Experience, Explore, Expand: last days in Rio 🇧🇷

so... I was able to do the last three things that I mentioned in my previous post!!

Luckily, the weather was sunnier on Saturday and Sunday, before I flew out Sunday night!! 💫

On Saturday morning, I took an Uber to where you ride the cable cars up Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain). It started off cloudy, but eventually the clouds moved and you can see all of Rio de Janeiro from the top!! 🌞

óla rio!! 🇧🇷

Copacabana Beach 🏖

Cristo Redentor on the top of the hill ♰

Since it was my last full day in Rio, I booked a guided tour to see a favela in Rio. The one I booked was to visit the biggest and most well known favela in Rio called Rocinha.

Walked from the top to the bottom! 💙

It was quite the experience to be able to walk through the favela! Down the narrow paths and stairs. Smell all the smells, and see how life is really lived in Rio. We only get a glimpse into life here... and one can only imagine the rest.

[Sunday, September 18th]

It was my last chance to go to the viewpoint and see the Cristo Redentor (Christ Redeemer). I arrived at the railway station 10 minutes before 9:00AM, and I thought it was pretty early. Sure enough it was not that early because there were plenty of people at the top taking a zillion selfies with Christ.

I only spent 30 minutes up there because it was so crowded!! Also, how many selfies does one need with a statue of Christ?? 🙈 It turned out to be good timing because it takes some time to get down and out of this area... I noticed a coffee shop I wanted to try when I came here on Tuesday, and I couldn't go up because it was too cloudy... SO I walked down to the coffee shop and then went back to the apartment to check out. The last thing I really wanted to do before I left Rio was to have Japanese food!! I know... kinda random and I know it won't be the same as in Japan... but I thought... since there's such a strong Japanese population in Brasil... I must try the Japanese food!! AND so I did... 😋 the broth was good, but the noodles were not ramen noodles. Overall, the meal hit the spot and I was content!!

Ramen from Azumi Restaurante Japonês in Copacabana

After I finished lunch, it was about 1PM and I knew I wanted to get to the airport by 6PM... so I decided to go check out some museums before heading to the international airport in Rio.

Museu de Arte Moderna (Museum of Modern Art) *Free Entry

Museu do Amanhã (Museum of Tomorrow)

I really enjoyed visiting the Museum of Tomorrow! You do need to purchase a ticket, but they store luggage for free. I was very intrigued by the temporary exhibit on the Amazônia (photo from above). I was also very moved to see the recognition of human impact on climate change on the planet. There are 5 exhibits: Cosmos, Earth, Anthropocene, Tomorrows, and Us. Each exhibit had a narrative walkthrough.