Up Pão de Açúcar today, or 'Sugarloaf'. A dramatic two-stage cable car ride takes tourists to the top of this rocky pinnacle (pic). For experienced climbers, there's also a mountainside ascent. I usually like to earn my beer at the top by getting there under my own steam, but in this case I made an exception.
The view from the top is stunning (pic) – more spectacular even than that from Corcovado, location of Christ the Redeemer, yesterday. You also get an idea of the inequality here, able to see the upscale millionaire beaches and the dirt-poor shantytown favelas in a single sweep: the have-yachts and the have-nots.
From here you also get a feeling for how majestically the statue of C the R looks down over Rio – and how improbable it is that a train and road can get up to the top at all (pic). It's a reminder that miracles do happen – specifically, how mankind can construct bars in impossible places. If we ever do get to Mars, you can bet that the Brazilians will put a bar there. Selling rubbish beer.
The watery quality of Brazilian ale didn't stop me from having one from the bar at the top of Sugarloaf, of course (pic). Well, such a view deserves to be celebrated.
After that I wandered round the hillside neighbourhood of Santa Teresa, famous for its colourfully decorated staircase access (pic). There's lots of colourful graffiti here, too, some of it helpfully in English: 'Caution! High theft area!' for example.
On a sunny afternoon with lots of locals around, though, the pleasant historic centre (pic) didn't actually feel unsafe at all. The only way you'd be parted from more money than you intended would be in one of Santa Teresa's bohemian, artsy bars and restaurants.
I think I managed to hike up to the mid-station but I was totally awash with sweat. Astonishing humidity! Nice little marmosets there,as I recall.
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