Peek-a-boo Jesus

I am still in Rio- I can think of worse places to be! As previously stated, the weather (or time) hasn't been great. But it brightened up the other morning so I went to the beach to kill a little time before my trip in the afternoon. Shortly after one the mini bus turned up and about half of the hostel got on it which was cool- loads of people to talk to!

As we drove out towards the hill where the giant Jesus lives we couldn't help but notice that the clouds kept obscuring our view of him. Hum, maybe it would be OK when we got up there.... it wasn't! It was worse! Rio had disappeared beneath a thick white sheet of cloud and Jesus himselves was very much playing a game of 'now you see me, now you don't' To be honest it was hilarious!!

Other tourists didn't seem that impressed but I couldn't stop laughing at the ridiculousness of it all! Then suddenly, gasp, the clouds cleared for a second. Literally a second, they had come back by the time I got my camera out- ho hum, so much for the shiny new camera getting its first outing!

Finally, it cleared enough that we could see the city and Jesus's face, we took photos and came back down the mountain much happier. By the time we got to Sugar Loaf Mountain we had a lovely clear view of Jesus and the city. Glorious!

And in fact everytime that I have seen Jesus (or Christ the Redeemer as the statue is officially known- and it is his 77th birthday today) he has been bathed in glorious sunshine- tut! And I will share the results of the new camera just the moment I can be bothered (internet connection here in the hostel is not very fast!).

Yesterday it was even hotter- as ever I started the day on the beach and then came back to the hostel before it got too hot. In the evening I went to watch a football match in the largest stadium in the world- it was big and it felt like the whole world had turned up to support Flamengo. Shame that the team did little to deserve the rapture of the crowd- losing 3-0 to Athletico. As the ball went into the net for the third time, most of the fans just gave up and went home.

This morning I have been to the beach to watch the marathon being run in 27 degree heat and to the bus station to buy my ticket out of Rio- yes, having extended my stay by two nights already, I am getting on a bus at 11.30 tomorrow night to go to Ouro Preto. Which technically means that I still have today and tomorrow in Rio.

Bom!