Rhetorical Devices Post

Brazil's beautiful beaches. 

     Wouldn't you like to visit bright and sunny Brazil? More than five million people do each year (logos). Come visit the serene waterfalls as the glide down the rocks or the cable cars that pass by with a "swoosh" over the city (onomatopoeia). Brazil's beautiful beaches enchant anyone who steps foot on its rocky shores (alliteration). Footvolley players perform an intricate dance as they leap to keep the ball from touching the ground (metaphor). Surfers glide over the waves as spectators cheer them on.

Christ the Redeemer

     Taxis shriek as they careen through the concrete jungle (personification and metaphor respectively). Everyday brings forth a new adventure. Step outside and inhale the aroma of fresh pastries baking and stop by one of the many small cafes. Follow the winding roads to new buildings or quiet plazas. Meander past couples hand-in-hand or children scurrying between parents' legs like mice going after cheese (simile).

    Come visit Rio's Botanical gardens and walk through the Royal Avenue of Palms (you'll feel miniscule compared to those majestic trees). If that doesn't interest you, hike up to the top of the world and pay your respects to the Christ the Redeemer statue (hyperbole). The view from the top will take your breath away.  Come surf on the pristine waters at Copacabana or gaze at the sky while the sun says goodbye  at Prainha Beach (personification). Why not pass by Escadaria Selaron, colorful stairs lovingly decorated with tiles to create a mosaic effect? Witness Carioca Aqueduct, modeled after the Romans and built in 1723. The city is filled with unforgettable sights.No matter who you are, young or old, male or female, Brazil is the place for you. When it's time to leave, you'll learn that "parting is such sweet sorrow" (allusion).
 

Day 12-Travel Back

At SDU airport

       On our last day in Rio, we awoke with a feeling of sadness and dread. We had to wake up very early since our flight left at 7:00, but we barely noticed. Today we would be leaving this beautiful country and going back home. The end of our vacation had snuck up on us, it had all gone by so fast, and none of us wanted it to end. We were all quiet as we double checked our bags, and ate breakfast, realizing that this would be our last meal in Brazil. We looked out the window of our room onto the street below. Even though we had only been there for a few weeks, we felt as if it was our home. Finally, we checked out of the hotel and the taxi arrived to take us to SDU (Santos Dumont) airport. The ride to the airport was a little over an hour, but we barely noticed the time because we were so busy looking out the window at the city. Soon, we arrived at SDU.

Brasilia from the airplane

       Our flight was to Brasilia, which is the capital of Brazil. It was short, only about two hours. Our plane was a decent size, but the isles were narrow and the seats were too close together.
We passed the time by sleeping (it was still so early) and sharing memories of our trip.  After we arrived at Brasilia, we had a two hour layover until our next flight. We were annoyed at that, but we were very glad we didn't have to switch airports. While we waited, we went to Starbucks and got some drinks, but we weren't very hungry as it was still only  9:00 am. At around 11, we boarded our next flight which was to Miami, Florida. None of us were excited about this eight hour flight, and we were reluctant to board the plane. We played games on our phones for the first few hours. At around lunch time we started to get really hungry, and were regretting not eating anything at the airport. We tried to fill up on the complimentary pretzels, but when we finally exited the plane, our stomachs were still growling. Because of the time change, it was only 3: 30 pm which really confused us. It felt like it should be nighttime, and we were extremely tired.

      As soon as we got off, we went and ate lunch at Pizza Hut. It had been so long since we had pizza, and this made us realize that our trip was truly over. We were in the U.S. now,  and would no longer be exploring the exotic locations of Brazil. We had a five hour layover until our final flight, so we stayed at the Pizza Hut for a long time, eating cheese pizza and talking about what we would do when we got home. As much as we missed our friends and families, none of us were excited about going back to our boring everyday lives. After our refreshing meal, we went to our terminal to wait. Our flight left at 9:30 pm so we still had a lot of time to wait. We were all silent because we were either dozing off or on our phones.

