Charming Rio
Rio is the only city in the world where Christ, slums and samba mingle in joyful harmony. This combination alone is one of the reasons why Rio is Brazil's most famous and exciting destination. Adding to its innate beauty and cheer, Brazil's economy is booming and Rio is getting ready to undergo makeover as it prepares to receive the World Cup in 2014 and the Olympic Games in 2016. In the months before the events, Rio gleams of hope.
"You will adore Rio! My only fear is that you'll stay there forever," warned one of my best friends, a Beijing-based Brazilian. As a Portuguese speaker who'd been dreaming about Brazil for too long, I first landed in Rio with extremely high expectations and suspicions of a land that wins unanimous favor and love, despite the occasional warning over safety. I was determined to explore the iconic sites and go beyond the beaten path of beaches, samba and football. Ten days were enough to understand why it's a sin not to fall for Rio, a city graced with natural beauty, warm people and a sunny disposition.
Slums and seafront
Blue skies and sunny weather greeted me as I descended over Rio's Gale?o International Airport (GIG), located about 20 kilometers from the city center. The bus downtown turned out to be a long, pleasant ride that provided for my first glimpses of the city.
The waterfront took over the landscape as we approached the city center. The pedestrian sidewalk of Copacabana, known as the cal?ad?o, is exactly as I had envisioned: the best people-watching spot in town. The 10 kilometer-long paved road is a lively parade of Rio's assorted population: joggers, cyclists, fitness addicts, bikini babes drinking coconuts, families flocking to the beach and vendors hawking souvenirs.
Young and old, thin and fat, black and white, all Brazilians seem to love beach culture, indulge in a healthy lifestyle and enjoy the best their city has to offer. Each stretch of pavement is named for the nearby beach and is organized in twelve "posts," with a lifeguard station marking each post.
I recalled my Brazilian friend's comments on the cal?ad?o: "The surfers hang out around post 7 and Arpoador beach, the best spot to watch the sunset. In Ipanema, post 8 attracts the gay-friendly community. At post 9, you'll find the young crowd clapping hands, playing guitar and juggling at sunset. People in their 30s go for post 10, and post 12 is the family favorite."
Uptown
One must venture to the highest points in Rio to truly understand why it is nicknamed "a cidade maravilhosa" (the marvelous city) by its people, known as the cariocas. For 53 real ($25.54), I took a cable car to the top of Sugarloaf Mountain, the peak that overlooks Guanabara Bay at 396 meters above the Atlantic Ocean. The iconic site was named by the Portuguese in the 16th century for its resemblance to the traditional shape of concentrated refined loaf sugar. The panoramic view over the beautiful city was breathtaking.
Competing with Sugarloaf, on the other side of the bay is the famous Corcovado, which boasts the most famous image from Rio: the 38-meter-high statue of Christ perched with open arms at the top. Located in the Tijuca Forest national park, visitors can hike up to the statue, but I preferred to take the small train that snakes through the rainforest on the way up to the peak. The statue always draws crowds, but seeing the colors embrace Christ and the city at sunset is well worth the trip.
Out and about
"A Portuguese girl living in China? Why did you go that far, girl? Come to Rio, it's warmer here and you speak the language - you are practically a carioca," said a man who sat next to me on the bus. Every bus ride or photo request is an opportunity for cariocas to strike up a conversation; they're friendly, inquisitive and relaxed. Don't be surprised if they invite you out on the spot.
The first concern of most travelers heading for Rio is safety, especially when it comes to lodging. I was lucky to land in Leblon, around post 12. With its upscale shops, trendy bars and tidy compounds, Leblon is the most expensive neighborhood in Rio. Next to Leblon are Ipanema and Copacabana, upper-class areas where it is easier to find more affordable accommodation. Make a quick stop at Ipanema's hippie fair, a great crafts market, and The Girl From Ipanema restaurant, where Brazilian poets Vinicius de Moraes and Tom Jobim wrote the bossa nova song of the same name in 1962.
Breakfast in the slum
Drifting away from Leblon provided for the highlight of my time in Rio: breakfast in the favela. "When I was living in Leblon I didn't know any neighbors - everybody lives behind gates and barriers," said André Koller, a German designer who lives in Vidigal, a favela located in Rio's South Zone. "In the favela there's a welcoming sense of community. I feel safer up here then I did down there," said the foreigner who based his communications company in the slum, where he's lived for a couple of years.
