Pão de Açúcar

Decided last Saturday would be a good day to look for the scramble up the back of the Pão de Açúcar. Got the Metro and Metro-bus from Botafango station which stopped at the telepherique station.
A pleasant tarmac path leads from the Praia Vermelha under the South Face of the mountain. It was full of families and couples out for a stroll and lots of walkers keeping fit. Below the forest and just above the sea, it is spectacular, and ends at a large concrete pillar just before the end of the trees.

After jumping over the wall the path immediately becomes small, intimate and totally empty which was a real buzz after 3 weeks of the busyness and bustle of Rio de Janeiro.

Then the path starts to leave the trees and instead of bare earth traverses across easy slabs before following an easy line straight up to a very small peak at the South East end of the mountain. Any worries that it might be difficult to find the way were resolved when in the distance a big queue of people could be seen crammed up at one section of the route ahead.

The brief outline on the internet had said "one small section of 4 which many people choose to solo". Not mentioning which country the grade of 4 was from. I.e. British and too hard for me to solo, or French then ... maybe.

Arriving just below the difficult bit there were 2 ropes thrown down. What looked like local guides positioned at the bottom, 7 metres up and at the top 10 metres up. In what seemed a chaotic scene there were also 4 tourists sitting at the top and maybe 7 at the bottom while one person tied to the rope struggled up the climb in their trainers. Once they were at tthe top the harness and rope were lowered back down for the next tourist.

While trying to work out what was happening a fit young guy with a rucksack soloed up and so I followed behind as far as the hard moves and watched while he continued easily up the last 3 metres.

Waiting on a ledge while a tourist really struggled with the hard moves left me very much in 2 minds what to do. Luckily at that moment a nice guy from Michigan came up on a rope thrown down by the fit soloist. It turned out the soloist was Netto. Hired for the day at $300 to take David climbing. The first hard move was about VD. and ok. Hesitating before the harder move, David shouted down, "Would you like us to throw you the rope?"

Phew!! A minute later I was at the top of the difficulty (too hard for me to have soloed) happily shaking their hands.

From here it is a long steep walk to the top of the hill, arriving in a mob of tourists looking as if I had just stepped out fully dressed from a shower. It was a hot day! The views were fantastic and there are lots of nice footpaths around the summit in lovely bamboo groves.
The telepherique to the subsiduary peak is free and from there an obvious footpath leads back to the Praia Vermelha.
It was great that I have finally found a place in Rio where it feels safe to walk up a hill when there are so many.

Rain

First thing this morning it was raining although still quite warm at 20 C
It was a fairly light shower but had the impact of keeping away nearly all the joggers and walkers who usually fill the pavement and cycleway on the beach. (note photo is taken on a sunday when they close one lane on the road).

Still working out which is the best Kiosk to buy my coconut in but even this morning when I was the only person at any stall I still got not attention from the behind the bar.

In the afternoon we got the metro bus and Metro on Line 1 to Uruguainana and went to the wholesale shopping area between there and Carioca station. Martin had to buy some material to re-upholster the dining table chairs and a part for the curtain poles for the lounge. Then combined a couple of nice cafes with art exhibitions. One was in the Banco du Brazil building which was very impressive but neither of us particularly liked the work of the artist Paulo Pasta.

In the evening we went for a bottle of wine and a really good pizza in a restaurant in Zona Sul. This is like the local equivalent of Sainsbury. It was odd sitting at a table and then looking up and seeing people with trolleys shopping right in front of us.

Jardim Botânico

Visited the Botanical Gardens not far from Leblon. Lots of spectacular trees from Brazil and around the world. It was like being in Kew Gardens except that they didn't need the large greenhouses. In the bamboo groves, even the light breeze knocked the trunks together and made a lot of noise. I guess the noise would be intense in a high wind.

The mountains around Rio really add to the setting and seem to transform it from being just another city (with fabulous beaches and weather!) into a unique location.

There were not many tourists in the park but it was full of school parties and we seemed to arrive at the cafe at the same time as most of the schools arrived there to eat their picnic lunches. It was really enjoyable sitting there watching them all being so relaxed and happy.

DIY & Learning Portuguese

All the big jobs have been done in the appartment but there are lots of small things to do. Here is Martin putting up a new curtain rail in the bedroom. (the camera has a broken viewfinder).

Visited yet another great cafe, Amazem cafe in Ipanema - unfortunately a bit expensive.

In the evening went to the Jobi which is really nice bar in central Leblon. Martin reckons it is the equivalent of the Coach & Horses in Soho.

Now on the third attempt 3rd different beach side cafe for a coconut drink and the barmen smiled so this could be the regular stop.

Afterwards had my first Portuguese class with Karina. She is 35 and has been teaching portuguese for 15 years, working freelance. It is very tiring, and not very satisfying, working at something that doesn't come easily. Luckily Karina is a good and patient teacher.

Hippie Fair

This is the view when I am on my morning jog looking towards Leblon.

In the afternoon we went to see the Hippy fair a few blocks from the holiday appartment, It takews place each Sunday in the Praca Gen Osorio at the other end of Ipanema. There were mostly stalls of crystals, jewellery, paintings and leather stuff.
Its reminiscent of street markets in London, the same Sunday morning feel only more stalls with fabulous local crystals.

Also a few stalls selling leather bean bags at less than half the price at home. Might look good in the basement at home!

Round the corner was a great wholefood restaurant. You help yourself from the buffet and then pay for the food by weight. As usual everything looked so good it is difficult not to sample too many things and end up with a heaped plate. Favourites so far, - mashed potatoes and rice mixed with broccoli.

Excuse me if I post another link to you tube and the girl from ipanema.

Routine established?

First thing and down to Ipanema beach. It is full of walkers, joggers, bladers and cyclists on the pavement, the cycle track and on one lane of the dual carraigeway which is closed on Sundays. At the Eastern end of the beach, by the Parque Garota, there were about 20 surfers sharing not very good waves. The sea was surprisingly warm but also with a strong rip current which might explain why no-one was in the water without a surfboard.

A refrigerated fresh coconut can be bought for 2 Reals and the cafe worker cuts a base and a hole in the top with 4 deft strokes of a lethal machete. It seems amazing they have all their fingers. A drink of fresh coconut juice is better than a Isotonic drink for quenching the thirst.

There are kiosks every 100 metres and I am determined to find one where the staff smile.

No sign today of the girl from Ipanema!