On day three in Brazil, we took the morning easy and relaxed. David actually had some school work to do to get ready for the following week. But that afternoon we booked a jeep tour through Tajuca National Forrest. It's the largest urban rainforest in the world. Urban meaning it's in the center of Rio de Janeiro. It just so happened that we were the only two on the tour and it became a private tour with a guide who loves photography. So he also became our personal photographer. I think I have more pictures of us on this day than any other day.
Our first stop was here, where he made us get out and we started hiking! David and I both looked at each other a little confused, but just kept walking. We had not come prepared to hike through the forest. I was wearing flip flops for peats sake! We ended up hiking for only about 10 minutest and came out at this little waterfall, where the jeep was waiting for us.
Isn't he so cute?!!
We continued up the mountain to a Japanese Pagoda lookout. I can't remember the history of it, but of all the amazing viewpoints we had been at this week, this one definitely offered the best view.
After the rainforest tour, we arrived at the Botanical Gardens. Even though we were there in early spring and nothing was flowering yet, it was still beautiful and peaceful.
At this point our tour guide was really getting into it, and had us walk away from him holding hands like this. I love it!
I wish I could remember the names of all these cool trees. This one was used anciently for places of refuge. See how I was able to climb in and hide in the one spot...
And this tree is what Brazilian hardwood floors are made from. You could see the inside of the tree and how the wood was a very deep red and sort of oily. I'm sure those floors would be gorgeous!
An early bloomer
And some of the tallest bamboo I've ever seen.
After our jeep tour ended we walked a couple of blocks down the road from our hotel to a yummy churrascaria for dinner. And a dessert so yummy I DID lick my plate. It was a Ferrero Rocher dessert. Then we enjoyed walking the beach back to the hotel. There are all sorts of vendors and people along the beach. I had introduced David to the Nutella filled churros on our first night there and he was hooked. But we spent the rest of the week looking for the guy who sold them and never found him again.
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