Thursday 22 December Fauna-cating & big boys toys
Not my fault – J insisted that “Zoo” was too boring a title. We decided damn the visas – lets go touristing. So off to the zoo it was. A very hot day and we were glad that we took water. A fair amount of walking, even for those of us who benched ourselves. This is a small zoo housed in what was the grounds of the royal family’s palace. The beauty of this zoo is that you can see some of the Amazon jungles animals without actually going to the hot steamy jungle. The main draws for me were the macaws, the little monkeys and a wide variety of birds. Aust was represented by 2 cassowaries and a few black swans, both of who would probably be exotic enough to live in the Amazon.
So many Toucans. They all came to the front of the cage for their closeup. Very curious or very friendly?
Saki monkey, cute head of hair, like a hat. Similar shaped wattles under his chin.
There are definately 6 crocs here, maybe 7. Can you see them?
This brown bear was just cute.
Thence to the adjacent museum. They had a very good collection of dinosaurs and fossils and they actually let me (Chris) in for nothing! Collection is housed in a Palace which once belonged to the royal family.
Prince Charles?
Bird man
To the city for the $9 Big Mac meal - as bad as Paris. J had the excellent idea of going on the harbour tour run by the Navy. We had a walk round a 2nd world war destroyer (Bauru) that had guns, torpedoes and depth charges capable of shooting up or down anything you wanted to break.
Then they took us for an hour long harbour cruise that was just the perfect way to rest and relax after a tough morning on a hot day.
Our cruise boat (WWII tug?)
We first passed by the little blue-green ceramic castle that looks like the home of an elfin princess, but was in fact the Brazilian Customs building.
Planes arrived and left on the very short runway that started and finished in the water. Boats and ferries were everywhere, we cruised right up to the Sugar Loaf and had a good look at the Christ statue.
Christ the Redeemer overlooking Flamingo Bay
Sugarloaf with cable cars
Couple of the forts at the harbour entrance
The Brazilian fleet (past or present?) was there in force with a number of supply ships, several medium sized modern boats and an aircraft carrier. There was a fleet of tankers outside the bridge waiting for the cargo port and the MSC Musica (presumably with Maria) was back in the passenger terminal. We ignored the running commentary in Portuguese.
Back at the dock we had a quick look in the museum, whose major attraction was an extravagant replica royal rowing gondola with about 20 oars either side and a luxurious cabin at the back. Velvet everywhere.
Finally, we got to walk through a submarine(Riachuelo), which we had never done before (apart from the small one we went down in off Mauritius).
It was really interesting but VERY cramped. It looks so easy when they run through in the movies, catching a hold above the circular doors and swinging their legs through first, with their body following as they land at the run. TRY IT!! It is quite ungainly trying to double over enough to get your head under and your knee up enough to clear your foot.
*giggles* He didn't know I took this.
Illustrates the point well.
'ello sailor. Bunks
more bunks
Galley. Not much bigger than a shower recess.
More bunks, keep your head ducked or else.
Up periscope. One of our little friends.
'ello sailor. Hey, haven't I seen you before?
There were about 10 clones. Cooking, map reading, radio control, loading the torpedoes etc. Just what every navy needs.
There was also a small sailing ship of the Columbus era, which was probably open to inspection but we reached it just after 5pm and the gangplank had been removed. We could have got out earlier had we not been detained in the submarine by a trio of 7 or 8 year olds. There was a moment when I imagined the headline “Aussie tourists mugged by toddlers in a Brazilian submarine”.
We also missed out on climbing inside this.
Being the night before my birthday, we decided to interrupt our diet of pasta/noodley things and bought a pork fillet for about $4. We had a good non-stick pan but no oil at all so “we” sliced the fillet into medallions and browned them in a whisper of water, after which they broiled on the pan. Cunard absolutely could not have done it better – the meat fell apart. We ate it with half a tomato and some green capsicum. We followed with a chunk of honeydew melon and a mango that would have cost $3 in Perth which we got for $1 the lot. The point is that having access to a kitchen and a supermarket is a considerable bonus when you are backpacking. You can eat for a fraction of the cost and eat as healthy or otherwise as you please.
We have taken a pasting from the mosquitoes (and possibly something in the furniture). The mozzies get us under the breakfast table round the ankles and we are also peppered behind the triceps.
Hey!! Last night we watched the first episode of the new series of 2.5 Men with Ashton Kutcher. How Jake has grown! And why is it no surprise that the Kutcher character is . .ummm . . Huge?
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