The plane we took to RDU

      Finally we boarded the plane and tried to fall asleep. Even though we were exhausted, the seats were very uncomfortable and small. Our final flight was to RDU (Raleigh-Durham) airport. Two hours later, we arrived in North Carolina. As we collected our luggage and waited for our rides, we went through our favorite experiences and talked about what we would miss most. It had all gone by so quick, and arriving home had been very bittersweet. We were all excited to see our families and friends to tell them about our trip, but we knew that we may never go to Brazil again. Of course, we were all thankful to have had the opportunity to go on this trip, and had all bonded over this vacation. Even though the next day we would be jet lagged and tired, it was well worth it.

Day 11: The Telecommunications Museum- Technology

The other part of the museum. 

      For today, we decided to go on a nice tour of a technology museum. We got a late start on the morning and had a late breakfast in the hotel. We got in the cab and were on our way. While on our way we saw the fog rolling over the mountains, enjoying the slight breeze that rolled in with the windows down.
      It took 50 minutes to get there and it was just opening when we walked in. We got in for free and met our tour guide, Pedro. The tour guide took us through the museum, walking through a timeline of human communication, looking at the past, present and future.

Part of the timeline. 

     The tour guide talked to us about the history of the company, while he pointed out the interesting technical innovations,such as telephones and computers, that occurred while we continued along the timeline.  We witnessed what human technology looked like before telephones, after telephones, with telephones, and what technology may look like in the future. After a while, we all got a little hungry, so we decided to go have lunch across the street at Botequim dos Amigos.
   After lunch we went back into the museum and continued our tour. Getting to try out some cool technology and see how fast the innovation of our time has changed into a time of technology.
    As the tour kept going, we moved from the past and the present, into the future of technology. Most of the future technology was shown on a virtual timeline, like the one below, to show what the future of technology may hold for the world.

A virtual timeline. 

    At the end of the tour we got to look at some of the projects that are on display that were chosen by a special commission. The commission chooses the projects based on the goals and criteria specifically made for this museum. Some of these programs incorporated in this museum include Nave (Advanced Educational Center). This program was developed for the research and the spread of new educational methods. The museum and the programs that go along with it were built to show the potential of  the communication and information technologies in the school and professional atmosphere.
     After finishing our tour, we decided to go back to the hotel and start packing for the flight back tomorrow. It was a nice, light day to finish off our stay in Brazil.

     

Day 10: Escadaria Selaron- Cultural & Carioca Aqueduct - Historical

      Today was a very busy day, with lots of walking and much needed history lessons. We started off the day with eating a wholesome breakfast from the hotel buffet. After having tons of Granola and fruits (especially bananas), we all dressed in our "casual tourist" clothes and went on our way. We got off into a quaint little street and walked to our first destination, where we were met with a very colorful sight.

Escadaria Selaron (Selaron Steps)

        We had just reached Escadaria Selaron, a stairway-mosaic consisting of over 2000 tiles representing over sixty different countries. The genius who designed this was, Jorge Selaron, and he decided that to make it represent the world as a whole, he would get visitors to donate tiles from their homeland to be apart of the master piece. Now as everyone comes and adores this stairway, he must really feel accomplished, for in a small way he has changed the world and the people.
        We took many pictures, as we tried to drink in the sight of every tile, while trying not to take hours going up the stairs. The steps seemed to go on forever as we tried to peer over them and see the entire creation as a whole. The entire stairway is made up of 250 steps, making the entire length somewhere around 125 meters.  We were all skeptical of actually stepping on the steps, as we did not want to ruin them for others, but nevertheless we went up them and enjoyed ourselves.

The restaurant we ate at.

