Sunday - Market Day

We again woke up at 6 am. I hope that will continue! 
Neil fetched water for our coffees and we were out before 8 am and walked to the big supermarket around the corner, hoping it did not have the usual long queues. And we were lucky, it was busy but the queuing was ok.
We got water, some Brazilian style Melitta filters (for my barista friends in Glasgow) and some cheese I was hoping to be cream cheese. I like it for breakfast.
Then Neil took me to the weekly market around the square close to the Hotel. It was amazing with so much wonderful and fresh fruit, vegetables fish and more. I bought some cucumbers, a mango and a piece of cake that looked like a cheese cake. 
I enjoyed it so much that I walked the whole thing twice. How nice would it be to have a kitchen!
Back at the hotel we went for breakfast and studied the travel guides and maps. I was trying to find a good place for dinner. It's always difficult. There are soo many options here that it is quite easy to go wrong!
At around 12 pm we went to the beach. At the beach are plenty of stalls that rent out umbrellas and chairs. This it what you do when at the Copacabana! So we got an umbrella and 2 chairs and got set up close to the water. The chairs were low but comfortable and the umbrella was giving the much needed shade. People watching at the Copacabana is interesting! If you expect the beach is full of beautiful people, then you are wrong! Brazilians (and tourists) come in all shapes and sizes. 
Copacabana is a busy beach and very much frequented by locals and foreigners alike. Vendors are walking up and down selling food, drinks, ice cream, sunglasses, clothes, cengas (Brazilian sarong) etc. Caipirinhas seem also to be omnipresent. Nothing I could really do in the heat - they are far too strong!
I grabbed a vendor and bought two cengas, as this is what you need on the beach! No one has a towel, unless you want to stick out badly :)
We spent a few hours sunbathing (or rather shade bathing), swimming in the warm Atlantic, jumping and diving waves and of course people watching! 
I cannot really remember my last day on a beach! It must be ages ago! I thoroughly enjoyed the relaxing afternoon.
We had enough after a few hours and returned to the Hotel.
Neil had work to do - after all the first week is a business trip for him.
I phoned Christina.
She is doing ok. My cousins left today, so let's see how things will be when she is really alone.
The date for the service is still not confirmed, but we all hope the Saturday will work out. They have also already put the card together and Christina has gathered 170 addresses they will be sent to! This is a lot!
It seems all still unreal!!!!!

We then went out again to actually find a coffee, but were a little late. We walked quite a while and ended at a Spanish Restaurant my Lonely Planet recommended. They talked us into a Caipirinha, and we just ordered 2 small tapas, to help with the alcohol. The rest did not really appeal.
Slightly intoxicated we left, again looking for another place where we could eat. In the end we found a café where I had a double expresso, much needed to bring me back to life. We then decided to walk back to our place and have some food in the "Per Kilo" restaurant along the street.
That was the best thing to do, as you can choose what and how much you want to eat and pay by weight.

Back in the Hotel poor Neil still had work to do and I sat sweating on the balcony trying to catch up with my photos.

Today's picture is taken at the market. I bought the cheese cake from her.