Of all the places I have visited, I was most nervous to visit Rio. Rio has a reputation as a wild city – which can be the most fun but also can skew dangerously in a second. With these cautious ringing in my ears, I arrived in Rio with low expectations. However, this city really won me over in a way I never anticipated.
Upon arriving at my Santa Teresa hostel, I was invited out to sample the caipirinha-filled samba night on the streets of Lapa in downtown Rio.
The view from the hostel terrace (and the cute resident pup):
From that excessive and exciting start, Rio just kept getting better. I did a lot of wandering while in Rio. The energy of this city just pulls you in all sorts of interesting directions. Here were some of the best bits I encountered while exploring the Miraculous city.
From the top of Sugar Loaf Mountain:
At the Selaron Steps (Escadaria Selarón):
At the Catedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião:
From the soft sand of Cococabana beach:
And all the special places in between:
Discovering the delightful idiosyncrasies of a new place. Like these wild cannonball /monkey flower trees (Couroupita Guianensis).
And making new friends:
Lovely Outliers 