       We walked to the train station, where we rode a train to our eating destination. We all sat by the window taking extra pictures of places we had already visited before, like Teatro Municipal, while talking animatedly with each other, as we thought back to all of the amazing places we had seen before.We got down and continued to walk for a little bit until we reached Verde Vicio, the restaurant we would be eating at. There was a banner right above the golden oak doors we entered, where we were hit with an exotic aroma, that filled the air. We slowly gazed around at the crowded restaurants, as we were seated and given our menus. We all ordered fish and salad, until we finally decided to leave and explore our other destination.
       We finally arrived at our second location of the day, the Carioca Aqueduct. The aqueduct was built in 1725 to bring fresh water from the Carioca river, to help solve the big issue of water that bombarded the people of Rio. The beautiful roman-style aqueduct has two stories of arches, with the whole aqueduct consisting of 42 arches in total. This magnificent structure spans 270 meters long and stands at nearly 18 meters high. After the need for an aqueduct was long gone, it was turned into a bridge for a popular tram, called the Santa Teresa bondinho. This tram is still very much in use and is quite likable for both the locals and the tourists, but sadly we did not have time to go on it, as we were close to being late for out train back to the hotel. We looked back at the ancient history displayed before us and walked away with heavy hearts.

Carioca Aqueduct

        The train ride took about a hour and a half, as we drove through the sunset. Fog crept up the rolling hills, as dew drops flew through the wind. The sun slowly inched down the sky, past the horizon and away from our eyes. The ride was too short, as we walked off and stared the orange sky down. Brazil is too beautiful to forget and with the beauty we have seen, we all know we will never forget this trip. Alas, the day has gone by and we all slept knowing that more beauty will meet us tomorrow. Goodnight all, for it has truly been a good day.

Day 9: Teatro Municipal- Cultural

Teatro Municipal from outside.

     Today, was a day of the arts. We woke up and dressed in our 'Sunday Best', anxious for the day ahead of us. The place we would be spending,  our whole day at, was Teatro Municipal (a theater, opera, and ballet house). We quickly had breakfast at the hotel buffet,as we were running a little late, and raced off in our taxi to the extravagant theater house.
     Teatro Municipal is located in a large public square in Rio, called Cinelandia. This is a popular location for people to congregate.When the taxi moved into the square with many historical buildings around, the cabbie told us we had arrived and we exited out onto the street. We all underestimated how the theater would look. It seemed to have stepped right out of an antique store and was looming over us. The large pillars gave the theater an archaic look, as it towered over the town square. The building was virtually symmetrical, except for a golden eagle on the roof, with statues placed in specific places near it. We entered and we were immediately met with the sight of a grand staircase, stationed right in front of us. Surrounded by a bronze railing, the steps were covered in the middle with a red carpet, flaring out at the end. Above us, the ceiling featured a beautiful stained skylight, allowing the sun to shine down on us. After taking some pictures we discovered that it was time for the concert and rushed up the stairs to find our seats.

Grand Staircase at the entrance of Teatro Municipal

      Our seats were located in the Gallery, the highest balcony seats, and it was absolutely breathtaking as we entered. The stage was framed with a golden arch, looking like a piece of embroidery, with the orchestra pit right underneath. A dome thundered above us, with the center holding a bright chandelier, surrounded by a kaleidoscope of paintings, put together as one mosaic. Hundreds upon hundreds of chairs were lined up in each section of the theater, with excited people seated in them. A certain buzz seemed to fill the air as the players, apart of the concert, began to file onto the stage. Seconds later, the lights dimmed around us as the stage became illuminated. Music suddenly filled the air as the performers moved with aggressiveness across their instruments. Before we knew it, it was done and we all jumped up, giving off deafening claps for everyone to hear.

Orchestra on Teatro Municipal Stage

     We decided that after the beautiful concert, we would like to know more about the theater we were in and wanted to go on a public tour around the place. The theater was a magnificent palace inspired by Paris Opera of Charles Garnier. A French architect, Albert Guilbert, and a brazilian architect, Francisco Franco Pereira Passos, were the ones to design and help build the theater, where they included Neoclassical columns, busts, ceiling frescoes, and much more. Municipal also contains chandeliers and statues, like the one statue of Diana the Huntress that was built by Victor Brechet (One of Brazil's most famous sculptors). Some other visual highlights were paintings by Francisco Franco Pereira Passos, with other sculptures also found around the building by Henrique Bernardelli. Overall, this place has so much history to it, with it being opened up in 1909, and it is an extremely important place to witness Brazil's cultural side
through dance and orchestra.

