Corcovado e Cristo Redento

Corcovado...

On Saturday I went with a couple of the guy to visit Corcovado and Cristo Redentor (the Christ statue). Luckily there were clear skies that day so we had AWESOME views of Rio, unlike the last time I went when the views were obscured by cloud cover. I feel sorry for all those tourist that come on those days and miss out on the spectacular views.

Details...

We wanted to catch a train but would of had to wait an hour for it to arrive, plus wait in a very long line of people. Instead we took an airconditioned van (it was HOT that day) from Cosme Velho which cost R$45 and took us up and back with a stop on the way. The cost also included entrance to the park and to see the statue (which costs R$14 itself) which isn't too bad considering the train cost R$36.

We caught a taxi to Cosme Velho where I feel the taxi driver tried to rip us off. At first he asked us something in Português, which I think he was trying to see if we were Brasilians or not. Then he told us to go up and back would cost R$200 to which we replied no and just wanted to be dropped off at the train station.

Helipad...
Views from the Helipad are amazing. There's one side where it's a lookout point over Rio de Janeiro and the other is where the helipad is at and you get a nice view of Corcovado and the statue.

I thought I had an excellent choice of shirt... one with the guys Vidu and Sam...

ninja foto of some ladies.... the helipad side

Some mandatory tourist poses...

Cristo Redentor...

Is truly magnificent and worth seeing. When you look at Jesus with his arms outstretched from behind you get a sense that he really is watching over his people and from the front it looks like he's welcoming you with a big Brasilian hug.

More obligatory tourist poses and self shots....

Crowds... amigos... jesus

Just Jesus...

All in all it was a great day out and well worth the visit. It also means I've seen Rio from pretty much all the best places now: Pão de Açucar (Sugarloaf), Pedra da Gávea and Corcovado.

Muito legal :)

Pedra da Gávea

The rock...

Everyday while on the way to training I see Pedra da Gávea. This rock has been looking at me ever since I moved out to Barra and everytime I look at it, I can almost hear it taunting me, "climb me Pacquiao... climb me..." or more like "I bet you can get your ass up here... hell no, you won't even make it half way..."

And everyday I tell myself that one day before I leave I'd make the hike up there, prove it wrong and check another landmark off my Rio de Janeiro tourist list. Well Saturday was that day and I hiked/climbed/staggered my way up joined by my fellow gringoes and we CONQUERED that rock BUT it was a good test of our will and endurance.

The view of the rock I get on my way to training.

The view I get of Pedra da Gávea from the gym. She just sits there looming in the background, watching over Barra da Tijuca.

The climb...

It was tiring but after all said and done it was worth it reaching the top and getting that vast view of Rio de Janeiro. On one side you have Barra da Tijuca and the other you have Zona Sul (Leblon, Ipanema etc.) and the rest of Rio. It's hard to describe it in words so I've got some pictures to show you, but it only scratches the surface of trying to describe what it was like.

Some before shots... already sweating a bit from walking up to the part where you actually start the climb/hike.

L-R: Jerrod, Brooke, Jeff, Vidu, Sam and myself

Some pictures of the trails and paths up and this is only the beginning parts.

The halfway point, "Ship rock." You can see a bit of Barra through the trees.

The trail near the top after coming above the treeline. The view from that part gets better and better the higher you go. Literally every 10m there'd be a spot to take a few pics then you go a bit higher and the view is even better etc. etc.

This is the part where you have to "rock climb" you can do it without ropes as it's probably no more than 15m. But it's probably a little safer and easier with ropes. It's amazing how far you can see the higher you go up.

Views from the top of the Barra da Tijuca side and the Zona Sul (South Zone) side.

What it feels like being at the top. Views of Zona Sul and Barra da Tijuca. You can see Cristo Redentor, Sugarloaf and "The Two Brothers" mountain on the Zona Sul side. The Barra da Tijuca side.

Going back down...

Some video...

A view of Barra da Tijuca from near the top of Pedra da Gávea.

A 360º view from the top of Pedra da Gávea.

After our climb (exhausted, tired and a little tanned) at around 4:30pm-ish, probably was closer to 5pm but I can't remember.

Pedra at the end of the day. You feel a real sense of achievement looking at it and knowing that you've made it to the top.

Visas and visa renewal...

Visa...
If you are from Australia, USA and Canada then you will need a tourist visa to enter Brasil which will be valid for 90 days from entry. Don't forget that some months have 1 extra day so it's best to count it as 90 days and not 3 months or when you go to reapply you might realise that you've already overstayed for a few days.

Process...

I'm not sure on the other countries but if you're like me and from Australia then you can apply for a visa at www.brazilsydney.org if you're from the NT, NSW, QLD and some islands. All other states have to apply through www.brazil.org.au.

It's quite easy and straight forward. You can download the appropriate application form from the website and fill it in. Then you send it to the embassy/consulate with a money mail/postal order from the post office and return envelope.

Make sure to do it at least a month or two before you leave. The process should only take 5 days BUT when I applied I waited almost a month before I double checked with them. They'd received the package but it hadn't been processed yet for some reason? So also make sure to keep tabs on them.

Once you get your visa approved you have 90 days to enter Brasil. Upon arrival in Brasil your 90 days starts.

Visa renewal...

For visa renewal you have to go to the international airport here in Brasil. Before I read that you could reapply for them through the Federal Police but they've changed that now apparently.

You will need your:

- Passport

- Departure card (you get this piece of paper upon arrival into the country)

- DPF Receipt from Banco do Brasil

You might need:

- Bank statement/Credit card (as proof of sufficient funds for your intended length of stay)

- Airline ticket

Make sure you keep your departure card otherwise it will cost you R$160 for a new one!

DPF form:

Also you have to fill out a form online at www.dpf.gov.br and print it out. You take the print out to a Banco do Brasil (they have one in the airport) and take the receipt with printout attached to the Federal Police.

Make sure:

- the Banco do Brasil has a Caixa (kai-sha) so you can pay the thing

- you select the right Unidade Arrecadadora and Código da Receita STN; otherwise you could end up having to pay another R$60+ for the correct one. Which is what I had to do!

The DPF form you'll have to fill out. Select: GRU -Funapol (emissão da guia para pessoas e entidades estrangeiras) from the main page.

The DPF receipt:

Transport to the aiport...

You can catch the Real Autobus from Zona Sul and Barra da Tijuca to the Airport and it costs only R$7, compared to a R$60+ cab fare which could be wayyy more depending on the traffic. And traffic here can get pretty bad.

The buses are airconditioned and have very comfy recliner seats. So even though the ride takes about 1hr+ from Barra da Tijuca you can do it in comfort and have a nap on the way and back.

More cauliflower...

Ok, so my ears have been swelling up again which means... more drainage. So I took the opportunity to make a short tutorial based on what I know/learnt so far on how to drain cauliflower ears. It's pretty straight forward and easy really.

Well except sometimes getting the needle in on the right angle... the other day the first time I put the needle in kind of horizontally nothing came out, so pulled it out and THEN it started bleeding which was like "oh shit!" But I managed to get it in again (on a 45º kind of angle) and drain out most of the fluid (1.5ml again).

There's a competition on Sunday and I'm hoping to enter it, if it's not too late to send in forms. Then after I was thinking of giving my ear a rest, but I doubt it because I don't want to miss out on all that training :)