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Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Weekend in Rio – Paquetá Island

Can You Believe it – this is my 301 post.  Some would say get a life -
In my heart I know I need to do a ‘thoughts from the veranda’ blog post but I fear I would voice feelings that are best kept quiet until sorted and orderly, so I will go a more positive direction and give you a blow by blow – no just the high points of our weekend in Rio. 
 
DSC087714We took the 1001 into Rio on Thursday evening and had dinner at our favorite family restaurant in Ipanema – well it is the second favorite but the other is a bit on the expensive side and utilized only for special occasions.  On Friday morning, Camillo had  meetings (and lunch) downtown and I had a free morning.  I walked to the Botanical gardens one of my favorite alone things to do in Rio.  I carry my good camera in a small backpack and once inside the gardens take pictures to my hearts content.  The walk from the apartment to the gardens is better than 45 minutes each direction, on my way back I stopped at Mamute gym to say hello to all my weight lifting buddies and ended up doing a work out.  All in all I was out and about for nearly 4 hours – a great morning for me.
 
Saturday we took care of business – when in Rio I always have a list of chores, including getting my hair cut – I am totally disgusted with this last cut… This man has been cutting my hair for what 5 years and the last two cuts have been horrible…. My hair is now growing so slow that it will be 3 months before I can get a re-do…. just cause your aging does not mean you don’t care what your hair looks like…. EEeeekkkk!  Now I will have to go through the trauma of finding a new hairdresser – I HATE that. 
 
 
 
DSC059233Saturday evening we had Vivi, Hermis and the twins for dinner.  (Camillo’s daughter and her family)  This is quite special / unusual – the apartment is so small it is hard to cook and serve dinner – but we all had a great time, lots of laughs with the twins. 
 
 
On Sunday Camillo finally took me to Paquetá Island.  this is something we have talked about for nearly 20 years.  Camillo was not very enthusiastic – he remembers this island from when it was  the chic – in place to go and feared he would be disappointed.  He was.  Another example of potential wasted in this land of paradise.  This island is out in the middle of the Guanabara Bay.  You pick up a ferry at the  port over near the small airport and the ride is a little over an hour each way.  The ferries run about every 2.5 hours (the round trip).  Going over the ferry was about a quarter full (holds 2000 people) and coming back at the end of the day was full.  The tickets were only R$4.00 each, each direction.  DSC_7551DSC_7554DSC_7558DSC_7563DSC_7581DSC_7584
Camillo could have gone free (being nearly ancient) but paid. The prices make it possible for lower income families to make the day trip and they seemed to really enjoy the outing.

I was able to take photos of the bay, the ship yards, the Niteroi bridge, the island, houses, churches, take hundreds of photos and was content. See the submarine? The oil rig under repair? Will he fit under the Bridge?

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On the island, you can rent a bike or a peddle cart, take a horse and buggy, enjoy a paddle boat, walk, run in the wind, take an eco-taxi, sit quiet by the bay   but you can’t drive a car.

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I was not real enthralled by the smell of horses and fried foods, but I love that we could walk without fear of being run over by a car…. on a scale of 1 – 10, 10 being the best place to spend a Sunday afternoon in Rio – this little island is a 7.5.

 

 

 

 

 

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6 comments:

  1. Hi Ginger,

    I enjoyed reading this post. Wow, 301 posts, amazing. There are things I want to blog about but I won't allow myself the freedom because I fear getting too negative, so like you, I do my best to post the highlights and the more positive aspects of my life. Tonight, I am supressing my need to write. Not good, but I don't have a private forum to write anymore. I'm afraid to write in my journal for fear of hubby reading my dark thoughts, so I push it all down.

    I know how you feel about the hair. I used to have a really good hair dresser and then one bad cut. Now I bounce from hair dressser to hair dresser, always leaving disappointed.

    It sounds like you had a really nice week-end. I love all of your photos. My favorite one is the first one. There is something about a path between trees that I love. I like pathways. I also like you photo of the bicycles and the bridge. The family shot is nice too. Everyone looks really happy.

    Have a wonderful day.

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  2. I missed last friday's domesticated animals! Danged angry appendix - although I wish I'd have asked them to snap a photo of my angry appendix so I could have used it for a future FSO *laugh*

    Anyway -- now I forgot what clever, and it was REALLY REALLLY clever, comment I was going to write about your post.....huhn...dang.

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  3. I really enjoyed the pictures in your 301st post Ginger. (That's a lot of posts lol)
    It's great to see places I've never seen, through someone else's eyes/lens.

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  4. I love your site, don't stop please.

    My husband doesn't say get a life. he says it is my full time job. I am on vaction, the weather is getting cold. So I am at my computers, Yes 3, because I keep my phots downloaded in 3, because when the rest of the family want to use the computers, I can go on the other one.

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  5. Wonderful post on things to do in Rio. That island sounds like a really pleasant place/way to spend an afternoon, and your photos seem to capture it beautifully.

    Also enjoyed your FSO -- we saw goats roaming around on our recent trip, but my hubby poo-pooed my idea to photograph them. Oh well!

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  6. walking 6 hours is fantastic. May be you come with me to climb the world heritage Tongariro trek.

    My husband did it in 9 hours, (I didn't go). this Jan he wants to take Sam, and teasing me. I am tempted but the pelvic floor muscle isn't co-operating. But if I don't do this, it may be my last chance, and I would regret.

    I should be out walking instead of sitting at the computer. But the wind is very strong, and it is raining.



    http://ann-mythoughtsandphotos.blogspot.com/2009/04/tongariro-crossing.html

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