only a quick message. just had some free cocktails at the hostel! hot today but cloudy which is lucky as dont think our sunburn could have taken another day of sun!

Been to sugar loaf mountain today..lvoely views of the whole city. And then jsut wondered around Rio Centro which was alot more normal city than yesterday. Lots more hussle and bussle. Found a recommended restaurant which was great. Loads of food and really cheap. Went to the main Cathedral - really wierd, we kep twalking past this really modern ugly pyramid building in search of the cathedral and couldn't figure out why we couldn't find it not realising that the ugly building was the cathedral! was quite impressive once we got inside though, with stained glass windows stretching from floor to ceiling. Apparently it can hold 25,000 people. Massive!

Then got an oldy woldy tram upto Santa Teresa which was really pretty. Not much to do there but just interesting to see the locals houses and actually how they live. Locals kept jumping on and off and there was quite alot of banter (none of which I understood!) between them and the tram drivers! fun experience.

in the hostel now deciding where to go out tonight for dinner before coming back to the hostel for some drinks!

All going well now after the hectic start and move to a hotel on copacabana tomorrow which is where we join up with our tour group! All looking positive - next few days on a beach on the island Ilha Grande after spending tomorrow sunbathing on Ipanema!!! This is the life!!!!

Barney xxx