We are back in Rio for New Year's Eve celebration before we head north to Natal!!! We stopped briefly in Sao Polo on our way from Iguazu. Our hotel is surrounded by Favelas but somehow the area is pretty safe??? Favelas are slums or shanty towns and in Brazil they are known for being extremely dangerous to venture in!! Our taxi driver explained that the favelas near us are "safe" because of the heavy police presence! We ventured out to eat and it was ok walking in the dark around here. There is a decent mall nearby and most people staying here are from all over the world! The biggest Favela in South America is just around the corner!! Our taxi driver told us that people living in favelas have the best views of the beach and ocean and pay nothing for that!!! Not so in the states, the higher the house, the more expensive it is....
One bad thing about our "luxury" hotel is that the Internet connection in the room is the worst so far, and that explains this late posting to my blog, it is midnight!! I am actually sitting in the lobby as I write to this blog!
Bye Bye Iguazu
A lake outside Sao Polo
Flying over Sao Polo
Islands near Rio
Flying over Rio
Flying over Rio
View from our new hotel in Rio
Another view from the hotel
..... and another view again
As I said the luxury hotel we are staying at in Rio this time is far from Copacabana but we will go there for new year celebration later today !! We are in Rio for Copacabana so we will do whatever it takes to get there!! All hotels near Copacabana were sold out so fast that we were left we no other option but this one so .....
