So! What did you do on XMAS DAY?

...XMAS DAY 2007 in the life of the Patels on world tour...

...another un-eventful day then!..

...8am breakfast by the beach...

...then 9am picked by Paulo of Just Fly from our hotel to jump off 610m high mountain called Pedra Bonita running at full speed holding this kite in our hand...
...2nd from left is the towering peak of Pedra Bonita mountain-one of the giant granite slabs that tower over Rio...and that's where we jump off from...
...at 09:45am Pritti ran at speed holding THAT kite you see and jumped off the mountain and there she is soaring above Rio like a gliding Condor...
...me and my co-pilot Paulo at 10:00am -me thinking the un-thinkabale-should I get back in the jeep to go to the beach or should I jump off running at full speed holding that kite!...well I did the un-thinkable and jumped...

...P with her co-piolet Marco gliding above Rio-smiles says it all...
...she loved this feeling she says...by the way she does'nt know I have published these two pictures so between you and me don't tell her or she will erase them both...
....hang gliding...it's more enjoyable than other things we've done as you spend almost 5 minutes flying before you land...
...check the golf course-that's Gavea Golf & Country Club-green fess 100US for weekdays & at weekends just play some place else!...I was surveying the Course at the same time for MGS Tour 2009-I may be DQ for having done this flight over the course...
...landing on this beach known as Praia do Pepino...we both had a smooth landings...

...12pm visit to the Lord to say Happy Birthday and asking for 3 points against Derby on Boxing Day...this of course is THE place to visit in Rio and better for visiting on Xmas Day...

...CRISTO REDENTOR or CHRIST THE REDEEMER...

...the statue sits on top of Corcovado mountain which gazes out over Rio,the expression on the Lord's face is rather placid but on a well crafted face.The mountain rises straight up from the city-710m-38m high statue on top and it is visible from nearly every part of the city- all of 1145 tons of the open armed redeemer...Jesus! thats heavy!

...Happy Birthday my Lord... Jesus Christ! watch out for that chopper my Lord I think he is going for your private parts and this day from now on could be remembered as 12/25...
...the views from here were stupendous all around...you can see the famous Maracana futbal stadium in this picture and this area is also part of Tijuca National Park...
...Sugarloaf in the middle...
...Lake Rodrigo de Freitas and beyond it is Ipanema beach,on the right the Jockey Club Of Brazil...

... 3pm late lunch/early dinner in a buffet restaurent where you pay by weight of the food in your plate and time for hairstyle change on Copacabana...
...4pm...watching Valleyball with a difference on Copacabana... but here you are allowed to use any part of your body except your hands...these guys are so good at using their heads,thighs,chests,legs,shoulders etc to keep the ball in play...wonderful to watch...a real joy on Copacabana...
...family prayers on Copacabana as another huge cruise ship leaves Rio...
...5pm...hired bicycle for the family and rode around Copacabana...here stopping for refueling yet again on tasty local coconuts...
...Copacabana on Xmas Day ...bodies sand and water as far as your eye can see...

...and a Merry Xmas to you all...from Copacabana...

...hmmm! on Copacabana...look at it before P removes it!...
...selling sarongs and so called bikinis... on Copacabana Xmas Day...
...6:30pm....watching valleyball on Ipanema beach as yet another cruise ship leaves Rio...
...7pm...back to the hotel on Ipanema and ready for few Brahma's...
7:10pm...Ipanema beach,favela in the distant and beyond it second from left Pedra Bonita mountain from where we jumped off this morning holding a kite...

...8:30pm Xmas Day...sunsets over Rio and Ipanema beach and another normal day completed for the Patels on world tour...so we have to ask...
...What Did You Do On Xmas Day?...