22: Walking the old town and taking to the beach

   Beach babes- maybe a tad conspicuous fully clothed

 LOCATION:  Rio de Janeiro

Day 22 of 44 completed today and we are halfway! It is all downhill from here. And what better way to mark that milestone than hit the streets with laundry bags. We had considered using the hotel service but had a little frugle moment when we ticked the quadruple carbon form in the rooms: @DeLoys had about $12O and we had $60. 

I have a cake of sunlight soap and have been rinsing as we go for my gear (the hair-dryer is my friend for drying) - it was just @Mac's stuff and at US $3 for undies and $9 a shirt it adds up. And there were plenty of self serves around us. Threw the bags over our shoulder, picked our way down the block and around the corner, followed the colour coded instructions in the fulky digitied laundry, loaded the machines and set up a rotational guard duty that included time for breakfast. And after 6 140 steps over 75 mins we were on nodding terms with a couple of the stall holders on the way (love the translation app - one of the ladies had helped with directions - she was a waver) we had washed dried, folded and packed away 3 loads between us at a cost of $10 per load! Felt self satisfied and puffed up with importance. Not sure why we wanted to save that US$150 but we did!

Looks like breakfast double up, then into van for combo walk and drive

Meanwhile, @Mac was on hair-dryer duty in the room - still no luck with my phone - going to leave it on the window ledges today while we are out - it has to be a good sign that it spits messages and alarms when i try and charge it ... there is still proof of life. Not sure what a phoneless day will look like for me. I tend to take loads of pics so I can "remember" what we did and use them as writing prompts. Oh well it will be travel journal a la @Mac today ... it'll be like this:

Woke up early.

Ate brekkie.

Saw some places... a church, maybe two.

Got some money out.

Went to the beach. Ate dinner.

Played the game. Packed.

Early start so set the alarm for 2.45 am.

Great day.

.... and that would be it in a nutshell. With a few pics it would be a great photo journal. Here did well all day snapping and saving!

Here are a few more details of today's walking tour with @Barbra. Yes, we did walk, but we had a van to zip us from venue to venue and then we walked. @Barbra was super -dooper informative, caring, fun loving, obliging and a hugger. Very keen to help us see the best in her city. Talkative and engaging and always happy to repeat or rephrase. Pronunciation, letter importance, inflection, even pacing and phrasing very different across languages. I swear, it took us nearly two blocks to finally decode "ould"" .... but the hilarious response of doubled over laughter when we realised, with @Barbra patting a tree, that the word was "wood" and that was the bonding moment of the day. That was a group hug moment. 

Because I have been phoneless for a couple of days and am behind schedule I am following @Mac's lead and going for the brief option today - we did see lots and had constant descriptions.

It was a jaw dropping morning and afternoon - lots of drive bys, loved the stories which today were a little more flavoured by the perspective of a devout Christian and a proud Brazilan of indigenous descent. Saw highs and lows, new and old, warts and all great contrasts of Rio de Janiero always under that watchful gaze of Christ the Redeemer.oh, and of course @Barbra.

Similar to our route

The description from the itinerary ...

"This is an unusual walking tour which gives you a feeling for the legends and stories woven around the narrow streets and old historical buildings of downtown Rio. The walk includes a visit to many interesting points, such as the Sao Bento Monastery, Candelaria (the candle-makers),

Praça XV, the "Travessa do Mercado", Imperial Palace (Paco Imperial), the cultural centre located in the beautifully restored Banco do Brasil, the Casa França-Brasil, Ouvidor (the listeners) Street and Goncalves Dias Street. The tour ends with the visit to the famous landmark of Rio de Janeiro, the extraordinarily decorated, vibrant and impressive Escadaria Selaron, a staircase covered in more than 2,000 pieces of colourful tiles, mirrors and ceramic stairs. Nestled between the bohemian neighbourhoods of Lapa and Santa Teresa the stairs are an accidental art project of painter Jorge Selaron and today the steps serve as a source of optimism and inspiration for those who use them, as well as a never-endingreminder of the artist who created them. "

Ticked them off - and collectively voted the following as favourites:

The Benedictine Monastery - São Bento Monastery, founded in 1589 and so ornate with all the "ood" covered in gold. We were there as the organist was warming up the pipes and practising on Brazil's oldest pipe organ. Certainly added to the atmosphere. 

The Monastery, inside and out and cross water views to modern additions ... and the wood!

