We flew into fog, rain and mist on arrival in Rio... after three days the weather was still the same. Our hotel was right on the Copacabana Beach - it was all good.
We saw Crist the Redeemer through a haze and there were times we were standing at his feet and we couldn´t see his face... so needless to say we didn´t have much of a view of Rio however what we did see was amazing. We then had lunch in Ipanema (remember the Girl from Ipanema? We can´t but apparently there is a famous song about 40 years old).... entree was crab in shell... and that is exactly what it was, minced crab (supposedly) meat in á´shell (not the crabs´shell but a beach shell)... then onto Sugarloaf Mountain via cable car - great view.
On Sunday we visited the Hippie Markets and purchased original artworks (they really should be in the Lourve).. and two spinning tops (go figure). then onto an evening out - (yes Struan put on her dress), this involved a Brazillian grill ... food, beautiful food, and more food and then some. they continuously brought spit roasts (beef, lamb, pork, chicken, sausage and prawns) to the table and carved them fresh for us.. then a braziillian stage show complete with feathers, bikinis, feathers, drums, feathers, amazing costumes and a lot of male tourist... (no... only the uglies unfortunately) we finished a bottle of wine and the show seemed to go quite quickly.
Shopping, shopping, shopping... we were picked up and whisked off to the Sterns workshop where we were able to observe all sorts of precious gem stones being fashioned into works of art... eg. think Eva Longario chandelier emerald and diamond earrings at the Oscars. Needless to say ... Emma your necklace has not been purchased.
then onto an afternoon tea at the Copacabana Palace Hotel - an upmarket colonial setting (first hotel in Copacabana)... the staff were very professional and did not even blink as we flip flopped our way through the elegant foyer and onto the restaurant.... silver service all the way! as we looked around the poolside setting we noticed a number of portly gentlemen with the ultimate accessory... the (much)younger and beautiful woman.
