Day 56: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Our flight finally arrived around 5 or 6am to Rio and we were dying to get out and regain feeling to our lower extremities. But first we had to find an ATM to get new currency (we don´t like currency exchange offices or touts because you get a much better rate if you just do ATM withdrawals) and then find a payphone to call our couchsurfing host to let him know what time we would arrive. We tried at least 160 different phones and realized, thanks to the tourist info desk, that my phone card wasn´t the right kind for these phones.

After unsuccessfully trying to locate the proper kind of phonecard, we realized it was getting rather late in the morning and needed to meet our host before he left for work. We deliberated several more minutes on whether to just show up or what other options we had but finally saw that we would just have to show up unannounced and hope for the best.

Reluctantly, we hopped a city bus outside the airport entrance and headed into the Copacabana neighborhood. We hopped off and easily found the apartment building and rang the buzzer, a little worried at making an impression of being bad guests for not calling as we had promised. But Bernardo our couchsurfing host was ever so welcoming and only politely inquired as to why we didn´t call first.

We apologized repeatedly and explained our phonecard troubles and found out we would have to buy a different one for a few Reals on just about any street corner stand. After introductions and fumbled greetings (by the way, Brazilians in Rio greet with 2 cheek kisses while other parts of Brazil only do 1), we learned a bit about the city and some useful Portuguese phrases before showering and heading out to find some much needed breakfast. We ended up finding a little bakery/cafe with homemade cakes and pastries which were delicious. Unfortunately, we can´t remember the name or how we got there in our post-flight stooper so we can´t recommend it!

We spent the entire day wandering around Copacabana trying to get our bearings in this monstrously huge city and hunt down lodging for the rest of our time here since we could only couchsurf with Bernardo for one night.

Despite what everyone says, you can actually find lodging during Carnival but it´s going to be outrageously expensive. We walked around for an hour or two and found 3 places with availability but were around minimum $50/night/person for regular dorms and shared bathrooms. We couldn´t afford to spend that much money so we didn´t book anything and posted a few pleas for help on the couchsurfing forum.

As both a thank you for hosting us (and also an apology showing up unannounced!), we cooked dinner for Bernardo and Marilia. And they kindly invited us to stay with them for an extra two nights since we were having trouble finding affordable lodging! We were so happy and so grateful, we just couldn´t thank them enough. During dinner they also invited us to go out to a street parade with them tonight to really kick off our start of Carnival!

Chicken curry for supper, Very Tasty

After cleaning up the dishes, we put on some silly masks and hats, and went out to join the parade.

Us with Bernardo and Marilia and one of their friends (Desculpe, I can´t remember his name)

Us in our ¨ready to party¨ costumes

It was a huge group of several hundred people blocking a whole street and spilling up onto the sidewalks on both sides drinking, singing, chatting with friends while we all waited for the samba band to start playing.

Street Parade

Street parade for blocks and blocks

We had a fun time and ended the evening with snacks and juices at a cafe along the way back to the apartment. We were absolutely exhausted from having had a sleepless flight, arriving in the city at 6am and then spending the whole day walking around, and then the night out til 1am. We were ready to drop into deep unconsciousness!