Where’s the girl from Ipanema?

Ipanema and its beach are known for its views, waves and beautiful bodies. Walking along the two mile beach, it was impossible not to notice the Brazilian men with chiseled bodies (If you base Brazil on what you see on this beach, you’ll thing that all Brazilians run, have 8-packs and do weights and exercise on the beach) and skimpy speedos (This must be the european thing to have your junk hanging out) all playing volleyball and tanning. Tall, bronzed, statuesque Amazonian women in even skimpier thongs lay on squares of colourful cotton under the blazing sun, aligned carefully for the perfect tan. Someone said that you should just go with your shades to the beach; how weird I must have looked with my camera backpack wandering the sand and climbing rocks at each end of the beach.

Two mountains called the “Dois Irmãos” (Two Brothers) rise at the western end of the beach. The view of the “Dois Irmãos”  below is from the rocks at the eastern end of the beach, where the fishermen and surfers all go from.

The beach is divided into segments by marks known as “postos” (lifeguard towers). Each “posto” supposedly means something and has a specific crowd.  There are only 3 postos on Ipanema beach; I managed to find a “Posto” index to help me:

• Posto 1 (Leme) – Between Aurelino Leal and Anchieta
• Posto 2 (Copacabana) – In front of the Praça do Lido (the only one in the original location)
• Posto 3 Between Paula Freitas and Hilario de Gouveia
• Posto 4 (Copacabana) – In front of Constante Ramos
• Posto 5 (Copacabana) – In front of Sá Ferreira
• Posto 6 There is no Post 6!!!
• Posto 7 (Arpoador/Botafogo) – At the end of Arpoador
• Posto 8 (Ipanema) – In front of Joaquim Nabuco
• Posto 9 (Ipanema) – Between Vinicius de Moraes and Joana Angelica
• Posto 10 (Ipanema) – In front of Anibal de Mendonça
• Posto 11 (Leblon) – Between Almirante Guilhem and Carlos Garcia
• Posto 12 (Leblon) – Between Queen Wilhelmina and Aristides Espinola
• Posto 13 (São Conrado) – Próximo ao Hotel Intercontinental Tour 13 (Sao Conrado) – Next to Hotel Intercontinental
  

All along the beach there are interesting vantage points and tons to see and photograph

In true tradition, there is an area for everyone, so  there is an area specifically called “the gay beach,” situated near Rua Farme de Amoedo; which is well-known for being a gay-friendly area, I didn’t know they had to specifically label it 😀

Beer is sold everywhere on the beach along with the traditional cachaça. I have to say that on a hot day, the ridiculously cold coconuts are amazing. I thought only in Trinidad, could I get a coconut straight from the freezer..

But walking to the Eastern end of the beach, you can see the Ipanema beach panorama…

Even our 4 legged friends are chilled out and love the coconuts

And if you’re lucky enough.. well unlucky for these guys, you can see the lifeguarding corps do their thing

And if you ever feel like working out on the beach … it is really simple

Once you’re done buffing up, you can head back down the streets again.

I feel like a nap on the beach now

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