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So we arrived in Rio and headed to the hostel...the first night we got there really late so just chilled with people from the hostel dreading going to our beds that were bunks of three with plastic mattresses and pillows and no air con!! not the best nights sleep but the hostel was nice...Botafogo Easy Hostel!! The next day we went to Ipanema beach was was amazing...clear blue sea with the softest sand and great views all around...we were told this beach was better than copacobana so we ventured here first...was really fun!
That night we hung out with guys from the hostel and decided at 2am after being warned not to be on the beach after 6pm that we all wanted to go and play in the sea...so we did! In the middle of a thunderstorm!! Was probably not our wisest move but we were with a big group and was such a fun night...we then had a quick evacuation as two guys came over with a not so fun weapon and wanting money...but we left quickly and were fine...not so advisable though!
The next day we went on a day tour organised by the hostel and went and saw the curcavado, huge Christ statue that overlooks Brazil which was incredible, with arms spanning 30m wide you can imagine the size! There were fantastic views and we took lots of pictures! We then went to a Cathedral which was really unusual and their famous Football Stadium which was good! We then took cable cars up to sugarloaf mountain and saw monkeys at the top...a long but good tour! That night we met uop with guys we had met in Cusco and went to a place called Lapa which is supposedly the party district! There was a huge street party going on...we then went to a Samba club which looked more like a school assembly hall! It was fun but I think would have been better to have stayed and partied outside!
The next day we went to the famous Copacabana beach which was as we were told slightly disappointing...only because Ipanema was so beautiful...the sea was green other than that was really nice as well... it had a lot of character with people coming along selling things through song!! That evening we went to a great restaurant recommended by Hannah which was amazing...curratao...a meat buffet which was just so nice and we had really nice cocktails which they made for us at the table also! We then headed to Yellow Mellow a really famous hostel that we couldn t get booked into because of Carnival!! So we went as imposters and met lots of fun, cool people and had areally good night!!
The next day we went and did a favela tour...against thoughts whether it would be safe or not we had to do it...and I am so glad we did...it left me wanting to cry, help them and was just generally culture shock by their community...we had to get motorbikes to the top which was quite scary, we were told ...girls if you are scared hold onto the guys that were riding the bikes...boys if youre scared deal with it...if you touch them they will just go faster!!! There community and spirit was phenomenal, they were all so friendly and not once did I feel unsafe...it was an unforgettable experience and one I would one day love to repeat! Their favelas are built on top of one another and the rules are if you see land that hasnt been used its fair game! We visited a community nusery and local businesses which were so good! The babies had all dressed up and were dancing around for carnival! There was a little chinese baby dressed as a pirate who we will never forget...he was so cute...we called him Pepe!!
That night we headed from the hostel after a slight disagreement about bedsheets with a not so kind lady from the hostel who didnt want us to leave our bags and bring them on the favela tour!! that would have definately been safe!! Anyway we went to the bus station only to find that the last bus was full and the next wasnt till 5 the next day...at this point we then had nowhere to stay and it was the first night of the carnival!! So we were in a slight predicament as to what to do but a guy from Cusco had said that people were paying to stay in hammocks at his hostel...as a last resort we turned up rather fed up and tired to be told that we could leave our bags there but all of the hammocks, beds and mattresses were taken so she said we wernt allowed to sleep! We were allowed the privelidge of leaving our bags there for 50 riyal!!! But we had no other option so we did it!! We went back out to Lapa as it was first night of carnival and spent an hour trying to get a cab before deciding to take the bus...which was quite a lot of fun with plenty of singing, chanting and smashing the roof!!! We finally arrived and it was heaving...people everywhere...we hung outside before decided to head to a bar...it was really fun but the guys just grab you and think thats acceptable so walking through the crowds wasnt too fun!! I ordered a caiprinia...national drink of brazil which was so strong it was undrinkable...I asked for some soda in it to soften the blow and she came back with a heaped teaspoon of sugar and before I know it put it in my drink!!! Not to sure how someone would mistake soda slash lemonade for a heap of sugar but hey!
The next day we just chilled after sleeping on a matress by the pool and having the hostel cat also wanting to share this one matress the three of us were sharing!! We then head to the bus station and prepared for a 16 hour journey to Fioranapolis!!
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