Exploring Rio, Part II - Bico do Papagaio, Cocanha, and Bees?!?

A few new photos have been added to flickr from last Sunday's hike up Morro da Cocanha and Bico do Papagaio. A couple of weeks ago, I had passed near the trailhead and noticed that it had been blocked with a sign indicating that the trail was temporarily closed to do danger of bee attack. Whoa, what? Yeah, bee attack.

Anyway, before going all the way up to the trailhead, I decided to ask at the Park Visitor's Center whether the trail was still closed. Yes, they assured me, it was still closed. They hadn't been able to remove the beehive that was causing problems yet. Oh well, plenty of places to hike there, so I decided to take the long way around and hike up Morro da Cocanha first. At the summit I met a group of climbers and one of them seemed pretty doubtful about the bee story - he said that one of his friends was going down that trail to see what was there, but he hadn't heard back from him yet (they were using walkie-talkies). I decided to go down a short ways and see what it looked like, as well.

Just below the summit I encountered a climber heading up and decided to ask him about the bees, since he was coming from that direction. He laughed and told me, "that sign has been there for four months. I hike on this trail every weekend and I haven't seen one single bee." So, that's how I managed to climb Bico do Papagaio, one of the most popular hikes in Floresta da Tijuca, and have the whole mountain to myself. Not even one single bee!

Photos at flickr with a few new family pics as well.

Hidden Word

O OPPRESSORS ON EARTH!
Withdraw your hands from tyranny, for I have pledged Myself not to forgive any man’s injustice. This is My covenant which I have irrevocably decreed in the preserved tablet and sealed with My seal.

ای ظالمان ارض
از ظلم دست خود را کوتاه نمائيد که قسم ياد نموده‌ام از ظلم احدی نگذرم و اين عهدی است که در لوح محفوظ محتوم داشتم و بخاتم عزّ مختوم

Exploring Rio, Part I: Pedra da Gávea and Pico da Tijuca

Here are a few low-quality cellphone photos from two hikes in the Floresta da Tijuca with a few medium-quality photos that were graciously emailed to me by another hiker. Enjoy!

Pico da Tijuca and the forest as seen from the summit of Morro da Taquara

Looking across the forest towards the east from the summit of Pico da Tijuca

View to the south from Pico da Tijuca, featuring Pedra da Gávea

Cascatinha Taunay - although it looks small in this picture, it is 120 feet from top to bottom

View from the top of Pedra da Gávea. Notice the inequality of Brazil - golf course and luxury highrises of São Conrado along the beach with the infamous favela of Rocinha climbing the hillside behind it

Proof that I made it to the top

Yet another vanity shot

Rock climbing on Pedra da Gávea

Steep trail in the forest on Pedra da Gávea

Harj-o-marj

There is no English equivalent for this word. It is a very Persian word, and suggests the worst thing that can happen to a nation. It expresses the condition of a country that falls into anarchy because its leaders cannot unite and no strong hand holds it together, or because foreign conquerors have come; the time when it slides into the abyss of lawlessness and rapine, looting, and slaughter reign.

---Sattareh Farman Farmaian, Daughter of Persia

Please keep our Iranian brothers and sisters of all faiths in your prayers throughout this critical time in history.