Sugarloaf Cable Car, Rio de Jainero

Copacabana Beach is flanked by two prominent massive rock outcrops at both ends, Sugarloaf at the east and Mount Corcovado where Jesus the Redeemer is built at the west. Both are shaped like half buried bread bun on the ground. Tips of the "buns" are vintage points to have a grand bird eye view of the city of Rio de Jaineiro. A ride of the cable car is similar to the skyride experience at Grouse Mountain, Vancouver (Read here). But it is probably the lift chair at the Nut in Stanley in Tasmania that offers most thrill (Read here). In Stanley, the unenclosed two-seater lift chair exposes your body to the chilly air while the legs are free to dangle all the way up and down.

Sugarloaf Cable Car has a pretty amazing history since it was first built in 1912. It has since undergone a few upgrades. The thrill of this cable car was brought to world attention in the 1979 James Bond movie "Moonraker" featuring Roger Moore as 007 (See here).

Sugarloaf ride consists of two stages. First is from Ground Zero Station at the base to Morro da Urca Station at 220m elevation. Stage 2 is from Morro da Urca to Sugarloaf Mountain at 396m elevation.

At the first stop at Morro da Urca, one can catch sight of the Statue of the Christ the Redeemer at the far west.

Stage 2: To Sugarloaf Mountain.

Back to Main Station at Ground Zero.

After the cable car experience, we were driven to the Cultural Space Estacio de Sa Monument, a small park by the bay to have another view of Sugarloaf Mountain.