Photo-TR: Soren´s trip to Rio de Janeiro

[Hattuchili]

Soren´s trip to Rio de Janeiro

 

Day 1:

"I survived a night in room 1408!"

 

We left Sao Paulo´s Congonhas airport after I picked up my fiance from work. Then, after a 50 minutes flight with TAM, we arrived Rio de Janeiro´s Santos Dumont airport. The flight itself was really nice and we got some good snacks. At the airport we wanted to pick up our car, but we had to wait 1 hour to finish all the paper stuff. I really want to know why I have to fill out all the stuff at the online reservation, when I have to stay there for an 1 hour to do everything again?

 

Anyway, after waiting so long we finally got our car and could make it to our hotel. At the reservation department they told us the hotel will be at Downtown Rio de Janeiro and so it was. But the whole area was kinda strange. We arrived at the hotel after 15 minutes driving and a scary looking bell boy opened the doors for us. Inside the building I felt like I am in the "1930´s Hollywood Tower Hotel". I swear Disney couldn´t make it more scary. After the check-in, the bell boy showed us the way to our room up in the 14th floor. The most new hotels are using these plastic card room keys, this hotel were still using real keys. Then we stoped infront of room 1408... OMG, I don´t want to die within the next hour. - Have you seen the Stephen King movie, so far? I can tell you this one was worse. I am still not sure if the stain on our sheet was blood or chocolate? We both looked to ourselfs and we knew we will not stay in this hotel for the 3 nights. Right that night we canceled the reservation for the next 2 nights and booked a room at the Caesar Business just 5 minutes away from the Copacabana beach and the the sugar loaf.

 

However, that night we were so tired and decided to stay for just one night. It was already 10pm and we were also very hungry. One look out of the window and we realized it would be better to get a snack at the hotel restaurant. Back in the elevator the sign showed us there is a restaurant on the 17th floor, but the elevator only showed us 16 floors. So, where is the 17th floor. After a ride to the 16th floor and no way to the 17th floor we decided to make it back to the 2nd floor for 2 cheeseburger and 2 cokes at the Coffee Shop. The whole way down I had a strange feeling and were waiting for the 4th Dimension room, but nothing happened. At the restaurant we were the only guests at that time to deal with another scary employe of this old and strange hotel. After eating we went directly back to our room (remember “1408”), got a shower and were lying on the bed without really sleeping.

 

Then early in the morning we got up, got our breakfast and left the hotel.

I have been to many hotels, but this one was the most strange and scary one I have ever seen. I am glad that we survived it.

 

To be continued...

 

--Soren

I wonder how many people died already in this hotel? - Last shot for today. More is coming, soon.

... but there are only 16 floors!

The restaurant should be on the 17th floor...

And the way up to the 16th floor.

All the way down from the 14th floor.

I don´t want to die here.

Yes, it is really room 1408.

Our room for just one night!

Another shot of the Lobby.

Welcome at the hotel.

After one hour we got our car and looking forward to our days in Rio.

Another TAM plane landing right after us and also from Sao Paulo.

Yes, we are in Rio. Vacation can begin.

We nearly made it.

There is the sugar loaf.

Yes, it is.

Is this already Rio?

Mhhh, different cheese, ham, olives and nuts. What a great mix...

"Happy Hour" sounds good to me!

Sao Paulo is huge.

It is a strange feeling to have the city right under you.

Rio, we are coming.

On the way to the runway. The airport is really in the middle of Sao Paulo.

First picture from our plane and I hope we can start, soon.

[Groteslurf]

1408 : LOL. Great TR.

[cobra_roll06]

Hahaha! Man that place is freeeeaky! Looking forward to the next installment.

[ebl]

Hotels usually don't have a floor numbered 13, so a 16-story hotel would have a 17th floor. Apparently, they didn't adjust that in the elevator...

 

Hope you're having (or had) a nice time.

 

Eric

[Hattuchili]

Day 2:

"Our way to the sugarloaf."

 

Right after the breakfast it was time to leave the hotel without being really sad. In the daylight everything was a bit better, but still kinda scary.

 

The travel agency told us there is another nice hotel near by, where we could also stay, if we wanted. So, we drove there to check it out, but after a 10 minutes tour inside the hotel, we decided to go to the Caeser Business, like we have planed the night before.

 

We checked in the hotel around 11am, but the room was not ready at that time. Not a problem for us at all. We left our luggage there and made our way to a mall near by the sugarloaf for food and to buy some stuff.

 

I am glad we had a car with us, because the weather god was not really on our side for the 4 days in Rio. The most time it was raining, but we still had fun and were able to see everything we wanted.

