Rio Rio Rio!
For a couple of days, my friends and I went to Rio de Janiero for vacation! It is a fabulous city and truly unique! Several things were happening in Rio while we were there that kept the city buzzing a little bit...Justin Bieber was in town. Hooray. (can you feel my enthusiam with that hooray?) Rock in Rio is a concert series like ACL in Austin, but all rock bands/music and that was taking place while we were there too. Because of these two events, Rio was bustling. We walked past the hotel where Justin Bieber was staying several times and the sickness must not be THAT contageous because even with being so close I still didn't get Bieber Fever.. thank goodness.
Also, I do have to mention that Brazilian soap operas are insanely popoular here. Whereas we have our series and shows that are watched regularly across America and loved by many, for Brazil these shows are soap operas. Actors in the soap operas are national stars and considered the most talented actors/actresses in the country.
And, while being in the country, I got addicted.
It's true ! I couldn't entirely understand all that was going on because of the language barrier, but the shows are so dramatic that it's not hard to follow...the one I loved most was called "A Vida de Gente" (The life of the people). Anyway, point of all this is that on our plane ride from Sao Paulo to Rio AND back from Rio to Sao Paulo there were like 7 or 8 soap opera stars on our flights! I didn't know these people of course, but it was fun to know that they were famous and sitting two rows in front of me!
The first full day that we were in Rio we "did as the locals did". Well I was already technically with "locals" (my friends) being that they were far more local to their home than the gringa they were with... But since Rio is such a touristy city, the local people who live in Rio get away from the city on the weekends. So we went where they usually go! It was a couple hours north of Rio (near Cabo Frio) and once we got there, we got on a little boat which toted us around all day. We first went to a gorgeous beach to relax, then we saw a bunch of caves and went to another beach. We ate lunch on a floating pier--literally floating and you almost had to have sea legs to stand up on the tossing planks.
The next day, we did some touristy things. We, of course, saw the Christ. It's really incredible up close and the views can't be beat.
I took this picture from the car on the way there:
Then we went on a bike ride all around the gorgeous lake in the very center of town! I loved it!
We also rode up a couple of cable cars to Sugarloaf Mountain and again, what amazing views of the city!
Also, I do have to mention that Brazilian soap operas are insanely popoular here. Whereas we have our series and shows that are watched regularly across America and loved by many, for Brazil these shows are soap operas. Actors in the soap operas are national stars and considered the most talented actors/actresses in the country.
And, while being in the country, I got addicted.
It's true ! I couldn't entirely understand all that was going on because of the language barrier, but the shows are so dramatic that it's not hard to follow...the one I loved most was called "A Vida de Gente" (The life of the people). Anyway, point of all this is that on our plane ride from Sao Paulo to Rio AND back from Rio to Sao Paulo there were like 7 or 8 soap opera stars on our flights! I didn't know these people of course, but it was fun to know that they were famous and sitting two rows in front of me!
The first full day that we were in Rio we "did as the locals did". Well I was already technically with "locals" (my friends) being that they were far more local to their home than the gringa they were with... But since Rio is such a touristy city, the local people who live in Rio get away from the city on the weekends. So we went where they usually go! It was a couple hours north of Rio (near Cabo Frio) and once we got there, we got on a little boat which toted us around all day. We first went to a gorgeous beach to relax, then we saw a bunch of caves and went to another beach. We ate lunch on a floating pier--literally floating and you almost had to have sea legs to stand up on the tossing planks.
The next day, we did some touristy things. We, of course, saw the Christ. It's really incredible up close and the views can't be beat.
I took this picture from the car on the way there:
And, where is your focus...?
Then we went on a bike ride all around the gorgeous lake in the very center of town! I loved it!
We also rode up a couple of cable cars to Sugarloaf Mountain and again, what amazing views of the city!
While we were up there, we ran into a group of like 50 little children on a field trip to Sugarloaf (back in the day, the coolest field trip I got to go to was the Discovery Center. Cool, don't get me wrong, but doesn't really compare to a day on top of a mountain overlooking the sea...I mean, really.) They were in the age range of probably 7 to 11 or so... My Brazilian friends started talking to a couple of them, then they found out that I speak English and the rest was history. I instantly became a celebrity with these 50 kids. Everyone wanted to talk to me and as we walked around the mountain and the gardens, one of them would see me coming and shout "Aleisha is coming, Aleisha is coming!" Immediately the rest of the other 49 youngsters would like automatically hear the call from anywhere they were on the mountain, and come running at me. By the end of our time at Sugarloaf, we tried to sneak away with out the little ones seeing us....so in order to accomplish such a task, I had to disguise myself. See below.
It worked.
We had a lovely time in Rio! Ate at some great places (this AMAZING Portuguese place with the BEST banana dessert ever!!) and enjoyed the beach, enjoyed our hotel. A great vacation weekend! I can now officially play Angry Birds Rio with more personal conection to the game and also I watched the cartoon Rio with my friends, too. I may or may not have really liked that movie and wouldn't complain if someone bought the soundtrack for me for Christmas. Just sayin'
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