Urca and the Sugarloaf
Topic: Brazil
Rio is divided into neighbourhoods, each with a distinct character. We took a local bus Urca on Saturday day to discover the village by the sea within the city and then go up the Sugarloaf mountain.

The main beach in Urca is very scenic. It has the backdrop of the Sugarloaf, Christ the Redeemer looking over it and misty, mysterious mountains straight out to sea. The small promenade is lined with chairs where you can get a beer or drink coconut water straight from the coconut.

We walked through the streets admiring the houses. Some were Portuguese style, others mock Tudors and others art deco, all set in lush gardens. We managed to locate Carmen Miranda's former residence. We decided that if we ever lived in Rio, it would have to be Urca.

Every now and then we looked up at the sugar loaf which seemed to permanently be in cloud. We weren't sure whether to go up it or not. Would there be a view?

We took the risk and got the two cable cars, each about 3 minutes, to the top of the mountain. What a phenomenal view! It was hard to decide what to look at first, the beach we had just been sitting on, the long stretch of Copacabana, the city centre and its parks and beaches, Christ the Redeemer, or Niteroi across the bay circled by a rainbow. Rio really is a gorgeous city. We stayed up there until sunset and still weren't ready to come down.