Rio de Janiero, Brazil

Ahhh  Rio!  Rio de Janiero is one of those places that is so hyped up.  I was afraid it wouldn't be able to live up to it's reputation...but I loved it!  The vitality, the crowds, the excitement...it was all great!  We were there for two days which, of course, was not enough.  I did the typical tourist stuff...first it was Sugarloaf  Mountain which welcomes you to the port, and then Corcovado Mountain to see Christ the Redeemer.  It takes 2 cable cars to get to Sugarloaf and then you get the view!  It was a little disappointing because the first day we were there it was extra hazy (humid) so you couldn't see great but it was still nice.  At Corcovado, (which I wish I could pronounce like a Brazilian, it sounds magical when they say it)  it was a 30 minute train ride and then 200 steps up to the statue.  This statue was my main reason for wanting to go to Rio.  It was absolutely amazing!  It was also totally shoulder to shoulder with people.  Most of them not Americans.  I also had a cool lunch, lots of meat, we had at least 6 different kinds of meat for one meal.  The second day I was there I decided to go on a helicopter ride around the city.  If you ever go to Rio splurge and do this!  It was the best!  Seeing the sights from the previous day plus the beaches and buildings from the air.  You really just have to do it.  I'll even admit that I'm probably the only person that didn't know that Copacabana was a real beach!  I wish I could share more than one photo with you, but that will have to wait til I get home. 

Here is my favorite photo of Rio.  I took it from the helicopter.  And now, after 3 stops in Brazil and just starting to understand a little Portugese, I'm off the Argentina and Spanish!