Praia das Pedrinhas
On Monday, June 13th was a small morning of road to approach Rio de
Janeiro where I was to station on a carpark at the bottom of Pao de
Açucar. I found a bivouac at 34 km away from Rio at the edge of
Praia do Baia de Guanabara.
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| Bivouac |
Sunset |
On Tuesday, June 14th a great disappointment expected me the
Pao de Açucar where I arrived at the carpark as of 7:30. The ticketing of
the cable car opens at 8:00 for a first car at 8:10. Indeed I
learned that the car to the second section did not function in
view of gusts of wind in altitude. I remained two days in Rio to
visit the city. Of course the third day before leaving I got
information again, the second section was always closed… A kiosk of
information is located at the first platform. A young lady
polyglot, Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, French and English, gave me
a plan of the city and a plate with the number of the buses to use
to go to the downtown area: buses n°107 and bus n°513 for the
subway station Botafogo. I used primarily the subway faster than the
buses in the congestions. The panorama of the first platform is
sumptuous. The city is built on the slopes of the surrounding hills
paying the visit very painful. This first day was devoted to the
municipal theater being closed I were satisfied with outside. Then
to side Museu Nacional de Belas Arte exhibits extremely rare parts,
such as a drawing by Le Corbusier as well as French paintings
established in Rio de Janeiro. A statue of the virgin that the
islamists would not disavow not expected its veil! The Cathedral
of Rio adopts a sugar loaf structure which is not, it is lacking
some much, of a remarkable style. After having lunched at Petro's
Kilo at the beginning of the bondinho,
streetcar which climbs the hills I
were going to visit Museu Chacara do Céu, closed on Tuesday, but the
ruin is picturesque as well as the view of the omnipresent Pao de Açucar in
the landscape and the Ponte President Costa E Silva. The
descent since Morro do Curvelo was a long moment of intense pain to
reach the subway station Gloria.
Rio de Janeiro I, click the pic for opening the
gallery
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| Inside of Rio de Janeiro's Catedral |
The following day I
returned to the historical downtown area with
the subway. The church da Candelaria of the austere saint-sulpicien
style is circumvented by the avenues making its access
problematic. Then I strolled neighborhood in what was the historical
quarters under rehabilitation so much the buildings are
in sad state. Museu Historico Nacional lodged in the old arsenal of
the 18th century exhibits many relics of the history of Brazil. Most
panels are translated into English. I spent all the morning there,
but it would take several days so much the collections are rich by
the semantic contents of the multiracial society of Brazil. I returned
lunch at Petro's Kilo before visiting Museu da Républica which
occupies the splendid Palacio do Catete of the 19th century where
President Vargas committed suicide with an exposed revolver. I
returned to the carpark by travelling by the subway Catete
station. Of course I saw only the main sights of Rio de Janeiro. The
carpark of Pao de Açucar is not a very good place, but the night
is peaceful.
Rio de Janeiro II, click the pic for opening the
gallery
Paraty
On Thursday, June 16th I left Rio de Janeiro. It took more than one
hour to reach Copacabana so much the embarrassments were important.
I continued my way towards Paraty where I arrived around 16:10.
Camping CCB is not ideal, but finally it is opposite the beach and
at ten minutes on foot the historical village. Its prosperity dates
back from the 18th century as testify the superb houses remarkably
restored and transformed into bars, restaurants and tourist shops.
Three churches were set up according to the social
classes, slaves, mutates and Europeans. I remained four days to
prepare the continuation of the journey.
Paraty, click the pic for opening the gallery
