So, we made it to Rio, and with a couple of days before Carnival starts we decided to get the sightseeing underway. It was quite lucky that we arrived early as it meant we had our choice of bed... 70 beds and 5 bathrooms was fun!
The first thing we wanted to see was Cristo Redentor. You can see this from most places in Rio, but up close it is special, and the view of Rio is even better. Here is a few of the thousand pictures we took from the top.
One of our favourite things was going on a favela tour of the biggest favela in Rio, Rocinha, with over 300,000 people living there. An average flat in Copacabana costs R$2000 a month (about £600) but the average minimum wage is R$600 a month, so any taxi driver, hostel worker, police officer will live in a favela. There were up to eight stories of houses built o top of each other and with only one road, most people don't have addresses, so post is delivered to a van. There was a real community feel with thousands of businesses, some schools, health care facilities and even a couple of hostels opening up.
And now time for carnival, what can we say, blocos, beer, capirinhas, feathers, heat, dancing, street parties, samba, Lapa Lapa Lapa
We went to the sambadromo to see the parade which was incredible. Each samba school has an hour and a half to parade and have thousands of people taking part in amazing costumes and show stopping floats.
Yes that is a water slide
Ad my favourite. Each person starts as a piece of Black Forest gateau, then they form together to make a cake, then pop their heads up to be the cherries on top!
And then it's all over
