Monkeying around with horses

One day rather drifts in to another here which is all very relaxing but I have managed a few outings away from the beach.


I thought I would make my mother proud by venturing to the Jockey Club of Rio de Janeiro late one afternoon. There was a lot of traffic leaving town for some reason and it took an age to get there. I consoled myself that the taxi was costing less than I would be losing on the horses. The conversation with the Taxi driver was quite enlightening at one point - Sugar Loaf is  Pão de Açúcar but apparently the incorrect pronunciation of Pão and you are in an area of slang for the male appendage. Given that Ipanema has a large section of the Gay community I will not be talking about my tourist trips any more. 

Eventually we pulled in to an attractive set of buildings, a little like Chantilly (not that I have ever been there but it looks like it does in the pictures). I would have taken a photograph but I forgot my camera!

I searched for a booth to pay my entry fee but there was none, it was free. Then when I saw the number, or lack thereof, of people. I understood why they don't charge. There was no one there and no buzz whatsoever, a bit like Lingfield on a wet Wednesday in October.

There is only one betting system, a Tote, but with 1920's style metal grills. The fabric of the place is charming, you could get close to the horses in the saddling and parade enclosures but it just wasn't a great atmosphere.

I had my phone (which I use for music wandering around) and managed to snap a winner going over the line. I don't know how to turn the thing the right way up so just stand on your heads or something.

I would imagine that it would be a great place to be when they are running the Brazilian equivalent of the Derby.

On the way to the Jockey club you pass two Gardens, so I thought they would be worth a visit for another day. 

I haven't got the hang of the weather forecasting yet. I looked out of the window on Sunday and decided the wind was too chilly and with too much cloud cover to make it worth going to the beach. I donned my cold weather gear (rugby shirt and long trousers) and hailed a taxi for the Gardens.

They have two public gardens next door to each other, this one was a Portuguese Kings hunting lodge or some such thing. It is free and obviously a favourite for families and kids birthday parties.

The next garden was a short walk up the road. by now the sun was out, I was melting and cursing my judgement to be missing the beach! So my first visit was to the shop to buy a T shirt. Another bargain!

I am sorry this lady got in the way of what would have been a wonderful juxtapose of the pool with Christ on the hill in the background. She thought I was David Bailey and wouldn't move until I had taken her picture.

The place used to be a sugar plantation which morphed in to a gunpowder factory. They have impossibly tall palm trees, buttressed rooted trees and many others. They also have an Orchid house where they are trying to protect the endangered ones of the jungle.

I thought this one was dead but it is a perfectly Black Orchid. I feel a bit guilty about "dead heading" it now. Well I though they were short staffed and needed a hand. I am sure they will find another one.

 

There was a decent sized lizard wandering around too. There is a plaque to Darwin who spent some time here in 1832 and lavished praise on the place.

And finally folks not one but two Monkeys and no I couldn't get both in shot at the same time, they are quick up and down the trees.

There were a great number of people in White T shirts with a slogan demonstrating. It transpires that some Gazillionaire in Rio is trying to but the park and surrounding area, kick the inhabitants out and develop the site in time for the Olympics. I am not sure whether they have a case or not but they wouldn't sell me one of their bloody T shirts when I needed it!

In all seriousness the danger with Brazil and its politics/corruption is that this guy may just get away with it!