BRAZIL: As the Brazilian summer officially begins, thermometers read 42 degrees celsius and Rio beaches fill up

Christmas is generally the season for snow and winter, but in Rio de Janeiro, less than five days before the December 25, thermometers read 42 degrees Celsius (109.4°F) and beaches were packed. In Brazil, country known for its beautiful beaches and hot tropical weather, summer officially began on Thursday (December 21) with extremely high temperatures and a clear blue sky. Under the unbearably hot sun, a man decided to get in shape for the season when people usually like to show off beautiful bodies. But many others chose to take a refreshing swim instead. This stunning stretch of sand attracts millions of tourists every year, but security has become a growing issue. Less than a month ago, a bus full of British visitors was robbed shortly after it left the airport. Grin Tenwolde, who came from Holland's harsh winter to enjoy Rio's tropical sun, will have to go through another rough weather change in the next two days. "I'll stay here (in Rio de Janeiro) for a couple of days and then I'll go on a cruise on the Rotterdam, down down to the Arctic. So from plus 40 degrees I'll go down below zero in a couple of days," he said. At the legendary Ipanema beach, the tanned cariocas - as people born in Rio are called - enjoyed the sun, but at least some did not forget to put on sunscreen for protection. Health specialists warn that, especially during summer, exposure to the sun's ultra-violet rays can lead to deadly forms of skin cancer. Peter Heiseing and his friend, who have been to Brazil twice before, do not seem to be missing their homes back in Germany. Heiseing said he chose to spend vacations in Rio because there is no place he'd rather be at this time. "In Germany it's cold and winter. Yesterday I still in the snow and ice and today we are here with forty degrees. I can't imagine a better place in the world," he said. Tourism officials say violence prevents the number of visitors from growing substantially. Rio expects to receive some 680,000 tourists, including 140,000 from abroad, for the Carnival celebrations starting on February. Meteorologists have announced this summer will be hotter and more humid than the previous in most parts of Brazil.

ITN Source | November 22, 2006

Tags:. .spend. .sky. .february. .ice. .cold