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Miscellaneous

 


 

I had a mandate to get some shiny body paint stuff for one of my Latin 'reporters' and believe me it wasn't that easy to get. I asked many people and finally was lucky enough to come across this store. If you happen to be in Copacabana and need office supply and Carnival paints and stuff try this one: Casa Cruz. They have almost everything. It must be crowded at the store but you'll have more than what you came for.



 

If you have a digital camera and your Compactflash Card is full (most of us have a common problem thinking that the camera memory is not sufficient for more photos :-) ..you can visit a photo shop and request them to burn to a CD.  There are shops that do not offer this service, but with the digital age in photography getting more popularity, a large number of photo shops offer this service already. There are a few on Av. Nossa Senhora de Copacabana and the one I use to go is on R. Constante Ramos. It costs me R$ 10.90 to have the Flash Card - CD transfer. At the Sugar Loaf (Pγo de Aηϊcar) the first cable car stop has a photo store that offers to take your picture and transfer it on a china dish or post card etc.. and can do a Flash card-CD transfer as well for R$15.00.



 

If you have a flight to catch during rush hour (5 or 6 pm) make sure you leave your hotel/home earlier because you may be caught in the trafic jam.

If your plane is bound for USA,  check-in your luggages early because you may be asked to open your luggages for routinary security check.

You have to answer some routine questions whether someone gave you anything to bring or whether you pack your luggages yourself.



If you will be coming for the Rio de Janeiro Carnival you may be soaked in the rain. Very seldom it does happen but in this year's (2005) carnival season, tourists encountered so much rainy days prior to the carnival. 

A Swedish visitor who was in Rio between December and the carnival period noted that rainy days characterized the last four weeks immediately before the Feb 4-8 carnival days. The carnival sked varies year to year. My educated guess is that if the carnival happens end of February, it will likely be a better weather. But who knows. Take a peak at the La Nina or El Nino weather forecasts in the Atlantic before flying.

I took advantage of seeing the Corcovado's Cristo Redentor three days before the start of the carnival. The rain stopped for some few minutes. However after the cog train ride to the top, mist enveloped the mountain top again. I waited for 3 hours only to get a few second glimpse of Rio's skylines. Now you see it, now you don't.

I could be wrong but if you are planning to come to Rio at the middle of March I think you won't be pestered with too much rainy days. Check the weather forecast for Rio. It ain't Spain where the rain stays mainly in the plain. The Amazon jungle is close by. The probability of precipitation could be enormous in any given day.





- WHAT A DIFFERENCE 12 HOUR FLIGHT MAKES?  A hot and balmy day stroll from Rio de Janeiro's sunny beaches of  Leblon, Ipanema and Copacabana.

- Then voila,  a walk in the clouds under a sub zero temperature during lunch break back at work in Montreal. The 3.3 km walk can be the longest surely with the windchill factor going down below: minus 18° C ( - 0.4° F). Sun shine or snow fall we don't quit our walk unless it is extremely cold and that means 30 degrees below zero which normally happens 3 x in the winter.

- In summer  people enjoy the crisp and sometimes humid day at lunch. In winter time there are just few of us. At the background is the Montreal International Airport YUL east side. The airplanes lands on queue to taxi to the nearest arrival lounge.

 

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Wish list:

  • Return to Brazil for festivals this time with our webcast reporter.

  • Learn Portuguese and win lots of Brazilian friends.

  • Next International festivals: New Orleans Mardi Gras.

  • Argentina, Tierra del Fuego, Patagonia, end of south America to see ice drifting into Antarctic ocean.

  • Yukon or Northwest Territories to capture the 'Aurora borealis' (Northern Lights).

Tickle your imagination !



 


 

Left to right:
Linda Harrison, myself and Carole Messier at the Aicha Gazelles press conference at the Casino de Montreal.

HOT OFF THE PRESS
Just finished my coverage on my recent Rio de Janeiro visit and here is another Catch of the Day - The "Harrisson & Messier's Gazelles 2005's" project. Wonder what it is all about? It covers the all-women's rally in the heart of the Morocco desert for the Rallye Aicha des Gazelles. I'm their media team support in Montreal.  www.gazelles2005.com
 


Index  •  Rio Carnival  •  Rio Helicopter Sightseeing  •  Botanical Garden

Sugar Loaf  •  Corcovado  •  Niteroi  •  Ipanema  •  Safety in Rio  •  Danger in Rio

Fly to Rio  •  Intl. Tel. Card, Internet  •  Foods & Restaurants  •  Busses transportation

Make friends  •  Apartment/Flat  •  Miscellaneous  •  Join the parade  •  Distance Chart

Fond memories  •  Rio Carnival 2008  •   Venice Carnival 2009  •  Guestbook

Penthouse vacation

 

 

TeNhon  -  2005 ©