Rio De Janeiro , 2013
Once again we are on the road and this time we are off to South America, our first stop is Rio De Janeiro (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de_Janeiro), Brazil (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil). We arrive in the early evening to a warm and wet Rio. Sadly once again we stood in line for immigration for well over an hour before we could head off to the hotel. There are a few small details you should known if you plan to go to South America. First go to the prepaid taxi to book a taxi if not you'll get a big surprise when you hear the price. Second beware of scams: for example, when you give them a hundred they will show you ten and say you gave them the wrong bill! So just beware.
After a wild ride in the rain we made it to our room located about 30 meters from Copacabana beach (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copacabana_(Rio_de_Janeiro) but a long night's sleep was needed before we could get to the beach. The next day it was time for beach time and as the Copacabana was just down the street it was time to check it out and like people say it's amazing! Beautiful white sand up and down the beach ending in the blue waters of the ocean to the north along the street were small bars and eateries and in the distance you see green hills and even the cable car that goes up to Sugarloaf Mountain. To the south at the end the spit you could see the old fortress, behind and in between the hotels the streets lead up to lush green hills and on a good day you can see the statue Christ the Redeemer.
In the morning we walked down to the Copacabana for some time on the beach as there was a little bit of sunshine, but sadly it did not last very long so we packed up our things and decided to walk over to the famous Impanema beach (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipanema). We did not get that far as it started to rain and it was lunch time. Jorunn said she wanted to try some more local dishes so we stopped at a place that served strange foods, but at least the fruit juice was good. The rice dish was OK, but I ordered a soup with prawns, the soup was strange, it tasted like lemon, bouillon with a lot of grass and some prawns. With all the rain we headed back to the room and later did a long walk on the beach to see some volley ball and beach football.
The next day the weather was much better which was lucky for us as we were going touring and for that we needed some sunshine. We were going up Mount Corcovado (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corcovado) to see the statue Christ the Redeemer. After a few delays we were on the road with a mixed group of fun loving people, the roads were fairly congested with lot's of traffic as always but a fun drive with lot's of people, cars and with walls covered in street art, not tagging but really cool street art, as we climbed the small winding road on our way to the top.
On our way we stopped at a lookout point where on the one side there were lushes green hills and on the other side you could look out over the one of the Favelas (shanty towns)(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Favela) that covered the hillside with beautiful views over the city. We were almost at the top now but here you have to take a bus or a train the rest of the way (only one bus company handles all the traffic which is efficient) and if you think that you're at the top you're wrong you still have a few hundred steps to walk up before you reach the statue Christ the Redeemer (there is an elevator and a long queue!).
The first thing you see is the 30 meter high statue and then you notice all the people all trying to get their special picture with the statue and then you see the view! The statue is impressive but nature once again shows who is best, on one side the forest of the national parks surrounding the city, then Rio below you and to the north the harbour and in the background green hills and far off white beaches, breathtaking is all you can say. It was not easy to move around and it was hard not get other people in your photos but we did our best.
It was time to move along so we headed back down the mountain side and back to the city were we cruised down the city streets through Chinatown and on to the area with stands for the famous Rio Mardi Gras (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardi_Gras). The Mardi Gras area look very different without the lights and the music and no people but it was fun to see. Next stop was the Rio De Janeiro Cathedral (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de_Janeiro_Cathedral), from the outside this reminds me of a Aztec temple but it's very different on the inside. As you enter from sunshine and heat the first thing you notice is the stain glass windows that reach all the way to the ceiling and showers colours around the interior of the building.
Winding through the busy streets of Rio we slowly make our way to our last stop at the famous Sugerloaf mountain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarloaf_Mountain_(Brazil)), from the ground Sugarloaf is impressive but as we take the first cable up you can see how beautiful it is. After climbing into the cable car for the second half of our trip to the top of Sugarloaf, at the top it was a windy and cloudy day so it was hard see out over Rio. Even so the clouds cleared and we could see the Christus statue in the bac ground nestled on a distant mountain surrounded by lush green mountain of the national park and overlooking Rio and the sea. In the distance to the north you could see green hills with long beaches along the coast line. Sadly the day was a bit cloudy so it was a bit difficult to see a lot but I did see enough to know that I would to do this again on a clear day.