 

On this day we have planed to go up to the sugarloaf (396 metres / 1,299 ft on the highest point), even the weather was not so good. To make it on top of the sugarloaf mountain you have to take a glass-paneled cable car from the bottom station to Morro da Urca (a little mountain beside the sugarloaf). From that station you have to take another cable car to make it on top of the sugarloaf. For the whole way from the bottom station to the top we needed around 1 hour.

First I thought we will make it up there without seeing anything, because the weather was not that good, but with every minute on the top it got better and better, till we finally had a good view from the sugarloaf.

 

A few hours later and back at our car we decided to drive a bit around the Copacabana, since it was raining again. We found a nice restaurant there for dinner and were relaxing with a glass of wine.

 

This night we returned to the hotel without any bad feelings and yes, we slept much better then the night before.

 

To be continued...

 

--Soren

On the way to the Copacabana. Thanks for reading, more is coming, soon!

After a great trip to the suagrloaf we are back on the streets.

Anywhere there is the Christ statue.

Back to the bottom station.

Should we read that?

The weather is getting better and warmer.

...

Here on the Morro da Urca they had these monkeys.

ahhh...

Anywhere here should be the sugarloaf!?

On the way back to the Morro da Urca.

Yes, I was here.

...

There is the Copacabana beach.

But it got better with every minute.

This is what you can see from the sugarloaf... ...nealy nothing.

From here we should make it to nowhere. I mean anywhere there should be the sugarloaf. - I hope so...

This is an old cabin from 1912, when the first tourists made their way up to the mountain.

We made it to the first station, but the view is not that good, today. I hope it will get better.

From here it looks like a tropical storm.

This is the way the employees need to make their way to the mountain and back.

Does the weather got worse?

I am glad I am inside the cabin.

Huhu, we are on our way to the first station.

Yes, we do.

Do we need to take one of those?

There is the sugarloaf

...

This is the way I like a hotel room.

This one will be much better.

First of all a look at the Caeser Business, our home for the next 2 nights.

[robinschroder]

Looks like you had a fun day playing James Bond in Moonraker!

[Hattuchili]

Day 3:

"We touched Christ the Redeemer"

 

This day we decided to sleep a bit longer, because it was still raining outside. Then, after a good breakfast we made our way to the Corcovado mountain (710 meter / 2,330 ft high) to take a closer look at Christ the Redeemer. One of the New Seven Wonders of the World.

 

Since it is not allowed anymore to drive up to the statue, we had to park our car for R$ 5.- and needed to buy each a ticket from the Corcovado Rack Railway for R$ 36.- to make it to the top by the train. It was a nice 20 minutes ride through the brazilian nature with a few stops to let other trains pass, who made their way back to the station at the bottom of the mountain. At the station near by the statue we could decide between walking the 222 steps to the statue or taking the elevator. Since we are both so sporty and always looking for the healthy way, we decided to take the elevator.

 

There at the statue we had a great view and it looked like god was on our site for that time, because with the minute we mad it up there it stoped raining till we wanted to go back, then it started again.

 

Back at the station and back at the car, we were driving to Ipanema beach and from there to Barra da Tijuca. That was the only way to see a bit from Rio without getting wet, because it was still raining. It was already after 4pm and we got hungry so we made it to Barra da Tijuca, because there they had the Hard Rock Cafe – Rio de Janeiro. We stoped there for some good food and a bit shopping at the mall. After some hours spending there we made it save back to the hotel.

 

To be continued...

 

--Soren

On the way home we had to make a quick stop at Wall Mart. - Thanks again for reading, more is coming, soon.

X-Mas theming at the mall.

I would like to take this one home.

Theming like every other Hard Rock Cafe.

That´s what I was waiting for.

AAAAAahhhhhhhhhh....

Where is my food?

Let´s enter the place, I am hungry.

...

After that we made our way to the Hard Rock Cafe.

A closer look.

Do I look like the Christ?

Us infront of the statue.

There is the christ.

Yes, we made it up here.

...

View from the top.

Anywhere there is the christ.

On the way to the top we passed another train.

Time to get on the train.

...

There is the train coming.

I think this is the way to the train.

The train station at the bottom of the mountain.

[RIP Psyclone]

I'd rather spend a night in room 237, but that's just me. Love the pics, Soren. The cable cars look the same as they did in Moonraker, but I don't recognize the stations. Shame they treat their employees that way! Oh, and I was wondering, do you speak English to each other, Soren?

[Hattuchili]

^ Since my portuguese is not so good and she is not really speaking german, we are talking 90% in english, because it is mch easier for us.

