5-Days in Rio (Part V)
Written: Mar 27 '00 (Updated Aug 15 '09)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: See the most in a short time
Cons: Are you afraid of heights or flying?
The Bottom Line: Go !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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| CariocaSurfer's Full Review: Rio de Janeiro |
Day 5 -> FLYING AND SURFING FURTHER AFIELD
Well, dreams don’t last forever and this is your last day in Rio. How about a leisure and unforgettable time then? Hopefully you have made some local friends by now because you will need to invite yourself for a car ride on today’s tour.
The area you are going to visit is not covered by the subway system. A bus ride will take forever and a cab is also inadequate and expensive. If for a miracle you don’t know any Carioca nicely enough to offer you this tour on your 5th day in town, there’s only one option left: you must rent a car for the day. Remember that costs in Brazil are in a all time low if you are used to spend dollars, so this is not a bad deal at all.
Start your day driving along Ipanema beach towards the south where the 2 Brothers Hill are. There’s a viewing platform area at the base of the mountain where you can see Ipanema from the opposite direction than that on my first review. Take the Niemeyer elevated Hwy. This 2-level road was constructed on the side of the mountainous escarpment over the ocean. Needless saying what a view it offers.
At the end of the road you arrive in São Conrado neighborhood and when descending to the area you must stop for pictures. The round building ahead is the Intercontinental Hotel and a stop for a drink at the pool side bar is a great idea. Drive around the building and you will see the largest shantytown in Rio named Rocinha. I do not recommend any adventure in there, but the sight from the street is impressive, if not sad, and
simultaneously in contrast with everything else you see in this elegant area. Merge left to the centrally located São Conrado Fashion Mall and visit this nice upscale shopping center.
Leaving the Mall and still heading south passing the golf courses you will make a right turn (Canoa Road) to go to Pedra Bonita, the interesting shaped huge Rock from where hang gliders jump. You will have to leave the car on the road side and hike the last few hundred feet to the top. From up there you will be paralyzed by the splendor of the outlook.
You can come up here for the view and watch other people jumping, that’s nice, but ...make arrangements to jump yourself. Don’t be scare, you are not going to do it alone. Professionally trained instructors will jump together with you, right by your side, shoulder to shoulder. To be honest the first few seconds off the ramp are a little bit scary, but once in the air you will glide like a bird and enjoy an incredible experience
flying over the forest and the ocean. Freedom was never so real. One more thing, you can request to have your flight filmed by a camera installed on your wing and just imagine your friends & family reaction when you bring this tape back home! The landing spot is easy and soft, right on the sandy beach down there. Your instructor will bring you back to
your car or you can ask a friend to bring your vehicle down to the beach and wait there for you.
Now head to Barra . This is the most recent neighborhood, as you can tell, with larger Avenues and buildings further apart from each other in luxurious condominiums. You can easily tell that the city grew south this way, starting in Downtown, passing by Flamengo, Copa, Ipanema,....and ending here so far.
First, drive under the highway to reach the beach and have a delicious natural sandwich at Pepe’s trailer, located on the sidewalk in a popular area of the beach. Just look for the trailers name and the symbol of a green hang-glider painted on it. Anything you eat here is light and tasty and goes very well with the beach atmosphere. If you haven’t tried yet,
it’s time to drink Guaraná, the energetic Brazilian soda made with roots of a plant native from the Amazon Forest. Swim in the ocean here. If it is a weekend even better, there will be music and beautiful people everywhere.
Now get in your car and drive south along the coast admiring the landscape and the beaches. These become less and less populated, more and more wild and desert as you drive. After the long stretch of Recreio beach ,the road goes up and down on the mountain side offering stunning views of the ocean. You will drive pass Macumba, Prainha & Grumari beaches. Some popular with surfers and some where you can find a
secluded spot all for yourself among the big round stones on the sand. An important thing to notice is that those beaches are examples of what the urban beaches were a hundred of years ago and hope that civilization do not destroy them, keeping its rustic and appealing charms. You will love here.
Heading a little bit further south the road go inland and up through a banana field and forest. As soon as you start driving down, there’s a restaurant on a curve that you can’t miss. Stop here for drinks, delicious fresh seafood catches and great outdoor panoramic views of Restinga (Natural Preservation Area). The area here is known as Pedra de
Guaratiba (the little community with the same name is located just down bellow where the road turns left and ends).
Return to Barra. Buy a ticket for tonight show at the Metropolitan, one of the best Spectacle Houses in Rio. Take your time waiting for the show at the nearby Barra Shopping Mall, the largest and the best in Rio. Please, buy some Brazilian CD (samba, bossa-nova, lambada or POP, the selections are great) to remember Rio and this country.
The mall also has a recent addition with wonderful restaurants. Try something Italian, it has a Brazilian twist to it to enhance the flavor. ;-) I remember one where you can try many different types of pasta and salads on a buffet- if I am not wrong it is called Prima Donna, maybe Primavera, located on the newest food court. You can go from one side of the mall to the other end by monorail. You will have lots to do and see here until your show
time. Change your clothes in the mall restroom.
After the show drive back to the hotel and get drunk somewhere not forgiving yourself for the fact that everything will be over tomorrow. It’s OK, plan on a longer stay next time, after all, you had the best time of your life and Rio is waiting for you again, ....with
huge open arms and all its beauty.
IN TIME.... Please, send me an e-mail (CariocaSurfer@CS.com) if you follow any or all of my tours. I would simply adore to know I have helped someone having a great time here. Give me a feedback on everything you liked or not, so you can always help someone else on making the right decisions. Thanks for reading. Bye.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
CariocaSurfer
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Member: Marcus
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Reviews written: 20
Trusted by: 6 members
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