From second level of Confeitaria Colombo

    After the one hour tour, we all decided that all of us would eat at this time and so we walked around the square, until we found Confeitaria Colombo and decided to eat there. It was huge restaurant, as it had two levels, with seating set outside where you could look out into the ocean and watch its waves crash onto the shore. The place was surrounded by mirrors, which gave it a really cool symmetrical look and it also made it very easy to take selfies! We all decided on getting sandwiches and to share a scrumptious brownie dessert, that consisted of a hot brownie with ice cream on top.
    Before leaving, we had purchased tickets for all of us to go to a ballet, that was said to be, "one of the most amazing adventures we will ever take." Our seats were still set in the Gallery, but this time we were more towards the middle and had a fantastic view of the theater. At that moment the lights around us began to dim, while we waited anxiously to see this so-called 'amazing' performance.

Henrique Bernardelli

Henrique Bernardelli

Dancers dancing in front of Kings and Queens

    The stage lights brightened and a lone ballerina stood center stage. The music began quietly as she gracefully moved around the stage, gathering the attention of all of those that set their eyes on her. She was joined by a man who seemed to be lost or confused, until he set his eyes on her, and this gave us all a clue that this was about a love story. Others joined the stage, as the two lovers soon got separated in the midst. The scene ultimately changed and now the once lost ballerina was in front of judges or kings/queens. The man she was dancing with was not the one she loved, but the King and Queen continued to look at them, until they finally stopped the dancing couple and nodded. From our seats, we had trouble seeing most of this and so we were all very confused on what was going on. Intermission was held shortly after and while we all mingled with others, we were able to figure out that the ballerina is now pledged to marry the other guy.The ballet continued on as planned, with the two love-birds finding a way to be together in the end. With their wedding taking place, the show ended happily-ever-after. All the dancers came on stage and bowed as they received a well deserved smattering of applause.

Teatro Municipal view from the taxi

      We slowly excited from the theater, as it seemed to be during rush hour, and called for a Taxi. We looked behind us at the magnificent theater and were so thankful for the opportunity to go there. The day was full of cultural fun and the theater felt like a Brazilian version of day where you would go and relax, in America, by watching a movie. When we arrived at the hotel, even though it was only around eight, we started getting ready to sleep. We knew that we were jam packed for tomorrow and so we all decided that taking an  early night would be the best, to help us stay focused for tomorrow. All of our dreams were took us to knew places, as we all pondered on what other beauties we would see in Brazil.

Day 8: Surfing- Sports

A street in Rio across from our hotel

      We awoke to a day filled with excitement. We were finally going to learn surfing, something Rio is famous for. Everyone met up at the breakfast buffet downstairs in our hotel to eat and to prepare for the long day ahead of us. Pancakes and scrambled eggs were shoveled in our mouths as each of us eagerly anticipated our outing. After each was finished, we went upstairs to shower and change into bathing suits. Already, the surfing package was booked online and we were told that we would be picked up from our hotel. Food, equipment, and instruction (lessons) were covered in the total of $212.00 (which we all thought to be very affordable). All of us stood outside our hotel, basking in the gorgeous Brazilian sunshine and soaking in the sounds of a bustling city. Soft breezes teased our hair as taxis shrieked by. Couples walked hand-in-hand and children scurried between parents' legs. Finally, the car that was picking us up came and we all loaded in.      

