A SUNNY DAY IN RIO

SATURDAY 9th JULY

  I had a rest after breakfast before venturing forth about 11am.  I walked down to the Leme beach which is a continuation of Copacabana - I think the change occurs somewhere around the Princess Isabella statue, but don't quote me on it.  On what was virtually a cloudless sky the various peaks stood out in sharp contract.

 And the top of Sugarloaf Mountain could be clearly seen.  I walked to the very end of Leme beach which

terminates in a rocky peninsula with a pathway along the bottom.  I walked to the end of the pathway and got some shots of the beach from across the sea.  I then noticed that the hill bearing the statue of Christ the Redeemer

was visible, and although the cross is fairly small it can clearly be made out below the white cloud on the right.

This was the maximum close-up I could achieve with my camera, but I think the cross shape of Christ with his hands outstretched horizontally can be clearly made out.  I sat around in the sun on various parts of the beach.  I watched teams playing volley ball, kids playing football, and generall wandered around hither and thither.  Just near the end of Leme beach on the road running along side, I came across another statue.  I would hazard a guess that he was an entertainer and not a politician from his pose.

  I set off on the way back along the street parallel to the beach but two blocks back from it, off of which the Astoria Hotel lies.  I encountered an open air market on the way back, and bought a cap, as well as some replacement batteries for the camera.  I fancied a coffee but couldn't find a restaurant that was either serving coffee, or had free seating, so I got back to the hotel coffeeless!  I managed to contact Jim on the Skype phone option and got the lowdown on his situation and we chatted for a while until the line started breaking up on us, and called it a day.

I went out again later with dusk falling, the temperature still registered at a warmish 19 degrees.  I strolled down some previously unexplored roads and came across another view of Christ the Redeemer.  What I had forgotten was that it is illuminated at night.  I waited until it got properly dark and then took a shot.

Not perhaps the best of photos but just about the best I could do with an automatic camera.  After this I walked back to the hotel for dinner, but added the above to the blog first.  Check out time tomorrow, much to my surprise isn't until midday, which is good news.