Corcovado & Sugarloaf

Two of the iconic images of Rio are Christo Rendentor (Christ the Redeemer) onto of Corcovado and Sugarloaf mountain. To be honest, by this time I was a bit knackered from the heat, lack of sleep on the yacht and the social atmosphere that reigned among the sailors :) However tired I was, I was not going to miss out on seeing these places.

Corcovado
We got complimentary tickets to Corcovado, but there was a catch. We had to be on the first tram up the mountain. I went with Ricky & Paco, but I missed them the previous day. So I had no idea whether they were able to pick up the comps from the YC office. Ricky woke me up at 7am & we decided to take a chance and just go there.

Some of the Indian navy guys were already there (they planned properly) and they had already put the ball on the roll. Ticket in hand, we made our way up the very steep slope. I don’t get motion sickness, but I think the prize giving food did not agree with me. So I was not a happy camper. Fortunately I survived.

The top is nice, just very tourist orientated. Everyone is taking photos like crazy! Kodak or Fuji must have paid off factories in the past with the revenue from film…just from Rio! Of course I couldn’t come up here and not take a photo (damn I felt like a tourist). What was a nice surprise was the chapel that is build into the base of the statue (no photographs allowed inside). Corcovado….check.

They guys – Tram of destiny

Inside the tram

  
Money shot – From the shadows – The hands & head were the only parts that were brought up in once piece during construction

  

Views: Sugarloaf – Over Leblon, in the direction of Barra de Tijuca

    
Paco & Ricky – Entrance to the chapel, in the base of the statue

 

Sugarloaf
I didn’t go up Sugarloaf on the same day due the my health problem mentioned above. A couple of days later I was feeling much better & to miss the heat of the day went up in the late afternoon. You can’t walk up to the summit, should you wish (unlike Corcovado which you can do by walking through the slums). You have to take two cable cars, similar to Table Mountain except it doesn’t rotate. I think the only reason to go up is to see the views of Rio.

At the first peak (Sugarloaf is the second peak, can’t remember the first’s name) there are some shops, helicopter rides and a small stage (probably for special occasions). The view is great…as you would expect. At the second peak, Sugarloaf, there are more shops and plenty of place to take photos. It is truly amazing how far you can see.

I went down a path on the Eastern side which takes you through a small forest of bamboo and trees. From here you can see all the way to Niteroi (across the bay from Rio). There was some couple that looked to be a bit friendly. They moved on shortly after I arrived.

The views are great and I can’t think of a better example of a natural platform to view a city from (except of course Table Mountain :) )

Cable car shots: The bottom station – Looking at the first peak – ICRJ (where we docked)

Corcovado in the background: Some random ugly guy :) – Overlooking Rio – with Joyride chopper

The bay is guarded by 3 forts which made it  practically impregnable. Can you spot them? – The mind behind the Sugarloaf cable car