Had a fairly short night out last night- Monday
night never really that interesting anywhere so came back to get some
sleep- well needed.
This morning after breakfast I was thinking of
ways to spend my last full day in Rio. The weather was not really
cooperating for Tijuica. A plan was hatched by another guy in the
hostel to hike up one of the dos irmaos (2 bothers) an awesome
mountain that makes the vista on Leblon and Ipanema beaches. It is
shaped light a cone. Rumour had it that from Vidigal favela the view
is truly amazing,
We headed out, me, this guy from US living in Sao
Paulo, an Italian guy and two Dutch girls. We went to the bottom of
Vidigal and each hailed a moto taxi up to the beginning of the
passage. The moto taxis exist in the favelas as a cheap form of
transport and the easiest way to navigate these crazy roads. You get
a helmet, but it is a bit of an experience. The guys drive fast
around bends, it is steep and pass through narrow gaps with oncoming
traffic. We made it to the passage, however it was not clear
initially where it was.
After asking for directions from some peole in the
favela it turns out it was round the back of their house and up a
steep concrete bank. Then passed across some rocks and under a
fence. The hike up the hill was quite steep through kind of rain
forest. We stopped at various view points including a vista of
Rocinha (better than on the favela tour, see below). There were also
some epric views of Sao Conardo. We carried on walking, grabbing
trees through muddy patches, talking about snakes and tarantulas that
inhabit these areas. We proceeded until the clearing at the top,
meeting one American couple on the way. The view was stunning
although you need a head for heights (which I don't really have)
There is a sheer drop- you look down on Leblon, right across the city
and can see the Cristo on the hill. There were a few other
travellers up there, but really this is an alterntive site.
It was definitely quite a hike. We met a French
couple- somehow they had done it in flip- flops, made my sandals look
sensible.
Going down was faster but I had to toboggan bits
of it along the rock. Once at the favela we wandered down as no moto
taxi. There are quite a lot of police here as this is one they are
pacifying- even one with his machine gun pointing out the car.
Vidigal favela is on the up, in fact we went to see a hostel under
construction (one of the guys friends runs it). Looked really good
with a stunning view. We bumped into a BBC crew doing a documentary
about economic growth in Rio (will be on BBC 3, approx 17th
February). We carried on down the favela passing a few established
hostels, some great street art. All in all a real expereince, more
than yesterday's tour.
Once out of the favela, we had a well earned
coconut water. Worked out with the Italian guy before cooling off at
the beach with one of the other guys. Water looked a bit suspect at
Leblon today so didn't swim much. Grabbed some food and mango juice
at the place nearby around 4- well earned having not eaten since
breakfast. We did not even take any water on the hike which with
hindsight sounds crazy, but then none of us really knew what it was
going to be like. Awesome expereince, and I feel in Vidigal that we
were experiencing a future sight off Rio tourism I can see this
place being semi gentrified and in 10 years time being fashionable
with the bohemian type holiday crowd. Just wait for some celebrity
or the Guardian newspaper to go there.
Trying to sort some things out now online, like a locked bank account and Lisbon. Last night in Rio tonight.
Rocinha
The view
2 Rios
Favela main street
A view on the way up
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