Rio 5

After our awe-inspiring visit to The Old Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro, we three made a beeline to lunch.  Nara's next surprise for the Gringa was not Mickey D's . . .

. . . or Bob's Burgers . . .

. . . or The Colonel!

It was a restaurant opened in 1894--Confeiteria Colombo.

The restaurant was crowded on a Saturday afternoon.  While Nara talked to the hostess, I chanced a look around.  This two-story restaurant was topped with a jaw-dropping stained glass ceiling.

Colombo's ceiling and second floor balcony
as seen from the restaurant's main floor

The main floor of Confeiteria Colombo
as seen from the second floor balcony.

 The huge open room had marble tile floors, elegant floor-to-ceiling mirrors, and this amazing backlit stained glass ceiling.  Very Victorian in color and style.

Angels bordered by flower baskets and garland
adorn the ceiling of Colombo.

 On the second floor, where we found our table, there was another beautiful stained glass mural at one end of the space.  It depicts Columbus' sailing ship on the ocean.  Really nice.

Columbus did not discover Brazil,
nor did he found this restaurant,
but this stained glass mural still pays homage
to the explorer.

Menu and place setting also salute Christopher Columbus.
Vania said this china pattern is his.

The Gringa stands with her tour guide Nara (r) and Vania (l)
at our table in Confeiteria Colombo.

We chose Gnochi made with Batata Beroa--a richly flavored Brasilian potato (reminds me of a buttery Yukon Gold).  Delightful!  We decided to forego dessert--or at least postpone it until we could stop for some ice cream somewhere.  So, we left another historic site after licking our plates clean, and moved into the street once more.

We strolled down a broad plaza after crossing a main thoroughfare.  Buses were still on strike in Niterói, so vehicle and pedestrian traffic were both relatively light in Centro.  On the plaza, the Gringa saw the Carioca Clock.

Carioca Clock
with Petrobras Headquarters behind
(gray building)

We continued down the plaza.  When one of the street vendors began to raise his voice, Nara told me to keep walking quickly.  Khaki-clad policemen were striding toward the vendor and an alleged shop-lifter.  Nara, my vigilant guide, was more street-wise than I.

We turned the corner and came past what looked like a large construction site, all roped off.  Later I would learn that this was the site of the collapse of the three buildings that made international news shortly after my arrival in January.  Not sure what the final determination for the collapse was.  What was so strange to me is that these razed buildings are literally 10 feet away from the edifice in the next picture, and it was unscathed.

Back view of Rio's Theatro Municipal
Just left of this building is the site of the
January 2012 collapse of 3 buildings. 

Theatro Municipal
from the side

Side entrance
Municipal Theater of Rio

19th Century Brasilian composer/conductor Carlos Gomes
invites crowds to enter Theatro Municipal.

A gold eagle tops Rio's Theatro Municipal.
View is from Cinelandia Square
across the street.

Cinelândia Square once was the home of movie theaters.  Now it's a good spot to hang out at such cafés as the one in this iconic yellow building.

Yellow building, canopy, chairs, tables, and wait staff t-shirts!

 In the center of the square is a beautiful monument from 1910 honoring Mariano Peixoto.  It contains bronze scenes from Brasil's history at its base.

And at the monument's top--

Liberty!

 Isn't she beautiful?!

Look down the street from the square, and there you'll see Sugar Loaf Mountain.

Sugar Loaf caught a cloud on this beautiful day.

 Nara led us across Cinelândia Square to the National Library of Brasil--built in 1908.

The Library windows are etched with a wonderful design.

Bibliotheca Nacional do Brasil

Library Lobby
Candelabras, polished brass, filagreed iron, marble columns,
plus the familiar smell of a library.

Ceiling in the Lobby of Bibliotheca Nacional do Brasil

One of three pairs of ornately carved wood doors
at the entrance to the National Library;
each door has a unique carved female figure.

Here's another peek at the Municipal Theater that I caught when we stepped out of the National Library.

Brasil's flag flies above the Theater.

 Nara's next stop for us was the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes--The National Museum of Fine Arts.

Artistic tile embellishes the Lobby floor
of the National Museum of Fine Arts in Rio.

Arched window in the Lobby of the Museum

 The afternoon seemed to fly by, but there was time to stop and view an exhibit in the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes.  Since there were no cameras allowed, I can only say that Modigliani was a vanguard in the very early 1900's.

We left the Museu Nacional de Belas Artes to make our way back to the ferry terminal.  On the way, there were scenes of life on the streets.

A homeless man encamps
in the shade of a quiet street.

 There was also more grandeur to take in.  This building houses the Universidade Candido Mendes.  It is right next door to the Paço Imperial (remember that from Rio 2 blog?).

Universidade Candido Mendes
Paco Imperial (on left)

University Roofline and Columns

 Nara, Vania, and I walked past the University to the front of Paço Imperial.  Remember that I said it was closed when we first arrived from the ferry?  We hoped to find the building open for a look inside.  We weren't disappointed.  A Carriage Court lay behind the iron gates at the front entrance.  Vania found a place to rest while Nara and I explored the Palace interior.  We could practically hear the footsteps of the King and Queen on the stone staircase.  The second floor of the Imperial Palace had been renovated to house large gallery spaces and a library.

Through a second-story window inside the Paço Imperial
you can see the front steps of the University next door.

There were also areas designated as history museum to tell the story of the Palace and its residents.  At one time, the Palace housed the government mint, and coins were made within the walls.

One of the rooms on the main floor of the Paço
reveals original stone walls and floors.

I kept thinking how much my brother Bill would have enjoyed seeing the Palace and all the other magnificent historic buildings I had seen this day.  He was an architect who was also fascinated with history.  With his vivid imagination, I guess his head would be spinning at all the sights of the day in Centro.  I know that mine certainly was.

We used our return tickets to enter the Rio ferry terminal, and waited just a short while for a large modern ferry to take us back across Guanabara Bay to Niterói.  The three of us were pretty quiet as we floated back toward home.  Grateful for a cushioned seat and a bit of shade, we all pretended to read a brochure or two.  Not enough time to nap, but it sure was relaxing to sit still for our 15 minute ride.

Oh, and we did get our ice cream after all.  We stopped at a large shopping mall close to the ferry terminal and ordered double scoops all around.

What a special day!

BTW--thank you, Nara.  When you retire from your job, you most definitely have a career in hosting guided tours.  Seriously.