Brazil > Rio de Janeiro

Just before eight o’clock, I stand ready on the pier of Ilha Grande, together with the fellow travelers. I take the ferry to Conceição. Because we are traveling with twenty-one people, an extra boat is deployed just for us. The boat is smaller than the one we took on the way to the island. The advantage is that now there is a view over the edge of the boat. Just like on the way there, the luggage is stacked between the seats. In about half an hour, the boat sails to Conceição. There, a bus is waiting. It is expected to be another two hours’ drive to Rio de Janeiro, and then at least one more hour to get through the city to the hotel. Outside, I see the green coastal surroundings slowly change into more industry and suburbs. Since independence in 1822 until 1960, Rio de Janeiro was the capital of Brazil. Then it was decided to make Brasília the capital, a city more centrally located in the country. However, Rio remained the most important city in the country. It is estimated that about six million people live in the city itself. Including all the suburbs, even sixteen million. As we approach the city, the roads get busier. Cars squeeze from lane to lane trying to get ahead just a bit faster. The city’s outskirts look rundown. Simple houses, vacant buildings, and lots of graffiti. I find it striking that the graffiti is sprayed not only on street walls but often up to five meters high. How was that done? The bus slowly drives through the city. I pass the old historic city and drive via wide boulevards to the Copacabana district. Near this famous beach is the hotel. I see the palm trees, the beach, and strong waves. How wonderful to be here! Around noon, I arrive at the hotel. The rooms are already available—a nice surprise! I put my luggage in the room and walk into Copacabana. Rio does not have a reputation as a safe city. Pickpocketing and robberies targeting tourists are common. As a precaution, I leave all valuables in the hotel. At a bakery, I order a sandwich and something to drink.

Brazil - The white beach of Rio de Janeiro

Then I walk to the beach. The weather is pleasantly sunny. Information boards indicate it is currently thirty degrees Celsius. I walk over the beach to the sea. Immediately, I am approached by vendors. Do I want to rent a chair, an umbrella, buy T-shirts, sunglasses, or have a caipirinha? I refuse everything and take a seat on a terrace along the boulevard for a beer. As I drink, I look out over Copacabana beach. Lovely! In the afternoon, we go with the group to Pão de Açúcar, the Sugarloaf Mountain. From this characteristic rock at the start of the bay, you have a beautiful view over Rio de Janeiro. We take five taxis to the cable car entrance. A cabin takes me to the first plateau. From this peak, I already have a nice view of the city center. The sun might be in the wrong position—there is a lot of backlight for photos. The sun is already setting on the horizon. With a second gondola, I continue to the 396-meter-high Sugarloaf Mountain. I see Copacabana beach, the boulevard where I previously rode, the old city, and the ships in Rio’s bay. I don’t see the famous Christ statue yet. The enormous 38-meter-tall statue on a rock should be visible, right? It must be in the clouds. As the sun sets, the clouds decrease. The Christ statue appears between the clouds. It stands farther away than I expected, but the view is beautiful. It will still be a while before the sunset is complete. I order a beer. At the exact same time, I walk with a Greek guy to a table. Who was there first? We decide to share the table. He is half Turkish and half Greek, lives in Porto, and is visiting his girlfriend in Buenos Aires, he tells me. Because he had some free time during his layover in São Paulo, he flew to Rio for 24 hours.

Brazil - The sun sets in Rio de Janeiro

Tonight, he flies back. We exchange travel experiences, and he invites me to his father’s guesthouse in Turkey. A nice chance encounter. Around half past six, the last bit of sun sinks behind the mountains. Applause breaks out on the mountain from the hundreds of spectators. I actually don’t know why. After sunset, the city becomes even more beautiful. I see more and more lights turning on below me. On the horizon, the Christ statue is brightly illuminated on the mountain. In the evening, we eat typical Brazilian food. Besides the salad buffet, waiters come around the table with meat skewers. By turning a card from red to green, you can indicate if you want more meat.