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South American Explorers |
NAME: Tim Wenzel
ttwenzel@citynet.net
DATES:
November 1999
EXCHANGE:
R$1.92/US$
WEATHER:
cool, chilly water
TERRAIN:
urban, but largely very scenic
TRIP RATING: 8
COUNTRY:
Brazil
ROUTE:
Miami / Rio (frequent flyer award, cost unknown), American Airlines, about
8hrs flying time.
International Airport to Copacabana R$2.00, Santos Dumont airport to Copacabana R$1.50
("Real" bus company in both cases, runs about every 30 minutes, maybe less). Bus
is easy to catch from Ave. Atlantica back to airports during the day (at night you'll
probably want to take a taxi). Spend a few minutes while strolling in the area to
recognize the Real buses. Two routes run along A. Atlantica, only the one that says
Int'l airport goes to (both) airports. This bus can also be caught from the bus
station if you happen to be there - you have to go up and over a crosswalk and wait along
a busy, noisy highway (a great experience at night!). Just keep asking where the
Real bus stops and you'll find the spot. The bus slows down here to look for people
so don't worry about not catching it. A taxi from here to the airport is also a reasonable
option though not as exciting.
Taxi from Hotel Martinique to Rio Novo bus station R$10 (negotiated by hotel).
City buses cost R$0.80 and are very easy to get around in. The buses appear to be
perfectly safe and at no time did we feel concerned for our safety while traveling about
the city (except when crossing the street).
taxi from Corcovado tram station to Botanical garden R$8.40.
HOTELS:
Martinique, R. Sá Ferreira 30, one block from Av. Atlantica, R$70/double. Although the
state of repair was a shade beyond "colorful", it was quiet, comfortable and
offers a nice breakfast (note, every hotel and pousada we stayed at in Brazil included
breakfast). Location is excellent, in a good
part of Copacabana 1 block from beach and just a few blocks from Ipanema.
If you're by the Teatro Municipal, try the Al Kuwait arabian restaurant (lots of
vegetarian possibilities) 1/2 block north of theater on a little pedestrian walkway.
ESSENTIALS:
General comments: some knowledge of Portuguese makes a huge difference, especially if
traveling outside Rio. I highly recommend Living Language Brazilian Portuguese I
(Amazon.com) - leave the tapes going in your car for a few months and read the text at
home once in a while. As has been said by others, Spanish doesn't work well in Brazil but
it makes learning Portuguese easier. A second essential (for me) is a package of foam
earplugs, the kind you can sleep with. Brazil is extremely noisy.
COMMENTS:
Airport: you can get a nice free map from the information booths (note there are two maps,
one is useless, the other very nice - keep on looking for the good one).
Copacabana - lively and fun but very noisy. Watching volleyball played without use of arms
or hands is very interesting.
Ipanema - quieter. A nice place to watch the surfers and sunset is the point of rock
at the end of the beach towards Copacabana (take a beer with you from the stand).
Cats live everywhere here and people must feed them as there are bowls of dry cat
food all over (we saw a similar area near the botanical gardens and horse track, lots of
cat stalls with bowls of food and cats in various states of repose).
Botanical garden - a great way to escape noise and pollution. The ancient royal
palms lining the avenues are incredible!
Pao de Açúcar - we came here late in the day, watched the sunset and the lights of the
city come on. Its cool this time of year so bring a jacket. Cats also live up here!
I was told there is a pretty little trail that runs along the ocean side, leaving
from Praia Vermelha. You can get to the cable car station from Copacabana by walking
if you want (along the streets).
Corcovado: way too many tourists consuming the sights (and trinkets). We had the
misfortune of getting to the tram just as a few tour buses regurgitated their contents.
On our way back down there was no one on the upcoming cars (around lunchtime) so
this might be a better time to go. Cost
R$18.
Downtown: the area around the Teatro Municipal is a great place to wander about
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