When I saw the walkway where I placed this cache, I was reminded of the patterned sidewalks along Ipanema and Copacabana beaches where each beach has its own distinct pattern made of tile brought from Portugal. I strolled along them in the evenings spent in Rio de Janeiro. You will start your walk to this cache on a patterned sidewalk as well.
Copacabana Beach sidewalk
Ipanema Beach sidewalk
In April 2007, I joined a geocaching tour that included Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. While the centerpiece of the tour for most was finding what was then the last remaining Project APE cache, I took the trip because it would take me to Iguaçu Falls, Itaipu Dam, and Rio de Janeiro where we visited Christ the Redeemer statue, Sugarloaf Mountain, and Escadaria Selarón. Each was on my bucket list. Having already found 3 Project APE caches, a fourth one was very low on my priorities.
When I arrived at the Rio airport for my homeward bound flights, I realized that I still had some Brazilian money. I looked for a snack on which to spend it rather than take it home with me. That's when I spotted mini-M&Ms in tube containers. Perfect to eat and perfect for caches. The printed language on them was Portuguese.
The puzzle and hide - solve a simple puzzle about Brazil to get the correct coordinates for finding the cache. Parking and hints will be found in the puzzle checker. While the container itself is micro, it is inside a small size container to protect it from the elements.
The cache coordinates are N 47° 0A.BCD minus 0.051 W 122° 5E.FGH minus 0.055.
Important Note: The original trail is permanently closed, so the cache has moved and the final coordinates have changed. Solve the puzzle and then subtract 0.051 from the north minutes and subtract 0.055 from the west coordinates to use the checker for confirmation and hints.
Answer these questions to find the values for the letters:
A = ______ - Escadaria Selarón has 2D5 steps.
B = ______ - Christ the Redeemer statue was completed in 19B1.
C = ______ - Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca was the first European to see Iguaçu Falls in 1C41.
D = ______ - Iguaçu Falls has 27D drops.
E = ______ - Itaipu Dam was opened 5 May 198E.
F = ______ - Escadaria Selarón is F25 meters in length/height.
G = ______ - Christ the Redeemer statue weighs approximately G35 metric tons.
H= ______ - Pão de Açúcar rises 3H6 meters above the harbor.
