A lot has happened in the past week - Spain and Australia have been eliminated; we partied with the Brazilians as they played against Mexico; we've been to Christ the Redeemer and Sugar Loaf Mountain; Copacabana has become our home; we've walked the streets of Ipanema, Leblon and downtown Centro riding on countless bus and Metro rides moving around Rio; we've eaten until we could eat no more; we've seen several favelas from a distance and spent a day walking through one of them....
From that, here are my thoughts on the 'real' Rio de Janeiro:
The party vibe
As expected, there was a strong party vibe around the
place but it seemed the only ones partying were the tourists. Cariocas (Rio
locals) were too busy making a living. This was their window of opportunity, so
they had to make the most of it. They didn't strike me as the fun-loving,
samba-dancing bunch I thought they would be. The vibe I got from the Cariocas
was one of survival.
Our waiter at one of the restaurants we visited was
scheduled to work 30 days straight without a day off. The favela tour company
we booked had several tour groups going every day. Street vendors lined streets
and sidewalks hawking their wares. Our apartment landlord was attending to our
needs organising a repair to the leaking washing machine during our stay. Their
city had a sudden influx of tourists ready to spend their money so this was
their chance to earn from it. Once the world spotlight was no longer on their
city they could take a break and have fun. For now, it was time for them to
work.
The poverty
Poverty in Rio is real, very real. Everyday we walked
passed countless homeless people sleeping on the sidewalks. I wanted
desperately to take photos to convey their reality but just couldn't. The truth is we couldn't really tell if they
were homeless or dead - and I say that in all seriousness. Laying on the filthy
sidewalks of Copacabana in the middle of the day as tourists and locals walked
by oblivious to their presence. The poverty was palpable. Unless one stayed in
the cocoon of their 5-star hotel facing Copacabana or Ipanema beach,
chauffeured from point-to-point by taxi or private shuttle never to wander
through the back streets to see real life, it was hard not to notice. Rio's
poverty isn't confined to the favelas. It smacks you in the face.
Having said that, like many places, the entire population
doesn't live like that.There are wealthy people too...like the lady in the
upmarket shopping centre in Ipanema wearing her Ferragamo shoes with nanny and
baby in tow; or the family of 5 who arrived at the airport as we were leaving -
baggage trolley piled high with not 1, not 2, but 5 pieces of Louie Vuitton
check-in luggage - being pushed by what I could only assume was the
nanny/helper. They are the minority
Why do I need to make a point of it? Because I don't
understand how a city (or country) who can't even play host to the majority of
its own citizens can be allowed to host the world - not only for this World Cup
but for the 2016 Olympics as well.
The people
Cariocas are great people. They were all friendly, very
helpful, and extremely patient - especially with the language barrier and our
cluelessness with many things. From the bus drivers to the waiters to the
check-out chick at the grocery to the lady at the local corner bakery...all of
them - except for the LAN airport staff - took the time out to understand what
we were trying to say, give directions, or wait while we fumbled with local
currency.
It mustn't be easy to share their city with the throngs
of foreign tourists, especially when daily life is already a struggle without
them, yet they managed to make us feel welcome.
Then there are the 'bad apples' of society... those that
get featured in the media, giving the rest of the world the impression that the
whole place is out to get you. The bad ones are the minority that get all the
attention. The key is to research the areas to avoid, know and weigh the risks,
and always, always, always keep your wits about.
Thankfully, there wasn't really an instance where I felt
threatened during our stay. The closest we came to it was our mid-day visit to
Lapa to see the Arcos de Lapa and Escalon de Lapa. It was our last day in Rio
(we were flying out that night) and I really wanted to see it. Lapa immediately
felt different, you could tell. And as we walked down a 200m stretch of a
partially deserted street (which police at the Arcos directed us to) I felt
like we were easy targets. There was no one but locals hanging out at their
doorways, milling around on the streets, watching us walk by. A mix of
graffiti, street art and filth covered the rundown buildings that looked like
their homes.
I wasn't sure if it was the paranoia from the TripAdvisor
reviews or our landlord's warning to have 'mugging money' prepared or a
traveller's sixth sense, but it wasn't until we encountered a film crew
shooting footage that I felt safe enough to stop and take photos of the
surrounding area. It was a relief to arrive at the Escalon where there were
police at the base of the steps packed with tourists.
The food
Fruits, agua de coco, salads, lean cuts of meat...all
these healthy things were in abundance. No wonder Brazilians have great bodies.
It's so easy to eat healthy. Chia seeds, goji berries - these super foods made regular appearances
at buffets alongside the fried garlic and sesame seeds.
The well-renowned Brazilian feast - the Churrasco - is,
in my humble opinion, over-rated and over-priced. At least the one we went to
across the Copacabana Hotel certainly was.
The less popular 'por Kilo' is THE way to go in Brazil.
They're everywhere...even in food courts. Some are better than others and the
best we had by far was at the Catete Grill in Rua Catete. Breakfast, lunch, and
dinner are served this way so you can usually get it any time of day.
Would I recommend visiting Rio?
I've already been asked this off-the-cuff and, as with
most of my responses when asked about a place, I prefer not to discourage
anyone from visiting any place I didn't particularly fall in love with. My
experience is exactly that - my experience. Everyone should visit places they
want to see and experience for themselves - regardless of what others say.
So, yes - definitely - go visit Rio. But do so not
because of what you expect Rio to be but more so because you will be helping
the people in Rio with your tourist dollars. Spend your money at the local
corner stores and stalls, catch the local bus, get a drink and eat at the small
local restaurants, bars, and cafes, get your breakfast from the local bakery,
buy something from the local craftsperson...
Life in Rio de Janeiro, the real Rio de Janeiro, can't be
further from the hedonistic lifestyle it wants the world to see.
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