Rio

Who hasn’t heard of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil? Marilyn and I looked forward to our visit there on March 3 and March 4 (days 48 and 49).

We got up early so we could see the ship pull into the port. This approach into Rio from sea was described by our cruise director as one of the best sea approaches of any city. It did not disappoint. Sugar Loaf is the mountain you see on the left.

While there, we visited the iconic sites on a tour. The day was hot, humid, and there were many other tourists.

It was great to see that many of the tourists were Brazilians or other South Americans. This was particularly true for our trip in a tram up to the Christ the Redeemer statue on top of Mount Corcovado. For many of these people, the monument appeared to be a cultural source of pride. There was also a small chapel under the statue, with a small service going on, so also for some a religious experience.

Christ the Redeemer Statue

Later in the afternoon, we two cable car rides to reach the top of Sugar Loaf mountain.

Views from both places were impressive.

There are also many famous beaches in Rio. Sorry to say we did not visit them, but saw them from the distance of the bus.

Rio was definitely worth visiting. AND because of the lines and heat, not really fun for me. Marilyn and I were both glad we did it, however.

But, the saddest part of Rio for me was that after that day together, Marilyn’s time on the cruise was at an end. She departed the ship for her trip home. Good news is that she arrived home safely after a long multi-stage trip. That also left me back as a solo traveler to explore the ship and sights on my own. Much appreciation to Marilyn for joining me. I loved her presence and companionship.