Impressions of Rio

We left a grey and cold winter at Heathrow for summer in Rio. It felt like a particularly long flight as they lost a passenger and we had to sit on the tarmac whilst their bags were removed so after sitting on the plane for over 13 hours we finally disembarked into the warm night. We were delighted with the Sofitel which sits on the Arpoardor headland between Cocacabana and Ipanema beaches and has amazing views of the bay from the restaurant and first floor swimming pool. I was a bit nervous that Rio might be a bit overwhelming and although it’s noisy and crammed with people it has a lovely buzz, everyone is very friendly and laid back and the scenery is just stunning. With temperatures in the early 30s we have managed to do some long walks and explore the beach areas on foot.
We were amazed by the amount of people on the beach on Friday, until we saw the people who came to enjoy the beach on Sunday, there wasn’t a single inch of space as the whole population seemed to descend on the beaches and they go on for miles. I don’t think I’ve ever seen quite so many bodies in one place! After Abu Dhabi it feels really strange to see people wandering around in beach wear on the streets, drinking beer and generally hanging loose. John saw some ‘push up’ bikini bottoms in a shop so it’s clear that the bottom is just as important as the top half round here! The waves are quite big, especially around the headland so we watched people surfing and also fishing once it gets dark. Tomorrow we’re going to try the Sofitel enclave on the beach which hopefully won’t be quite so crowded on a Tuesday. We’ve stayed at the hotel pool or just enjoyed watching as we walk along the beach front.
We had to try our complimentary Caipirinha at the hotel bar and after that we were hooked. It’s a delicious drink made with about 4 limes, sugar cane liquor, mint leaves and a sprinkling of sugar and very refreshing. We had the seafood brunch on Sunday which came with decent Brazilian champagne, made by Chandon and it was great to sit on the terrace watching the fun of a Rio Sunday from a safe distance. Saturday night we found a local restaurant where we had bean and manioc flour balls with fried shrimp and a delicious fish stew, cooked in coconut juice and palm oil, accompanied by the obligatory Caipirinhas and Brazilian champagne.
It’s a relaxed start to our epic trip though we have found the need to also do quite a lot of sleeping.