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Flying down to Rio
What do you imagine when you think of Rio de Janeiro? Beach, sun, soccer, capoeira, bikinis and bossanova? Rio has them all
W
hat do you imagine when you think of Rio de Janeiro? Beach, sun, soccer, capoeira, bikinis and bossanova? Rio has them all.
If you have seen the movie The City of God ' which tells the story of two boys growing up in a favela (slum) of Rio de Janeiro who take different paths in life, one a photographer and the other a drug dealer ' you might feel hesitant about going to Rio.
Extreme poverty as the result of the unequal distribution of wealth in the country has made these parts of Rio harsh neighborhoods to live in.
But Rio has more to offer.
Rio de Janeiro is planning to host the World Cup in 2014 and the 2016 Summer Olympics. And of course, I just had to see Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer).
So during a month-long business trip to São Paulo taking advantage of a night flight and a free weekend, Rio appeared right before my very eyes.
The beach
What everyone expects from a beach, Rio has it all. The sun, the waves, the bikinis, the views, you name it.
The twin beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema are the most popular. They are packed with people but are amazing and considerably clean with soft white sand. There are free showers on the beach.
Just like beaches back home in Indonesia, walking vendors are a common sight there. They sell everything from bikinis to food and beverages. My favorite was suco de laranja or orange juice and Pão de queijo (cheese lumps). I brought some packs of instant Pão de queijo home, to which I only need to add eggs and water before baking.
If you notice, some of the words in Portuguese are similar to Indonesian. Queijo means keju (cheese) in Indonesian. You want to guess what jandela is? It is jendela (window) with a 'z' sound for the letter 'j'. It seems we adopted some Portuguese when they came to our country.
When you go around Rio, it is better to go in a group. I was told not to go out by myself, not to bring a bag, not to wear a watch, no fancy cellphones, no jewelry ' you only need to bring, well, you. If you are accompanied by a local, or someone who speaks Portuguese, that is better.
Rio de Janeiro
The Favela
I was staying in a hotel which was located very close to Copacabana beach. From the outdoor dining room, I could see the favela, which made me imagine life in The City of God. It must be extremely hard ' it seems like you simply cannot escape once you are there. However, you must not try to go even near the slums, especially if you do not speak Portuguese.
Maracana Stadium
Pele is probably one of many reasons why Rio is so famous. A good friend from Santos said that in Brazil, every city has its own football team. No wonder they are very good at the game.
I am not such a big soccer fan. However, if you are in Brazil, you have to go to see the largest football stadium in South America. It is being prepared for the World Cup 2014 and the 2016 Olympics. It was fun as there was a guy there showing us how good he was with a football. It really was like dancing.
Samba
Oh yes. It is like a parade everywhere.
It is really amazing how they dance. Samba is renowned around the world as a symbol of Brazil and the Brazilian Carnival. We went to a bar one night and everyone was just really having fun. The music really makes you move!
Helicopter ride
Once you are in Rio, do not miss a helicopter ride. It is, to be honest, very expensive, but it is really worth it. The view of the city from the helicopter is fantastic!
Once in a while, the pilot will do some maneuvers so you can see the city from different angles. It is a bit scary at first, but you will really enjoy the ride the next time.
The chopper can take three passengers at the back and one at the front. It is equipped with seatbelts, so no fears about that.
From the helicopter you will see Cristo Redentor blessing the city while facing Sugarloaf Mountain or Pão de Açúcar, whose name is said to refer to its shape, which resembles a sugar loaf.
Caipirinha
If you love drinking, be sure to try Brazil's national cocktail, the Caipirinha. If you do not drink, you might want try the virgin Caipirinha, the alcohol-free version. It will simply taste like lime juice, but at least you can say that you know how it tastes.
The food is fabulous. The seafood is the best ' well, after that of Indonesia, of course.
Last but not least, if you decide to come in summer, better be prepared. Summer can be quite hot in Rio, better to pack your sunglasses, sunblock lotion, swimsuit, shorts and flip flops. Only then, are you ready to have fun.
Photos by Almeria Allen
