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Monday, January 28, 2019

Visiting Christ the Redeemer Statue was Highlight of my Trip to Brazil

Visiting the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio De Janeiro was the highlight of my trip to Brazil. This tour was part of my South American cruise.




Amazing Tour to See Christ the Redeemer Statue in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil

Have you ever been to Brazil? Or, perhaps you watched the 2016 Summer Olympics that took place in Rio De Janeiro. If so, I imagine you probably viewed footage of the incomparable Christ the Redeemer statue that sits atop the mountain called Mount Corcovado.

As part of a Celebrity Eclipse cruise I took late in 2018, Rio De Janeiro, Brazil was one of the ports we visited.

I decided to take a tour called “Corcovado and a View of Rio’s Beaches.” The description of this tour was as follows: “Board a rustic cogwheel railway and rumble up the steep slope to the summit of Corcovado Mountain, home to Brazil’s Christ the Redeemer statue.” The tour was to last 4 ½ hours altogether.

The tour entailed the following:

  • Exit the cruise ship and board a shuttle that would take you to the cruise port building.

  • Walk through the building and enter the outskirts of Rio De Janeiro.

  • Find the bus station and meet the tour guide.

  • Ride the bus past many sights until we reached the bottom of the Corcovado Mountain.

  • Take a walking tour while attempting to avoid many locals attempting to sell their wares.

  • Board an aerial train. The views from the train windows were quite lovely.

  • Once arrived near the top of the mountain, there were two options to see the statue. For the hardier folk, you could choose to walk up over 200 steps to reach the bottom of this statue. I gratefully chose the easier route. This included an elevator ride followed by a series of escalator rides. After all, it was quite hot on that day since December is the beginning of Brazil’s summer season.



  • There were well over a hundred people staring up at the Jesus statue. People were taking pictures of it, of others standing below it, and taking selfies. There were even a few brave souls lying on the ground so they could take pictures of this statue from what must have been an interesting perspective.









  • For grins and giggles, here is my attempt at taking one of my first-ever selfies with the statue in the background.



  • For your enjoyment, check out some of the incredible vistas you could see from that height.







  • When our time was up, we met the guide for our return trip down the mountain via that train ride. This was followed by walking through town to reach the bus stop.

  • Aboard the bus, the tour guide pointed out three of the most popular beaches in Rio De Janeiro. We even got to see some amazing sand sculptures featuring Christ Jesus. For your viewing pleasure, I included the sculpture I found to be quite spectacular. I would like to commend the amazing talents of this unknown artist.



  • During the bus tour, I was able to catch a far-off view of the Christ the Redeemer statue. Given that the statue is reported to be 98-feet tall sitting atop a mountain that is 2,320 feet tall, that was rather easy to do. That evening after dinner, I was able to stand out on my cruise cabin balcony and photograph the statue from a distance. It was quite meaningful to me to personally experience this metaphor that came to my mind: Christ Jesus is a stunning light shining out of the darkness.



A Little Touch of Fear Factor



Sadly, there was a little touch of fear factor on this trip. The shore excursion people warned us about the dangers of visiting this port. We were told to not wear jewelry and to beware of those who would steal our purses or belongings. The personnel at the Guest Relations desk even told me that should I bring my fancy Nikon camera, there was a risk that it could literally be ripped from my neck.

As a result, I only brought my cell phone and a very well hidden twenty dollar bill to use in case of emergencies. I kept my cell phone underneath my shirt. I only pulled it out long enough to take pictures and then hid it away again. The only thing else I brought was a water bottle in a little carrier.

All these warnings had some people so frightened that they cancelled their tours. I must admit that I initially had an adrenaline rush of “fear factor” going on until I reached the safety of the bus. I think if I ever return to Rio De Janeiro, I would not feel as frightened or intimidated. But it was rather unsettling and rather ironic to think that I might be facing danger in order to view the statue of Jesus up close.

I must say that during all the other countries I visited in South America, I felt quite safe to bring my Nikon camera along. It was only in Brazil that the ship crew warned us to be extra vigilant. Nevertheless, I was thrilled to personally experience the Christ the Redeemer statue. If I ever return to Rio De Janeiro, I would even like to take that tour again.



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