DAY 1:  Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rio de Janeiro hosted the 2016 Olympic Summer Games. Rio is a huge seaside city in Brazil, famed for its Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, 38m Christ the Redeemer statue atop Mt. Corcovado and Sugarloaf, a granite monolith with cable cars to its summit. The city is also known for its sprawling favelas (shanty towns). Its raucous Carnival festival, featuring parade floats, flamboyant costumes and samba, is considered the world’s largest. This week we will be visiting Rio, discovering more about this fascinating city.

​DAY 2:  Rio --what it took to host the Olympics

It takes a great deal of planning and work to host the Olympic games. In fact, Rio began building several years before the games, getting ready to host the world. Most of the buildings are used by the host country after the games are over, but some are "dismantled" with the materials used to build other needed things. This is called "nomadic architecture."  The word "nomad" means to move around. Let's take a look at a few of Rio's remarkable sports venues.

Barra's Olympic Tennis Centre.

Olympic golf course built especially for the Olympics and now used by the public.

The Olympic Village where 17,000 athletes stayed are now apartment buildings.

temporary structure on Copacabana Beach for beach volleyball

Aquatics Center --believe it or not, it was dismantled after the Olympics were over. The materials were used for other projects. This is called "nomadic architecture."

The BMX Center. This remained after the games were over. Anyone want to take your bike to Rio and give it a try?

(https://www.rio2016.com/en/news/spectacular-new-aerial-photos-of-rio-2016-venues)

Brazil is surrounded by the rain forest! Look at this creative Rio 2016 Olympic trailer and see a few of the rain forest animals!

DAY 3:  "Christ the Redeemer"
Christ the Redeemer is the largest art deco statue in the world. It is 98 feet tall (not including the 26 foot pedestal), and the arms stretch to 92 feet wide. The statue is considered an icon of Rio de Janeiro and Brazil. In the planning stage, there were several designs to choose from. One was a depiction of the Christian cross. Another was a statue of Jesus holding a globe, while standing over a pedestal that was to symbolize the world.The chosen statue is meant to show that Christ loves all and will embrace all that come to him.The stones that were used to build Christ the Redeemer came from Sweden. It officially opened on October 12, 1931. If Christ the Redeemer were built today it would cost $3.2 million dollars.The statue had to be constructed in pieces and carried to the mountain top to be erected.  It is made of concrete and soapstone. The right arm points to south Rio de Janeiro and the left arm points to north Rio de Janeiro.  This statue became one of the New Seven Wonders of the World on July 7th, 2007. (adapted from "Christ The Redeemer Facts". Softschools.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 3 Aug. 2016.)

http://travelercorner.com/christ-redeemer-rio-brazil/

Lazypenguins.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 3 Aug. 2016.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AHeight_comparison_of_notable_statues_(vector).svg

Height comparison of notable statues:
Spring Temple Buddha 153 m
Statue of Liberty 93 m
The Motherland Calls 91 m
Christ the Redeemer 39.6 m
Statue of David 5.17 m

DAY 4: FAVELAS - In the city of Rio, close to 1.5 million people live in favelas. Rio’s favelas are our affordable housing market. Rio has more favela residents than any other Brazilian city and, all together, Rio’s favelas would comprise the 9th largest in the country.
   There are over 1000 favelas in Rio. They range from newer or more challenged communities with slum-like conditions that many of us would think a challenging way to live.
   Peek inside many favelas and you’ll not only see the basics of electricity, running water and indoor plumbing, but a large-screen television and, in over 44% of cases, a computer. Surprisingly, favela residents are more technologically connected than those living on the “asphalt,” or formal city.  Although it looks really crowded to us, most people who live there like it  There are so many different ways to live in the world!  ("Rio Favela Facts". Catalytic Communities | CatComm. N.p., 2016. Web. 3 Aug. 2016.)

http://blog.pureminutes.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/One-Step-Forward-Ten-Steps-Back-On-the-Exoticization-of-Rios-Favelas.jpg

http://www.semesteratsea.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/2014-11-07_FA14_BRAZIL_DAY1_049_BLOG700.jpg

https://photos.smugmug.com/South-America/Brazil/i-rZhp2Zd/0/X2/rio-de-janeiro-brazil%20santa-marta-favela-15-X2.jpg

DAY 5 - CARNIVAL
The biggest Carnival celebrations in the world are held in Rio de Janeiro, where a famous street party of samba parades and musicians attracts millions of people. Nobody gets much sleep during Carnival season, as the music blasts out through towering speakers everyday until the early hours of the morning. People spend more money at Carnival time than at Christmas. They also party more than at New Year. Loud music, dazzling costumes, dancing and marching bands form the heart of Carnival. Carnival takes place in February or March each year – the dates change, as the celebrations are linked to the religious calendar. Carnival begins on the Friday before Ash Wednesday and continues up to and including Ash Wednesday itself. Ash Wednesday is the day Lent begins in the religious year. One of the biggest street parties during Carnival takes place on the day before Ash Wednesday, called Mardi Gras (meaning ‘Fat Tuesday’ – a name that relates to the feasting that takes place on this day). ("Mardi Gras In Brazil For Primary Kids". Oddizzi.com. N.p., 2016. Web. 3 Aug. 2016.)

https://d.ibtimes.co.uk/en/full/1424894/rio-carnival-2015-beija-flor.jpg

http://www.destination360.com/south-america/brazil/rio-de-janiero/images/s/rio-carnival-pictures.jpg

http://clikhear.palmbeachpost.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/rio0000006.jpg

http://www.fabuloussavers.com/new_wallpaper/The_Carnival_In_Rio_De_Janeiro_Brazil2013_freecomputerdesktopwallpaper_1920.jpg