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" Down the way where the nights are gay
And the sun shines daily on the mountaintop
I took a trip on a sailing ship
And when I reached Jamaica, I made a stop...."

The immortal lyrics of Belafonte`s song �� brings forth a wave of nostalgia.... of a sailing trip made many years ago to one of the most awesome destinations in the world. No, not Jamaica, but Brazil....Rio de Janeiro, in particular.

The very name conjures up visions and scenes of breathtaking beauty and wildness in my mind`s eye.... of that beautiful star spangled night when I sailed into Rio. Of that vision in white, shining pure as alabaster, standing on the mount seemingly enveloping the whole world in his benign arms �� Corcovado or the statue of Jesus Christ that commands a view of the city. It not only caught my eye but held me spellbound and starstruck. Certainly, a sight for sore eyes.... by day and by night.

The sparkling white sands on the Copacabana �� one of the World`s most famous beaches �� the emerald waters glittering like jewels in the sunshine, beckoning me to explore its velvety warmth. Sugar Loaf, another important landmark in Rio, situated as it is on a steep hillock (the easiest way to get there is by cable car) hides a veritable paradise behind its forbidding exterior, lush green parks with an aviary resplendent with birds of varied hues �� parakeets, macaws, parrots. The ride by cable car and the panoramic view of the entire city �� the bay, the streets, the skyscrapers, the squalor was indeed a sublime experience. Here the memories fade away like the mist.... like gossamer.

Remembering Rio, a pot pourri of cultures....vibrant, sensuous, unique. Memories are made of these.... don`t you think?