Wow what can we say about Rio, life revolves around the beach. The people are laid back and friendly, the sand is soft and white, the sea is clear and blue, and the sun is hot hot hot. So a very different xmas to any other! We are roughing it in a junior suite in the Sheraton hotel which is overlooking the beach, and comes complete with jacuzzi. We have spent the last few days relaxing, getting up enjoying a big breakfast buffet before stumbling across the road to the beach. We then sit back and enjoy the sun. Its great you dont have to move the rest of the day, the friendly kids bring you cold coke and beer all day for 50p, complete with can holders to keep them extra cold. We then cool off in the gorgeous sea. We have also bought some boogie boards and taken to surfing the waves, however this is hard going as the current is very strong, and it can take all your energy just trying to get out to sea. Jill has managed to get a full set of bruises from been dragged along the sand by the waves, looking like a true surf babe not! For all the men who keep asking, yes the brazlian ladies are tanned and there are a few stunners, and yes the bikinis are very very tiny! Craig has def had a smile on his face these last few days! However a can report for the ladies that the brazilain men are also hot, and strut round in there tight speedo shorts! Yesterday we took a tour round the largest favela in Rio, home to 300,000. it was quiet an eye opener, and a little unnerving, however our guide assured us we would be ok, as he kept paying people as we walked around! Here the drug lords rule, the police and politians are all in on it, and all get a nice pay off not to see anything! As we walked round fireworks kept going off, this is supposedly signals used by the dealers. It was also rather hard on the senses walking round as you tried to avoid the sewage running down the street, and avoid the piles of rubbish scattered everywhere. The houses are built one on top of the other, each person sells there roof space to the next family above and so on. Everything in a favela is done dodgy, they steal the electric by tapping into the cables, they steal the water by tapping into the pipes and even get cable tv for free, and everyone turns a blind eye as they dont want a riot. It really is another world! However most of the people seemed happy enough and it isnt the people living in these places that take the drugs, most of them are exported out of the country or sold to the upper classes. This is the only favela in Rio that it was safe to enter, we were informed if we went into any others it was unlikely we would ever be seen again! However dont worry mum, we are ok, and are now sticking to the beach. Today once a gain the lure of the beach was too strong. However we were unable to go for a swim as the waves were over 10ft, and the current was so strong it knocked you off your feet. Even the local surfers didnt even go in. It dosent quite feel like xmas, even though all the houses are covered in decorations and we have seen santa on the beach. However dont worry ive managed to buy some lights and decorations for our hotel room so we dont miss out, and we are booked in for turkey in the hotel on xmas day.