Notes From Everywhere

After visiting Christ the Redeemer, we made our way to Parque Lage.

I had seen photographs of the beautiful Palacio with Christ the Redeemer rising high above it on Corcovado Mountain. It quickly became one of the places I was most looking forward to visiting. I imagined sitting in its famous courtyard café with a cup of coffee, looking up at Christ towering above.

Finding the palace closed was very disappointing but as we wandered farther into the park, I realized Parque Lage had another story to tell.

The city quietly disappeared behind us. Moss-covered cobblestone paths wound beneath towering palm trees and through lush tropical vegetation. Weathered stone benches and old walkways gave the park a timeless feel, as if it had been quietly waiting there for generations.

Then we stumbled upon a stone tower.

At first, it looked like nothing more than a decorative ruin. But at its base was a small cave, and to our surprise, it wasn’t just a cave—it was the entrance to the tower. Curious, we stepped inside and climbed our way to the top before continuing deeper into the park.

That’s when Parque Lage truly came alive.

Two baby capybaras suddenly raced across the path in front of us. A little farther on, we spotted a large black monkey moving high through the canopy. Near the café, several small monkeys casually sat on electrical wires, completely unfazed by the people walking beneath them. Everywhere we looked there were unusual tropical plants, colorful flowers, and enormous palms reaching toward the sky.

It was hard to believe we were still in the middle of one of the world’s largest cities.

I’ll have to return someday for that cup of coffee in the courtyard.

But now that I think back on that day, I wonder: if the palace had been open that morning, would I have ever wandered far enough to discover the hidden jungle waiting behind it?