The Maracana

A game at the Mecca of football, the Maracana. The stadium is the biggest in the world and apparently has a capacity of 200,000. Which sounds like too many to me, reflected by the fact that unfortunately most games are less than a 10th full.

Vasco De Gamas´ God.... Romario, who at the age of 40 still plays top class football with Vasco. He is currently 2 goals short of 1000 professional goals.

Vasco de Gama eventually lost the game 2-1 to America, who are in the league below the top flight. I am told that last year Vasco de Gama were World Club Champions after beating Barcelona in the Super Cup

The Jungle Beach

Hope health and safety have checked this out first

Cascarta has many German settlers from 300 years ago and still build chalet style houses

Jungle grafitti

This bridge is the only access tyo the jungle beach lodge, recently repaired after one of the locals cars almost fell through it, none of the locals will drive over it (i dont blame em), but the american owner of the lodge knocked it back together and it is now safe apparently (hmmm)

When it rain it pours

The sand Jungle Beach

Rabies

Wherever you go there is always a shrine.

View from our room

Bananas

The Jungle Beach Hostel

The hostels 3 dogs, ren and stinky..... and the little black one we named ´Rabies´

A Bombaletta

Old jimny cricket

The VW beetle is still by far Brazils most popular car, and it is driven by most of the countrys (somewhat wreckless) drivers

The natural jucuzzi!

The waterfall at Cascarta.

Due to the ferocity of the insects, this mosquito net became our new best friend!

Arrival at the Jungle Beach! A district of Atlantic Rainforest, which is going to become more and more important to the earths ecology as time goes on. Apparently the Amazon is decomposing and is far beyond repair meaning that the Atlantic rainforest will eventually become the biggest factor in cooling the earth.

The Christ Statue

The Train Journey up to the Statue of Christ

The big man himself




The stunning view of Rio from the top.

The Botanical Gardens

The botanical gardens, Rio

Paz de Azucar (The Sugar Loaf)

The cable car ride up to the top of Paz de Azucar (Sugar loaf mountain)



The Sugar Loaf in all its glory



From the top of the Sugar Loaf you can see the Cristo Staute on the other side of Rio. Here the christ made a glimpse apperance as the clouds parted. Helleluiah!

Rio baby yeah!

A snowy day back in blighty before we left.
Stark contrast to what awaited us!



The journey begins on the Picadilly line



After many hours we arrive over Brazil to land in Sao Paulo. After a short stop we fly to the marvelouso Rio de Janiero. It is said that God made the world in 6 days and on the 7th he made Rio.



The beach at Copacabana



Ipanema, amazing beach. This was on Sunday. About 15 dolphins came into the bay, we thought were sharks at 1st! At the end of the day when the sun went behind the two mountains you can just make out in the picture, the whole beach (which may I add is enormous and completley packed) got on their feet and started cheering and applauding the sun!

Hanging out with the locals in the square with friends from the hostel.