Day 23 – January 17, 2026
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
We met up early for breakfast and then set off for a full day of sightseeing with Sergio, our guide, and Joel, our driver.
Our tour began with a drive up Corcovado Hill, ascending about 4 km through Tijuca National Park, the world’s largest urban rainforest, to reach the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue. Once again, we were able to skip the long lines—always a win—especially since it was already busy despite the early hour.
The statue itself is truly impressive. Built between 1922 and 1931, Christ the Redeemer stands 98 feet tall (not including its 26-foot pedestal), with arms stretching 92 feet wide. Made of reinforced concrete and soapstone, it faces east and overlooks the entire city of Rio de Janeiro. It’s the largest Art Deco sculpture in the world and has been named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.
While we were there, a christening ceremony was taking place, and Catherine managed to capture a photo of a baby being held up in front of the statue. It was a beautiful and unexpected moment to witness.
Next, we headed to Sugarloaf Mountain, which rises 1,299 feet above the harbor and is famous for its cable car and panoramic views. Marguerite—who is afraid of heights—was not thrilled about this stop, but she powered through. Catherine and I held onto her and encouraged her to look down rather than out the windows (the movement was the hardest part). Heights aren’t really my thing either, but as long as I don’t look down too much, I can manage.
To reach the top, you have to take two cable cars, meaning four total rides for Marguerite. The first ascends to Morro da Urca (722 feet), and the second continues up to Pão de Açúcar. Once we reached the summit, Marguerite celebrated with a shot of tequila 😂 to steady her nerves before heading back down—and she did great! The views were absolutely gorgeous and well worth it.
From there, we drove past Maracanã Stadium and then stopped at the Metropolitan Cathedral. Unfortunately, while we were taking photos of the modern buildings across from the cathedral, someone on a small motorcycle zipped past Marguerite and snatched her phone. We were all stunned and heartbroken for her. She spent the next hour using Joe’s phone trying to report it to AT&T and start damage control.
We did step inside the cathedral briefly to take a few photos, but by then it was nearly 2:30 pm, and we were all starving. Sergio took us to Carretão, a traditional Brazilian churrascaria. Each person is given a small disk—green on one side for “yes” and red on the other for “no.” When the servers come around with meat, whatever side you show determines whether you’re served. It’s a dangerous system if you’re hungry! 😄 There was also a buffet of sides, and everything was delicious.
After lunch, we were ready to call it a day and were dropped back at the hotel. Marguerite continued working on phone logistics, and we all regrouped at the rooftop bar for a couple of drinks to decompress.
Since lunch was so late, we later walked about 20 minutes to Copacabana Beach and stopped at a beachfront spot called Desejo for a drink. By then, I was completely worn out and not hungry at all, so John and I headed back to the hotel and turned in early while the others stayed out.
Tomorrow, we’ll meet up for breakfast and decide what the day brings. Rio has already given us quite a mix of incredible sights, emotions, and stories—and we’re not done yet 🌴✨
