How lucky can any one human being be to see TWO of the New Seven Wonders of the World in the same week? Count me as one of them.
Any visit to Rio de Janeiro MUST include a stop at O Cristo Redentor, or The Christ the Redeemer, statue which towers over the city of Rio and is one of the most recognizable icons of Brazil and a universal symbol of Christianity known world-wide. Considered to be the largest Art Deco statue in the world, Christ the Redeemer looms over Rio at a staggering height of 2,300 feet. It is 130 feet tall, 98 feet wide and weighs a whopping 635 tons of reinforced concrete and soapstone. The colossal sculpture took nine years to construct between the years 1922 and 1931 at a cost of $250,000 mostly from donations made by Brazilian Catholics. In recent years, the statue has sustained some nasty injuries. In February, 2008, it was struck by lightning and sections of the fingers and head were zapped and damaged. In April, 2010, some fools sprayed graffiti on the sculptures head and right arm. (How the hell did they get access to it with all the security surrounding it? Perhaps a new candidate for the next wonders of the world"! )
My trip up to Corcovado Mountain was arranged by the friendly staff at the Mercure Hotel where I'm staying after my inquiries about how to most easily get up and back. The concierge informed me that this site is always packed with tourists due to its popularity and especially recently because of the spectacular weather and clear skies. He warned me that it would not be easy but gave me several options. I could take a city taxi up to the site and battle the crowds on my own, but I would only be dropped off at the base of the mountain and have to take a shuttle bus from there to the top which would take a considerable amount of time. Or, I could have the hotel driver, Carlos, drive me there and he would be able to deliver me to the top of the mountain at the entrance, wait 2 hours for me and bring me back. Of course, this option would come with a bigger price tag.
Hmmmm...quick inner debate. Take half a day and go back into battle or ride in a brand-new, air-conditioned mini-limo and get "express lane" service. Considering that, at this point, I've only used less than half of the spending money I'd brought with me and only three days left, it was really a no-brainer for me. "Call Carlos!," I told him without hesitation.
Within 10 minutes, after grabbing my camera, a my trusty bandana to keep my bald head from being burned under the bright Brazilian sky, my ever present water bottle, my sunglasses, and yes - a big handful of cash, we set off for the mountain. Through the busy streets of Rio, winding around several of its residential neighborhoods, through a long, spooky tunnel, past two lakes full of canoes and sailboats, past thousands of palm trees and giant, tropical plants that I could not even begin to identify, Carlos turned off the freeway and began the long descent up Corcovado Mountain. At one point, in his broken and extremely limited English, he pointed out the point at which the regular taxi would have abandoned me. With his special tourism credential badge, which he flashed at the authorities, we zipped past the gates and the hundreds of less-fortunate pilgrims who were waiting for transport up the hillside. We both chuckled a little feeling a hint of sympathy toward them and also at how wonderful this more privileged option was turning out to be!
Up the zigzagging, cobblestone switchback we went, a hundred or more hairpin curves, back and forth, upward and upward, large mansions with tall, walled gates and banana trees adorning the yards, sections of lush, tropical jungle with vines dangling from incredible heights and choking the trunks of the trees from which they were born. My eyes, full of bewilderment, could not believe the number of species of exotic plants, so with leaves six feet across, that were flashing by! It was a botanist's dream come true. At one point, the car in front of us slowed, and we were treated by a family of six Marmoset monkeys crossing the roadway. Everyone stopped respectfully and curiously - and with great delight - to observe this crossing. Later, Carlos, with his well-trained tour guide eye, suddenly slowed and pointed out with excitement (even in his voice I could hear it was a novelty for him) a very special cameo appearance by a large, maned, medium-brown, three-toed sloth lazily maneuvering its way across a branch overhanging the road. Incredible!
Finally, after this wild, rollercoaster-like climb, strangely reminiscent of last week's ascent to Machu Picchu, we arrived at the official entrance to the O Cristo Redentor site. A long line of at least one thousand people stretched out in front of the gates, much to my chagrin and discouragement, but as we passed a man holding a thick roll of white entrance tickets, Carlos rolled down his window, spoke a few words of Portuguese to him and - voila - in through the window came my ticket. Carlos smiled, looked at me and said, "You just pay me later. It's OK; you go!" So out I went, right through the main gates and up toward the enormous, 31 feet tall, black marble platform on which Jesus Christ, standing with His arms open wide to the entire world, stood before me.
