The girls from Ipanema

Wow! Rio with it's population of 6.5 million was something of a culture shock after a week on Boipeba. 

I am a self proclaimed city girl but I can say with some certainty (as this is my second visit) that Rio doesn't do it for me. I don't really understand why because all of the component parts of the city are amazing, Christ the Redeemer, Sugar Loaf, Corcovado all around the Harbor of Rio; which collectively make up one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the world, and of course Ipanema and Copacabana beaches. I found it to be a hot and noisy city best enjoyed from a distance, on a boat in the bay or from a vantage point like Sugar Loaf Mountain. 

Abby and I were lucky enough to enjoy the city from both of the afore mentioned and preferred perspectives.

Helene a school friend of Abby's who lives in Rio had just bought a 38' sailboat and invited us to go sailing which we did twice - I had the best time. I made friends with 'Invisible Ingrid', Helene's ridiculously cute daughter who I nicknamed Invisible Ingrid because she was sure that if she covered her eyes it made her invisible to the naked eye - which may well have been the case had she not been wearing a luminous orange lifesaver! 

Invisible Ingrid - too cute.

The end of a long day......

Sailing regatta Rio harbour

In between the two days sailing we took some time out to experience the city beach of Ipanema - a throng of thongs and budgie smugglers and of hawkers selling very small bikini's, drinks, street food, knock-off sunglasses and ice creams; a complete contrast to the beautiful and deserted beaches of Boipeba - but it had to be experienced.

On the Saturday night we went to Rio Scenarium a nightclub in Lapa, we went with Richard who we'd met in Bolivia last year and had a great night listening and dancing to live Samba music and drinking too many caipirinhas.

The famous Selaron stairs in Lapa

We took the cable car up to the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain on Monday, our final day in Rio and the final day of our amazing trip. The views really are very impressive but I have to say, for me, not as impressive as the views from the boat. 

Whilst I'm not sorry to leave Rio going to the airport for our flight home will bring this incredible six months to an end and I'm not sure that I'm quite ready to come home just yet, not least because I have seen that the temperature in the UK is sub-zero which is ridiculous.

Talk soon.

Raine x