Our final bus journey... our final destination... home to the favela known as the `City of God´. Arriving into one of the most talked about cities on the planet filled us with a buzzing sense of excitement.. hosting a backdrop of curving white sanded beaches, tumbling mountains, and the seductive sounds of samba pumping through the veins
of every resident. We stayed along one of the tree-lined avenues of affluent Ipanema surrounded by beautiful people, designer shops, and a short hop to its stunning beach. Unfortunately, rain suspended outdoor play on our initial day forcing us to focus our attentions on the night scene instead. Wandering through the pleasant neighbourhood we stumbled across a music shop on an avenue named after a legend of Bossanova, Vinicius de Moraes. The owner, taking a liking to our indian background, gifted us with one of his 
very own compiled CD´s before pointing us in the direction of a Bossanova bar. There, the very popular Maria Crueza (and a quartet of musicians) performed many crowd pleasers including `The Girl from Ipanema´ in an intimate environment which we ended with overpowering caipirinhas. Rio de Janeiro used to be the capital of Brazil before it was usurped by 
Brasilia, and like any metropolis it has its share of poverty stricken areas... more commonly known as favelas. Entering one of these neighbourhoods without a knowledgeable guide is deemed suicidal in part... and the following afternoon we learnt how the film the `City of God´was indeed an accurate reflection of life within them. The favela that we visited was called Rocinha... 
nestled within the mountain it provided its drug dealing dwellers with strategic look out points to warn of uninvited police and rival gangs. Our 3 hour tour began with a short hair raising motorbike ride that took us into the heart of this completely different world. With the words `anything can happen at anytime´, our guide Luis sent us a clear message and strongly advised about the use of cameras in certain parts. Amongst a tangled mess of illegally connected electricity lines and an air filled with sewage smells, Luis led us through the winding graffiti´d 
alleyways where the poverty was apparent. Gun strapped drug dealers confidently roamed the streets, and kids passed their time drumming beats and smoking pot... like many favelas it centred around the theme of drugs. After briefly visiting the residence of an artist (friend of our guide) and a small community school (of which proceeds from our tour supported), we 
completed our eye-opening experience... and returned to the vastly contrasting Ipanema.
Brasilia, and like any metropolis it has its share of poverty stricken areas... more commonly known as favelas. Entering one of these neighbourhoods without a knowledgeable guide is deemed suicidal in part... and the following afternoon we learnt how the film the `City of God´was indeed an accurate reflection of life within them. The favela that we visited was called Rocinha... 
nestled within the mountain it provided its drug dealing dwellers with strategic look out points to warn of uninvited police and rival gangs. Our 3 hour tour began with a short hair raising motorbike ride that took us into the heart of this completely different world. With the words `anything can happen at anytime´, our guide Luis sent us a clear message and strongly advised about the use of cameras in certain parts. Amongst a tangled mess of illegally connected electricity lines and an air filled with sewage smells, Luis led us through the winding graffiti´d 
alleyways where the poverty was apparent. Gun strapped drug dealers confidently roamed the streets, and kids passed their time drumming beats and smoking pot... like many favelas it centred around the theme of drugs. After briefly visiting the residence of an artist (friend of our guide) and a small community school (of which proceeds from our tour supported), we 
completed our eye-opening experience... and returned to the vastly contrasting Ipanema.The next day we made our way to Cosme Velho where set atop of the mountain known as Corcovado, a statue had been erected to watch over the entire city... Christo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer). A 30 minute train climb through the lush rainforest of Tijuca National Park brought us to within touching distance of this majestic statue... at 30 metres high, he stood open-armed towering above Rio de 
Janeiro. With clear blue skies above us, we were able to appreciate 360 degree views of the city - its curving beaches and its punctuating mountains that included the famous Sugar Loaf. That evening we strolled along Ipanema beach admiring the sunset over Pedra Bonita before ending the day on the terrace of a bar where street musicians filled the night with 
Samba beats.
Janeiro. With clear blue skies above us, we were able to appreciate 360 degree views of the city - its curving beaches and its punctuating mountains that included the famous Sugar Loaf. That evening we strolled along Ipanema beach admiring the sunset over Pedra Bonita before ending the day on the terrace of a bar where street musicians filled the night with 
Samba beats.There was time for one final flight before our long-haul back home... so the following morning we clutched the handle-bars of a hang-glider and took off from Pedra Bonita at 500 metres. Our charismatic instructors were Paulo and Quen who ensured we had a safe and memorable 10 minutes being as free as a bird. Unlike our parapenting experience we picked up some good
velocities in the warm air, but similarly it was the take-off and landing sequences that proved to be the trickiest. As had been suggested, gliding over Tijuca National Park and landing on the sands of Sao Concorde was definitely one of the highlights of our stay in Rio. Later that afternoon we amused ourselves in Ipanema beach playing hacky-sack, where we saw many finely conditioned bodies that created the so-
called `Beauty Crowd´, and where Brazil´s largest religion, football, took over parts of the beach.
velocities in the warm air, but similarly it was the take-off and landing sequences that proved to be the trickiest. As had been suggested, gliding over Tijuca National Park and landing on the sands of Sao Concorde was definitely one of the highlights of our stay in Rio. Later that afternoon we amused ourselves in Ipanema beach playing hacky-sack, where we saw many finely conditioned bodies that created the so-
called `Beauty Crowd´, and where Brazil´s largest religion, football, took over parts of the beach.Over the next couple of days we continued to laze on the sands as well as exploring the famous strip of Copacabana, and the arches of Santa Theresa. And over the next couple of nights we hit some of the recommended samba
spots around Leblon and Lapa... littered with cafes and clubs hosting live music (and not exotic dancers like the name suggests), crowds spilled onto the streets of Lapa making it one of the most atmospheric areas in Rio. It was a deservedly fitting way to end our 6 months of travelling. Next and final stop... Home.
spots around Leblon and Lapa... littered with cafes and clubs hosting live music (and not exotic dancers like the name suggests), crowds spilled onto the streets of Lapa making it one of the most atmospheric areas in Rio. It was a deservedly fitting way to end our 6 months of travelling. Next and final stop... Home.
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