DAY NINE: Sugar Loaf at Night

Had the opportunity to take the cable car up to the top of Sugar Loaf (Pao de Acucar) in Rio today with my host teacher, Eduardo, his wife Janine and my fellow IREX teacher, David. As you can tell by the short video posted here, I can barely muster any words other than, "amazing." Now that I have time to reflect a bit, here are some more that come to mind: humbling, transcendant, other-worldly, magnificent, surreal. I found myself thinking about my mother while on top of Sugar Loaf, as she loved to travel (I think that's where I get the bug). I think it would have made her happy to know I was there.



Me, Eduardo, and Janine. Check out Eduardo's shirt!

My colleague, David on top of the world (literally and figuratively).

The view from Pao de Acucar. Christ the Redeemer in the upper left (bathed in green for Rio +20). From this vantage point, I can understand why Rio is often called "The Marvelous City," or Cidade Maravilhosa.

Kids playing soccer (futebol) on Copacabana Beach (Sugar Loaf in the distance).

One more shot of Rio (how can you resist?).

The cable car to the top.

The cable car makes two stops. On top of each hill are restaurants, viewing platforms, bandstands, shops and more.