A look into Rio traffic

   The van took us to Copacabana Beach which was around an hour drive with traffic along the way. The instructor (named Emanuel) explained to us the importance of having a long board. This allows us to maintain our stability (since it is longer) and to stay afloat. We were all given a long board, since it is recommended for beginners. Emanuel told us that this particular surfboard is a common choice for all types of surfers. It allows them to glide along the wave and gives them the illusion of walking on water. Our boards were around eight feet tall. Next, we were taught about wetsuits. Wetsuits are designed to keep us warm while allowing some water to come in. A layer of water between our body and the suit is created so that we can use our body temperature to warm it up and stay relatively heated throughout the surfing experience. Emanuel told us that the type of wetsuit we used was based on the water temperature. Since Rio is warm throughout, we were given a Rash Guard wetsuit (which is for warmer temperatures). Each of us were allowed to wax our boards so that there is enough friction to keep us on. After each of us was fitted into a wetsuit and given a board we moved on to the next part of surfing experience: the surfing.

The longboard surfboard we used.

              The beach was filled with tourists and many surfers. We watched as they zig-zagged across the water, leaving a trail of salty foam in their wake. Surfers turned into flips and twisted in and out of waves. Once in a while, they "wiped out" a term meaning that the surfer fell off the board and/or got caught in the wave. As we watched, the professionals made it look easy. We all thought that it could be done without a problem. Emanuel had us each lie down on our board in the sand. The line going down the center was to go down the middle of our body, and our feet had to touch the end, known as the "sweet spot." Next, we learned a series of four steps to get up on our board.The first step, while lying down, was to get our hands right next to our chest on the board. Then, we had to push up until our chest and torso were off the board. The third step was to recline back onto our knees until we resembled a formation similar to cat's pose in yoga, but our head was not touching the board. Finally, we brought our front foot forward and stood up on our back foot. Once we practiced these steps over, and over again, we moved on to paddling.

Surf Positions

              We paddled out into the water. It took us a solid hour just to be able to stand on the board. When we finally stood, everyone was so excited. Emanuel cheered in the water behind us and splashed at us until we fell. We practiced until we could stand on our first or second try. Some of the children from shore cheered us on, much to our delight. After we depleted most of our energy, everyone decided to replenish with some food. Emanuel took us to a local cafe where we ordered soup, sandwiches, and salads. After our delicious lunch, we went back to the beach to continue surfing. We took a bunch of pictures out on the water and sand, posing like professionals. Each of us took turns competing with the others to see how long we could stay on our boards. After spending most of the day on the beach, surfing, we thanked Emanuel and took a walk across the sand.

   The beach was almost deserted, except for a few couples strolling along. Lights shone across the waters, far off in the distance. The moon reflected in the waves, crashing against the rocky shores. Life is so peaceful here, all of the native Brazilians are so lucky to have such a beautiful location at their beck and call. We slowly walked away staring back at nature in all of it's glory.

   We ate a quick dinner in the heart of the city and then called it a night. We were exhausted, and happy with our newfound knowledge of surfing. Hopefully we would continue to have an amazing time throughout the rest of the trip.

Copacabana Beach at night

Day 7: Sugarloaf Mountains - Natural Environment and Indigenous Meal

Sugarloaf mountains from a distance. 

           Today we decided to check out the Sugarloaf Mountains. We were all so excited to get going that we got up early and had a quick breakfast. When we had asked the lobby attendent in our hotel, she told us that the first car went out at 8:00 A.M. The taxi drive took us about an hour to get there and then we waited in line for our cable car tickets.The line had already started to snake around. We finally got onto our cable car after waiting for what felt like forever. Once we all got settled, it was off. The view was breathtaking. We were seven hundred twenty-two feet above the ground, being pulled to the other side by thick cable ropes.

View from the cable car. 

          The cable car ride from the base to our first stop, Urca Mountain, was a kilometer long. Taking us on a birdseye view of Copacabana, the Christ the Redeemer statue, Niteroi Bridge and Guanabara Bay. When we went over Copacabana Beach, all the people looked like tiny specks in a sea of sand. Christ the Redeemer maintained his regal stance, while we looked on from afar. Guanabara Bay's water looked vibrant as we gazed down. Unfortunately, even the distance couldn't hide the trash that lay on the beach's sandy shore. We took so many pictures we worried that our cameras would run out of space. Some of our faces were plastered against the wall of the cable car trying to get a better view of the gorgeous city.

