Rio Reached
(Snazzy) business center, Copacobana Palace, 5th floor
Different universe than last trip. The plane flew almost directly south - looking like it would fall off its vertical path and spin out into the Atlantic. The (expensive) taxi ride in from the airport ran alongside a confident looking city. Rio's prettier, greener and more colonial than I'd imagined. The mounatins are more magnificent, the shoreline more prominant and it feels like an urban center that's utterly comfortable in its skin and setting.
As is the Copa Palace, though perhaps not quite as justified to be. Absolutely gorgeous of course, wedding cake pretty and glowingly/lovingly illuminated at night. Check in lady giddy helpful - not all that polished but brimming with the good news of our upgrade and the easter weekend ahead. Executive fifth floor feels a little haphazardly put together and the staff appears somewhat surprised with all of the duties they might be called onto perform. Except for the caparina-making man who comes on in the evening and is very accomodating with the drinks and nuts. The other ladies look a little bored, harried by the entire families waiting to get on one of the 4 computers, and sincerely not interested in clearing off dishes. When not chatting with one another at the main desk they hide in the kitchen.
But when you do get them, the coffee is spectacular, the little cookies addictive and the Diet Cokes utterly free. So worth the chasing down. It's like an airline club lounge with the staff brought in from the check-in desk.
But our room is wonderful, high ceiling-ed and bathroom (to me) vast and with the light-up magnifying mirror that chnages everything.
Worked on my Sikkim article by the pool yesterday - ideal and suprisingly conducive to focused writing. R and I did the gym too, the bar across from Cipriani's post dinner and did actually leave the hotel in the late evening for a dinner round the corner at an italian place.
It's socked in and drizzly again today - torrentially pouring all afternoon and into the night yesterday. Good for my writing, lousy for tan.
Most significant impression - Brazilians can look like almost anything. For the first time in a long stretch of travels, I could pass as a native, till I open my mouth. But it makes for such a novel experience.
Must write. Love and besos.
C
Different universe than last trip. The plane flew almost directly south - looking like it would fall off its vertical path and spin out into the Atlantic. The (expensive) taxi ride in from the airport ran alongside a confident looking city. Rio's prettier, greener and more colonial than I'd imagined. The mounatins are more magnificent, the shoreline more prominant and it feels like an urban center that's utterly comfortable in its skin and setting.
As is the Copa Palace, though perhaps not quite as justified to be. Absolutely gorgeous of course, wedding cake pretty and glowingly/lovingly illuminated at night. Check in lady giddy helpful - not all that polished but brimming with the good news of our upgrade and the easter weekend ahead. Executive fifth floor feels a little haphazardly put together and the staff appears somewhat surprised with all of the duties they might be called onto perform. Except for the caparina-making man who comes on in the evening and is very accomodating with the drinks and nuts. The other ladies look a little bored, harried by the entire families waiting to get on one of the 4 computers, and sincerely not interested in clearing off dishes. When not chatting with one another at the main desk they hide in the kitchen.
But when you do get them, the coffee is spectacular, the little cookies addictive and the Diet Cokes utterly free. So worth the chasing down. It's like an airline club lounge with the staff brought in from the check-in desk.
But our room is wonderful, high ceiling-ed and bathroom (to me) vast and with the light-up magnifying mirror that chnages everything.
Worked on my Sikkim article by the pool yesterday - ideal and suprisingly conducive to focused writing. R and I did the gym too, the bar across from Cipriani's post dinner and did actually leave the hotel in the late evening for a dinner round the corner at an italian place.
It's socked in and drizzly again today - torrentially pouring all afternoon and into the night yesterday. Good for my writing, lousy for tan.
Most significant impression - Brazilians can look like almost anything. For the first time in a long stretch of travels, I could pass as a native, till I open my mouth. But it makes for such a novel experience.
Must write. Love and besos.
C
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