As the taxi drove up the winding hilly street, the anticipation of what was to come started building. Prior to that, we were taken past the Lagoa and the hints of Corcovado inspired admiration. As we arrived, Affy and I were greeted with a warm smile, a comfortable home and an immediate sense of belonging. Rosalia and Haroldo showed us to our accommodation and took us on the tour of their home that ended on the roof of the house. The gorgeous landscape of Humaita took on another dimension and was brought to life by the exceptional views from this lovely home.
As we settled in, the first impressions were carried through by the very high quality of accommodation. We had the whole floor to ourselves which included very comfortable beds, fully furnished lounge area inc. a fridge and a very spacious en suite bathroom. The whole home, including our room was immaculate.
We progressively met Haroldo and Rosalia's family and what a bunch that was - loving, kind, ambitious, intelligent, friendly, knowledgeable, cultured and above all grounded. What a treat to be surrounded by people like that.
As we talked about our plans during the stay, we were given insider tips on how to go about our intentions. This included advice on when the traffic is at its worst, good shopping spots (expensive and affordable), option to walk up the Corcovado as well as Acai...
My return to Rio will be contingent upon being able to stay with Haroldo and Rosalia and I cannot wait to stay here again.