Christ the Redeemer Statue from our car      

        When we stopped at Urca Mountain, and the top was dotted with gift shops, restaurants and even a little theater where we could watch informational documentaries about the mountain. We bought some souvenirs (keychains and snowglobes), ate lunch (at a small cafe), and continued on to the most exciting part of the trip. We got on another cable car that takes us to the top of Sugarloaf mountain (the mountain we were on was an intermediate mountain).

View from the top!

         Once we got to the top, there was an amazing 360-degree panoramic view of the region. We saw the coast's shore curve around the aqua water, sparkling the in the shimmering sunlight. Steep rock rose from the edge of water with green vegetation sprinkled sparingly on top. We had a choice whether we wanted to sit and look at the breathtaking view or walk on a trail around the top of the hill. We decided to take the trail to see how the view changes around the mountain. As we entered the thick copse of trees, we were relieved of some of the humidity. Bright Blue butterflies flew around our faces and marmoset monkeys swung from the branches of the trees. We heard the voices of other hikers all around us.The trail didn't take too long to go around, the view was jaw-dropping. After a while of looking around, we decided to head back on the cable car. Once we got back to the bottom, we were all ready for some time to rest. So we took a cab, and went back to the hotel to take a break for a few hours to relax before heading off to dinner.
                                                                     Indigenous Meal

     We decided to do dinner with one of our families. Ziv had family in Rio, so we called them up to let them know we were in the area, if they wanted to meet. Her family quickly asked us to join them for their favorite dinner, feijoada, a beef and pork stew.

. 

Feijoada and some fun sides. 

     The meal is a well known Portuguese dish, made in countries like Brazil, Angola, and Goa. The meal includes Portuguese sausage and other spices and oils made locally. It is usually enjoyed with rice and fresh fruits. 

Ziv's family in Rio. 

      We left the hotel around 6, and got a cab to Ziv's family. Once we got there, Ziv's family took us in immediately, making us feel completely at home and comfortable. After chatting for a while about what we were doing in Brazil, and Ziv catching them up on the news about her family, we all decided to go help out in the kitchen preparing the meal. They told us that this stew required prep work in the kitchen before starting the actual cooking. Most of the stew had been prepared the day before or earlier in the day, so that it would be ready for us now. We helped prepare the finishing touches of the food by garnishing and put out the sides. Once everything was on the table, we all sat down and indulged in our specially made dishes. After dinner, we sat around the table chatting a little and eating our dessert. For dessert we were treated with little candies, called Sonho de Valsa. The food was amazing and after a little while longer, we left to get back to the hotel for a nice, long night of sleep

Our amazing dessert, Sonho de Valsa. 

Day 6: Footvolley and Soccer- Sports (2)

An aerial view of Copacabana Beach including the mountains behind it. 

     We started off the morning with a late breakfast in our hotel.  After we finished eating, all of us went back up to our rooms to pack sunscreen and other necessities needed for our day in the sun. We came back out and found a cab to take us to Copacabana Beach (the driver charged around $17.00 for an hour-long drive). Copacabana is one of the most famous beaches in all of Brazil. This is the beach whose picture dominates many of the brochures. It is a two-and-a-half mile stretch of coast that has been highly commercialized with buildings surrounding it. Previously, the lobby attendant had advised us to leave our personal belongings in our room due to large burglary rates, so we only came with a bit of  money for food and cab fare.

A look at Copacabana Beach from a tourist's perspective.

