Our Rio hotel is on the main thoroughfare in Copacabana, with our room facing the street, and even though we are high up the constant roar of busses is with us. When we return from São Paulo we ask for a room in the rear and it is much quieter. We enjoy the good breakfasts that are brought to our room; egg, toast, rolls, crackers, cheese, coffee, apples, watermelon, pineapple, papaya, and orange juice. Copacabana is a good location with nice walking areas and restaurants. Busses are easily available to travel to other parts of Rio; we use them for all our local transportation.
We ride the cable car to the top of Sugarloaf for the spectacular views of the bay, the city, and the mountains. The views are quite clear in spite of the haze and smog that foul the city air.
The botanical gardens are another bus trip; they are huge and very interesting. In the downtown area we visit the Museum of Modern Art; a lovely building and with interesting exhibits. We also see the WW II memorial; downstairs is a mausoleum with a marble tablet for each casualty. We walk in the crowded downtown, where it is hot, humid, and smoggy. We take an enjoyable ferry ride across the bay and back.
The food is very good in Rio; we particularly like our dinner at the Copa Palace Hotel. We are introduced to palmitos, marinated hearts of palm, and have enjoyed them many times since then.
Rio is known as a good place to buy stones. The night before flying home we go to H. Stern jewelers and buy a lovely aquamarine ring that at home is appraised at twice what we paid.
Our Brazil trip is ended by flying Varig over the Amazon jungle and river to Bogota for two days, then home.
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