When my baby, when my baby smiles at me I go to Rio de Janeiro…

Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl, with yellow feathers in her hair and dress cut down to there…

Tall and tanned and long and lovely, the girl from Ipanema goes walking and when she does…

It is official. I can’t stop singing.

Rio feels like the South American version of Nice. I keep saying this and we later find out that their waterfront is based off our beloved South of France. No wonder we love it here.

It is the end of the journey. Time to splash out. It is oddly enough the first time that we have started saying Merry Christmas, despite the fact that it is quickly approaching.

We have a list of things we want to do. Things that have been recommended or listed in our trusty “1000 Things To Do Before You Die”. The city is full of beautiful people (however we thought everyone was going to look like Model Giselle–and not so much) who are ready to play.

First things first–we are itching to see Cristos on the Corcovado–the massive landmark statue of Jesus with a 30-meter span of his arms stretched out. We take a taxi, then a tram (which is reminiscent of Victoria Peak in Hong Kong). We were not prepared for the magnitude of the statue. Just massive and beyond impressive. We are moved. We are having a great day and are snapping pictures like mad–just in time. Clouds eventually roll in, (while we are still there having such a great time and staying longer than others) and no sooner had the clouds rolled in, Cristos disappeared. What is great about the Corcovado is that you have a great view of the Sugar Loaf and the renovated Maracana football stadium.

Base Station

Base Station

View of Sugar Loaf

Cristos

Cristos

Cristos

Cristos

The JW Marriott was a stone’s throw away from Copacabana Palace (CHECK THIS) and is significant because it is stunning AND because it is where Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire first danced together on screen. We go for a fabulous dinner in the most stunning, over the top, gold guild room. We love Rio!

Copa Cabana