Brazil Travel

Our first stop in Brazil was Buzios. Kind of a tourist town, about 2 hours from Rio. We were only there a couple days, but made sure to go out, grab some drinks and meet the people. There were nice beaches and good waves here as well, so we went surfing. We’ve only surfed a handful of times so suffice to say, we sucked, but oh well. It was fun nonetheless.

Once we hit Rio though, that’s when things got really exciting. We went and checked out Rocinha, the worlds largest favela, with about 100,000 inhabitants in maybe a 2-kilometer radius. Very compact, very tight, very cool. There used to be lots of crime and danger within it, but the police have become more of a presence now, so most of the drug lords have moved elsewhere. Rocinha has tours daily and the guides are very knowledgeable. You can find everything from street performances to daycares.

But what was even cooler than being in Brazils largest favela, was flying over top of it. We went hang gliding while in Rio, and none of us had ever done it before. What a rush! 1.5kms above the ground, you are gliding through the air with nothing more than a kite and a stranger. Looking down at the beautiful coastline of Rio, flying over million dollar penthouses, waving at babes suntanning on their decks, words can’t even describe it. 5 minutes later you glide down to a smooth landing on the beach. Gotta say, one of the most breathtaking experiences we’ve ever had.

Now seeing as we were in Rio De Janeiro, of course we had to go and see Cristo (Christ the Redeemer). It’s a 38 meter tall statue on top of a mountain that overlooks basically the entire city. A very impressive sight to see, but just like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the place is littered with tourists taking photos mimicking the stance. It lost its glamour after only a few minutes.

After that, we did some hiking, went on boat rides, went to the bars, practiced some capoeira, and ate many many delicious meals. We love Brazil!