EXPLORING RIO DE JANEIRO

The last stop in Brazil is Rio. As they say, save the best for last. After an overnight flight from Aracaju, I spent my first day on the beach Copacabana. It was the first place that I visited in Rio. And the next day I went through most of the city. Centrum, Lapa, Flamengo and Botafogo.

Since I have been in Brazil for two months, I can not help comparing Rio with Aracaju: 

• Finally, I do not feel like an exotic animal, there are a lot of tourists in Rio 
• Rio's police is on every corner 
• Beach in Rio is much more civilized and the sand is somewhere even white (it was brown in Aracaju)
• My beloved acai is served without any other ingredients .. no fruit, nuts, ice cream and condensed milk as in Aracaju 
• You meet hot people in Rio all the time, meanwhile in Aracaju  I can count them with one hand
• Finally, there are clubs where people can hang out in the night 
• Horses are not used as a transportation vehicle, people actually use cars in Rio (hurray) 
• Buses in Aracaju barely held together, Rio has much better buses (but still the ride reminds of a roller coaster) 
• And everyone still loves coconut .. it will not change :)

Here is Copacabana. I was not really impressed, it is a typical urban beach, There are much more beautiful beaches just a few minutes away from the center. Anyway, I went on a walk from Copa to Ipanema and stopped at the Arpoador rock. 

The view was amazing. You can Cop on one side and Ipanema on the other side. Locals are fishing and tourists are taking as many photos as possible.

Then I walked to Ipanema. Then, I was pretty tired so I sat on the beach and watched the sea and people around. On the way back, I saw this great wall! Brazil and football. What else can I say?

Lapa is one of the most favorite parts in Rio. This is the place where you go to have some fun in the night. So many clubs! I have visited spectacular Rio Scenarium. Here, you can see painted stairs. There is favela around, the poorest part in Brazil. Well, what can I say .. exploring Brazil can be great adrenaline.

And Flamengo and Botafogo. These parts are used as a port as well. However, the life is around Ipanema and Copacabana. People call it Copa actually. And the next post is gonna be about the charming Christ!