The Library -  Real Gabinete Portugues de Leitura- thought it was straight out of a movie! You enter via an unobtrusive stone doorway with a gold hand clutching a lever and it is wall to ceiling leather bound books. Smells great. Looks even better. Just tier after tier of books -topped with spectacular blue and white glass mosaic dome and supported by ornate mosaics of patrons including Vasco da Gama and Princess Isabel. 

Loved the library - a few more old treasures posed for pics

The Cathedral - built to mimic the Aztec/Mayan temple circular pyramid - makes a statement... we saw it yesterday from Sugar Loaf - 83 meters high outside and 68 meters inside with no internal columns to support the structure. The church has a diameter of 104 meters and a capacity for 5.000 sitting and 20.000 standing (yep, I fact checked @Barbra) a figure that was surpassed when Pope John Paul II visited the Cathedral.

 Four huge stained glass windows dominate the inside of the church - so spectacular - their patterns dance on the floor depending on time of day and angle of the sun - , each measuring more than 20 by 60 meters. Each window has a predominant color scheme and they represent the ecclesiastical (green), the saintly (red), the catholic (blue), and the apostolic (yellow). 

25 000 people in here- spectacular

The Steps - we made it to the top and felt a little Rocky moment in the wrong city. The first 3 to 4 levels were shoulder to shoulder crowded and had to watch out for people sitting and posing (but we were experienced after yesterday's antics at Christ the Redeemer) but after that it definitely thinned out. I don't know why we do these things- we see them over the years and just want to say I was there."

Just us at  the top! No way we weren't touching the tops step.

Stepped out onto the roadway ... took those extra two steps!

Posing like the young ones - with our own society guard

Criwds thin out the higher you go

Rio is so vast and diverse - we haven't even scratched the surface - but do love it and want more. Just not today.

Back home, @Barbra walked three blocks with us to an ATM in a pharmacy. Made our withdrawal at last, for the princely sum of bank charges of $6:.. bit different from the airport! Yeah got cash for dinner, guide tip and a market splurge possibly. 

Afternoon delight was a 3 pm return to the hotel. We are right on the beach and have great views of the action. Dressed for the part and headed to the infinity pool and bar on the 19th floor. Glorious. But I was so intimidated by the svelte tanned tight bodies swanning around, near naked in the pool, with g strings perfectly lying in place that were never lost. I was quite content to leave my neck to calf cover all on and sit in the air-conditioning, eating and babysitting my outdoor sunbathing phone.

Phone dring out. - like a local- naked in a towel

Met up again at 5.30 on the beach for a walk. Still over dressed in comparison with the locals. Totally different opinion of the beach close up. Tide was coming in. Sun was setting - it was a hazy, salty sunset end to a humid day. Plenty of action as we transitioned to evening. Water was icy cold. Sand was dirty. And everywhere was covered in litter! Bottles, plates, food, paper, plastic - just everywhere. There were two lonely picker upperers on the 2 k stretch that we walked but they would need two thousand to make a difference. The tide was picking the rubbish up and it was bobbing in the water no doubt making its way around to the polluted no swimming bay! Machines must come in at night otherwise we'd be climbing over mountains of debris.

Transition day to night

Off the beach foreshore we just picked the beach restaurant we came across. An Italian joint - we had front row beach seats which was handy because we had ready access to the gentleman wandering outside the railing offered us Viagra tablets. We must have looked the type who needed them because we had so much clothing on. Did note he wasn't pausing at the young couples! Anyway, moving on.

Edge of restaurant - where the Viagra man plies his wares!

 Felt a little like we were in Fawlty Towers. Food and drinks were aok , when you could get them, but the service was on another plane. So low. @Deb felt so sorry for the people in the table next to us she was almost on the table dancing trying to get the some attention. The indignity of it all was when the bill came it had a cover charge and a tip already included on it which rounded out to 20%! Figure the cover charge was for the drug dude. Forget not happy Jan .. it was not happy everyone!!

Food and drink hard to come by - cutlery was also scarce - but tip and cover charge included

That bl$$dy tip took my iced coffee money and my market cash stash. Didn't they know we'd slogged all morning in the laundry and walked 500 miles (well three blocks) to save on bank fees?]

Back home to pack amd consume the last of the in house stores. Twigged the ladt of the Pinit Gris out of the bottle still gripping about the restaurant.

