Rio de Janeiro: Centro – Old town walking tour

January 25

The subway system of Rio is efficient and user friendly. We take the subway to central rio and find a great market where Kyle and I both get some famous Brazilian Havaianas . Probably a 1/4 of the stalls are selling some variety of Havaianas. We start a walking tour at the confeitaria colombo, a brilliant tea room with expensive desserts. The municipal theatre is beautiful with golden embellishments and intricate designs. A per-kilo restaurant provides a delicious lunch of fish and fresh produce. The white arches of Lapa are massive and stark against the blue sky. Originally an aqueduct, the arches recently held a tramway that snaked through the neighbouring districts of Lapa and Santa Theresa. A deadly accident recently closed this attraction. Close-by, the Rio de Janeiro cathedral looks like a dull concrete volcano from the outside. From the inside bright glowing stained glass panels meet in a cross on the roof. I had been waiting excitedly to see the Santa Theresa steps. A large mosaic stairway. The area around the steps was quite dodgy but the tiles from around the world set among the red ceramic was really cool. We ended our self-guided tour at the Rio Scenarium, a world famous Lapa night club. Although it was daytime, the workers let us in to have a cruise around. Stuffed with interesting antiques, I would feel like I was in a movie if I were sipping expensive drinks here at night. The neighbourhood was a little scary and I am not sure how brave I would be walking around here after dark. We cool off at Impanema beach among the thong-clad bums and head into the city for dinner We eat a great seafood dinner at a busy sidewalk cafe and watched the bustle of the streets in the orange glow of the street lights.