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So moved into the Rio`s Presidente Hotel and met up with Herj and Harvi safely.
Hotel is very nice and posh but right in the middle of the downtown finance district and if you didn`t know you were in Rio you could be in New York, London, Tokyo or anywhere else that has skyscrapers and a metro, lots of people busily chatting away on their mobiles rushing from one building to the next and only banks, mobile phone shops, and designer boutiques to be seen.
The hotel is right next to the cathedral of Rio which is absolutely amazing and unique as it is a cone shape which I don`t know if it exists anywhere else!!! Inside there are rows of benches in a circular pattern and the alter is right in the middle with 4 stained glass sides reaching all the way to the roof where they meet to a white cross. Unfortunately the pictures don`t come out too great due to the light in there but it`s almost as good as the one in Barcelona.
(16/02/07) That night was the first of carnival and we go to a blocco (street party) in Ipanema with Ely (from the hostel in ipanema) his wife Lucy (from London) and along the way we bump into Danielle and Leigh (aussie girls), what a great night we follow the float for a few hours and it`s only 11.30pm so then off we all go to the hostel where Ely gets everyone some traditional Brazilian food (rice, beans and meat) and after filling our bellies we go to the local bar where we drink until the early hours with some peeps playing drums, tambarines etc and we all join in and shake our tush`s. Then onto Elys flat and before you know it`s 6am and we have to make our way back to centro.
(17/02/07) The next day after awaking at about 2pm we head into a street party in Centro/Lapa where for the first few hours I`m wandering what the hell all the fuss is about as there are just lots of people standing around (kinda like the bro`s at the fountains in town) then we purchase a t-shirt for 50 Reis (12-13 squid) and suddenly the day changes we are part of a samba school the drinks are free and also bbq!!! The people in the party are so intrigued to find out about us we become part of an extened family where people are getting us drinks before we even finished our last ones and all they do is throw them away and give us some fresh cold ones, and getting food left right and centre. They are surprised that for local looking people we can`t speak a word of Portuguese and even more intrigued when we say we are from India!! All in all a great afternoon - what a t-shirt....
Then onto Ana`s sisters flat to get changed into our costumes for the samba school santa cruz. Ana the star managed to sort it for me and Asha to be part of the parade in the Sambadrome.
What a night after getting pissed all day we were 60 strong on the metro all dressed up with massive shoulder and headdresses with feathers baggy red trousers and some frilly things coming off our shoulders. We were meant to start our parade at 1am but we didn`t start until 2.20am by which time I was sleeping on the pavement as we were drinking in the line waiting for our turn. But hey as soon as they woke me up man the atmosphere was electric. all these hotties shaking there thang, Me attempting to shake my thing. man samba is hard work no wonder these girls all have great butts and thighs it`s all the samba..
After dancing our way through the sambadrome for 1 and a half hours we promptly caught a cab back to Ana`s sisters where we got changed and downed some more cervesa`s (beers) before finally getting a cab home again at 6am (man I`m getting too old for this sheet)
(18/02/07) The following day after another lie in until like 4pm we went to Ipanema and then Me, Hitesh and Ely went to beach party which was kinda surreal. It was all good until about 2.30am when everyone was so pissed that they chose to piss in the sea as oppose waiting hours for the portaloos, now it`s one thing boys pissing but even girls were at it and this a tad too far, man that sheet was nasty.
(19/02/07) The following day we went to Santa theresa to see the steps from Snoop Dogs `Beautiful` video. Whilst doing this we met a german girl by the name of Karoline and 2 girls from Sao Paulo (Drica and Renata). That night Hitesh me, karoline, Her friend Nathan, Renata and Drica went out to a street party in centro and then onto a live concert in Lapa Square. great night until at one point Karoline felt tired so me and her went and sat on the grass bank and after about 20-30 minutes some random dude come and sat next to me and starting giving some jip - I didn`t click what was happening in my state and just said no entiendo ( i don`t understand) after which I noticed he wasn`t asking the time or looking to sell me anything but he was trying to rob me, as his hand neared my pockets I pushed it away and looked round to see some next dude sat on the other side of Karoline and 2 big ass dirty looking mofo`s behind me and Karoline, so in one quick move I got up gave these scum the dirtiest look ever grabbed Karoline and shot off into the crowd and lost them after they followed us for a few minutes, narrow escape but considering Rio`s reputation I thought they were a bit wet cos if 4 dirty looking mofo`s came to mug me in Notting Hill or even Birmingham for that matter no matter what I did I was getting mugged, they were amatuers I tell ya, with hindsight I should have mugged them!!!!!.... Dudley Road I tell ya.
