Return to Rio

Bus journey back from Foz was a disgrace! A bit like New Zealand and their sheep to human ratio, there were more bags than people being boarded and it seemed like half the Paraguay market traders were travelling back with us. There had obviously been some sort of tip off as we were boarded 6 times by armed transport police checking out the group of traders. There was lots of shouting and loads of money seemed to change hands on a regular basis and to 2 English people who only know "please", "thank you" and "sorry" in Portugese, we couldn't understand what the hell was going on. Our imaginations ran riot and by the end of the journey, we had decided we had shared our coach ride with a bunch of Columbian drug lords named the Rodriguez Cartel! We were the only people left on the coach when it pulled into Rio; the others being taken away for further questioning by the transport police.

Once back in Rio, we found a brilliant hostel; Harmonia - really pretty in a back street of Ipanema (cleaner, classier and less touristy than Copacabana). It's absolutely gorgeous - the other people here are great and even the bathrooms are nice !

We had our first meal here in 'Garota de Ipanema', the bar where the 'Girl from Ipanema', was composed, then we watched the surfing on the beach. Beth bought a tshirt for 4.50GBP, could life be anymore perfect?!!!!

Walked 8 miles today to the Rio Botanical Gardens which were pretty spectacular and walked around the famous lake which you can see on the Jesus pictures in the photo gallery. Hoping our legs will stop aching by 10pm though as we have sacrificed seeing the new Harry Potter film tonight in favour of a night of Samba dancing. The bar is apparently located up the side of a mountain in a Salsa club and the hostel are running a tour there tonight with a big group of people going. Hope Steve performs better than when we tried to learn Salsa in Olney!!!!!