When my baby, when my baby smiles at me....

...I go to Rio De Janeiro, I go wild and then I have to do the Samba, and La Bamba, Woh-ho-oh-oh, when my baby, when my baby smiles at me I go to Rio De Janeiro, I'm a Salsa fellow, when my baby smiles at me, the sun'll lightens up my life, and I am free at last, what a blast!

Here name was Lola, she was a showgirl, with yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there. At the Copa, Copacabaaaaaaana.

Yeah, we are in Rio. What a city, what a place! It is known as the cidade maravilhosa (marvelous city), and marvelous it is! We are staying in Copacabana. We did not know that the Pan American games are on, actually never ever heard of them, is that a sin?? Anyway these games, held in the year prior to the Olympics, are held in Rio this time. Ha! That is very nice. Why? It ads a bit to the flavour of our visit to Rio. Not that Rio needs that, but is is still nice. It is spread all over the town and we have sen a few locations, for example the beach of copacabana (the 10 kilometer run), and the lake in Ipanema (rowing). The biggest stadium in the world is the location for lots of other sports. We drove past that today. We also went to this very, very sweet neigbourhoud called Santa Teresa. It is up hill and we took the only trolley still active in Rio. That was very funny! From there you get a good look of one of the many favela´s and a great view of the city. The city centre is very nice as well, but more dangerous at night. And then there are the ´better and best ´neighbourhoods as Ipanema and Lebon. Very nice as well.

Last night we were watching the futebol final of the Copa Americana between Brazil and Argentina in a bar. Brazil won 3-0. You would expect lost of partying and shouting after a goaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal, but that did not happen at all! Nobody dressed up in the national colours, nothing of that kind. Brazil scored and we were waiting for the fiesta, but it was kinda quiet. And even after the match there was no partying at all! One car was honking, but that was it. We do a LOT better in Holland! Maybe it was the neighbourhood (a posh one), but still......I guess they are used to winning, eh?

Today we went to see Crist Redentor (Christ the Redeemer). I do not need to tell anybody that from there you have an out of this world view of Rio. Well, when we were there it was foggy. We hardly saw a thing. Big Bummer with a capital b. But it is still so great to be here that it does not really matter. We still have the repeat (hopefully) on the sugerloaf mountain. We will do that tomorrow.

futebol








the flag




























urban scenery
carnaval

favela