Rio de Janeiro: A true city of contrasts (Part 2 of 2)

Where was I? Oh yes, I was telling you all about a 10-day visit to Rio de Janeiro! I must say, the city has exceeded my expectations. So then, let me proceed to Day 5 (read here for Part 1).

Day 5.1 - Corcovado (Cristo Redentor)

Train to and from Corcovado: 88 R$

We woke up early on Wednesday and took an Uber to the Terminal Cosme Velho to catch a train to Cristo Redentor, located at the tip of Corcovado. While the view was stunning, there were just too many people and the vibe was not right. I wanted to escape the crowds, but we ended up staying for about an hour before we made our way back down.

After that, we had lunch at a nearby restaurant in the neighborhood called Capitu Café where I ordered chicken stroganoff. The serving was too generous for my appetite as I was still jet-lagged, but it was delicious nonetheless.

Day 5.2 - Parque LagE

Free entrance to Parque Lage (but you have to dine in Plage Café)

Our next stop was Parque Lage, which we reached by taking another Uber. We had to wait in line to have access to the picturesque Escola de Artes Visuais. Parque Lage is situated at the foot of Corcovado, so we had a great view of the mountain with Cristo at its peak, along with the surrounding colonial architecture and nature. It was ridiculous to have to dine in and fall in a long line to get a few shots. I would normally pass on long lines in tourist areas like this but it was undeniably beautiful to miss.

We spent about half an hour wandering around the park, checking out a man-made cave and enjoying the calm and cool surroundings. There were far fewer people here, which made it a more pleasant experience. However, I do wish I had brought some insect repellent, as I was quite a target for the insects.

Day 5.3 - Pão de Açúcar

Cable car to and from Pão de açūcar: 160,00 R$

Next, we wanted to catch the sunset at Pão de Açúcar, otherwise known as Sugarloaf Mountain, so we took another Uber to Urca Beach. From there, we rode a bondinho or a cable car to reach the shorter mountain, called Morro da Urca, and then ultimately Pão de Açúcar. Unfortunately, the sunny weather didn't persist at the end of the day so while it didn't rain on us, we didn't have a view of the sunset I was hoping for. However, the night view of the city was equally stunning, and we didn't mind settling for that.

By 7 pm, we were exhausted, so we took the bondinho back down and booked an Uber to Botafogo, our temporary neighborhood just beside Urca and Flamengo. We ended up at Botafogo Shopping, an 8-storey shopping mall with a food court on the 8th floor. There, I reintroduced V to Japanese cuisine, which was the perfect way to cap off a long day.

Day 6.1 - Palacio de Catete (Museu da República)

Free entrance

That Thursday in Rio de Janeiro turned out to be quite eventful, even though it didn't go exactly as planned. The day started with a visit to Museu da Republica, right across Catete metro station which was initially meant to be a quick stop before heading to Parque das Ruínas and exploring the Lapa and Santa Teresa neighborhoods. However, the museum was so engaging that we ended up spending the entire morning there. We even saw the room where ex-president and dictator Getúlio Vargas took his own life, which left an eerie feeling as we left the premises.

Palacio de Catete served as the presidential palace of Brazil for several decades, and it witnessed some of the most significant political events in the country's history. Many important decisions were made within its walls, including the implementation of labor laws, the establishment of a minimum wage, and the creation of a national healthcare system. Additionally, the palace is notable for its beautiful architecture and stunning gardens, which are open to the public for exploration. Today, Palacio de Catete serves as a museum (Museu da República) dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of Brazil's presidents and their impact on the country.

After the museum visit, we rested in the expansive garden beside it for a while and stumbled upon an ongoing exhibit on Xilogravura. I discovered that Xilogravura is a traditional Brazilian art form of woodcutting and printing that most Brazilians get to learn at least once in their basic education. The technique involves carving a design into a piece of wood, typically using a chisel or gouge, and then using ink to print the design onto paper or other surfaces. Xilogravura is often used in the creation of folk art, book illustrations, and other decorative items. In spite of the interesting exhibit, I was starting to feel grumpy because I initially didn't want to spend so much time there and was eager to explore the bondinho and the district of Santa Teresa.

By the time we left the museum, it was almost 2 pm and I realized we hadn't accomplished much or even had lunch yet. We walked 20 minutes from Catete to Gloria to a restaurant called Vila Rica, which turned out to be a surprisingly pleasant dining experience. However, I was already short-tempered by this point, and the steep slope and closed roads to Parque das Ruinas didn't help. My companion tried to dissuade me from pursuing it, but I still wanted to pursue it on my own. Eventually, I had to give in to exhaustion and postpone Santa Teresa for another day.

