Rio de Janeiro, 2025

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Hot, spicy, energetic, Rio de Janeiro (city pop 6.5 million; greater metro area 13 million in 2024)! The Marvelous City, as natives call it! We got to know this amazing city during our brief, four day visit here. We took a very interesting city tour (riosambabus.com.bz), explored our Copacabana neighborhood on foot, joined a guided tour of the Tijuca National Park, and visited a few other city highlights via Uber

COPACABANA

Copacabana from a Tijuca viewpoint

With our delightful BnB host, Samanta

Copacabana Beach

Linda celebrating the surf at Copacabana Beach

At Copacabana Beach

Making music in Copacabana

Video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/xHFDAsm33R2Mz1AL7

Dinner with Melly and Linda at Joaquina's in Copacabana. Mel and I met on the Patagonian tour

BOTAFOGO, a neighborhood near Copacabana

Sugarloaf Mountain from Botafogo

Cristo Redentor from Botafogo

The harbor at Botafogo

ESCADARIA SELARON in the Rio Centro neighborhood

Escadaria Selarón, locally known as the 'Lapa Steps' (Escadaria da Lapa) for being situated at the "Lapa" neighborhood, is a set of world-famous steps in Rio de Janeiro. They are the work of Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón who claimed it as "my tribute to the Brazilian people".

In 1990, Selarón began renovating dilapidated steps that ran along the front of his house. At first, neighbours mocked him for his choice of colours as he covered the steps in fragments of blue, green and yellow tiles – the colours of the Brazilian flag. It started out as a side-project to his main passion, painting, but soon became an obsession. He found he was constantly out of money, so Selarón sold paintings to fund his work. It was long and exhausting work but he continued on and eventually covered the entire set of steps in tiles, ceramics and mirrors. (Wiki)

There are 215 steps measuring 125 metres (135 yards) long, which are covered in over 2000 tiles collected from over 60 countries around the world. No sooner than one section of the steps was 'finished', Selarón started work on another section, constantly changing it so that it was an ever-evolving piece of art. Selarón considered the work as "never complete" and claimed that "This crazy and unique dream will only end on the day of my death". (wiki)

The METROPOLITAN CATHEDRAL

The Carioca Aqueduct, aka the Arcos da Lapa, is an aqueduct near the Metropolitan Cathedral. The aqueduct was built in the middle of the 18th century to bring fresh water from the Carioca River to the city. It is a typical example of colonial architecture and engineering.

The Cathedral is just behind the aquaduct

The Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian, aka the Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro. The cathedral is an architectural masterpiece, built in a shape inspired by Mayan pyramids and decorated with brilliant stained glass windows. The church is dedicated to Saint Sebastian, the patron saint of Rio de Janeiro.

The cathedral was designed by Edgar de Oliveira da Fonseca and was built between 1964 and 1979

One of the stained glass windows, in green, represents the elements of unity of the church. In the window, we see the shepherd and his sheep, the Bible and the papal tiara, representing a government, and the chalice representing a cult.

The inside of the cathedral, in motion

Video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/yeY781M63vYseAGT9

The CRISTO REDENTOR STATUE

The Cristo Redentor Statue (completed in 1931) stands about 30 meters / 100 feet high, on top of the Corcovado Mountain, where it overlooks the city

The Cristo Redentor Statue

City and Harbor Views from the Cristo Redentor. Rio's harbor is the largest natural harbor in the world

TIJUCA NATIONAL PARK: A Caves and Waterfalls Hike

A stunning view of mountainous Rio from the China Vista, a gazebo gifted to Rio by China in 1903

Our hiking crew, R-L: Nate, Rachel, Oscar, Karen, Linda, and me in front of the Cascatinha Taunay (Taunay Waterfall)

Cascatinha Taunay (Taunay Waterfall)

Capuchin Monkey in motion

Video: https://photos.app.goo.gl/6HuHiH8v9cuUVD1M8

In a cave

In another cave

Cascata Diamantina, one of the most beautiful waterfalls of Tijuca National Park. This waterfall is hidden on the middle of the woods, with clear and cold waters. The rocks around it form a kind of natural sanctuary illuminated by the sun, which makes the place more special and private. When you are next to the waterfall, in the middle of the woods, it's difficult to believe that you are on one of the largest and most vibrant cities of Brazil. (atlasobscura.com)