The next set of notable highlights that occurred in Rio included the Christ the Redeemer Statue, the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian, and the Monument to the Dead of World War II. Honestly, the beach was not a major attraction for me, coming to Rio. Nevertheless, the Christ the Redeemer stature was definitely on my to-do list and the other religious & memorial sites were a pleasant addition to my travels around Rio de Janeiro.
Early one morning, my group and I caught a taxi to Christ the Redeemer to beat the crowds. Enriching & invigorating, the Christ the Redeemer statue was only the start to the inspiration that the city deposited into my life.
When you travel to Rio de Janiero, visit the Christ the Redeemer statue, the Rio de Janeiro Cathedral, and the Monument to the Dead of World War II and make sure you practice these methods to embrace the moment:
- Look around and look up.
Looking around and looking up are integral actions when you visit Rio de Janeiro. As I traveled up to the Christ the Redeemer monument (and napped partially on the 15-20 minute commute to the top) on the trolley, you could look around and see local communities that bordered the commute towards the monument.
The size of the statue captures your sight and captures your emotions as you look up and realize that you are finally in Brazil. Literally larger than life, crowds begin to amass and getting a decent picture becomes difficult; nevertheless, the Christ the Redeemer highlight encourages you to look around and look up in life, you’ll find something larger than life that inspires you.
2. Expect the great, but be prepared for the worst.
Although the sites are beautiful as you look around, I’m disappointed I failed to bring a towel to eliminate sweat or bring enough bug repellent, as the heat from the sun toasted my Godiva-ness and the humidity seemingly melted me as time passed. Expect great sights, but be prepared for the countless bugs that manage to invade your space as you attempt to permit Christ’s invasion of your pictures.
3. Find useful apps
The official language of Brazil is Portuguese, not Spanish (although they’re somewhat similar). If you know neither, travelling throughout the city or asking for directions could be hard if you don’t download a English-Portuguese translator.
Also, if you were to ever travel to Rio de Janiero, download Google Maps and preload some directions before departing for your travels. The map was a lifesaver when trying to locate the Rio de Janeiro Cathedral.
4. Observe the culture: Watch & learn your surroundings
Walking to the Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Sebastian is a great time to observe the culture, you see street art and you see people of the streets. Although it may be best to travel with a partner for safety reasons, you will learn a lot about yourself if you live in the moment.
The Cathedral enables you to truly look around and look up; if you simply look around, you will find awesome beauty to inspire you and teach you.
5. Dig deeper into a country’s history. 
When travelling to a new country, I enjoy the main attractions; nevertheless, I also enjoy more low-key attractions. On the hunt for more attractions to see, I came across this interesting structure, the Monument to the Brazilian Soldiers of World War II.
Interestingly (just learning this now),  onsite “the below grade mausoleum holds the remains of 467 servicemen of the Brazilian Expeditionary Force who died in action in Italy during World War II.”
If you dig deeper into a country’s history, you will obviously acquire interesting facts that allows you to understand the culture more. Continue digging!
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