located between the
ipanema
and the tijuca
massif, the rodrigo freitas lagoon is a placid body of water and
one of the great touristic hotspots of rio de janeiro.
it
contains just two islands, and although they are not large they
are
occupied by important institutions.
to the south there's the
caiçaras island,
while to the north is the piraquê island.
the current shape of the lagoon is very
different from what it was when the portuguese first arrived.