The organist librarian

Swam and breakfast outside. 9am jeep tour to the gardens which are huge with many fine trees and Imperial palm avenues. Back in jeep to nature reserve forests and a couple of stops to see view from Chinese house and banana flowers at waterfalls. Back by 1 and read by pool and did 2 drawings from photos. Swam. To beach which was by then less crowded and ate again at Maxim's - excellent fish and bananas.

Had a swim at 7.30  and a good breakfast. Coach to go up in little cog train to Criste Redemptor - did a sketch despite all the people! Wonderful views. We had an excellent lunch at a Brazilian steakhouse Casa del fuego where the food kept coming! 2 cable cars up Sugar Loaf mountain - amazing views! Did a colour sketch. To Mass at Notre Senhora 4 blocks away 4 blocks from hotel. Missalette in Portuguese. All done by women apart from the guitarist/cantor. Some sections wer different to the leaflet. The elevation gets a long silence - more like adoration. People have sections to say in Eucharistic prayer. Sanctus was definitely different. At the end mini rosary! Watched rest of Go Between, Longleat and miniature Britain on Iplayer downloads.

Woke at 4.30 and dropped off again. Good breakfast and went for a walk to local Santa Lucia park but it was quite cool but mountains clear. Flight with LAN was fine but no window seat again. Others took photos of the snow capped Andes. 4 hours to Rio and read St Augustine. Coach to Copacabana place hotel which is very grand but we are at the back! Nice room. All went for meal nearby and had fish and octopus but far too much! Local beer. Chocolate cake for my birthday in the room!