Today we walked all around the city of Rio de Janeiro with a guide and two security guys who wore Ray-Bans and crossed their arms a lot. Rio is a fascinating mix of old and new, all crowded in between the sea and the mountains.
First stop was a monastery which looked nice and simple on the outside.
gorgeous iron gates
But the inside is anything but simple. Baroque, baby!
loved this font in a side chapel
Many buildings in Rio reflect a French influence.
There are also lots of modern buildings in Rio. Sadly, they are not all as pretty as this one.
Reflected in that building is a modern cathedral where the Pope held mass just last week. It was amazing.
one side of the cathedral- all the little squares were open air
The ceiling on the inside was a clear glass cross, with modern stained glass coming down each of the four sides. It was quite dramatic.
After a lunch break back at the hotel, we visited a much smaller church at the top of a hill, which afforded this lovely view .
The church was charming. I loved all of the tiles, which came from England.
Afterwards, we wandered around some quaint little streets from colonial times.
As you can see, it was a full day. I hope you all had a good start to your week!
Mais Oui Paris 
Wonderful post and awesome photos. My favorite ones are inside photos of a church.
Thank you for the great pictures and the details of you tour. I have been to Southern Brazil but have not experienced Rio. When will you back in Austin?