Day 6.2 - Real Gabinete Português de Leitura

Free entrance

I couldn't book an Uber, so I begrudgingly made my way back to the nearest metro station at Gloria. On the metro, I decided to alight at Uruguaiana / Centro station and walk five minutes down the very busy market street of Uruguaiana towards another one of my main destinations in Rio, Real Gabineta Português de Leitura (the Royal Portuguese Reading Room). Despite my companion's increasing fatigue and lack of interest, we took our time to appreciate the grandeur of the structure, reminiscent of the Livraria Lello in Porto and the Richelieu Library in Paris.

The Real Gabineta Portuguesa de Leitura is a library considered to be one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. It was founded in 1837 by Portuguese immigrants, and its collection contains over 350,000 volumes, including rare and valuable works from the 16th century. The library's neoclassical architecture, with its grand marble staircase, stained glass skylight, and ornate bookshelves, makes it a popular destination for visitors interested in architecture, history, and literature. It is also an important cultural institution in Brazil, promoting Portuguese language and literature through events, exhibitions, and educational programs.

The Real Gabinete Português de Leitura and its collection

Machado de Assis

The Real Gabinete Português de Leitura is an important library in Rio de Janeiro that houses a significant collection of Machado de Assis' works, among others. Machado de Assis was a Brazilian writer who lived from 1839 to 1908. He is considered one of the greatest writers in Brazilian and Latin American literature, and his works have had a significant impact on Brazilian culture. As a result, the library is an important destination for scholars, researchers, and lovers of Brazilian literature who want to explore Machado de Assis' legacy. His relevance to the Leitura lies in the fact that he is one of Brazil's most celebrated writers, and his works are an important part of the country's cultural heritage.

He was a member of the institution and also served as its president from 1897 until his death in 1908. During his time as president, Machado de Assis worked to expand the library's collection and make it more accessible to the public. He also helped to modernize the library's facilities and encouraged the use of new technologies like electric lighting and the telephone. Today, the library still honors Machado de Assis as one of its most distinguished members and as a key figure in the institution's history.

Luís Vaz de Camões

At the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura, one can find a significant collection of works by Luís Vaz de Camões, a Portuguese poet who lived in the 16th century and is considered one of the greatest figures in Portuguese literature. The collection includes several rare editions of his epic poem "Os Lusíadas" (The Lusiads), which tells the story of the Portuguese discoveries and explores themes such as heroism, love, and destiny. Other works by Camões in the collection include his lyric poetry, sonnets, and plays.

This is a momentous visit for me; to see and be among/within one of the most historical and beautiful libraries in the world, surrounded by (original) copies of some of the important work written in Portuguese by de Assis and Camões, though I am far from being able to appreciate their texts in their original version.

I had the privileged to be granted two scholarships (one in 2020, and another in 2021 which I, unfortunately, had to defer) by the official Portuguese language institute aptly named after the Portuguese poet: Camões - Instituto da Cooperação e da Língua. This was my gateway to the Portuguese language which led me to my interest in the diverse lusophone language and culture.

Additionally, I remember back during my Tumblr days when I was still in university, I dreamed to travel the world and visit as many bookstores and libraries as I could and making a collection of posts in my Tumblr feed. I have since outgrown Tumblr but the dream lives on. Heck, it has now become a reality, one city at a time.

Browsing through the shelves of Livraria Leitura

V was more and more visibly tired, possibly uninterested plus apart from looking up to the ceiling at endless inaccessible books, which I understand is not the kind of view everyone appreciates, there really wasn't much more to see and do. It was time to move on, and we battled between heading to a bookstore in the historic street of Rua Ouvidor or heading further to Museu do Amanhã. We chose to stop at a chain of bookstores called Leitura in the city center before heading back to Botafogo, passing through a square with an imposing church along the way, the Igreja de São Francisco de Paula.

After stopping at a candy store to buy some sweets, we finally arrived at Leitura, a three-storey bookstore with an extensive collection and helpful staff. I bought three books in Portuguese, unsure if I’ll be able to understand or even read them. That evening, we had dinner at a burger restaurant called Ogro Steak on the third floor of Botafogo Shopping, sharing one meal because we were still full from the açai we had earlier.

While Day 6 didn't go exactly as planned, it still turned out to be an eventful day full of unexpected experiences and discoveries.