Our evenings were spent wandering around checking out the shops and to visit some of the restaurants, one thing to remember for those visit Rio is that a lot restaurants open late in the evening so eat a late lunch or have an afternoon snack before the late dinner. The next day we wandered over to another of Rio's famous beaches, Ipanema, sadly another cloudy day so we sat on the beach and looked at the sand and the surf. Looking south we see another of Rio's favelas that climb up the hill side overlooking the beaches and the ocean, in some countries those views would cost you dearly, but here it's the slums! Due to the weather we spent the rest of the day wandering around and the next morning at the Botanical garden (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rio_de_Janeiro_Botanical_Garden) in Rio before we left for Buenos Aires!
Buenos Aires
Arriving in Buenos Aires was chaotic as we had not done enough homework and we were scammed for a bit of cash (so remember to book a head of time or the kiosks on the inside of the terminal, just to the left and behind you.) We finally made it to hotel in the Palermo are. We stayed at the Bys Palermo Hotel (https://hotelbys.com.ar/), though not in the city centre it's a nice quiet area to walk around in and not too far of a walk to the local square where there were plenty of bars and restaurants where locals and some tourist mix in (one thing you should remember is that people eat late here most restaurants open about 20:00).
The next day we headed off to the city center and we decided we would try the underground. After buying tickets we stepped onto the train which felt like stepping back in time. The cars looked like they been purchased in the 50's (or something like that) with hat racks, wood panels and small compartment for the drive and a small ticket window. After a couple of stops a group of young men came and set up their instruments and played some really good music for the people on the train.
The center of the city is beautiful and has a very European architecture and it's full of a crazy amount of cars. The first stop was the Plaza Rosada (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Rosada) which was a beautiful pinkish colour and the where you find the Presidential offices. Plaza de Mayo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaza_de_Mayo) was scene of the 1810 revolution that brought Argentina it's independence.
After a short walk we arrived at the Catedral de Metropolitana de Buenos Aires
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaza_de_Mayo), the former seat of Pope Francis. Moving on we make our way to the Teatro Colon (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teatro_Col%C3%B3n), a beautiful European style teater where we waited for our tour to start. It was very beautiful and you can almost feel the famous and rich enjoying their night on the town in their fine clothing.
Time for a break and it means that it's time to visit one of the most famous cafés, Café Tortoni (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caf%C3%A9_Tortoni). When you step inside you feel like you have stepped back in time, waiters in black and white, tile floors and elegant woodwork, great place to take a break.
We were in the area so stopped by an old theater that had been turned into a very large book store, pretty amazing and worth stopping at.
Next stop is a very touristic part of the city called La Boca
We stopped shortly at Avenida 9 de Julio(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9_de_Julio_Avenue) the world’s widest avenue where we also found a large Obelisk (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obelisco_de_Buenos_Aires) and a very large picture of Eva Peron(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eva_Per%C3%B3n) on the side of the building. Our last stop was at Recoleta (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Recoleta_Cemetery) cemetery with it’s large tombs and halls and where the remains of Eva Peron lay.
Uruguay
Next day we off to the ferry terminal to catch a ferry to Sacramento de Colonia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonia_del_Sacramento) in Uruguay. It was a sunny day and smooth sailing, before we knew it we were on a bus on our way to Montevideo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montevideo). On the way we passed by many large ranches and also there were quite a few old cars in large lots here and there along the highway.
After we arrived at the hotel we took a short walk to beach, Pocitos (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocitos) before dinner. The next day was a full day of sightseeing, we started off in the centre at the Plaza Independencia(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaza_Independencia) where we could also see Palasio Silvo( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palacio_Salvo). A bit further we came to the Gateway of the Citadel (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gateway_of_the_Citadel). This was a beautiful area with spectacular architecture and a very European feeling. We walked by the Teatro Solis (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sol%C3%ADs_Theatre) but did not enter. Our next stop was at the Constitution Square (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_Square_(Montevideo)) with it's dragon fountain and neoclassical buildings.
