"Rio de Janeiro, commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th largest in the Americas, and 26th in the world.
Rio de Janeiro is the most visited city in the southern hemisphere and is known for its natural settings, carnival celebrations, samba,Bossa Nova, balneario beaches such as Barra da Tijuca, Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon. Some of the most famous landmarks in addition to the beaches include the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer ('Cristo Redentor') atop Corcovado mountain, named one of theNew Seven Wonders of the World; Sugarloaf mountain (Pão de Açúcar) with its cable car; the Sambódromo, a permanent grandstand-lined parade avenue which is used during Carnival; and Maracanã Stadium, one of the world's largest football stadiums. The 2016 Summer Olympics will take place in Rio de Janeiro, which will mark the first time a South American city hosts the event. Rio's Maracanã Stadium will also host the final match for 2014 FIFA World Cup. Rio de Janeiro will also host World Youth Day in 2013."
Lonely Planet gave a warning about Rio De Janeiro - you will fall in love with this beautiful city and there would be a strong craving to go back to this city. Indeed, Rio is definitely one of my favourite cities in the world!!! I love the beaches, the scenery and the Samba.
Ipanema Beach.
=)
(Taken by HY)
I read on the guidebook that it is a common sight for locals to jog in their speedo. And if you are wearing boardshort, you are most probably a tourist. Well, there are more people wearing boardshorts than speedo.
Rio is a good place for People-Watching...
(Taken by HY)
Hunks...
Surfer dudes...
(Taken by HY)
Babes....
Even the security badge is nice too.
The birthplace of the song "The Girl from Ipanema"
Well, one of the best things to do in Rio is lying on the beach, enjoying the sea breeze and listening to the Bossa Nova "The Girl from Ipanema".
It's PERFECT!!! =)
"A favela is the generally used term for a shanty town in Brazil. In the late 18th century, the first settlements were called bairros africanos (African neighbourhoods). This was the place where former slaves with no land ownership and no options for work lived. Over the years, many freed black slaves moved in.
Census data released in December 2011 by the IBGE (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) shows that in 2010, about (6%) of the population lived in slums in Brazil. It means that 11.4 million of the 190 million people lived in the country areas of irregular occupation and lack of public services or urbanization - called by the IBGE of "subnormal agglomerations.""
Basically, there are 2 kinds of Favela - those that are controlled by the drug lords & those that have been cleaned up by the police. I visited 2 Favelas, and the living condition is not optimal, but it was not as bad as I had imagined. (I was thinking about the Slums I saw in India - which is really appalling). In recent years, there are major improvement to the amenities in the Favela (Kudos to the government) - Schools, Clinics & Free Wifi!!! Most impressively, the inhabitants are given title deed to own the land. That's legitimate ownership and there is real estate business is booming in favela - sales & rental. It is not cheap to rent a place in the favela - a couple of hundreds of dollars.
Rocinha - the biggest favela in Rio
Playground in Favela
A retail shop in Favela.
This photo encapsulates my impression of Favela - Cramp, Stuffy, Messy but everything is available.
Burger selling for 3 real (S$2.19, US$1.75)
That's really cheap. You can't find such a price in other places in the city.
Kids from the Favela.
=)
Nice View from the Favela!
Really Nice View!!!
"Sugarloaf Mountain (in Portuguese, Pão de Açúcar), is a peak situated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, at the mouth of Guanabara Bayon a peninsula that sticks out into the Atlantic Ocean. Rising 396 metres (1,299 ft) above the harbor, its name is said to refer to its resemblance to the traditional shape of concentrated refined loaf sugar."
View of Rio from Sugarloaf.
Copacabana Beach is the one on the top left.
Ipanema Beach is at the top (adjacent to Copacabana Beach)
(Taken by HY)
Christ the Redeemer showed himself in the midst of fog during sunset.
=)
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