A Slow Morning and a Too‑Hot Rooftop.
After yesterday’s walking and climbing, my legs were swollen and sore, so I decided to take it easy. I had breakfast at the hotel buffet, still unimpressive, and then went up to the rooftop pool with my Kindle.
There was only one spare chair, and it had no shade. To make things stranger, the hotel had models posing for brochure photos around the rooftop, including the jacuzzi, which hadn’t worked once during our stay. I doubt the brochure will mention that.
The glass railings trapped the heat, and with no breeze, it became unbearable. I gave up and decided to do laundry instead.
Laundry and the Beach.
I took my washing to a launderette Gail had found earlier in the week, dropped it off, and returned to the hotel for a towel. Then I crossed the road to Copacabana Beach.
I spent a few hours reading my Kindle and watching the beach life go by. Today, the red flags were gone, replaced by yellow ones, meaning dangerous conditions but not a total ban on swimming.
As a reasonably strong swimmer, I decided to go in. The undercurrents were incredibly powerful. After a while, I swam back to shore and realised I’d drifted several hundred yards down the beach. Anyone who isn’t a strong swimmer should absolutely avoid going in, these were the strongest currents I’ve ever swum in, even compared to Florida.
Gail joined me later after walking to Ipanema Beach in the morning. I advised her not to swim, so she posed in the shallow water while I took a photo for her. By then, I was burning again, so we headed to a beach bar for a drink before collecting my laundry.
In the evening, we tried yet another local restaurant. Sadly, it was no better than the others, cheap but poor quality. After eating, we returned to the hotel.
I packed my suitcase and went to bed early, ready for the next stage of the trip.
Add comment