Two weekends ago we got to go on our first married get-away together....to Rio de Janeiro!!! It was our dream get away for a long weekend and we enjoyed every minute of it!
We left Thursday night at about midnight for an adventurous night bus ride and arrived in Rio de Janeiro just as the sun got there too.
I can still remember getting in the taxi, winding around some roads in a more "urban" (or ghetto...however you want to say it) area. Then, all of the sudden, we came around this curve and it was like the whole city opened up and I could see the Cristus for the first time. Beautiful memories...
We stayed at a hostel about two blocks from Ipanema beach. It was great, with hammocks on the roof, a room to ourselves and plenty of interesting people to talk to.
We went to Ipenema Beach our first day there...My theme song the week before was "The Girl from Ipanema," so I wanted to test it out.
I think I was a little too white and overdressed to be that girl...but that's ok. I guess I can be the Gringa from Ipanema!
We walked the beach nearly end to end and got some good R&R...
And realized that it was my first time in the Atlantic Ocean!!!
We stayed at a hostel about two blocks from Ipanema beach. It was great, with hammocks on the roof, a room to ourselves and plenty of interesting people to talk to.
We went to Ipenema Beach our first day there...My theme song the week before was "The Girl from Ipanema," so I wanted to test it out.
I think I was a little too white and overdressed to be that girl...but that's ok. I guess I can be the Gringa from Ipanema!
We walked the beach nearly end to end and got some good R&R...
And realized that it was my first time in the Atlantic Ocean!!! Had to show the Brazil flops for proof...
That afternoon we took off for Pão de Açúcar.
On top of the first island mountain, we saw our first wild monkey of the three on this trip...So glad that happened because seeing a random monkey was on my bucket list for Brazil and I hadn't seen one yet. Monkey....check.
That afternoon we took off for Pão de Açúcar.
It was perfect timing, because we got to see the sites by
day and night and see a gorgeous sunset!
On top of the first island mountain, we saw our first wild monkey of the three on this trip...So glad that happened because seeing a random monkey was on my bucket list for Brazil and I hadn't seen one yet. Monkey....check.
There's always a whole lotta of suga' on the sugar loaf!
We ran around and saw the sites, then caught the gandola just in time to get to the higher mountain before sunset...
Overlooking Cococabana and the centro side of Rio...
We kept having to play chicken with the clouds...lots of our pictures came out like this...
Overlooking Cococabana and the centro side of Rio...We kept having to play chicken with the clouds...lots of our pictures came out like this...I guess that's what you get when you're IN them!
There were some pretty views to be seen!
One of my favorite parts of the experience was at sunset....These billowing clouds were hovering just at the tops of the mountains, and as the sun set, the clouds lowered just enough to see Christ standing. If that's anything like the second coming will look like...that will be one dazzling day!
I had another picture when it was slightly lighter than this and zoomed in...and it totally looked like a super blurry version of the picture we have in the forrier of almost
and rode on a train that took us all the way up the mountain...
Silly tourists...
I read on a travel tip site that if you sit on the back right, facing backwards, you get the greatest views....and they weren't lying!
We got up to the top and enjoyed a great afternoon with 360 views and the towering Cristus statue behind us...
We tried to battle the tourists and get some good pictures with Him...
...to the end of a look out with the entire bay...
There were some pretty views to be seen!
One of my favorite parts of the experience was at sunset....These billowing clouds were hovering just at the tops of the mountains, and as the sun set, the clouds lowered just enough to see Christ standing. If that's anything like the second coming will look like...that will be one dazzling day!I had another picture when it was slightly lighter than this and zoomed in...and it totally looked like a super blurry version of the picture we have in the forrier of almost every LDS church of the second coming...
I would have included it, but Jordan said it would probably be good to not have over 50 pics on here...so I settled for the high 40's and it unfortunately didn't make the cut.
The next day we set out to find Cristus Redentor...
The next day we set out to find Cristus Redentor...
and happened to find a sweet old house we both agreed on...
and rode on a train that took us all the way up the mountain...
Silly tourists...
I read on a travel tip site that if you sit on the back right, facing backwards, you get the greatest views....and they weren't lying!