      Copacabana is extremely crowded because it is one of the most popular tourist destinations. Families come to lounge in the sun or swim in the clear water.  Since we went during the week of Carnival, the beach was filled with people. There was so much shrieking and crying that we had to yell over the noise to be heard. The air was filled with shimmering waves of heat, so after we took a dip in the water, all of us drank coconut water from the fresh coconuts that you can buy from beach vendors. They cut off the top part and give you a straw to sip out of. It was a wonderful way for us to get replenished before watching and later participating in a beach footvolley match. Footvolley is a popular sport in Brazil in which impromptu games commonly take place on the sandy beaches (because it is a free location and has nice cushioning).

The coconut is served with a straw      

A professional game of footvolley on the beach

     Footvolley originated in Brazil and combines the rules of beach volleyball with football (soccer). Players are not allowed to touch the ball with their hands and use their heads, chest, thighs, or shoulders to bump the ball on their side. They can bump the ball up to three times before kicking it over, but cannot touch the ball consecutively. After the referee blows his whistle, the player has five seconds to serve the ball. If two players touch the ball at the same time, it is still considered one hit. When we were watching, the men hit the ball over the net primarily using their heads which sounded painful (you could hear the impact). The players allowed us to participate and while initially it was hard to keep the ball in the air, we were able to manage a fairly successful game. Usually it is played in teams of two, but they let us join in. We played three sets of games and the other side won by two games. Each of our games went up to twenty points but we were told it varied by the game. It was a fun way to help gain control in our legs. 

A man trying to get the ball from the net before it falls down.

        After a very late lunch at Stalos, we went back to our hotel to rest and get ready for the soccer match at 10:00. We ate some food before leaving and then took a cab to Mercana Stadium which was around fifty minutes (and cost around $15.00). We went to the football museum in the stadium before the game and learned a little about the culture involved in the games. The game we were watching was Flemengo against Cabofriense, two local teams in Rio de Janeiro. Flamengo had a crushing victory (five to one). The stadium was not even halfway filled with people due to the time and day of the week. Whatever crowd was there was extremely enthusiastic, yelling and cheering for every goal and attempted goal. People in the audience were waving signs and banners that supported their team. The players themselves celebrated after each goal and played hard. They were constantly moving to support their teammates. It was a fun immersion into Brazilian culture.

Team Flamengo

The Cabofriense Team

Day 5: Historical Tour - Historical

Breakfast Buffet

   Today was the day that we would be going on the Historical walking tour. We woke up at nine and decided to go to the breakfast buffet that they provide everyday at our hotel. Everyone was done stuffing themselves with pancakes, waffles, and coffee, when we decided to go up and get ready.

Inside Sao Bento Monastery

    The tour we had booked online had a set time for our pick-up, being at one. All of us carried our fanny packs with smiles on our faces waiting for the amazing day ahead of us. We got off ten minutes after the bus picked us up and strolled into a small little strip, where we stopped in front off an old-style church. The guide told us it was called Sao Bento Monastery . We learned that it was a monastery created in 1643 in dedication to St.Benedict. The building which stands today was built in 1922.  It looked ordinary, so none of us were too thrilled to go through this church until we actually walked in. It was a blast to the past, as we went to the front of the church, looking at the walls that were dripping with carvings and paintings. It was another world, as we peered at the intricate architecture in front of us. Shades of red and gold created a warm atmosphere for the onlooker and detail on the sides of the wall helped to transform the church into a work of art. The sculptures looked like they could leap off the wall. The roof was adorned with paintings from the Bible. We walked around taking pictures and selfies (of course) until the tour guide told us it was time to go.

Nossa Senhora de Candelaria.

      The narrow streets surrounded us as we continued walking, until we got to a clearing and saw a magnificent church standing in the middle. The building stood rather egotistically, proud and tall, just waiting to be adored. Two pillars stood next to a dome, that was purposefully put farther back, with a little roof before it, which held a cross. Many doors ushered guests in at the bottom, while just above there were large, glass windows set which allowed those that went up,  to have a view of the town square. We all walked closer, awe struck, as the Tour guide chuckled at our reaction and told us that this here beauty is the Nossa Senhora de Candelaria.

