Christ the Redeemer, Sugarloaf Mountain and More Must See Sites

CHRIST THE REDEEMER

Hello Jesus . Today was a visit to Rio’s number one attraction. 

Christ the Redeemer is considered one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is 125 ft. In length, perched high on top of a mountain in a national park with breathtaking scenery. Being a New Yorker, the Statue of Liberty also gets my vote as a World Wonder, but admittedly, the harbor in Rio is a spectacular sight to be seen, just adding to the awe factor.

Today I also checked out Ipanema beach. This beach became famous worldwide after Frank Sinatra recorded the song “The Girl from Ipanema” in 1964. (Veni sang the song for us just in case someone wasn’t familiar with it). The song was based on a stunningly beautiful girl who is now in her 80s and now has her own beauty line. While there, couldn't help but buy some Havaianas flip-flops to take home.

Tonight, Veni treated us to Happy Hour at his favorite beach bar. At the next table, we thought someone said they were from New Jersey, started a little chat and discovered that they come to Rio frequently for work. What do they do? They are pilots for Delta Airlines! Yes, Delta Airlines that nearly wrecked my trip. Remarkably, they were the pilots for my flight! Weird, but true.

                             Ms. Liberty in New York harbor 😄

SUGARLOAF MOUNTAIN

To reach Sugarloaf Mountain , you need to ride a cable car to the top. This is probably the second most popular attraction in Rio. The views of the landscape are jaw-dropping. 

SERALON STAIRCASE

We went downtown and stopped by a tile-covered staircase, called the Seralon Staircase, which was decorated by a famous Chilean artist. The immediate area is packed with tourists and a little difficult to navigate. Some "entrepreneurs" get paid to take shots of people on the stairs, so if you get in their way, you will hear about it. Just be aware of where you step.

We had a quick lunch at a local restaurant around the corner from the Hotel and afterward a short visit to Jardim Botanico. As it was getting late, we didn't see the full garden. We discovered that there was a trolley to pick up passengers at certain stops along the route, so you don't need to do all that walking unless you want to. Inquire about this when you purchase tickets. It is not that obvious that this service exists. At least it wasn't to us.

JARDIM BOTANICO

Beautiful Brazilian Red Tree

Just had to post these adorable kids on a field trip to the garden.

Made It To Rio De Janiero After the Hurdles

So overall, it was not the most comfortable flight with a screaming, unhappy baby, but I’m just relieved that I made it. The taxi drivers swarm around you when leaving the airport and get pissed if you tell them you have an Uber. I will just say nothing next time. I'm sure that the 40-minute ride to the hotel with them wouldn’t compare to the $13 that I paid.

Apparently iphone theft is a big problem, so we were told not to walk around the street holding it as everyone does in NYC. “Just snap the picture and put it away”. There is a presence of military police on the streets but not shocking since there is a large population of disadvantaged people on the outskirts of the touristy places.

For the rest of the afternoon, I strolled along the Copacabana beach promenade and got a margarita-type drink called a Caipirinhas and an Açaí smoothie. While I waited for my room to become available, I went to the rooftop pool. Overall, not a bad recovery from a shoddy start.

This afternoon, our tour manager got us together for an orientation. The group is large and lively so should be fun. Even in that short time, the different personalities come through. 

Our Tour Manager, Veni is an interesting person. He spent time with a family in the US as a student and still has a strong connection with them. I appreciate it when the tour managers reveal something personal about themselves like family history,  good or bad, which makes them relatable. Yeah, Veni was pretty open about his past relationships as well. 

We all introduced ourselves and mentioned our favorite G1 trip. I think I was the only one who’s been to Cambodia and Vietnam. Afterwards, Veni took us to a Brazilian restaurant, specializing in steak, of course, for dinner. Lots of meat, some seafood etc. It turned out to be an extraordinarily good, memorable meal. 

After that, we went back to the Windsor Leme Hotel hoping to get some sleep. We have some days with VERY early starts this week. Tomorrow is the biggest attraction in Rio- Christ the Redeemer and we are supposed to get there early before the crowds arrive.

Getting to Brazil from New York

I randomly read an inspiring blog from a graduate who went to Iceland as a congratulatory gift to herself, so I decided to start a blog myself. I wished that I had done this for other trips sooner. It's cathartic to record your experiences when traveling.

Today, my plane was supposed to leave for Rio from JFK at 1PM but as I’m out the door, I get a text from DELTA about a delayed flight by several hours. I would have been stranded in Lima, having missed the connection, so decided to leave for the trip the following day, which happens to be my birthday, and travel a different route. I will keep my fingers crossed that I get to Rio on Sunday morning and can join the group later in the day.

I decided to do a carry-on bag with a weight limit of only 26 lbs. when I thought I would be flying on LATAM. I've been watching (more than I care to admit) You Tube packing videos so I should be okay. It's so much easier to go light than lugging around lots of stuff from place to place. I don't mind wearing the same outfit multiple times. Nobody cares.

Getting to JFK is a breeze now that I take the LIRR to Jamaica Station to the Airtrain. I still get butterflies going to new, unchartered places, but we have to face our fears, and it is usually well worth it once I arrive at most destinations.

I will meet up with my Gate1 travel group at the Windsor Leme Hotel near Copacabana Beach. Most people on these tours are friendly. Normally, it is not a problem being with strangers as long as you steer clear of convos like politics and religion. The tour company explicitly advises you to avoid controversial topics. For the most part, we share the commonality of traveling to new places and sharing stories of those places, which helps with bonding. Regarding the question, "Where are you from?" I usually get a few snarky comments about NYC or Brooklyn, but it doesn’t bother me. But in these times, I feel that I need to be more cautious, particularly when asked this question by locals. Not everyone loves us and I don’t want to find out who.

Well.. I hope the planets are in alignment today. It’s still early, but so far, no delay notifications. Uncertainty is probably the worst part of traveling but I am committed to doing meditation if need be. I know when I get to ATL  I’ll be racing to the other end of the terminal for the International flight. I’ve already done my research last night and understand the layout of the Airport. I know this is being OCD, but when traveling solo, it helps eliminate some anxiety.

So fast forward …Delta couldn’t make up their minds if there was going to be a delay with the ATL flight which set me into a mild panic about my connection. They also changed the gate to the far end of the terminal. Fortunately, they reversed course and now we’re back to the original plan. Grrr!

But I spoke too soon. The crew at JFK was late so it was a real squeeze getting to the connection. Fortunately, ATL has a tram so I got here at lightning speed. Delta just sent me a 4000-mile consolation prize. I’ll take it although it seems measly. Goodbye for now … next time …Rio. Need to learn some Portuguese.

L is not on the trip, but adding her photo just the same because she is so cute.