Set the alarm ... and settled in for our three and a half hours of sleep. Hey, we had a great day - loved our tour, got clean clothes and a working phone. Life is grand.

Can you believe this?

🌟 Jaw-Dropping Facts About Old Town Rio from Co-pilot ... we did drive bys with @Barbra and got heads up ... but no time to visit ... need loads more time in Rio!

1. The City’s Name Is a Mistake

- Rio de Janeiro means “January River”—but there is no river. In January 1502, Portuguese explorers mistook Guanabara Bay for the mouth of a river and named the city accordingly.  

2. The Royal Palace of Brazil

- The Paço Imperial (Imperial Palace) in Old Town was once the seat of Portuguese royalty when the court fled Napoleon in 1808.  

- It became the only European capital outside Europe, as Rio briefly served as the capital of the Portuguese Empire.  

3. Underground Slave Tunnels

- Beneath Old Town lie hidden tunnels and cellars used during the transatlantic slave trade.  

- The Valongo Wharf, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, was the largest slave port in the Americas, where nearly 1 million enslaved Africans arrived.  

4. The Oldest Street in Rio

- Rua Primeiro de Março is considered Rio’s oldest street, lined with colonial buildings, churches, and the Candelária Church, which witnessed both royal ceremonies and political protests.  

5. Coffee Barons and Opulence

- In the 19th century, Rio’s Old Town was transformed by coffee wealth. The Theatro Municipal, inspired by the Paris Opera, is a jaw-dropping symbol of this opulence.  

6. Carnival’s Roots in Old Town

- The first organized Carnival parades began in Rio’s historic center in the 19th century, blending European masquerade traditions with African drumming and samba rhythms.  

7. A Hidden Aqueduct Turned Tramway

- The Arcos da Lapa (Lapa Arches), originally built as an aqueduct in the 18th century, now carry the famous Santa Teresa tram—a living piece of engineering history.  

Survival Barometer

Steps 22 104 .. it was the washing in the morning and the beach and dinner walk that threw us over the edge!

Weather 33 and high humidity!

Health - ok except for the nose niggle and the cough. Started altitude meds today

For Jesse ... took you for a walk on the steps today! Taking it to the top.

"I am a hugger too, just like @Barbra."

21: A marathon in Rio

Jeep Tour- seemed like a good idea at the time - a bit squished

    LOCATION:  RIo de Janeiro

Seemed like a great idea at the time from the comfort of air conditioning in Daisy Hill. But the reality of a 10 hour 20 minute day, sitting sideways on a cramped bench, under 30 degree heat in 83% humidity, with intermittent showers was a little different.

jeepers creepers too many swerves and curves but all smiles on land

And if we could have created the least favourite day for @Deb this would be it. Uncomfortable with heights and positively queasy with speedy, swerving, edge clinging mountain driving ... this was it. If only we could have thrown in an uphill bike ride - it would have probably made it to the "hell" category for her - but with determined crossing, clenching and clutching (think even her pelvic floors got a work put),  @Deb was smiling at every way point and stop that involved terra ferma. 

Okay, once you deal with the “reality” of some of the "out of comfort" moments- just get that out of the way - I have to say the experience was super fun AND Rio as a destination, speaks for itself. What a gem. 

Speaks for itself

Mountain remnants everywhere - steep cliffs falling to the ocean and providing a backdrop to the urban area. Sweeping bays, sandy beaches, water and sunshine. And Christ the Redeemer, supervising it all either through the sweeping mist of a cloud or shining white and bright backed by blue skies.

And yep, two special HUMUNGOUS ticks today - the Brazilian meat BBQ for carnivore @Mac and our first spot of the toucan in the wild. What a day.

The Adventure

Today’s activities included:

A. Jeep Tour - 4 Wonders of Rio - We were on tour with @Philippe today and fellow travellers @Irene and Jeff (Leeds in the UK), @Hanah and @Michael (father and daughter from Germany) and @Maria and @Barry (Brisbane.) 

We were shoulder to shoulder and knee to knee with them on this trip. Was sort of a bonus really - in this close proximity and in the vehicle for many kms getting from place to place, we really managed to fall into "have a chat mode." When you think about it @Mac, it was just like Gold Leaf on the Rocky Mountaineer - you were up close for all the views, but without the glass dome, the comfy seats, the air-con, the room, the food or the Bailey's. But same same. 😅🤣😂

Take us to the top

Stop 1: Sugar Loaf Mountain: a windy, limited access  cobblestone lane way gave us priority access to the base station to pick up the first cable car. The progress up the mountain is divided into two stages - a swinging car that delivers you to an interchange. And a second ride to reach the top.  I think I heard it is heralded as one of the first in the world (fact check needed.)

