Around The World In 80 Waves

The sea is practically flat so I have taken the opportunity to see the sights of the city whilst I wait for a swell to arrive.

Rio de Janeiro (which translates to The River of January) is so named because Guanabara Bay that you see here was mistaken for a river estuary when the location was discovered on 1st January 1502. Later Amerigo Vespucci demonstrated that Brazil and the West Indies did not represent Asia’s eastern outskirts as had been suggested by Columbus, but instead constituted an entirely separate landmass. This super continent came to be termed “America” deriving its name from Vespucci’s first name. The rest is history!

One of the best views in the city is from Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park. At the top of the mountain stands the statue of Jesus, known as Christ the Redeemer.

It is over 30 metres tall, and it weighs 635 tonnes.

It is an iconic statue, but the herculean effort to build it at the top of the 700m high mountain in the 1920s felt a little diminished by the rather shabby looking escalators they have bodged on to the side of the mountain so lazy people can get to the top.

Is this a ‘Stairway to Heaven?’

Once at the top the view is spectacular because it was a beauiful day. I took loads of pictures of all the sights including the Maracana stadium and Copacabana beach.

Whilst there I also had to get a picture of myelf with the big man, and seeing as he had got us started on The Village People disco classic I tried to drum up a couple of people to help me with the CA part of YMCA.

Alas that was not to be, so instead I got this one of the two of us exchanging fishing stories about the one that got away.

Having upset the entire Christian world I thought it was probably time to leave.