24 hours in Rio

22:00 – Taxi to Lapa from Copacabana Rs. 21

22:25 – A caprinihia and 2 caprioskas to line the stomachs (not each!). A little strong… Rs.18

22:27 – Chicken on a stick Rs. 6 for 2.

22:30 – Stroll around a block filled with street art (or what others may call graffiti) and smelly-pee doorways.

22:40 – Find a ‘bar’ playing Queens of the Stone Age and Pearl Jam. Jon oh-so-very excited.

22:45 – Cervejas and  unrecognizable shots. Rs 16

22:53 – Jaime gets chatted up by the Brasilian equivalent of McLovin’ from Superbad.

23:00 – Drunk man sleeping on pavement wakes up for a boogey. Rs 0.

23:06 – Drunk man comes to make friends with Tim.

23:07 – Get a taxi to Rio Scenarium which is just around the corner – Rs 6.40

23:45  - Enter Rio Scenarium. Supposedly one of the best bars in town and usually filled with tourists but luckily we are here in a Brasilian winter! You get given a card as you enter and you have all your drinks marked on it, and pay your bill as you leave.

23:50 – Check out all the floors but the music is too good to be not on the dance floor.

00:18 – On the dance floor trying to samba or not to samba as it was in the boys’ case.

00:25 – Brasilian ladies come over to teach us (well, Tim and Jon) to samba.

00:45 – Don’t know any music / can’t sing along but the singer is absolutely amazing.

01:01 – Tim disappears for awhile and brings back some new Brasilian friends.

01:14 – Jon disappears to get more drinks.

01:28 – Samba is beautiful – learning when drunk is probably not the best way. Can anyone recommend a good school?

02:35 – Leave Rio Scenarium though Jon has ripped up his receipt before leaving Rs???

02:35 – Hungry

02:37 – Order pasta, pizza and sandwiches at an empty restaurant

02:38 – Jon falls asleep at table

02:52 – A beautiful girl pops in to dance samba with the band. Jon wakes up.

03:19 – Finally the food arrives but only the pizza (I don’t know how we get our orders so wrong still!!)

03:22 – Finished eating. Rs 65

03:23 – Jon insists on going back to rock bar (the hole on the wall with speakers on the road).

03:31 – Rock bar closing up. Boo for Jon.

03:32 – Taxi home though we end up going the long way round as Tim insists on giving directions.

08:30 – Forgot to turn on aircon, wake up in nice sweaty room with not-so-nice sweaty husband.

08:35 – I can hear Sophie crying - thank god for Juliete, our ‘Princess-Diana’/nanny.

10:00 – Coxinha de Frangos and the strongest shot of coffee for brunch. Rs 12.

10:45 – It’s 24 C, bright blue skies. I like Brasilian winters!

11:00 – Sweat out alcohol on Copacabana Beach sem Sophie.

14:35 – Back home for showers.

15:07 – Drive to up Corcovado to visit Cristo Redentor but hadn’t realised we couldn’t drive up all the way. Train not working until 20^th July either. Mini bus up to the old Hotel and another bus up to the top. Rs 45 each.

15:45 – Forgot that it’s a little bit cooler up there! He’s so worth shivering a little bit for. I always get a little bit emotional going to see this Art-deco Jesus, up close and personal!

17:52 – Rescue car from some little boys sitting on the hood.

18:00 – Jon decides he needs a picture of Cristo Redentor in his Brasilian colours and gets out on the main road around Lagoa only to have to run on his broken ankle to get back to the car. Picture was totally worth it, don’t you think?

18:45 – Decide to have a very quiet night and stay local.

18:55 – Find Bip Bip but they haven’t started music yet and recommend Italian around the corner.

19:00 – Pasta at Spacca Napoli – comfort food essential. Limoncello not so essential. Rs. 187. Limoncello Rs 0.

20:18 – Walk off food down Copacabana. It’s as Rio as you can imagine – beautiful bodies playing beach volleyball on floodlit beach, old sun-wrinkled fogies walking their dogs and tack sellers packing up for the day.

20:25 – Absolutely stuffed but always have a room for a churro filled with doce de leite! I’m not even a dessert person but these are SO sweet and SO good they make up for all the chocolate and cake I don’t usually eat! Rs 4

20:30 – Try to convince Jon to buy some really tacky art. He buys a piece for Rs 20

20:35 – Bip Bip …. a barzinho which is owned by a grumpy old man called Alberto. Pick up your beers from inside and let him know as you leave so he can keep your tab. Collective of old and new generation musicians play old samba on Sundays. No clapping please – click your fingers to show your appreciation. Lots of locals as well as tourists (yankee cougars!). Rs 45 for 8 beers and a Bip Bip CD.

*photos to be added when back in Sampa