The climb to the top

One of my fav pics - resilience - @Deb found a spot in the middle and hung on. #trooper 

The mountain peaks rise up from a small peninsula at the entrance of Guanabara Bay (believe you cannot swim in here - visitors can only use the sand, the water heavily polluted - fact check needed) , its name is said to refer to its resemblance to the traditional shape of a sugar loaf. Another confusing story here - what is a sugar Loaf? I thought it was the cabbage but I think we were told it was named after the bags the pounds stakes of sugar cane were place in! Research pending.

Living on the edge - well nearly - one row back

A bit of history included on the first level

The first cable car delivered us to the top of Urca Hill, which rises 215 metres above sea level and offers spectacular views of the entire bay and its island. 

Banana benders on Sugar Loaf supervised by Christ the Redeemer in the background

From this distinct and separate Urca Hill, the second cable car was  to the top of Sugar Loaf which rises 395 metres above sea level and offers a 360 degree view of the entire city including Botafogo and Copacabana beaches, Corcovado and downtown Rio.

Every angle ... beautiful

The views were spectacular. The water looked calm and inviting. The beaches made perfect inviting arcs for boats and swimmers. The proliferation of concrete buildings and glass, shimmer and reflect the sunlight and pops of colour break up the green and silver of the vegetation. Oil rigs were visible in the Port in the distance and cargo and cruise ships dotted the horizon. AIrcraft, helicopters and birds circled in the sky.  And yes, the bowed head and the open arms of Christ the Redeemer constantly drew your eyes, often wrapped in wafts of cloud and mist and welcomed and embraced you in Rio de Janiero. Classic! Iconic! 

Wanted this pic because through the haze would see the Rio-Niteroi Bridge - approximately 13.29 kilometers (8.26 miles) long, with 8.83 kilometers of that distance directly over the waters of Guanabara Bay - could be a bridge run for @Mac!

@Deb just couldn't wait to get back into those swinging cars for the descent - but took up a centre spot and soldiered on to the next "new heights."

Stop 2: Now there are busy places and then there are BUSY places. This was the latter.  A heaving mass, where every millennial wanted the perfect Insta shot. No joke, you have to step over and around people prone on the ground on their back trying to take that perfect angle! Some with self-esteem sticks - imagine the thrill of that if you weren't paying attention.  With my lack of peripheral vision, it is quite possible I may have been responsible for some road kill here. 

For just a few seconds a bit of blue - but spectacular with any background

We did have priority driving privileges and parking but after that we were in the queue. There's a process- get a band, get scanned (many many times) join the snaking queue, board the mini van for transit to the elevators, left elevator to take two fights of outdoor escalators... and you are there, under his armpit at the base of the plinth. 

Just got to line up with the locals before accessing elevators

This is the "barely move" zone but as you progressed down two levels of platforms out to the best vantage point you are in the "no move" zone and have to step over bodies and avoid losing your balance and accidentally knocking the people over the edge who are standing, sitting or kneeling on the ledges (which bear big clear signage not to!!!!)  which are the barrier to the cliff face. The "Tourista Policia" have shrill whistles which are blowing to attract your attention if you are being naughty. They really pip pip pip constantly and the "naughty ones" never look their way.

The crush - all worth it

To be fair - somehow it all works. The hubbub and bustle is all part of the journey that makes the destination so much sweeter. Like us, everyone had come from somewhere to this place to stamp it with a special memory. We all have that extra few seconds  up our sleeve to wait, take your turn, snap someone else's picture or just stand still for a few moments and take it all in.

Didnt matter the backdrop - all perfect

When we could exit the squeeze we made a few minutes to run the lap around the base and  from this height on Corcovado we could see the beaches of Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon, the Rodrigo de Freitas Lagoon and the Botanical Gardens.

Well hello

The statue was  shrouded in a misty cloud which constantly swished and swirled by, but for about 5 seconds a blue sky appeared - the crowd did let out a little collective gasp of wonder. At one stage a para glider popped out of the mist doing loop the loops over the edge of @Corcovado. Classic! Iconic!

