Still in Rio

I guess this makes my sixth day here in town. Not often I stay somewhere this long, but then this is a great place and I do not fly home for several more days so why not? Six days has been enough time to get to know the city pretty well. I will leave here tomorrow to go to a little beach town called Paraty for a couple of days before going to Sao Paolo for a couple of days and then flying home.

I have been staying in various places around Copacabana the whole time. One night in a three star hotel, three nights in a 4-star, and now two nights in a crappy hostel, so I have experienced a little of everything when it comes to accommodation around this area...kind of like one of the first phrases I learned in Portuguese eating dinner on the boat on the Amazon...um pouco de todo...a little of everything. Copacabana is a bit cheaper and more affordable than Ipanema Beach, so that is why I have been staying here. It is not quite as nice, but both areas are fine for me.

As for touristic stuff...did the National History Museum today, which was pretty good with a large collections of cannons and old carriages. The museum was notable for the level of security inside...with the museum being mostly empty, I had a security guard watching me fairly intently every step of the way while I was there, which was a little disconcerting. My favorite exhibit was probably the painting of one of the last monarchs, whose face on the painting had been scratched up by a sword by some republican hoping for a...republic. What did I learn historically about Brazil...? A few pieces of information: the first capital of Brazil was Salvodar, followed by Rio, and now Brasilia, Brazil was the last country to abolish slavery (1888 or thereabouts), 40% of all slaves brought to the Western Hemisphere went to Brazil, and Brazil separated peacefully from Portugal when a Portuguese prince living there decided to do so.

I also took the trolley ride up into Santa Theresa neighborhood, which was really cool. I wasn't able to get off and explore the neighborhood, but the ride itself is fun, going up and down the hill, with all the tourists having such a good time, and people hanging off the sides nearly getting taken out by trees as we pass them.

Both Copacabana and Ipanema are great, though the waves are much more powerful than I thought. But I really do not mind it too much. They have not been too crowded any of the times I have been, though there are many vendors around to bother you. Well, me they bother, other people not so much. I met a friend yesterday and we rode bikes yesterday around both beaches and over to Sugarloaf mountain, which we then climbed up to the shorter peak, which I did not realize you could do, having paid the R$44 to take the cable car up the first time I visited a few days ago.