"It's safer to live in the favela now. Local people don't want violence, and real estate agents are coming to realize it's a privilege to live here, away from the traffic and the downtown buzz," he noted as he guided me to the top of a hill named Morro Dois Irm?os (Two Brothers Peak). At the top, we took a break at the Favela Vidigal guesthouse that provides travelers a more relaxed view of Rio and its people. There are also companies that arrange favela tours.
Downtown
I started the following day with breakfast at Parque Lage and a stroll in the Botanical Garden, a forest of giant trees where little monkeys jump around right in the middle of the city. I moved on to visit the city center, an area abuzz with working people and a concentration of landmark buildings, churches, parks and sites of cultural interest. The heart of Rio is a mixture of old colonial and modern buildings where you can find a church squeezed between skyscrapers.
I took a stroll around Square Pio X with a street map in my hand to recognize the main highlights in the area: the National Library of Brazil, the Candelária Church, the National Fine Arts Museum, the Banco do Brasil cultural center, the amazing Royal Portuguese Reading Room, and the charming tea house Confeitaria Colombo, the place to stop for a Portuguese egg tart.
I went up the hill of Santa Teresa, a picturesque old neighborhood with a bohemian style. Santa Teresa is a cozy neighborhood punctuated by handicraft and second-hand shops, bars, bakeries and restaurants. I stopped at Bar do Mineiro for true Brazilian feijoada, a dish of beans and pork. In the evening, Rio Scenarium is the place to go for an authentic experience.
On Mondays the party happens at Pedra do Sal, where a traditional samba circle takes place in the evening. Musicians gather to play while cariocas and a few fortunate tourists dance samba and hang out. Everyone is welcome, entry is free and there's plenty of beer and street food to your recharge batteries. After a night out there's nothing like a bowl of a?aí, a purple fruit from the Amazon that can't be exported. Served ice cold and sprinkled with granola, a?aí tastes like berries with chocolate.
Happiness over harmony
I was surprised at the lack of promotion and buzz over the World Cup and the Rio Olympics in the city.
"Rio has energy and a festive atmosphere. It will all be amazing, but it will all be ready at the last minute," noted Ruy Marra, founder of Superfly and paragliding master who holds a world record with 20,000 tandem instruction flights to date. Many cariocas seem to share Marra's spirit. They know the city is preparing, but so far the two sports events are tied up in bureaucracy and public affairs, keeping the excitement from getting into people's hearts.
Marra told me that in the 20 years he's spent flying around the world, he has confirmed how blessed a city Rio is.
"It's the natural beauty, the nice weather all year round, the sun and the sea…that's why people are so happy here," he said, adding that over the past decade, life in Brazil has improved for a great number of people.
Experts fear that Rio will be unsafe and unprepared as a host, but anyone who knows Rio believes that whatever the city lacks in organization, it will make up for with the unique mix of charm, warmth, rhythm and that urge to enjoy life that defines Rio's character.
Rules of Thumb
Practical information: The local currency is the real, and Brazil is the most expensive country in South America. Safety is Rio's downfall but unless you go around waving a map and an expensive camera at all times, you should be alright. Be as careful as you would be in any other major city.
What to say: Some young people and employees at iconic sites speak English, but it is advisable to go around with a dictionary if you don't speak Portuguese or Spanish.
What to wear: Brazil's summer runs from December to February; it's high season and you can expect crowds and a hike in prices, but it is also the best time to visit the country. Dress lightly. Beachwear is easy to find in stalls along the Copacabana.
Where to stay: Accommodations range from 5-star hotels to hostels in the favela, but neither are very cheap. You can also find a number of bed and breakfasts at more reasonable prices; see www.camaecafe.com.br. Choose owners with nice reviews who speak good English as they can offer tips.
Transportation: Walking and renting a bicycle is a great way to get to know the city. Rio's metro system is safe and efficient, with one-way fares starting at about $1.50. Taxis are the best option for going around at night and the fastest way to get to the airports.
Excursions: Buzios, Paraty, Petrópolis and Ilha Grande make for great escapades while visiting Rio.