Rio de Janiero, Brazil

This past weekend was a long weekend in Brazil, so the gang decided to take a trip to Rio de Janeiro. During my entire time here in Brazil, both locals and tourists alike have raved about how beautiful Rio is and that it’s a must see. With bags packed and expectations high, we set out on the 45-minute flight from Sao Paulo to Rio.

Stop #1 – Corcovado
After deplaning and checking into the hotel, our first stop was the Cristo Redentor in Corcovado, also known as the Christ the Redeemer statue. We arrived around 12:30pm without checking the weather forecast. Unbeknownst to us, it was overcast with almost no visibility at 2,000ft. As a matter of fact, the live footage from the base of the mountain showed only a silhouette of the statue. People come to Rio for many reasons but this was my #1 reason for coming. I wanted to see why this statue on a mountain built in the early 1900s, impressive in its own right, qualified as one of the “New Seven Wonders” displacing historic monuments like the Parthenon, the Pyramids of Giza, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, etc.
The visibility was so bad that tourists descending from the mountain (and even the ticketing agent) discouraged us from going up. I joked with Uma and Ravi saying that I was willing to camp at the top of the mountain until the cloud cleared; I even joked about doing an African rain dance to move the clouds. But I settled on saying a little prayer (it was only fitting since I was trying to go see “Christ the Redeemer”) and then we caught the 1:30pm train up Corcovado.

Uma and Ravi during the 15 minute train ride up the mountain

There was pretty clear visibility for most of the ascent up the mountain; however, the final 500ft was pretty discouraging. Arriving at the summit was even worse. 

Initial view of Cristo Redentor, Sad faces of disappointment, and drinks to cheer us up and inspire me for my African rain dance ritual (FYI – the rain dance is applicable for keeping the rain at bay or calling on the rain. Today we needed to keep the rain and the clouds at bay)

 Our final ascent to the base of the statue and then…a slow reveal…

…It was like the heavens opened just enough for us to enjoy the experience

There was no doubt that the sheer size and details of the sculpture were impressive. However, I think the entire experience; the statue combined with the view of the sprawling city nestled within a rainforest and flanked by the Atlantic Ocean is what makes Cristo Redentor such an amazing experience. Seventh Wonder or not, I was glad I got to experience it.

I think I used this saying once before, but it holds true again: “hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul.” The patient anticipation (almost three hours) made the experience that much sweeter. I gave Christ a high five and then moved on to our next stop. 

Stop #2 – Lapa
I didn’t know much about Lapa before arriving in Rio, but Uma did. She has been very diligent in her research and mapped out all the must do’s in Rio and, really, all of Brazil. Lapa was a must, per her detailed list. Believe me when I say that I am lucky she is in Brazil with me. Thanks, Uma! Apparently Lapa is considered the center of Rio and is known for its architecture, history and nightlife. On this very day our destination was Rio Scenarium on Lavradio Street (I think that’s the name of the street). Lavradio Street reminded me of Bourbon Street but with a bit more polish; the mood, French doors, balconies, lighting, and energy were very similar.

Street view from the ground level and from the balcony

We found a side street café to grab dinner and fuel up for the night ahead. Uma and I toasted to completing our first full month in Brazil, helping high impact Entrepreneurs set their businesses up for success.

Cheers!

Right after dinner, believe it or not, the rain from this afternoon at Corcovado finally arrived . It came just in time for us to enter Rio Scenarium, the must visit samba spot for locals and tourists. I met an older couple from Australia who stopped by on their way from the ballet and also a group of young flight attendants from Germany looking to take in the night. Young or old, locals or tourists, it seemed this was the place to come experience the essence of Brazilian culture – Samba!
The décor was also very interesting; decorated with a wide variety of antiques. Below are some of my favorites:

Rio Scenarium

Radios, Clocks, Trumbones/French horns

Me and Uma’s photo op (London called…I answered)

After taking in the sites, the rest of the night was easy… Dance! Dance! Dance!... or watch other people Dance! Dance! Dance!

All in all, it was a great first day. I could not have asked for a better first day and overall impression of Rio de Janeiro.