE WOULD HAVE BEEN OK, BUT I STILL REMEMBER THE SCENE  WHERE JAWS BITES THRU THE CABLE.  ACTUALLY, I DID NOT  REALIZE THAT THERE WERE 2 MOUTAINS.  SUGAR LOAF IS THE SECOND.  THE CABLE CAR OPENED IN 1912 AND THEY HAD SOME OF THE OLD MACHINERY AND CARS AVAILABLE TO SEE.   THE AREA IS ALSO A WITH HIKING TRAILS.  WE DID SEE 2 CLIMBERS TAKING THE HARD WAY UP .  THERE IS NO OPPORTUNITY TO HIKE THE MOUNTAIN-WHERE AS YOU CAN HIKE UP TO THE CHRIST STATUE.  AT SUGAR LOAF IT IS EITHER CLIMBING OR THE CABLE CAR.

I DECIDED TO STAY UP FOR AWHILE TO SEE IF IT WOULD CLEAR, BUT NO SUCH LUCK.  EVERYONE ELSE WENT TO THE BOTANICAL GARDENS.  I EVENTUALLY GAVE UP AND WENT INTO THE CENTRAL TOWN.  VISITED THE NATIONAL THEATER-UNFORTUNATELY THEY ONLY HAD TOURS IN PORTUGUESE.  THEN WENT OVER TO THE NATIONAL LIBRARY AND WALKED AROUND.  GOT HOME AROUND 3 AND READ SOME.  

GOT A CALL FROM CRISTA, OUR ROTARY CONTACT THAT HERB AND JUNE SET ME UP WITH TO TOUR THE FAVELA AND OUR SCHOOL WE SUPPORT.  I AM GOING TO ATTEND A ROTARY MEETING AT LUNCH WEDNESDAY.  FOR SOME ODD REASON, NO ONE ELSE IS INTERESTED IN GOING!!!!!!!!!!!  HOWEVER,  AMBER, MICHELLE, TRACY, SHERRY, MYSELF AND PAUL  ARE ALL GOING TO THE SCHOOL  IN THE FAVELA THURSDAY MORNING.  I AM REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO BOTH THE MEETING AND THE TRIP. 

THE REST OF THE GANG CAME IN A LITTLE WHILE AGO (5 PM) LOADED WITH GROCERY BAGS.  WE’VE ALL DECIDED TO STAY HOME TONIGHT AND DO NOTHING.  DEPENDING ON THE WEATHER TOMORROW, I’M HEADING TO THE GARDENS OR UP THE MOUNTAIN TO SEE THE CHRIST STATUE.  WEATHER FORCAST DOES SHOW SUNNY WEAHTER STARTING WEDNESDAY.   WILL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE.  THINK I’M GOING TO HAVE AN EGG SANDWICH FOR DINNER TONIGHT AND GO TO BED EARLY.  ONLY 5 MORE DAYS BEFORE WE GET TO SEE OUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!