From Lawson Mansions to Llamas: 27th-29th Jan

We arrived at lunchtime to a rather nice hotel, which I was pleased about as Rio is a bit grimey. A few of us went to Feira Nordestina, a market of just under 700 stalls, in an attempt to see some capuara (a martial arts inspired dance style). Completely failing on that front, we had a cracking time regardless. The market opens every day but at weekends, opens friday morning and doesn't close till 10pm on Sunday. This was a sunday so aside from the usual market stalls we get in England, there was a lot of food on sticks (halumi cheese, meat, sausage) and seemingly at every turn a small (and in the centre, a big..) stage with performers singing away and the crowds samba-ing their little hearts out. I was in heaven watching people of all ages dancing and switching partners.

After moving around the different stages (and I think being invited to sing on one of them!), we plonked ourselves down at one to have a drink and watch. I couldn't persuade the two chaps in our group to dance with me, so V and I gave it a shot and were quickly assisted by a local. Her and her friends quickly adopted us and started teaching us how to dance Brazilian style.

Me stifling a laugh whilst I get told off by Joseph for not looking in his eyes while dancing

Bit more dancing, this time with Paulo

Blimey, it's a workout, that's for sure, and I now know why Brazillian women have firm thighs and a tight butt! Vera, Paulo, Joseph and Shelly took us off to a bar in the market (presumably their favourite haunt) and with some beers in a bucket of ice, the dancing continued till we left at about 9pm.

A shower and change into clothes more fitting for samba (earlier I was unfortunately in baggy shorts and trekking shoes so wearing about 10 times more clothing than any local) and V and I hit the streets of Lapa. We realised we didn't have any more dancing in us though, so after some more food on a stick and a visit to the Lapa Steps, where we were serenaded by a guitar playing Texan, we hit the sack.

daytime pics of Lapa steps pinched from Lisa

Day 2 in Rio meant a Favela (slum) tour. We visited one favela, which was 1 square km, with a cosy population of 70,000. That's the population of my home town, York, in a much smaller space. Built over years and constantly threatened by landslide and disease (especially those at the bottom), with interesting electrics, they are so established and of such a size to have small hospitals and schools in them. It was a true privilege to gain access to the Favela and we were only too happy to buy the art work, jewellery and pastries/cakes the residents produced for groups such as us.

Mind your step

One for my dad. Nice electrics huh?

Gang tag marking territory in the favela

undercover police....yep, that's a loaded handgun in his mits

the favela

We took in Copacabana and Ipanema beaches in the afternoon. It was an overcast monday so we didn't get to do the beach people watching we'd hoped for (although I doubt it could beat the previous day's sights anyway). Our last morning was meant to see a few of us hangliding off sugar loaf mountain, so we could get a birds eye view of the famous christ the redeemer statue that looks out, arms wide, over Rio, but unfortunately the weather put paid to that.
Ipanema