Tram to the top of Sugarloaf / Pao de Azucar - Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

The tram to the top of Sugarloaf / Pao de Acucar , the majestic peak that rises 1300 ft./ 400 m above Rio de Janeiro, Brazil  --- Cidade Maravilhosa. Praia Vermelha / Red Beach is visible in the lower right and Copacabana Beach in the center left to the upper right.

Tram to Sugarloaf

by Jerome Shaw

The tram up Sugarloaf / Pao de Acucar takes visitors to the top of the majestic peak that rises above Guanabara Bay in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. This 1300 foot/ 400 meter granite peak is thought to be millions of years old. And, there is no question that Sugarloaf is one of the most marvelous sights in the Cidade Maravilhosa and provides inspiring views of Rio. In the photo above you see the Praia Vermelha / Red Beach in the lower right and Copacabana Beach, sweeping in a crescent from the center left to the upper right.

Rio de Janeiro is one of the most geographically blessed cities on the planet and Sugarloaf Mountain is one of the most recognizable visual assets of Brazil's second largest city. From the top of Sugarloaf you can see almost every one of the nearly 12 million people in the photogenic megalopolis (Six million people live in Rio proper.)

The original cable car system was conceive in 1907 by the Brazilian engineer Augusto Ferreira Ramos. In 1910 Ramos founded the Society of Sugarloaf and work began on the monumental project, with much of material having to be hauled up the steep terrain by mountain climbers. The tram opened in 1912 with painted wooden cars.  These cars were used for 60 years until 1972 when the system was completely rebuilt.  The cars have been periodically upgraded over the last few years with more modern cars. The last major renovation coming in 2008 and 2009 prior to the 100 anniversary of the legendary tram that was once featured in the 1979 James Bond movie Moonraker, in which the evil villain Jaws (Richard Kiel) tries to kill 007 (Roger Moore) and Dr. Hollie Goodhead (Lois Chiles.)

The tram trip ot the top of Sugarloaf is separated into two 3-minute sections.  The first section begins at Praia Vermelha / Red Beach and rises to the top or Morro da Urca / Urca Hill at an altitude of 720 feet / 220 meters. The midway point features a restaurant, a café, a snack bar, souvenir shops, and a play area for kids. Take some time here to shoot a few photos especially of downtown Rio and watch the airplanes landing at the Santos Dumont downtown airport. While the views on top of Sugarloaf are monumental the view of downtown is a better photo from the top of Urca Hill. From the top of Sugarloaf you'll see the famed beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema, Tijuca Forest, the world's largest urban forest and Corcovado Mountain, featuring the Christ the Redeemer statue.

You should plan on at least four hours for your trip up and back on the Sugarloaf Mountain tram. The cars leave the base station every half hour between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. so consider a late afternoon trip to the top for a spectacular sunset and night time views of Rio de Janeiro. The cost for adults is approximately US$25, depending upon the exchange rate, with kids tickets going for about half that.

The tram is not the only way to reach the summit of Sugarloaf, whose name was coined by Portuguese inhabitants in the 1600s. They named the peak Pao de Acucar for its resemblance to a loaf of refined sugar, which at the time was one of the areas chief exports. Hiking up the mountain on the rear side is possible for the intrepid. The route is challenging and some climbing is required. Another caveat is that tickets for a downhill ride are not available at the top of Sugarloaf so plan ahead and buy a ticket for the decent in advance.

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Jerome is the founder and editor of Travel Boldly. He was a commercial photographer in Aspen, Boulder and Denver, Colorado for 30 years. His adventures in travel began helping his father Ernest deliver J. I. Case tractors all over Southwest Nebraska, Northwest Kansas and Northeast Colorado. You can find him on Twitter and Google+

A Day Trip to Washington, D.C.

You don't need a week to see all of the sights of Washington, D.C..  Michelle Carr shows us how to see the Washington Monument and many of the other monuments in the nation's capital on a day trip. Photos by Michelle Carr 

A Day Trip to Washington, D.C.

Guest post by Michelle Carr

On my leaf peeping trip to Virginia, I decided to explore the sights of Washington, D.C. since my Front Royal base was only 45 minutes from the United States capital. I drove east on I-66, parked the rental car at the Vienna/Fairfax Metro Station lot, and took the metro to the Smithsonian Station. The National Mall and the White House were the first visions of grandeur I noticed as I exited the station. My heart

Korean War Memorial Washington, D.C. 

stirred with a sense of American pride knowing that blood, sweat, and tears were shed to preserve my liberties. It was like walking on holy ground touring the collection of Smithsonian museums and national monuments.

I began my tour by obtaining information at the Smithsonian Castle Information Center and I was glad to hear that there was no charge to enter the Smithsonian museums. With a goal to see one museum per hour, I set off to explore the Natural History Museum, the American Art Museum, National Gallery of Art (East and West buildings), and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden. After the museums closed at five-thirty p.m., I walked to the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, Korean Memorial, and Martin Luther

MLK  Memorial  Washington, D.C. 

King Jr. Memorial to take a few photos before joining friends for dinner at Founding Farmers. When I arrived at Founding Farmers, the farmhouse designed restaurant was filled with locals and visitors and there was a thirty minute wait with reservations. However, time passed quickly after a pre-dinner cocktail with my friends. The fried green tomatoes, skillet corn bread, and Southern pan-fried chicken and waffles were worth the wait. We completed our meal by sharing a piece of red velvet cake.

I really enjoyed my day excursion to Washington, D.C. The day was perfectly filled with sights, history, and a good meal shared with friends. I don’t remember what my first visit to Washington, D.C. was like when I was 13 years old, but I do know that I fell in love with the city in one day and plan to return soon.

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Michelle Carr, from Houston, Texas, writes stories and travels for fun. She gleans tips and ideas from her Twitter followers and writes about her “life by tweets” adventures on her blog. You can follow her on Twitter @lifebytweets to post ideas where she should travel next.

Michelle's other stories on Travel Boldly:

Swapping Stilettos for Hiking Shoes: a Leaf Peeping Story