Stop 3: Lunch at Carreta Classic Grill, a carnivore's delight. We did have to drive a significant distance to find this pace and at first queuing, there was a chance we did not have a booking! Persistence and patience paid off because we managed to score a table outside. Actually quite please with this outcome because inside was "tango dinner squashed" and with a noise level to match "anywhere in China.."  Fresh air, sunshine, conversations and great food and drink.

A tick for the BBQ

This is where the salad bar stretches endlessly over a number of tiers, and no male seems to touch it! But the ladies definitely indulge.

The waiters come with piping hot skewer of meat - beef, pork, chicken - in a variety of cuts, prepared with different flavourings and BBQ'd from rare to well done. You just keep smiling and nodding and they keep offering and sticking. As usual, I was done after two (roast beef was a winner) but @Mac kept nodding and smiling for 7 rounds and finally declined at round 8 which was a skewer of chicken hearts!!!! Than sorted the boys from the men!

A beer? That can't be right

Worth noting the drinks round. I enjoyed a local beer and @Mac opted for a local cocktail recommended by @Irene and @Jeff yesterday. Surprisingly it came out with an inverted Corona in it - so in total that males for @Mac's second beer ever (the other was in Germany on the top deck of the river cruise.) The cocktail was a winner though - it was a double and had plenty of lime along with the sugar cane based rum - thinking the beer didn't even get to register on the taste buds.

As an aside here - and totally biased palate ... yes, we enjoyed and lapped it all up ... but Aussie seafood and steak are the definite winners ... I can't wait for @Mac to fore up the BBQ at home.

Stop 4: Well planned - after lunch, the biggest walk of the day - a time to stretch the legs and settle the tummy at the Botantical Gardens, founded by Dom Joao VI in 1808 as an Acclimation Garden for exotic plants. It was transformed over nearly two centuries into the Research Institute of the Botanic Garden of Rio de Janeiro and now contains more than 6,000 different species of tropical and subtropical plants and trees, including 900 varieties of palm trees (I read the sign 😀)

Park strolls

We strolled through keeping our eyes out for wildlife and trying to make the connections @Phillipe was sharing - visited the specialist lily ponds, orchid house and bromelaid displays.

Glimpses of animals

All of this was dwarfed by the toucans. Yes, real live ones! In the the tree top. Flapping and hopping from branch to bramch. I can't definitively say who can claim this - was either @Deb or me asking when the toilet stop was or @Mac spotting a toilet block - but the combination meant we were delayed in this spot just at the right time.

I emerged from the loo block oblivious of all the action above to hear @Mac frantically or maybe that should be urgently, calling "Jan ... Jan .... Jan ... Jan."

There a at least five hidden - can you find them

A grainy enlarged silhouette as a hint

Took me a few secs but I zeroed in and caught them bouncing from branch to branch. Just as I remembered the phone to take pictures, the cloud above unzipped and water poured down in a stream that rivalled the Iguazú Falls entrance. 

The birds were so fast. Very lucky to spot them. But the big yellow beaks and black bodies definitely visible in the green of the trees.  Admitting - pictures not the greatest, but we were there and saw them. Yippee,  another tick.

Step 5: Tijuca Forest - this little trip had to be the piece de resistance for @Deb. A wild fast ride on narrow cobble stone and pot holes road on the cliff side of the road filled with uphill and down dale swerving and curving action. Add to that the two way traffic for big vehicles, bike riders and pedestrians and absolutely randomly parked care, this was not a dream run. At one stage @Deb's query "Are we going down hill?" met with attempts at suppressed guffaws. It was down hill in every direction and I am not confident in reporting on how much of our vehicle was hanging outside of the roadway. That downhill question could have all sorts of meaning.

The rush was to get to the gate of the park before closure. There were so many turns - just when you thought you were up ... and in .   there was another mountain to climb. 

After 35 minutes of this elongated roller coaster ride - we arrived and were met by dozens of walkers or workers leaving. All of this for a "waterfall." Poor @Deb. Kinda funny really - given we had just viewed the mighty Iguazu from both sides of the border... we were thinking this better be something!

That's not a waterfall!

Tijuca Forest is the world's largest urban forest, a restored 3,953-hectare rainforest teeming with biodiversity, monkeys, and waterfalls like Cascata Taunay, its tallest,  our first destination and one of two focal points of the visit. The forest provides an Amazon-like experience within city limits, covering a massive, hilly area. 

