Farewell to Rio...

Having left the land of Cariocas (the name residents of Rio go by), we head for the land of Karaoke (yes, the Chinese love it as much, if not more, than the Japanese)...
Ian here again. I wanted to say a few words as Lesley and I prepare to leave for China tomorrow to begin the second part of our journey.
I love Rio! I am not really a city person, nor am I a sit on the beach kind of person, but Rio is cool. It's a big city that does not overwhelm, the people are friendly, and the beaches...I have to say that I wish I had studied Brazilian medicine (if there is such a thing) instead of Chinese medicine, as I would happily stay in Brazil for 6 months, or longer.
After a great few weeks with Bert, Marnie, the boys, and Tim and Alisen in the quirky capital city of Brasilia, Lesley and I had 5 days in Rio to end our trip. We managed to squeeze in a few touristy things, along with some quality time on the beach with caiparinhas (the boozy lime flavored drinks that go so well with sand and sun) in hand.


We went up Sugar Loaf mountain, the iconic Rio landmark that is reached by cable car and offers stunning views of the city. We were also lucky enough to meet up with our friend Maya's friend Cecilia, who showed us around some of the beautiful parts of old Rio. One of these sites included a church built in the early 17th century. Along with the city and beach thing, I am not usually a church guy, but the beauty and detail of this Baroque church was something to behold.

That's the crazy thing about Rio, you have stunning natural beauty alongside history and culture that makes you feel you're in Europe. You have 5 star hotels with a backdrop of favelas. As big as Rio is, I feel like nature gives it some humility. Many buildings, even nice ones, look rundown on the outside due to the heat and humidity. The distinctive hand laid stone sidewalks are lovely along the beach, but are crumbling in less touristy areas. I had the distinct feeling that if humans disappeared, nature would happily take back the city in short order. I had always wondered how entire cities in Central America could be swallowed by the jungle and now I know.
So tomorrow we leave for Beijing where we will be for 3 days and then on to Cheng Du. From what I have heard and read, what felt like busy chaos in Rio will pale in comparison to the pace and scale of China.
Stay tuned, we'll let you know...

Thanks for reading.

Ian.