Day 7 - Museu do Amanhã (Museum of Tomorrow)

Website
Entrance: 30 R$

On Friday, we started our day with an Uber ride to the Museu do Amanhã. Museum of Tomorrow, as it is translated into English, is a science museum by Guanabara Bay in Rio that explores the future of the planet and humanity. It is located in a futuristic building designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. The museum has interactive exhibits that use cutting-edge technology to educate visitors about topics such as climate change, sustainability, and the impact of human actions on the environment. It also focuses on the evolution of science and technology and how they may shape the future. The museum is considered one of the most innovative and forward-thinking science museums in the world.

As we approached the museum, I was amazed by how futuristic it looked. Little did I know, we would end up spending the entire day there. From 10 in the morning until around closing at 5 in the afternoon, we explored the exhibits and interacted with the screens. The museum was so immersive that time seemed to warp around us.

After all the walking and exploring, we were starving and decided to have some Chinese food for an early dinner. Unfortunately, the meal was quite underwhelming, but it did fill us up. As we stepped out of the restaurant, the heavy rain started to pour down on us. We had to decide whether to take public transport or an Uber back to the condo unit. I had already ordered an Uber, but upon realizing that there were buses that would take us right in front of the condo, we debated changing our minds. However, in the end, we opted for the more convenient Uber ride. At this point, I was undeniably exhausted.

Later that evening, we decided to take advantage of the cinema conveniently located just below the condo building. We chose to watch the movie, "Three Musketeers and D'Artagnan." It was the perfect way to unwind and relax after such a long day at the museum.

Day 8 - Santa Teresa, again

Bondinho track view from the Aquaduct at Lapa

On Saturday, we had a bit of a rocky start with a yet again, failed attempt to ride the bondinho in Santa Teresa due to a two-hour waiting time. But we didn't let that dampen our spirits and instead passed through the stunning Aqueduct and Rio Cathedral, admiring their intricate architecture and beauty.

We were in the mood for some Korean food for lunch but unfortunately, the highly-rated restaurant we found had a homeless man burning plastic outside along the pavement, so while we were still in line, V encouraged me to look for another option. Eventually, we settled for a late lunch at a churrasco (grill) restaurant in Botafogo Shopping, again. It was a pleasant surprise because not only was the food comforting, the restaurant had a breathtaking view of Pão de Açúcar, making the experience even more enjoyable.

After lunch, we headed back to our apartment conveniently located one block away from the shopping mall but found ourselves locked out due to the digital lock (the rental had no physical key). Despite our efforts to contact the owner through various means, we didn't receive any response within the next few minutes. We had no choice but to wait in the Itau cinema below until we finally regained access to the unit after an hour.

First come, first serve seat option and we chose wisely

Day 9 - 8-hour bus ride from Rio de Janeiro to Minas Gerais

On our last day, Sunday, we embarked on an 8-hour night bus ride from Rio de Janeiro to Belo Horizonte with stops at a gas station for 40 minutes and at Juiz de Fora to pick up more passengers. We could’ve taken an hour's plane ride to Belo via Santos Dumont, arriving at Confins Airport. However, the price point of the bus vs plane ticket was much more interesting. Booking the night bus tickets via Buser costs 130 R$ per passenger vs ~1000 R$ for an hour plane ride. I kid you not, it has been, by far, the most comfortable bus ride I’ve ever had in 11 years of traveling.

Day 10 - End of the Rio leg of the trip, on to the next stop

Finally, in the quiet, early hours of Monday, labor day, we arrived safely at Belo Horizonte at 3 am at a makeshift terminal at a gas station, where we booked an Uber to V's house.

The Carioca part of my 15-day Brazilian trip has come to an end. The visit to Rio de Janeiro was full of ups and downs, as all travels are, from exploring the breathtaking beauty of Cristo Redentor to facing disappointments like the failed bondinho attempt and some unpleasant dining experiences. We were also met with unexpected challenges, such as being temporarily locked out of our apartment when we just so long to lay in bed and rest. Nevertheless, we persisted and found ways to overcome these obstacles, making our trip all the more memorable. After many years of life on the road, I have come to be at peace that both unpleasant and pleasant circumstances are inherent parts of the travel experience. And they both make great memories to look back to or stories to tell and share. They also make up and become a tiny integral bit of who I am.

As I move on from Rio to Belo and continued on with the journey, I will look back at the experiences we had and will always feel grateful for the opportunity to explore and experience its sea, its shores, its lush, green forests and mountains and its vibrant city. Rio de Janeiro, a true city of contrasts.