What an amazing site. On such a perfect day, the light on my subject was perfect. With the gorgeous blue sky as a background and the pale grey soapstone, I was fascinated by the contrast. Digital cameras and cell phones beeped, clicked and buzzed all around me as everyone, countless numbers of whom were standing with their arms outstretched as if to mimic the statue, were posing for their pictures. The crowd was thick, it was difficult to maneuver into position for some of the shots I wanted, but patience, a photographer's best friend, helped me in this important task. The statue of Christ the Redeemer is absolutely awe-inspiring up close. The dimensions, scale and size of it are indeed worthy of its notoriety.
Beyond the statue, after taking a large set of photographs, I continued on toward the narrow platform which boasts the best view of all of the city of Rio de Janeiro. Understandably, every person who comes to Cordovado Mountain must work his or her way to the extreme edge of this viewing area that overlooks the entire region and yields a 270 degree, territorial vista of the world below - the sprawling city, the dozens of sandy beaches, the glistening lakes, grand Sugarloaf Mountain, the jagged granite outcroppings shoved skyward from the ground punctuating the landscape everywhere below. It is a sight worthy of the 30 minutes it took me to systematically weasel my way through the multi-national mob, using (just a couple of times admittedly) "Frenchie's" techniques since all bets were off in my attempt to reach THE prime spot and considering everyone else was using their own gladiator tactics to get to the same place for their one minute of glory. In the end, my two-foot space finally opened up long enough for me to squeeze in, snap some pictures and even a short video clip, panning from east to west and capturing the whole scene in panorama. As soon as I turned to walk away, the space was filled again instantly as if in a vacuum.
So thanks to a wise decision made back at the hotel, a crafty driver with "connections" named Carlos (one of several angels who have appeared to me on this adventure), and a beautiful, sunny day gifted to me, my visit to this shrine - a "must-see" for any person who comes to Rio, was complete, successful, swift and convenient.
I promise you that in the next two years, as the 2016 Olympics come to Rio de Janeiro, the image of Christ the Redeemer will be an integral and emblematic image that will become inextricably associated with the games and one that I will have a very special, personal connection to after this most memorable day.
Any visit to Rio de Janeiro MUST include a stop at O Cristo Redentor, or The Christ the Redeemer, statue which towers over the city of Rio and is one of the most recognizable icons of Brazil and a universal symbol of Christianity known world-wide. Considered to be the largest Art Deco statue in the world, Christ the Redeemer looms over Rio at a staggering height of 2,300 feet. It is 130 feet tall, 98 feet wide and weighs a whopping 635 tons of reinforced concrete and soapstone. The colossal sculpture took nine years to construct between the years 1922 and 1931 at a cost of $250,000 mostly from donations made by Brazilian Catholics. In recent years, the statue has sustained some nasty injuries. In February, 2008, it was struck by lightning and sections of the fingers and head were zapped and damaged. In April, 2010, some fools sprayed graffiti on the sculptures head and right arm. (How the hell did they get access to it with all the security surrounding it? Perhaps a new candidate for the next wonders of the world"! )
My trip up to Corcovado Mountain was arranged by the friendly staff at the Mercure Hotel where I'm staying after my inquiries about how to most easily get up and back. The concierge informed me that this site is always packed with tourists due to its popularity and especially recently because of the spectacular weather and clear skies. He warned me that it would not be easy but gave me several options. I could take a city taxi up to the site and battle the crowds on my own, but I would only be dropped off at the base of the mountain and have to take a shuttle bus from there to the top which would take a considerable amount of time. Or, I could have the hotel driver, Carlos, drive me there and he would be able to deliver me to the top of the mountain at the entrance, wait 2 hours for me and bring me back. Of course, this option would come with a bigger price tag.
Hmmmm...quick inner debate. Take half a day and go back into battle or ride in a brand-new, air-conditioned mini-limo and get "express lane" service. Considering that, at this point, I've only used less than half of the spending money I'd brought with me and only three days left, it was really a no-brainer for me. "Call Carlos!," I told him without hesitation.
Within 10 minutes, after grabbing my camera, a my trusty bandana to keep my bald head from being burned under the bright Brazilian sky, my ever present water bottle, my sunglasses, and yes - a big handful of cash, we set off for the mountain. Through the busy streets of Rio, winding around several of its residential neighborhoods, through a long, spooky tunnel, past two lakes full of canoes and sailboats, past thousands of palm trees and giant, tropical plants that I could not even begin to identify, Carlos turned off the freeway and began the long descent up Corcovado Mountain. At one point, in his broken and extremely limited English, he pointed out the point at which the regular taxi would have abandoned me. With his special tourism credential badge, which he flashed at the authorities, we zipped past the gates and the hundreds of less-fortunate pilgrims who were waiting for transport up the hillside. We both chuckled a little feeling a hint of sympathy toward them and also at how wonderful this more privileged option was turning out to be!
