Rio Brazil! Rio h

So I finished up 9 great days in Rio!

In Rio there is so much to do (especially as a tourist)! Through airbnb, viator, getyourguide, tripadvisor there is almost unlimited excursions. It is full of breathtaking mountain views from all sorts of angles.

I saw all the sights as recommended per chat gpt, and in talking to friends and locals that live or have lived there, it was spot on.

I initially stayed in Ipanema in a hostel, mainly because I didn't want to be completely alone when I had heard so much concerns of safety. I met a cool guy from Chile and we explored a lot together. After 2 nights I got a hotel then airbnb for the remainder.

View from Sugar mountain

 

This was from Mundo Lingo, this guy has a youtube channel I've come across so was cool to actually see him!

My roomy Daniel from Chile and a Peruvian, we did Santa Teresa in Chile with a tour from our hostel (which was very bad). This pic was before I inquired about who invented the Pisco Sour :P 

The famous Lapa steps by Chilean born artists, Michael Jackson had a video featured here

This was the two brothers. A tour on airbnb with Henry. We initially took motor bikes through a Favela, which was pretty scary but super exilarating, kinda felt like a game of grand theft auto. Place is full of drug lords carrying big guns, but per locals, actually much safer than other areas! Lapa is a party district at night, I checked it out on a bar tour.. it was a one and done type of thing, kind of felt like Cancun (outside the hotels).

This was a cooking calls and supermarket trip (cook in Rio) with a local chef. I don't think i learned any fancy skills but was really fun and social. Here I am teaching the class how to cook Brazilian cuisine (hehe).

I ate at two fancy restaurants, Restaurant Mee in the beautiful Copacabana palace, probably the nicest hotel in Rio. They need 24 hours for their testing Menu :( I did go with new friend Aaron from the UK I met on the bar tour. 

The second is Oro, a 2 Michelin star restaurant... it was nice but after coming from Buenos Aires where restaurants are almost a third of the price and amazing quality... I wasn't that impressed :(

Christ the Redeemer, it was pretty amazing, crowded. You really should do this on a tour group but make it part of other activities.

Last day tour of Tijuca forest with water fall. Found this on airbnb experiences. Great small hike, we saw lots of monkeys that you are not supposed to feed (our guide fed them all). The monkeys started shaking the branches out of aggression...

I also went surfing while here which was fun, but lots of small schools that want to push you in waves (just to get you up and call it a day). I was so glad I did a week of surf school in costa Rica.

So where I am going from here!? Back to Toronto to catch up with friends and family, then work a bunch, then Africa! I would like to try and come back to Rio very soon!