We walked down the walk streets though the shopping area down to the sea (not a good idea as it is not a very good neighborhood). As we were on our way back to look for some lunch we found the Mercado del Puerto (https://www.welcomeuruguay.com/montevideo/port-market.html). This steel construction (Harbour Market) was the market for fruit, vegetables and meat and now a few good restaurants too. Outside we found a small pond with kids playing in the water and a saxophonist playing as we walked up the walkway.
For the next part of our trip we rented a car and drove up the coast to Punta del Este (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punta_del_Este) stopping along the way to a have look at the beautiful beaches and sites. It was over cast and windy which made things a little gray but still pretty.
Casa Pueblo (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casapueblo) is a beautiful and strange hotel and art gallery, the hotel all white with lots of odd structures, some round, some tall and narrow, round windows, square and oblong. This beautiful building sits on the hillside looking over the rugged coast line, a great view. There are two outdoor swimming pools with blue water surrounded by red tiles that seem to highlight the white walls of the hotel.
Carlos Paez Vilaro (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casapueblo), an old friend of Pablo Picasso and many other famous artists, has his artwork displayed here and you can purchase many of his works there (well worth a look).
We spent the night in Punta del Este as we wanted to visit the beach with a giant sculpture of a hand sticking out of the sand called El Mano de Punta del Este (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casapueblo). This hand is massive and is well worth to visit and walk around for a while or even just sit down and enjoy the surroundings.
Driving back along the coast we once again saw the beautiful coast line on left and lush green grass lands of the ranches on our right. We passed by many old car on way the waiting for a buyer for these antiques.
We had heard about about a old Swiss colony that was on our so we decided to have look but it was raining so much that we just drove through.
Sacramento de Colonia is one of the oldest cities in Uruguay and UNESCO World Heritage site, this is a beautiful town with areas of cobble stone street and many very old buildings. This is a very pleasant place to walk around with some antique cars and some wagons lining the streets and there was even a car with a small tree growing out of the top. There is also a lighthouse and an old fort by the river, a really nice place to visit off season. The next day we departed on the ferry going back to Buenos Aires, the next morning it was time to head for the bus station for a trip to San Antonio de Areco.
San Antonio de Areco
San Antonio de Areco (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Antonio_de_Areco) is on the river Areco and is home to Museo Gaucheseo Richardo Guiraldes (a famous Argentinean author that made this area famous)(https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Archivo:Parque_Criollo_y_Museo_Gauchesco_Ricardo_G%C3%BCiraldes,_San_Antonio_de_Areco.JPG). This is a very quiet town with low houses, you can walk to the edge and the grassy area around it. On the side of the river are a few houses and then grazing land for horses and cattle. Each year in November there is the traditional gaucho (cowboy) festival which brings a festive atmosphere to the the area. 
Wanting to feel a little of the Gaucho life we organized horseback riding at one of local ranches. We were met by a lovely family and we spent over an hour horseback riding, then came back with butt, back and leg pains, fun times!
Arraial do Cabo
There not a lot to do in this sleepy town so we took a boat trip to a small island (but first it's time for football match with the some kids). After the match it was time to have a look around, our first stop was at Praia do Farol ,a small island with beautiful white sandy beaches and clear blue water. On top of the sand dune was a lone tree weathered by the winds. The area was not that big so it got crowded very quickly as more boats arrived, it was time to leave and have a look at the rest of the island. Having a quick look on the seaward side we ventured on to the next island beach. Once again another beautiful beach with clear blue water and a great place for a swim in the chilly waters. 
It was time to head back to Rio before our flight home, but there was time for one more day on the beach that had Sugerloaf mountain in the background. We also had a great night at a Churrascaria(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churrascaria) this was an amazing meal but make sure you are very hungry.