We got up to the top and enjoyed a great afternoon with 360 views and the towering Cristus statue behind us......Foi Maravilhoso...
We tried to battle the tourists and get some good pictures with Him...(which really means J had to put up with me asking a random stranger...or making him ask...if they could try and get a picture)
This one was from a lady who lied on the ground for us...so nice...but we still couldn't get our heads and His together...
So we went down to another look-off, sat dangerously close to the edge of a wall seperating us and a cliff and got one with all of us...and walked away happy...
So we went down to another look-off, sat dangerously close to the edge of a wall seperating us and a cliff and got one with all of us...and walked away happy... 
...to the end of a look out with the entire bay...You can tell it was sunny **squint**...but don't you love those seemingly floating mountains?!
We also saw monkey #2 here...so the day pretty much couldn't have been better!
On our last day there we went to this awesome fair, where we bought some sweet stuff, including these necklaces that they made on site. J and I even got to pick out the stone combo's...One for me and one for him...
We also saw monkey #2 here...so the day pretty much couldn't have been better!
On our last day there we went to this awesome fair, where we bought some sweet stuff, including these necklaces that they made on site. J and I even got to pick out the stone combo's...One for me and one for him...Just kidding, he got a wallet! ;)
Then we headed off for our 3rd Omni-bus adventure (which are awesomely efficient there) and found the Botanical Gardens...where there were beautiful trees, crazy trees like this one with questionable balls on them...
flowering trees...
trees of unusual size (if you haven't noticed, we love all things in giant porportions)...
pretty fountains and palm "hallways"...
and J's favorite, Bamboo. Great thing we're moving to China, right?!
Then we headed off for our 3rd Omni-bus adventure (which are awesomely efficient there) and found the Botanical Gardens...where there were beautiful trees, crazy trees like this one with questionable balls on them...
flowering trees... trees of unusual size (if you haven't noticed, we love all things in giant porportions)...
pretty fountains and palm "hallways"...
and J's favorite, Bamboo. Great thing we're moving to China, right?!This also happens to be Bamboo of unusual size, if you can't tell... ;)
The Botanical Gardens were started by the King in the early 1800's and were the Royal family's own gardens for quite some time.
And...our 3rd...that's right, third monkey sighting of the trip. And this time there were 4 of them...Can you find the monkey in this picture?
When you look up, all of the mountains look like this...
The Botanical Gardens were started by the King in the early 1800's and were the Royal family's own gardens for quite some time.That's why you can find awesome pieces of classic architecture like these ones...
Classy...
And...our 3rd...that's right, third monkey sighting of the trip. And this time there were 4 of them...Can you find the monkey in this picture?
When you look up, all of the mountains look like this...Beautiful forests everywhere...
Which we loved to explore...
...and found waterfalls!!
The gardens also had some interesting swirli cacti, that fought
Which we loved to explore...
...and found waterfalls!!
The gardens also had some interesting swirli cacti, that fought with the bamboo to be Jordan's favorite...
As we were leaving I noticed these little lovelies...
Later that night we came home via the Night Bus (first class this time...for any of you traveling by night omnibus in the near future, it is worth the extra R$12 [US $6]. We both slept almost the entire time!) and returned to enjoy a relaxing day off in our temporary home of Campinas.
As we were leaving I noticed these little lovelies...And thought their choice of naked dancing statues
by the entrance was intriguing...
Then, we got to finish off the trip by spending some
quality time with the locals, fishing by the moonlight in what
I like to think is the real "Rio de Janeiro"....
(Aren't the flavela and mountain in the background great?! I feel like
this briefly depicts life for manywho live there.)
Later that night we came home via the Night Bus (first class this time...for any of you traveling by night omnibus in the near future, it is worth the extra R$12 [US $6]. We both slept almost the entire time!) and returned to enjoy a relaxing day off in our temporary home of Campinas. We are so glad we got some time off and have been able to explore one of the greatest places in Brazil. Iguazu Falls and Manaus (for the Amazon and there lovely pink dolphins) are also on our bucket lists...but we aren't worried... because I'm sure we'll be back!
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