Rio de Janiero - Part 1

I recently spent 3 days in Rio de Janiero. It is a big city, one that has thrust itself into the 20th century. It is a center of banking and business, home to Petrobras and the former capital of Brazil. It is also home to some of the iconic symbols of Brazil, Sugarloaf, Corcovado and the beaches of Copacabana and Impanema. Going to Brazil without stopping here is like coming to NYC without seeing Times Square.

Windsor Plaza Hotel

Our hotel (The Windsor Plaza) was just 2 blocks off of the beach in Copacabana. This is a large hotel that is oriented to both vacationers and business people. It was a nice place to hole up, convenient to to ocean, the subway, restaurants and markets. On it 15th floor the hotel has a nice, if small pool and sun deck.

The Windsor Plaza also has an excellent breakfast spread included. The staff in the restaurant, at the front desk and in housekeeping were friendly and helpful.

Copacabana Beach

I am not sure what I can say about Copacabana that has not been said. It is a beautiful beach with loads of sand and water. It stretches 4 km (add 1 more kilometer for the beach of Leme, just to the north).  Copacabana is surrounded by a ring of small mountains that almost cut it off from the rest of the city.

The beach at Copacabana is lined with vendors who will sell you tee-shirts and bikinis, rent chairs and umbrellas (a necessity) or colorful wraps. The one thing that is hard to find are beach towels, so bring some with you.

The beach is also lined with restaurants. On the beach side they have recently built kiosks with shaded seating. a great place to stop and have a beer and tapas. On the hotel side of the street are restaurants. One I can highly recommend is Martinez. Excellent food and service at reasonable prices.

Corcovado

Corcovado is a 2300 ft tall mountain that sits in the city of Rio. It is best known as the home of the "Christ the Redeemer" statue. You can drive to the top of the mountain, but I strongly recommend taking the Corcovado Railway up to the top. Corcovado sits within the Tijuca Forrest, and urban tropical rain forest and the views from the train are wonderful.

At the top of the mountain is the Christ the Redeemer statue. One of the 7 man-made wonders of the world, this 125 ft tall art-deco cement statue looks out over the ocean, welcoming visitors and residents alike.