Angel with Latin Script

    The Church was lively, but had a balance of tranquility for those who needed peace. Sculptures of  angels stared at us, holding scrolls with words of Latin, telling us to "listen and only then you [we] will understand." Beautiful arches and pillars held the roof high, as the dome was in the center, decorated with divine pictures, as if it was opening up to the heavens. A throne sat in the front adorning a small sculpture of the King and Son (God and Jesus), with all mortals at their feet, at the top of the throne and a cross put in the middle of the throne. At one time, this church was the wealthiest church in Brazil (when it was occupied by the Portuguese). They continually repair it due to its age.We were not able to go any further to see, but we all were amazed with the craftsmanship shown and were very well impressed with "Rio's most impressive church".

Praca XV de Novembro

        This time we walked a longer distance than before, stopping every now and then to take pictures of the old buildings that surrounded us. As we went along, the streets started to widen and the buildings rose above our heads, reaching up to the ever blue sky.  That is when we came to the Praca XV de Novembro. This is the square where huge events in Rio's history took place, like the coronations of the Brazil emperors. Also, the abolition of slavery took place in this very square. We mainly stood and listened here, as there was not much to see, but a little memorial , in the very middle, that stated the location and listed some sculptures and buildings.

Imperial Palace

    The Imperial Palace was up next, being the manor house that was built for Brazil rulers. This place, even though it is only three stories (barely),was so long, that we couldn't see the end of it! The house reminded most of us of a gated community, as the inside seemed to consist of many rooms, each with a separate window that had a little balcony accompanying it, making the illusion that there are separate "houses" in there. By far, this was the least luxurious thing that we saw and we all felt kind of spoiled for saying this, but whoever lived in there must of had a terrible time. We all walked with heavy hearts as we knew that we were coming to a close, but it had been a good day and we were very thankful for that.

Top of the Metropolitan Cathedral

   We walked down Uruguaiana Street to Carioca Square and finally to our last destination. We had no idea what we were going to see and so when we came to the "finishing line", we all couldn't help, but think that maybe the universe was telling us to 'go to church', as the last stop was a Cathedral. The Metropolitan Cathedral was by far the weirdest, but coolest thing we had seen. Usually Cathedrals are thought to be old, intricate buildings with paintings and statues, but this Cathedral was like a Las Vegas attraction. Shaped in the form of a pyramid, inside the very top was a cross, with streams of amazing mosaics streaming from it to the bottom. In between two mosaics and on top of the altar, was this extremely detailed statue of Jesus on the cross, with a little slab put underneath for two other figures to stand. It was so realistic that we were all moved to tears and we soon could not be in there any more, seeing such depravity. We all got on the bus afterwards and were taken back to the hotel. This was such an amazing experience that none of us could forget, but we still were not ready to retire for the day.  

Kitchen of Mirante da Prainha

   As a relaxing ending for the day we decided to go to Prainha Beach to hangout and to watch the fantastic sunset. It was a one and a half hour drive there, but it was worth it to see a beautiful beach that was virtually to ourselves. We all were starving and decided to eat at this petite restaurant, named Mirante da Prainha,  that had an amazing view of the beach. The kitchen was a small little shack, while the seating was in the open, having trees as the covering. We all couldn't help but smile at feeling like most tourists, while eating from "Brazil's version" of a food truck.

Sunset at Prainha Beach

   We walked around after eating, drinking in the rural side of this magnificent country. The sun started to set around 7:30, setting the sky aglow with a peculiar pinkish color. It was absolutely breathtaking as the sun dipped down below the horizon, falling away from our sight. The waves started to pick up as the moon entered the sky. Far away all we could see was darkness and our hearts cried, as we knew that our departure would be soon. With that we walked to the street above and called for a cab, all of us envying those that had a chance to see this everyday.
    We arrived at the hotel, walking to our rooms like zombies. With all that we saw today, we all can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store for us.