![\"\"](\"https:\/\/petersontravels.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/wp-17688563019822550940392433263111.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nWe passed some interesting rock formations in Utah.\u00a0 I particularly liked the shadow this mountain made on the desert floor.\u00a0 Yes, I look out the window a lot on flights.\u00a0 That shadow looks a lot like Mont-Saint-Michel in France (a spot we have yet to visit).<\/p>\n
We took a taxi from the airport in Rio to our hotel, the Fairmont on Copacabana Beach.\u00a0 Quick note, the taxi’s get to use these special bus lanes, so we were able to avoid a LOT of bumper to bumper traffic!\u00a0 If we had taken an Uber it would have taken at least another half hour to get there, likely more.\u00a0 Something to keep in mind if you visit.\u00a0 After checking in we got a cocktail by the hotel pool, overlooking Copacabana.<\/p>\n We splurged to get an ocean view and wow was the view worth it!\u00a0 The downside of being right across from the beach is the noise can be pretty bad, particularly on weekends!\u00a0 We took a walk on the path above the beach that first afternoon, and let’s just say the Brazilian women wear thongs no matter their body type…or age.\u00a0 Avert thine eyes lest you perchance vomit!\u00a0 Sorry, no photos to share….no way Jose!\u00a0 I didn’t want to chance breaking my phone!<\/p>\n We had a full day tour on our 2nd day with superstar guide Diogo and his driver Carlos (who happened to look a lot like Johnny Depp).\u00a0 Our first stop was Sugarloaf Mountain, a must see attraction in Rio.\u00a0 This is the view from the parking lot, with Sugarloaf on the right.<\/p>\n The tour to Sugarloaf involves two gondola rides.\u00a0 Here we are at the top of the first ride.\u00a0 To the right of the photo, off in the distance, is Christ the Redeemer.\u00a0 Looks tiny from this far away, which surprised us!<\/p>\n This is one of the original gondolas that was used when the cableway first opened in 1912.\u00a0 The statue is of engineer Augusto Ferreira Ramos, who spearheaded the project, making this only the 3rd cableway in the world!<\/p>\n Julie took a shot of us on the way up to the top.<\/p>\n The view from the top of Sugarloaf is simply spectacular!!<\/p>\n We had to get a group shot from the top.\u00a0 That’s Copacabana Beach to the right and the Carragas Islands to the left, so named as they are covered in guano (Cagadas, a closely similar word, is Portuguese for crap).\u00a0 Seems the Brazilians are just as literal as the Australians!<\/p>\n This is the view from the gondola station on Sugarloaf.<\/p>\n Interesting to note that this was the setting for a scene from the James Bond movie Moonraker with Roger Moore, which frankly looks pretty silly these days, but that movie was awesome back in 1979!\u00a0 Click on the link if you are curious.\u00a0 It appears I can’t embed the video of this one.<\/p>\n Moonraker Cable Car Fight<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Another view of Copacabana from the gondola station.<\/p>\n On the way back down, at the first gondola stop, there is a Sugarloaf Museum (that happens to be very well air conditioned).\u00a0 Inside our guide showed us this actual “sugarloaf”, the usual form in which refined sugar was produced and sold until the late 19th century, and the reason the mountain with the same shape has it’s name.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Our next stop was the Christ the Redeemer statue, one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World”.\u00a0 Constructed between 1922 and 1931, the statue is 98′ high and the arms stretch 92′ wide.\u00a0 Our guide Diogo insisted we do this cheesy pose, which we saw replicated everywhere around the base of the statue.<\/p>\n Diogo also pointed out that there is a chapel inside the base of the statue, and they were actually holding mass.\u00a0 I guess in Brazil it’s ok to wear a hat or visor at mass??\u00a0 I’m not even religious and I can’t imagine being this disrespectful.<\/p>\n The area around the statue was like rush hour on a Tokyo subway!!\u00a0 Holy crap!<\/p>\n The views are excellent however!\u00a0 I really had to fight through the crowd to get this photo.<\/p>\n One last look at Christ the Redeemer.<\/p>\n The next visit was the Selaron Steps, a staircase that has been turned into a work of art by Escadaria Selaron.\u00a0 It started out in 1990 as a renovation and decoration of the dilapidated steps outside of his home, but soon became an obsession where he decorated every step in the staircase with tiles from around the world.<\/p>\n We saw tiles depicting various places around the globe, including this sign for the Camino de Santiago in Spain.<\/p>\n This tile is from the Overloon Museum in The Netherlands, a spot we visited back in the spring of 2023.\u00a0 I thought it was obscure when we visited it, so we were surprised to see this here in Rio.<\/p>\n Our last stop of the day was the Rio de Janeiro Cathedral, a very unique church that was designed to look like a Mayan pyramid.\u00a0 It’s fairly new, being built between 1964 and 1979.\u00a0 That’s young for a church!\u00a0 Hell, I’m older!\u00a0 Still, it’s gorgeous inside.<\/p>\n I have to say, it doesn’t look much like a church from the outside.\u00a0 Maybe something out of a Star Wars ride at Disneyland?<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n