 |
| 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. |
No comments:
Post a Comment