Saturday, November 17, 2007
Sugarloaf - Wet, Moody, and Breathtaking as Ever
After all the meetings, interviews, questions, groggy mornings, traffic jams, and caipirinha hangovers came a wonderful reward - a ride up Rio's spectacular Sugarloaf mountain, via two cable cars, with a stop at the 'stepping stone' mountain of Morro da Urca.
Corcovado, Rio's modernist Christ figure perched on a hill in the distance, over Guanabara bay...Of course in sun or starlight this view is radiant, but it's also quite striking enveloped in moody shades of gray...
Ye who enter here... are in for a real treat... Lush tropical flora, stunning views, hordes of German tourists singing (oddly) 'Cielito Lindo..' I've been up there a dozen times in as many years, but it's always special. It was the first visit for my friend & co-worker Bevan, and I enjoyed watching his awe and wonderment... Today, the panoramic views... Early next week, lovely details, including from the botanic/biological garden.
Up, up, up, up... We watch a cable car ("bondinho," pronounced Bon-JEEN-you) head on up for Sugarloaf as we wait in line at 'waystation' Morro da Urca..
Up, up, up, up... Here's the cable car, seen from Sugarloaf as it approaches from 'waystation' Morro da Urca..
The hottest spot (south of) Havana... That's Copacabana beach on the right...
...and that's Botafogo beach on the right, the only point in Rio where you can observe the city's two iconic landmarks, Sugarloaf in front and Corcovado in back...
Bevan gets into the spirit of things...
oh, to be on a boat in Guanabara Bay... I can only dream of it...
Check out Emerson's video of Malay New Year in Kuala Lumpur...
Cartoon du Jour:
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