Up the zigzagging, cobblestone switchback we went, a hundred or more hairpin curves, back and forth, upward and upward, large mansions with tall, walled gates and banana trees adorning the yards, sections of lush, tropical jungle with vines dangling from incredible heights and choking the trunks of the trees from which they were born. My eyes, full of bewilderment, could not believe the number of species of exotic plants, so with leaves six feet across, that were flashing by! It was a botanist's dream come true. At one point, the car in front of us slowed, and we were treated by a family of six Marmoset monkeys crossing the roadway. Everyone stopped respectfully and curiously - and with great delight - to observe this crossing. Later, Carlos, with his well-trained tour guide eye, suddenly slowed and pointed out with excitement (even in his voice I could hear it was a novelty for him) a very special cameo appearance by a large, maned, medium-brown, three-toed sloth lazily maneuvering its way across a branch overhanging the road. Incredible!
Finally, after this wild, rollercoaster-like climb, strangely reminiscent of last week's ascent to Machu Picchu, we arrived at the official entrance to the O Cristo Redentor site. A long line of at least one thousand people stretched out in front of the gates, much to my chagrin and discouragement, but as we passed a man holding a thick roll of white entrance tickets, Carlos rolled down his window, spoke a few words of Portuguese to him and - voila - in through the window came my ticket. Carlos smiled, looked at me and said, "You just pay me later. It's OK; you go!" So out I went, right through the main gates and up toward the enormous, 31 feet tall, black marble platform on which Jesus Christ, standing with His arms open wide to the entire world, stood before me.
What an amazing site. On such a perfect day, the light on my subject was perfect. With the gorgeous blue sky as a background and the pale grey soapstone, I was fascinated by the contrast. Digital cameras and cell phones beeped, clicked and buzzed all around me as everyone, countless numbers of whom were standing with their arms outstretched as if to mimic the statue, were posing for their pictures. The crowd was thick, it was difficult to maneuver into position for some of the shots I wanted, but patience, a photographer's best friend, helped me in this important task. The statue of Christ the Redeemer is absolutely awe-inspiring up close. The dimensions, scale and size of it are indeed worthy of its notoriety.
Beyond the statue, after taking a large set of photographs, I continued on toward the narrow platform which boasts the best view of all of the city of Rio de Janeiro. Understandably, every person who comes to Cordovado Mountain must work his or her way to the extreme edge of this viewing area that overlooks the entire region and yields a 270 degree, territorial vista of the world below - the sprawling city, the dozens of sandy beaches, the glistening lakes, grand Sugarloaf Mountain, the jagged granite outcroppings shoved skyward from the ground punctuating the landscape everywhere below. It is a sight worthy of the 30 minutes it took me to systematically weasel my way through the multi-national mob, using (just a couple of times admittedly) "Frenchie's" techniques since all bets were off in my attempt to reach THE prime spot and considering everyone else was using their own gladiator tactics to get to the same place for their one minute of glory. In the end, my two-foot space finally opened up long enough for me to squeeze in, snap some pictures and even a short video clip, panning from east to west and capturing the whole scene in panorama. As soon as I turned to walk away, the space was filled again instantly as if in a vacuum.
So thanks to a wise decision made back at the hotel, a crafty driver with "connections" named Carlos (one of several angels who have appeared to me on this adventure), and a beautiful, sunny day gifted to me, my visit to this shrine - a "must-see" for any person who comes to Rio, was complete, successful, swift and convenient.
I promise you that in the next two years, as the 2016 Olympics come to Rio de Janeiro, the image of Christ the Redeemer will be an integral and emblematic image that will become inextricably associated with the games and one that I will have a very special, personal connection to after this most memorable day.
... another wonderful day. Extra cash at the end of a vacation -- that never happens to me.
ReplyDeleteHehehe...maybe it's because I'm Irish; we tend to ber a little frugal! But also, traveling through the parts of South America where I went first, the cost of living is relatively low. Everything was pretty cheap- food, lodging, trinkets, etc. But even here in Rio, a nice dinner will only cost about 20 bucks!
ReplyDeleteFor some reason, your dimensions made me think of the 787 program my son is involved with and I thought of the plane's dimensions. Christ the Redeemer's height is 2/3 the length and the outstretched arms are 1/2 the width of -- A 787 JUMBO JET!!! Closest thing I've seen is "Touchdown Jesus" on the campus of Notre Dame but the entire mural is not as big as Christ the Redeemer. What a sight to behold! I didn't know the Olympics were going to be there in 6 years and now I will think of you everytime they pan the city and mountains which will be at every commercial break. :) Glad your Irish side lost out and you took the easy route. You're in the home stretch -- enjoy it!
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