Christ!

Monday 15 February
Rio de Janeiro

Mildly recuperated from the long sleep we decide to go and see the statue of Christ the Redeemer on a hill in the centre of Rio. We grab a taxi to the funicular railway but the queues are massive so we get a minibus instead. We go halfway up and then there is confusion as to whether we’ve been ripped off and if we won’t get to the top. Given that no one speaks English we’re left in limbo until we get back into the bus and eventually find ourselves at the entrance to the national park. Where we catch another bus. And then we’re there.

It a big old 1920s edifice of a thing and there are loads of people there. Everyone tries to take pictures matching the pose but we’re too cool for school so just take normal ones. And then there’s the awesome panoramic views over the city, where you can see the crazy mountains and all the bays, lakes and beaches that comprise the city. And of course Guarnabara bay, named after the famous London nightclub. And, indeed, the pollution that smears a noticeable brown smudge along the horizon and out to sea.

In the evening we go to check out what’s happening. In Rio the carnaval is centred around the sambadromo – a street with stands around it that samba schools march down as part of a competition to decide which school is the winner. It’s formal and expensive and we weren’t that bothered after Salvador. So we look for the more informal version on Copacabana beach. But there’s not much going on. We see a couple of troupes but after Salvador they’re nothing to shout about. Plus we’re still feeling wasted so we leave it at that.