The unmissable trio: the sunset, the sunrise, and… some steps – in Rio!

After all the presentations, meetings, and interviews at our Latin American partner conference, we had some important business visits lined up in a couple of places around Rio the next day. But all work and no play makes Eugene a dull boy – especially in Rio…

I’d long secretly dreamed not just of being back in Rio, but of catching the sunrise somewhere at the foot of the Christ the Redeemer statue. So that was the plan post-business, and to make the logistics easier we decided to switch from our hotel in the suburbs to another one closer to downtown and the statue.

And just as we were checking out of our first hotel in the afternoon, our Brazilian colleagues, upon finding out we were heading into Rio and had a free evening, suggested we go watch the sunset from Sugarloaf Mountain – all about which I told you and showed you in a previous post.

So we hop into a car to take us to Rio. Meanwhile, one of our events crew (the awesome team that handles our exhibitions, conferences, etc. – huge thanks to them!) is frantically trying to get us fast-track tickets for Sugarloaf – for there isn’t much time left before sunset, and we really wanted to make it. But that’s enough detail; main thing: we (practically) made it!…

And here’s the sunset – from Sugarloaf Mountain:

The views up here are always stunning – not just at sunset. But at times like these, everything just feels different.

You get fantastic views in every direction from up here – and they’re all masterpieces. No wonder there’s such a constant flow of tourists. So here’s a tip: buy tickets in advance, and try lining up early too. And if you want fast-track tickets, keep in mind that there aren’t that many; again – best to book in advance.

But, oh, it’s sooo worth it! It’s simply magical up top!

To get right to the very top of Sugarloaf you actually take two cable cars. First you go up the neighboring hill, then the second cable car takes you to the main summit. You can see this route in the photo: from the bottom – right to left; then right and upward ->

The line can get pretty long, but we got lucky on this particular quiet Thursday.

The ride itself is good for sights too. For example, there’s one of a highly recommended secluded beach that’s off the beaten tourist-track ->

The view of the Christ the Redeemer statue (to which we’ll return in the next post) – is just oh-my-God’s-son!

Second leg – up to Sugarloaf itself:

We caught the early sunset still in the cable car:

But then, guided by our… guide, Masha, we legged it to make it to the best lookout spot just in time to witness the sun setting over Rio de Janeiro:

Stunningly beautiful!

The landscapes and views all around are just crazy expressive. I wish the colors were a bit more vibrant though, for sunset skies are typically more dramatic. There are the mind-blowing sunrises and sunsets down under, for example; but even in Phuket or Khabarovsk, the intensity of the colors in the sky is just stunning compared to the palette here.

But the lack of strong sky colors here is more than made up for by the beauty of the surroundings. No surprise – crowds flock here every day, especially at this hour:

There’s Copacabana in the distance ->

It was time to be heading back. By night, the views are totally different when everything’s lit up:

So good! But there was still the sunrise to catch the following morning!…

…Up early, off we popped to catch it. But I messed up! I completely goofed the geography. It doesn’t happen often, but it does…

Here’s the thing: I’ve been to lots of places on the world map. After studying them on said map, I then study them all over again by actually going there. But for some reason, it never clicked in my head that Rio de Janeiro faces the ocean not east – but south! The continent’s coastline there isn’t north-south but west-east (or vice versa). See for yourself! ->

However, Christ Himself faces dead east, as you can see here on Yandex Maps! ->

Second hiccup – the platform by the statue only opens well after sunrise.

So, alas, Christ the Redeemer at dawn wasn’t to be. But we did at least catch the sun rising! A sunrise in clear weather – especially if there are just a few clouds in the sky (but NOT on the horizon) – that’s always gorgeous. Especially somewhere like Rio:

First – darkness, then it gradually brightens – but it’s not fully popping with daytime color yet:

The sky gets bluer and bluer… But what’s the point of words here? Everyone’s seen a sunrise. But this… this is a special sunrise. This is the sunrise in Rio!…

Sugarloaf Mountain – the spot we watched the sunset from the previous evening.

Almost there…

And here it is! ->

+ Airplane! ->

Oh my golden!… 

Christ looks totally different now:

My travel companions totally agree:

The sun had already risen over Rio, and the Christ statue still wasn’t open! Our guide therefore decided to take us to a different nearby tourist spot – some… steps! Not just any old steps, but the Escadaria Selaron!

Impressive:

The tile pics feature all kinds of themes. From a drunk monk to the Simpsons (by the way, I’ve never actually seen a single episode of that show) ->

Climbing higher. Not a bad staircase!

Second step from the bottom – Kazakhstan! ->

I’m guessing this refers to a FIFA World Cup tournament? I only guess as I know nothing about soccer.

Here we are right at the very top:

The internet states that these steps are 125 meters tall. Ah – so that’s why our legs were sore the next day. Not that we noticed any exertion while climbing them.

Next up: Christ the Redeemer Himself – once it finally opened. But that’s an experience needing a post of its own…

The best high-res photos from Brazil are here.