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Hi All,
The past few days have been amazing. Rio is such a cool city! We moved into a different hostel yesterday as the one we were in was dead. Our new one was right next door (El Misti Hostel) and is a right laugh. Full of people and a big social area. We,ve been hanging with some guys from the UK , the States and Germany.Â
After checking in we went to the Sugar Loaf mountin (Pao de Acucar) which was about a 20 minute walk from the hostel.  The views over Rio and the mountins behind were breath taking and the skies were the clearest they have been in weeks so our luck was in. Up there we got talking to a Brazilian guy and his wife who have lived in the States for the last 10 years. They gave us tips on were to go (and were not to!) and even gave us his mothers home telephone number and said to call her if we need advice).
After the Sugar Loaf we meet up with some eople from the hostel and went for an All You Can Eat, Brazil style! You go the the buffet stands and get your salads and cold meats and then guys come round with massive skewers of all different cooked meats and carve them on your plate. There was everything from hunks of steak, pork legs, tiny livers, chicken....! With a drink it cost about R$18 with is about 4 quid.
After that we went to Copacabana beach just as it was getting dark and sat at a bar and people watched for a couple of hours. Its a bit like LA with people running and staking the path that goes round the beach. We then caught the bus back at about 9pm to chill out before we went out on the town.
Now Rio is split up into a number of districts, a bit like London. Some of these you go to, some you dont (a bit like London)! We were staying in the Botofogo area with was cool. Not that shadey but you still watch your back! We had heard about a massive street party that was going off in a a area called Lapa. Lapa is about 10 minute taxi drive form the hostel so we gave it a try. Lapa can be very dodge at night when no one is around but we were told it will be fine as the street party is massive and full of Gringos (tourists). 8 of us got a taxi down there and when we got out the area was jumping. People spilling out the bars onto the streets, everyone drinking and dancing to the live music. As it looked dodgy in places I told Lee to give me all the money just in case. Warning well heard as within 5 minutes Lee had someone in her pockets trying to pinch something! It was cool though as the guy just walked straight past us onto his next victim! We shrugged it off, got a beer from one of the many street vendors and carried on walking. There was 8 of us altogether so we didnt feel scared (much)! We did walk up one street that was full of people dancing but turned straight round as we were getting looks off the locals and it was abit too City of God for us! We hit a bar just down from the dodgy road and it was really cool. Live funk music, old and young people ass shacking and really strong Caiprinias! We then went and chilled in another bar before getting a taxi home. Even though it was pretty dodge in places we are really glad we went and expirenced it.
We are leaving the hostel today to try and get to an island called Ilha Grande. Bit of a backpackers haven, amazing beaches, a ruined prison and jungle. We are busing it to the main land and catched a lift with a fisherman when we get there.Â
Still having little luck with the photos but will keep trying. Gonna shoot now as we are off to see the christ before we try and figure out which bus we catch to paradise!!
Rob & Lee
xxxxx
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