Rio: Sunsets, Sea, Mountains and Forest
Sunsets
Sunsets in Rio de Janeiro can be spectacular and the vantage points are great. The only "effect" in this photo is stopping the lens down a stop or so to compensate for shooting directly into the sun. The result is a darker red that matches the real sunset a few minutes later. Most I've seen are not quite this spectacular, but they are usually memorable. That is as much due to the entire setting as the sunset itself.
I've heard people compare Hong Kong to Rio. There is little comparison. I'll give Hong Kong a more exotic flavor for someone in the European tradition. It has a Peak, it has some islands, it has water, it is striking and is nothing to sniff at visually -- it doesn't begin to compare with Rio in natural setting.
While there are a few places with abrupt rises from sea to mountain peak not many, if any have so many of so varied shapes rising from so many ocean beaches and a great bay.
The two best known high vantage points and location of most of my sunset photos are Corcovado and Pão de Acúcar (Sugarloaf). I particularly enjoy both around sunset. After one evening that ran late so that I got a taste of the sunset I was hooked. It is like my obsession with Victoria Embankment in London so that given time there I will at some point make that walk as the lights come on along the river. In Rio one of those high points at sunset is not to be missed.
Rio's lights turning on as a less spectacular sunset fades.
View from Pão de Acúcar toward Flamengo
Sea, Mountains and Forest
This is a daylight shot of the great flat topped mountain, Pedra da Gávia. The flat top would be just to the right of the frame in the red sunset above and is hidden in the clouds and to the right of this photo.
Hang gliding from the top is popular and apparently can be quite a ride as the updrafts can be played to stay aloft for hours. I do remember seeing one launch and after doing some other things seeing the same distinctive wing pattern something like an hour later.
Not as well recognized among foreign tourists is the fact that tropical rain forest is all around. Rio has some of the best remaining examples of the Atlantic coastal forest -- the highly endangered Mata Atlântica that is at last getting attention in Brasil. There are a number of preserves in and around the city.
The most famous dates from Imperial times of dom Pedro II and has close associations with the days of the Imperial Court when Rio was the capital of both Brasil and Portugal. It is entirely possible some of the forest in this photo is part of the Parque Nacional da Tijuca (Tijuca National Park) as it includes much of this area.
The extensive remnant of the original forest (one article in a local magazine featuring the forest showed a photo of today and around 1900 demonstrating much of the forest remains) gives the city much of its spectacular effect. It is also credited with keeping the city around 5º C cooler than if lost.
On the negative side, the country's chronic economic problems lead to severe funding problems. Social problems add to risk for parks. Poor squatters seeing only "unused" land tend to invade parks and some large sections are overcome by shanty towns. The Northeastern city of Recife has a bit of Mata Atlântica for preservation and I was told there is a constant problem of intrusion and clearing for houses. Many parks have poorly defined boundaries. An article in a national eco-travel type magazine, titled "Nossos Pobres Parques" (Our Poor Parks), shows these urban parks around Rio as "high risk." A fundamental social "problem" is that there is a cultural lack of interest in the "woods" and things wild, particularly among the more educated and wealthy people. Few appear to have any interest in leaving "civilization" for any time at all and the article noted the lack of visitation when compared to other nations. I am pleased that this is changing, particularly the younger people, who now seem to understand and appreciate these natural wonders and seem interested in their protection.
Parque Nacional da Tijuca is said to have around 900 plant species, 231 animal species. Darwin spent time here during the Beagle's voyage and commented on the variety. Among its more famous spots is the Vista Chinesa (Chinese Vista) overlooking Corcovado with its statue (Cristo Redentor), Sugarloaf, the bay and the city. It has a number of waterfalls and vistas along with some of the old Imperial spots such as Alto da Boa Vista with its old church. It also includes some of the slopes of Corcovado. The cog railway taking tourists to the top passes through forest that surprises. It is striking to be climbing through the forest (above) with orchids and bromeliads and suddenly cross a narrow street with homes tucked into the trees. The streets were not terrible interruptions of the forest but were more like hard surfaced trails. I was more than a little envious of some of the commuters who left the little train to walk one of those streets home.
Gávia has been compared to the face of a reclining hook nosed giant woman and the skyline from Gávia at the left inland has been described as the giant's head and body. From comparison with maps I'd estimate that this entire view falls within Parque Nacional da Tijuca. Beyond this range is an even larger park, the Parque Estadual da Pedra Branca (White Rock State Park) of around 12,500 hectares (30,875 acres) that is about twice the size of Tijuca.
Panorama - Gávia in upper left with Sugarloaf just out of sight in lower right
Use hook nosed Gávia for reference. Between the camera and Gávia are two smaller twin peaks. This is Morro Dois Irmãos (Two Brothers) where a spectacular tunnel dives into the base from Leblon beach, the far end of the beach extending out from Gávia and Dois Irmãos. The expressway changes from dual two lane to over and under lanes that exit strung over surf crashing into the stone base between the two peaks. It dives into the other peak and exits into the area along the coast of the top photo. There is nothing below that bridge except those big South Atlantic waves rolling in from the Southern Ocean and they surge well up the stone.
The near side of that same beach is Ipanema. Around the point, stretching from left to right are Copacabana and Leme. The ridge breaks the beaches and offshore lies Ilha de Cotunduba. There is a tiny dash of a beach to the right of the ridge and island. It is Vermelha (Red) that lies at the foot of Urca, the first step up Pão de Acúcar. The cable car terminal is behind this beach. Over Urca can be seen bits of Botofogo and Flamengo, the city and bay beaches.
The forest from Corcovado back and left to Gávia is Tijuca. Behind the main ridge, the higher range is part of the park of Pedra Branca. It is clear that these parks are major urban forest preserves, possibly the largest in the world.
Just to the left of the hill separating Leme from Vermelha is a high mountain in front of the range running roughly left to right from Gávia. There is a white spot at its sharp peak and that is Cristo Redentor atop Corcovado. The drop from there is one of the most abrupt and highest I've seen. At one point, back where the snack bar stored its garbage, there was a small fence at a break in the rim. At that point it was possible to look down into the skyscrapers' rooftop swimming pools some 2,400 feet below and get a real feel for the drop.
Photos from behind snack bar. The rock in lower right of the left shot and upper right in the right shot are I believe the same. Trees near the center of the photo at right that appear white are flowering trees in bloom.