Settling in

Today we took it easy as our main task consisted in finishing bike assembly and meeting a friend of Ben’s to see Germany play Algeria. The forecast spoke of rain, which did not keep us from spending several hours on the beach.

This is what the quiet corner of your roof terrace will look like when it has been invaded by touring cyclists.

We woke up to a mild blue summer sky – I had forgotten how invigorating sleeping outside was! Still, I was surprised to find that I woke up at exactly the same time I used to get up at home, but in local time. It seems my internal clock had adapted to the time change instantly!

We spent the better part of the morning assembling our bikes. Ben had procured a beautiful ’92 Stumpjumper (a steel mountainbike popular among bike travelers for its sturdiness), and I was relieved to see my own bike come out of its cocoon without any new nicks or dents.

When it comes to breakfast, it IS about the size.

I had spent much time debating internally over which items and tools I should leave at home to save weight. It turned out that it had been a mistake to leave the grease at home, since Ben’s pedals and seatpost were completely dry. Since installing these components without any grease can lead to instant seizure (i.e. it becomes almost impossible to remove the parts without permanent damage to the bike frame) and we were desperate to take them for a ride along Ipanema beach, we used butter instead. Let’s hope the smell does not attract wild animals while camping…

As we rolled out of the garage door, we noticed two things: firstly, traffic in Rio is dense and cyclists are on the lowest part of the food chain. Secondly, there was a bike shop right on the other side of the road. We rolled in and asked the cheerful employee if we could borrow a large allen key to tighten the crank bolts (a job even a good multitool is just not suited for). He told us that he would do it himself as he joyfully examined our bikes. He even put some more air in Ben’s tires. What followed was another example of local business practice: as we thanked him and I was fumbling for some tip money, he looked at us sternly and demanded a whopping 20 Reais. We were too surprised to start haggling, but in retrospect I think it would have been the right thing to do. On a side note, bike parts in Brazil are incredibly expensive – most parts cost three times as much as in Germany or the States. We have been told that it’s due to prohibitive import taxes and that the cheap local products are usually not very reliable. Cycling must be exclusive to the rich in Brazil.

We rolled through traffic and managed not to get run over by buses (they use their flashlights not to say ‘I am seeing you, please pass!’, but to tell us to get the duck out of their way). Ipanema beach was almost empty as the heavy clouds in the sky looked like it would start raining any minute, an assumption backed up by the weather forecast. We rolled to the far end of the beach (Estação Leblon) and took some obligatory bike pictures there.

We returned home with a cheeseburger in hand (the cheapest way to ward off hunger around here). We still had some time before the game started, and Helene and I managed to squeeze in a first quick Skype conversation. It was great to be able to talk to her for a moment, but the laggy and unstable connection needs a little getting used to.

We met Ben’s friend Tessa at the Swiss House, a bizarre melange of a tropical open air cocktail parlor and cliché items from Switzerland such as giant sleds and a huge snow ball. The setting was marvelous, nonetheless, since the Swiss House is located on the Lagoon just south of the Corcovado. While the Statue of Jesus was covered in clouds, Sugarloaf Mountain was clearly visible.

A nocturnal view of Sugarloaf Mountain.

We concentrated on our conversation since the game was not too exciting in the beginning. Even when it became more interesting during the second half and the extension, we somehow managed to miss all of the goals. I was starving, so we could only assume from the loud cheers that someone had finally scored a goal while we were hastily looking for a place to grab something to eat that wasn’t outrageously overpriced. When we came back, we sat down with out friends and a huge tree blocked our view of the screen. After the game, the spectators quickly dissipated. There was no post-match celebration. Actually, I had imagined watching a soccer game in Rio to be different. Maybe one has to go to a game of the Brazilian team.

After saying goodbye to Tessa, we cycled the 8 km loop around the Lagoon. It is an incredible place to run or cycle, with an amazing views of Rio’s hills.

Ipanema beach, also nocturnal.

We then sat down at Ipanema beach once more. Finally, the clouds fulfilled their promise and it started to rain. We took shelter under a palm tree and thought about what our next step would be. As the rain ceased, we went home.