Originally, the area was cleared for coffee and sugar plantations. The forest was replanted in the 1800s to protect the city's water supply, making it a giant reforested area.  Today, it acts as a vital city temperature regulator (lowering temps by up to 9 degrees (fact check needed)) and provides fresh water for the city.

Running out of light - and energy

Surprised - made the connection that this national park is divided into three main sectors, containing landmarks like the Cristo Redentor statue (Corcovado) ... light bulb moment .......  Pedra Bonita, and Vista Chinesa .. that was our next stop.

Okay, the waterfall. Think Natural Arch. Cascading waterfalls. Bridge. Swimming hole. In rainforest.  And there were people swimming - just not anyone from our group (I'm reluctant, almost paranoid @Liz, unless i can smell chemicals to kill stuff! Need to get over that before we get to Galapagos. )Nice? Yes. Remarkable ..  um ...

Back in the vehicle for a few more twists and turns brought us to  the Vista Chinese. It was a Vista- the views were stunning with thr magnificent vIpanema and Copacabana beaches, Guanabara Bay and Niteroi all curving in front of us.

 Took all the obligatory pictures and confessing we were all getting a bit hot and thirsty by now so may not have been quite as enthusiastic as we should have been.

Squeezed back onto our benches (not sure we needed seatbelts we were so wedged in.) Under fading light we took a different winding, swerving, curving route out of the forest, this time accompanied by roars of motor bikes as the workers made their daily trek home at speeds which were more than the old hummer, without power steering and the one metre high manual gear stick change could manage. Joined the highway for the peak hour traffic drop off run to the three hotels. Of course, you guessed it .. we were LAST. It was a long noisy but vibrant drive along the beach stretch. It was alive with beach volleyball and tennis, an endless stretch of on the sand restaurants and bars. Music blended with the traffic noise and people were walking, jogging,  exercising in sort of cross fit groups, eating drinking, singing and dancing. Shirts on men were an optional extra and cheek coverings for anyone under 30 were non existent- if you are thinking the face ... think lower. Bare feet was totally acceptable . Healthy, happy, alive and fun. Not a bad ending to the day.

The itinerary had described the adventure as 8-9 hours. We were ten hours and twenty minutes! It was a no brainer - we were parched and soaking wet from sweat. We were still recovering from lunch and opted for last night's leftovers. @Mac and I went straight to the supermarket and picked up topups for both rooms and threw in a couple protein shakes and a cork screw bottle opener combo!

M...a....t ...e... (draw it out) we were totally knackered. Not as young as we used to be.

It's okay, a 10 am start tomorrow morning - for a walking (eek) tour - @Mac might get a sleep in and @Deb won't be swinging cable cars and white knuckling in a Jeep AND can have her eyes open to see things in the journey.

PS Please note, we were not inspired to be a local on our supermarket run - Chest covered, cheeks covered (i didn't really fit the demographic) and the Inala boy even opted for shoes. Just in case you were wondering 

PPS we have two pending disasters - @DeLoy also known as the @Wilsons in Rio are down to their last change of clothes for tomorrow- so we need a laundry STAT.

My phone took an absolute hammering in the rain at the park and is firing off urgent messages to turn it off when the charger is plugged in! Message says electrical are wet. Got some hair dryer action planned. Fingers crossed

Survival Barometer

Steps 17 700

Weather 32 degrees 83% humidity

Health a little throat niggle x 2

Can you believe this? 

🌟 Key Facts About Christ the Redeemer

📍 Location & Symbolism

• The statue stands atop Mount Corcovado in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, overlooking the entire city.
• It is one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, officially recognized in 2007.

🛠️ Construction & Design

• Designed by French sculptor Paul Landowski and Brazilian engineer Heitor da Silva Costa, with the face sculpted by Gheorghe Leonida.
• Built using reinforced concrete and covered with soapstone, chosen for its durability and smooth appearance.
• Construction was completed in 1931 after about nine years of work.

📏 Size & Dimensions

• • Statue height: 30 m (98 ft)
  • Pedestal height: 8 m (26 ft)
  • Total height: 38 m (125 ft)
  • Arm span: 28 m (92 ft)

  🙌 Cultural Importance

  • It is one of the most recognizable symbols of Christianity worldwide and a cultural emblem of Brazil.
  • Originally proposed as early as 1850 by a Catholic priest, long before construction began.

For Jesse - out and about with us on the visit high above Rio today

"Nanny, you said it was a bit squishy - i think I could fit and even bring a special plus one."