The drive from Buzios to Rio was actually quite pleasant, even though it was the same 'playstation trained' driver, it somehow seemed less scary in the day-light. As we crossed the huge bridge that takes you into Rio De Janeiro, he popped in a bossa-nova CD, and we grooved along, through the city, to our hotel on Copacabana Beach.
The view from our balcony was fantastic again, we could see the top of Corcovado Mountain and the famous Christ statue and Copacabana Beach, I thought I could see Sugarloaf too, but it was some other random funny-shaped mountain.
Rio is a great city, it's a bit frightening at first, 'cos you believe all the scare-stories. But once you settle in a bit, it's fine, you've just got to be sensible about things, like in any big city.
We did the main tourist sightseeing stuff; Sugarloaf, Corcovado and the Christ statue, and a walking tour of 'downtown', but life in Rio revolves around the beach, that's where it all happens. When we spend the day 'beach-bumming', we usually read, snooze, or listen to the iPod. But, like in Buzios and Morro Do Sao Paolo, there was so much going on, we just couldn't help but gawp!
We haggled with some of the many beach-hawkers flogging sarongs, one of the sellers flounced off because he couldn't cope with our bargaining skills! In the end, we probably still paid over the odds, but like in 'Life Of Brian', you've got to haggle!
We watched 'Liverpool Futebol Clube' of Rio, take on 'Copacabana FC' on the beach by our hotel. It was a good game, cracking 'one-touch' stuff by really skilful players. I told the guy on reception at our hotel about it, '..there's a match on over there, Liverpool are playing..', he appeared unimpressed, '..I'm from Liverpool, in England. They're my club..' he raised his eyebrows '..and do you play for Liverpool?' he asked! I took a step back from the reception desk, so he could see my spindly legs and paunch, and asked 'Do I LOOK like I play for Liverpool?' He was wise enough not to answer!
Like many of the places we've visited, our time was over far too soon, we could've stayed for at least another week, but sadly that's it, our travels are over for the time being, and it's back to Blighty for us!