Day - Reflections from Kim

Yesterday was an eventful day of cultural activities in Brazil. We started off at Sugarloaf and our timing was impeccable. We travelled to the lowest viewing area by tram and had the opportunity to experience some of the best views of Rio. Right after taking a few pictures and getting some background information from Licia, our guide, the clouds rolled in and blanketed the whole city below.

Luckily, the sun began burning off some of the fog just as we began ascending Corcovado Mountain to see one of the tallest statues in the world, the Statue of Christ the Redeemer. We began to climb the winding brick road up the side of the mountain in a tour van. The van drivers here are experts and drove accordingly, barely clipping the side of the mountain and taking blind curves without easing off the gas pedal. We arrived safely at the top and after quite a few stairs, we reached the base of the statue. The statue was breathtaking, all 130 feet! After taking many photos of the statue and the city views below, we stopped for lunch at the base of the statue. Many of us discovered that hot dogs are even more questionable in Brazil - mushy is the best word!

After our tours, we hit the Hippie Market to spend some of our Reals. They were selling leather goods, jewelry, shirts, dresses, knickknacks for children, swim suits, Brazilian gifts, and of course, corn on the cob and other Brazilian treats. Scott found a pair of leather overalls and Millie found a colorful leather skirt. Unfortunately, they didn't find their sizes and didn't make their purchases. You can see their finds in the pictures below. A wonderful cultural day in Rio de Janeiro.