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  • Day 15

    Free walking tour of Lapa

    December 30, 2015 in Brazil ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    At 10:30 every morning. There is a free walking tour done of Lapa and surrounding as. Lasting 3 hours.
    The tour was amazing and very rich in stories.

    So many people, we were split into 8 groups, ours had 27 people and all groups were split into 3 languages, português, Spanish and English.
    Our guide was Ju.

    Some things we learnt :
    - pré 1808, this was nothing but a Portuguese colony.
    - in 1808, napoleon and England threatened Portugal to take sides. Portugal monarchy fled and ade Brazil the head of Portuguese state.
    - the Portuguese head monarch was a fat short scared king. Scared of lightning. His wife was declared mentally unstable and sent to live in a Convent.
    - after the napoleônicas war he went back to Portugal, left his son, who declared soon after Brazil a independent Republic with a monarchy ie him.
    - napoleon tried to kill himself when he failed by overstretching. He failed and poison was vomited out. Instead he died a couple years later by cancer.
    - after Jean Paul 2nd, there was princess Isabella. Who declared slavery illegal. One of the last countries to do so.
    - near cinelando, there is 4 main buildings of note. The theater municipal, the National Library, the state building for politicians and the fine arts gallery. The theater municipal has gold around the outside and a giant bird made of good in top. Yet the state government building cost 2 times, took longer and lost funds due to corruption.
    - Lapa aquatic is now a mini train ride which is free to Santa Teresa. Used to be for rides to the high society parties for those living in Santa Teresa.
    - santosa steps was named afraid chili artist who fell in love with Rio after visiting 50 countries. Before the world Cup he requested tiles from all 50 countries and decorated the steps. The picture of the pregnant wife is his partner who died after he returned home and caused him to fall into depression. He died some years later.
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