Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

My trip to Rio was very impressive. Here´s a quick summary…

Brasil in general: They are an advanced country with technology and infrastructure and the like that would impress anyone. The people are very friendly, even the Paulistas of Sao Paulo. It is evident that they are the economic powerhouse of South America, they export quite a lot to the surrounding countries and seem to have control of the fuel market in their neighboring countries. They are now exporting their ethanol fuel technologies as well. The food is outstanding. The scenery is beautiful in the parts I saw, and the sheer size of the country is daunting. Brasil also has the 5th largest population in the world. Portuguese is an interesting language and although spanish speakers can read it, the pronunciation is quite different. I learned the basics and often reverted to spanish but intend to learn more in the future.

The weather: 40s C so about 90s F during the day, never rained. We were lucky because other parts of Brasil are having record rainfalls and even landslides. Everywhere has AC and the beaches are never far so I was never uncomfortable.

Transportation: The metro was very clean and modern even with airconditioning! There was a station with four escalators down to the tracks, it might be some sort of record, not sure. The buses we took were fine as well with airconditioning, something we´re not used to in Argentina, even though it´s almost as hot there.

Praia Ipanema: a beautiful beach with warm blue water and great sand, in between two morros (mountains) and with large rockfaced islands off the coast it´s beautiful. The waves are large enough to make it entertaining to get in past them but they were breaking right on the sand it was almost scary to body surf them and too many people to surf in most places. I´m sure winter is the better time for surfing, less people but still warm water.

Praia Copacabana: many more people at this beach, it is the most famous beach in the world afterall. Very long, 7km, walked the whole thing. This is where all of the hotels are. The beach is very wide and every hundred meters there is bound to be a group of Cariocas (people of Rio) juggling a football (soccerball haha) in a circle. It´s no wonder they have won 5 World Cups. They also play futvolei, which is using a soccerball over a volleyball net…and never using your hands. They are quite skilled using their feet, head, shoulders, chest, knee and I saw volleys go for 5 minutes with two per side.

Praia Sao Corvado: very few people at this beach outside of the centro area, but great waves and the landing spot for hangliders coming from the National Park Tijuaca. The mountains just tower behind you.

Pao de Açucar: Amazing view from the top of this mountain of the landscape, the harbor, and neighbor city Niteroi. We took the gondola ride to the top and then walked down from the lower mountain instead of taking it back down. We found a great park at the bottom of the trail so it was worth it.

Cristo Redentor: This is the postcard of Rio, the monument of christ at the top of Corvocado. The view is great and you can see things that you couldnt from Pao de Açucar. The train ride to the top is neat because it takes you through the forest, villages, and is very steep.

Santa Teresa: This neighborhood is reached by the tram that takes you over the Arcos de Lapa which served as an aqueduct in the past.

Favelas: 20 percent of the population of Rio lives in favelas, communities that are self sufficient and usually self governed by gangs (although recently police forces have moved in permanently to some smaller favelas). The favelas are on the mountainsides and it´s amazing to see their lights at night. The city of Rio is expensive, it´s no surprise the favelas are so large. The Brasilian president, Lula, in his first term, gave 40 Reaies a month to families that kept their children in school and a few other things I can´t remember. This helped the Brasilian poor (mostly in the north of the country) tremendously but it´s evident that life is still rough for a portion of the population. The other portion is quite wealthy, making a drastic contrast.

Food: The steak is excellent. The fruit is fresh and there were twice as many options than I am used to. Açai is a fruit that they blend and mix with ice and a drink called Guarani…like a smoothie but better! Unfortunately I have read that açai won´t keep for more than a day and that is why it can´t be exported. Caiphrinhas are famous worldwide so I won´t explain but I had never had one until Brasil, they´re definitely better when you´re on the beach.

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