Rio Redux

Travel quote:  "Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between us and the universe."  -- Anatole France


Less than a year ago I visited Rio for the very first time.  We spent two wonderful days there and I saw all the big highlights - Christ The Redeemer, Sugar Loaf Mountain, Ipanema and Cocacabana Beaches, the favelas, Carnival preparations, Samba schools, and had fun with wild and crazy street parties, pre-Carnival.

So, having two new days this year to spend, I wanted to do something different.  Discussing what could be done for a group of us who had previously visited Rio and wanted something different, Marcelo of DoBrazilRight (a fantastic tour company) came up with an all-day trip outside of Rio to Petropolis, the old imperial city.  Of course, another great Brazilian meat lunch was included as part of our day.  

It is about an hour's ride out of Rio and up into the mountains to Petropolis.  It's named after the last emperor of Brazil, Pedro II.  A summer palace was built for his family and they enjoyed many years of happiness there.  He is buried in the nearby Cathedral of Saint Peter of Alcantara, another place we visited during our trip there.

Our first stop was at the Palacio Quitandinha, which opened in 1942 as a Casino and hotel.  At the time, it was the largest casino in South America.  But then gambling was outlawed in 1946, so the casino closed but the hotel remained.  You could see what a fun place it must have been. The man made lake out front is in the shape of Brazil.  




You can see the German influence in the casino/hotel, as well as all over Petropolis, as Pedro hired Germans and their families to come to Brazil and build his city.

The casino's rooms and halls were large and airy, and some rooms are now used as art galleries, with rotating displays by local artists.

Some current artwork

This picture above reminds me of a book I read called The Goldfinch, a fantastic read.

I love this theater, complete with pink seats!

The swimming pool, in the shape of a grand piano.

After visiting the casino, we drove across the lake and enjoyed a great lunch of meats, salads, rice and vegetables. I was totally surprised to see them bring out a skewer full of chicken hearts! My favorite!




























This was a first!!  Dental floss and mouthwash in the ladies washroom.  Really good idea, after a meal of meat.  Some people on my tour were grossed out by this and said they'd never ever EVER use that floss.  I just used a long piece and didn't use the bottom end, then washed my hands after and used the mouthwash.  Not any worse than being on the ship................

Next, we went to the Cathedral, where Dom Pedro II is entombed.  Pretty church, nice stained glass windows throughout.

Where Dom Pedro II is entombed.

Our last stop was at the local brewery.  We had 3 tastings and took a short tour.  Then everyone was very quiet on the return ride home.  








This was Ollie's first big outing with me and Snort.  I thought they both deserved a brewsky.








We got back to the ship around 7 PM, and it was already dark.  I took the opportunity to snap a couple of photos on the way home and around the ship after dark.


















I saw this in a shop in the terminal and I was transported back to the 60's and singing the tune:  She Wore An Itsy Bitsy, Teeny Weeny, Yellow Polka Dot Bikini.....  



This long lighted building is the Museum of Tomorrow.  I had wanted to visit this on our second day (too late on Day 1, it closed at 5 PM), but the museums are all closed on Mondays.  Big bummer.  I guess I'll just have to come back to Rio one day.


Then, there was a local Samba-esque show put on by local dancers and musicians.  It was a 30 minute show, and ended up being about 15 minutes too long, as it was very repetitive.  But some of the dancers sure got the attention of the audience........




Her boobs didn't move at all.  



The whole cast



This got people to sit up............



On day 2, we took a half day tour in 4x4 jeeps up to the rainforest in the middle of the city.  Tijuco National Park.  It was pretty and a fun drive, to boot.

Vista point from Chinese Pavilion.  The Chinese were used to re-populate the park with trees and plants, etc..  I believe it took them about 6 years to accomplish that.

It was nice having Carol and Vinny on the same tour!!  Vinny flew home later that night, but he'll be back when we get to the Seychelles.  Carol's sailing on solo till then.

Monkeys busy devouring a jackfruit.

Our jeep and driver.

 This ferris wheel was not here last year, our guide told us it just opened a few months ago.  It's located quite near the port.






Stay tuned for more Pig Tales!

Before Rio

Travel quote:  "I can't control the wind, but I can adjust the sail."  -- Ricky Skaggs

In 2019, we visited several ports that are repeated this year, especially those at the beginning, in the eastern part of South America.  Belem and Recife are two in Brazil that are repeats this year.  As a result, I opted not to do a tour because they are mostly ports where one tour covers the bulk of the sights to see.  Not all may agree with me on this, but to each their own.

In Recife, the oldest synagogue in the Southern Hemisphere is one such sight that I missed last year, because it was pouring cats and dogs and elephants the day we were there.  So this time, my friend Bonita and I wanted to go.  Looking at the GPS, we saw that it was just an 8 minute walk from the cruise port. Perfect!!  

Not so perfect.  The ship's port guide was busy warning everyone not to walk alone anywhere in Recife.  It wasn't safe, he said.  Crime was rampant, he said.  You could get mugged, he said. Sigh.  We think he was slightly overstating the dire situation, but once Bonita's husband heard this, he nixed Bonita from going, by saying HE wasn't going.  She and I hemmed and hawed, wrung our hands, and finally decided to be safe than sorry, so we didn't go.

Turns out, several tours went there, and several people from those tours walked back to the ship from the synagogue, without a care or worry.  Well.  We heard all about the synagogue from those that went.  I could see how very disappointed Bonita was, and I felt bad.  To me, it didn't matter that much, but I had wanted to see it too, and I wanted to support Bonita in the endeavor.

Turns out, it's not a working synagogue and hasn't been for quite a long time.  When the Dutch ruled the area, the Jews and the synagogue were "allowed" to worship there and live there, but when the Portuguese came they gave the Jews 3 choices - convert to Christianity; leave, or be killed.  So some converted and most left.  The Portuguese covered it up and built stuff on top of it.  Many years later, during an excavation, the original synagogue was discovered, and a museum of sorts was created.  That's what exists today.  There's not much to it, but it is sacred ground, wouldn't you think?  

So, no real pictures.  My friend Kathi and I did take the ship shuttle into the center of old Recife to the old prison which is now a crafts market.  We wandered around for a little while and then came back.  And that was that.

I don't have many photos of the two stops, but I am including pictures from our first Chef and Sommelier dinner in the Pinnacle Grill.  It was a very nice menu with wine pairings for each course.  7 courses in all.  Yum.

I've also included a few pictures of some of the crafts we've done on sea day afternoons.
And they say there's nothing to do on sea days................

Our first jewelry project

A very handy bag/basket made from cute turtle placemat.  I get a lot of use out of this in my cabin to hold odds and ends that I use often.

A folder to keep cruise-related papers.

Turtle earrings

Complicated instructions for the craft-impaired (me)

Second necklace with South American jewels.  



Now, it's specialty dinner and wine time..................

Mushroom something or other

Duck breast

Cheese plate (these are out of order, as the cheese was our last dish)

Filet mignon medallion and oxtail

Palate cleanser - tomato and watermelon sorbet

Tuna

Dessert - that yolk looking thing is mango and it was sitting inside the eggshell when placed before me, but I was in a hurry to eat it and forgot to take the picture before I removed it...

Our table - Vinny, Carol, Martha and me

Some miscellaneous pictures from our ride into town in Belem

Inside the Cultural Center (old prison) - now a crafts market.  The old cells are now individual craft stores.

Stay tuned for more Pig Tales!!!