(20/02/07) Carnival over had to go to Ipanema beach all day to recover with Hitesh, Ossie & Perin (turkish cousins from London) & Emily from Australia. After this went to another crap indian restaurant!!!! Man I can`t wait to come home for a decent curry..
(21/02/07) Did fcuk all, al day then went to Maracana with Hitesh, Asha, Ely, Lucy and 2 women(Gina and Susan from San Francisco) that Ely brought along who were staying at the hostel to watch the semi-final of the Copa Libertadores between Flamengo (Brazilian champions) and Maracaibo (Venezuelan champions) and flamengo won 3-1. What a game and what a stadium so that`s the Old Wembley, Camp Nou the Maracana and mecca itself Villa Park the 4 greatest stadiums in the world now only to visit the new Wembley - hurry up Multiplex!!!!
Then onto a club first we went to the 2nd most famous club in Rio and very posh called 00 (ZERO ZERO) but lucky the girl at the door told me it was a gay night so a sharp exit there and they recommended a reggae club casa de Matriz which was cool some great beats and portuguese MC and great aroma around the place. Pukka...At this venue later in the night we met the girls (hostesses) from zero zero so after thanking them for saving us a night there they advised us that friday night would be a good night there and that if I went there they`d sort me out (the British charm hey). So friday night at zero zero then.
(22/02/07) Checked out of the posh hotel and back to Ipanema to New Ipanema Hostel (Ely`s place) and went with the gang for another meal at Garota De Ipanema (Girl from ipanema).
(23/02/07) Went to see Jesus with Asha, Gina & Susan, man it was hot and the place was teaming with tourists so wasn`t as great as it could have been. Then onto Sugar Loaf mountain with Hitesh, Asha, Gina, Susan, Danielle and Leigh at sunset but we were late (indian timing) and got there just after sunset but the view was amazing nevertheless to see the lights coming on across the city was awesome. I didn`t think too much of Rio until this point but to see it at night from the top of sugar loaf is beautiful. Then onto get changed to go to 00. We were ready but some of the girls were enjoying a bottle of wine so me, Gina, Susan, Alila and Gwen (good time slappers from New York) went to club early awaiting the rest to join us at the club. We get there about 12.30am and the queue is already beastly so a quick call to hostel to get the rest here asap and as we go in Carol is true to her word and lets me in for free. The girls all have to pay 30 reais each and are all gutted that I get in for free but hey it`s not a fair world.
So we are inside this amazing club with all the well to do of Rio and bloop bloop bloop bloop!!!!!
What a club hippy hoppy as they call it here playing all night, sushi, indoor & outdoor leather couches, the absolute shizzle. And then bump into Priscilla (Carols mate who isn`t working that night so) she keeps the beers flowing. I get a missed call at some random time and when I call back I find out the rest of the gang can`t get in and they are off elsewhere but it would be rude for me to leave this early when I`m surrounded by beautiful girls so I stay. After a hard nights partying we go home at 6am only to go for a walk on the beach and then get ready for a day trip back to Ilha Grande with Gina & Susan.
(24/02/07) Day trip tp Ilha Grande.
(25/02/07) Gina and Susan left hostel and they were replaced by 2 Brazilian girls (Aline & Germana) who are staying for one night and we make plans to go out that night for a meal and then onto the most famous club in Rio `Barineti`. The evening come and me & Hitesh escort these 2 lovelies to dinner and then onto the club and everyone`s jaw in the hostel drops as they all wanna come out with us but I tell them we only going to dinner (ain`t no one cramping my style toinight!!!) and again what a night I hate house music but it soon changes to hippy hoppy and portuguese funk. ... Piccies to follow shortly!!
(26/02/07) The girls leave early and I send them off, We are to leave later that night and 2 gorgeous girls from Barcelona come into my room we get chatting and it`s unfortunate I have to leave that night (damn those flights tonight), that room was good (god bless you Ely).
We leave at around 9pm after saying bye to Ely and Lucy and get a flight to Sao Paulo where we arrive at 11.45pm and then sleep in the airport until our flight the next day to Buenos Aires at 7.35am.
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