 

--Soren

[Hattuchili]

Day 4:

 

This was our last day in Rio de Janeiro. The weather got a bit better, but it was still windy and cold. We decided to take a long good breakfast, before we were driving back to the Copacabana beach. After 15 minutes searching for a parking spot we finally found one near by the beach. We spend a couple hours at the beach and got our lunch there, before we needed to go back to the hotel for the check-out. From the hotel we made it directly back to the airport for the check-in and 1 hour later we were already on the way back to Sao Paulo.

 

Like I said before, the weather was not always on our side for the 4 days, but we still had a lot of fun and have seen some nice places. Because of the strange weather we had nearly no waiting time at the sugarloaf and the Christ statue, which was good for us and it got always better when we made it up to each mountain.

 

I would always go back to Rio de Janeiro and even more around december or january, because the weather should be much better at that time.

 

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed reading about my trip as much as I enjoyed the time in Rio de Janeiro.

 

... End!

 

--Soren

And thanks to TAM for bring us save back to Sao Paulo.

We both are saying thanks for reading.

Uhh, already back in Sao Paulo.

...

Looks nice from here.

Last shot from the sugarloaf.

We are officially on our way back to Sao Paulo.

The runway we should take.

Uhh, I am glad that is not our plane.

Where is our seat?

Aww, back at the airport.

But that is okay, we are enjoying our food.

Because it is still kinda cold and windy.

... and a nearly empty beach.

Look, there is also water...

That´s how it looks here.

They are having Mc Donald´s there.

There is the beach.

On the way back to the Copacabana.

[Chrissie]

Awesome TR Soren! Rio looks amazing. I can't wait to go there!

[buttonman700]

Way cool report...

 

Have always wanted to go to South maerica, you make me want to go there even more now.

 

thanks for the report.

[65skylark]

Nice pictures Soren! That really looked like a fun trip. You are becoming quite the world traveler.

[the sound]

Shame you only had a few days there, and a shame about the weather. But thanks for sharing with us!

[Coaster Palooza]

Great pics Soren!

 

I was glad to see you made it to the Hard Rock Cafe. I agree that all of them seem to look alike in the memorabilia area. Some of them have dedicated sections though for their local rock stars. An example would be the Ted Nugent wall in the Detroit HRC.

[Hattuchili]

Nice pictures Soren! That really looked like a fun trip. You are becoming quite the world traveler.

 

That would be nice. Just a few days ago I have seen that I have been to appr. 30 countries so far. I like to travel and see different countries and people.

 

--Soren

[coastercrazed49]

Great pictures Soren!

 

That looks like such a nice place to visit. Theres nothing like that in Massachusetts.

[moinab]

Thanks for sharing your photos of Rio. I especially love the photo of you in front of the Christ statue!

 

Between taking care of a newborn and driving up to Massachusetts for an impromptu visit, I haven't been around here much, so I'm sorry I'm late on congratulating you!

 

When did you get engaged?

[Hattuchili]

Thanks for sharing your photos of Rio. I especially love the photo of you in front of the Christ statue!

 

Between taking care of a newborn and driving up to Massachusetts for an impromptu visit, I haven't been around here much, so I'm sorry I'm late on congratulating you!

 

When did you get engaged?

 

Hey Maureen, first of I have to say congrats to your new baby. Enjoy each moment, since the time is running so damn fast.

We really had a great time in Rio and the visit at the Christ statue was one of the best moments.

We are engaged since oct. 14th and I am happy we made that step.

 

--Soren

[pianojohn]

Thanks for the pics and report! I will give your regards to Candlelight for you this December!

[TheRapidsNerd]

Soren,

This was really neat to see your trip to Rio, as I've hardly been outside the US. The views were gorgeous. Glad you two had a good time and you both make a terrific couple.

 

The McDonald's stand on the beach seemed like something out of Roller Coaster Tycoon and the airplane beside the runway was just addtional airport "themeing".

 

Dumb question, but what was the deal with the room you had bad feelings about staying in? Didn't quite get the joke there.

 

Thanks for sharing these.

[Hattuchili]

^ There is the Stephan King movie "1408". People who are staying in that room are dying. I just saw the movie a few days ago and then they put us in room 1408. That was the joke. However, the hotel itself was really scary and no matter what room they would give us, we would leave again. It was just funny that we got that room.

 

--Soren

[TheRapidsNerd]

aha! You have taught me something new today. As you can tell, it's been a while since I've caught up on movies or tv. Thank you for answering a dumb question and once again for sharing the pics.