Rio de Janeiro - Dancing carnaval, maracana
Trip Start
Jan 12, 2008
1
8
41
Trip End
Jan 15, 2009
Where I stayed
Ed. New York appartments - Copacobana Holidays website ref 13
Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil
Monday, February 11, 2008
So we arrived in Rio on the morning of the 1st after our all night bus trip from Curitiba. The bus trip was fine and because it was executivo class we actually slept quite well and arrived in good spirits ready for a full day. We were advised to catch a taxi from the airport because the rodoviaria (big bus station) is in a dodgey area so we did and arrived outside copacabana holiday´s (agents we booked appartment through) office around 10:30am. They gave us a guide who walked us through the streets pointing things out on the way to our apartment. Our Appartment is great - very spacious with kitchen, walk-in robe and the lot. Located in Leme, left of Copacabana, and one street back from the beach, we are both happy with it. Rio De Janeiro´s hot spots are Leme (a bit quieter - 1km long), Copacabana (about 3.15km long), Impenema (like the jazz song - girl from Impenema) and Leblon which are 4 almost connecting beachs which form big coves of umbrellas and sunbakers around the coastline on hot days
01 Brand spanking new Havaiana´s
. This is where the whole population of Brazil comes on a hot day - they are nice enough to leave you with about 1 metre on either side of where you sitting - if you go to Leme (the quieter of the 4). Lapa is another spot we would have loved to have seen (night spot - lots of samba bars) except the night we had planned to go there, we were trying to buy Football tickets for the 10th and we had a (common occurance) communication error and they gave us our tickets for that night - we ended up going and never got to Lapa, much to our dismay.The carnaval has been better then me and Katie ever imagined - we have had the best time jumping into Bloco´s (street parties) and dancing along with them, as they very slowly move up and down the streets. We have run into a few strange types, a few he/she´s and at one point we had the sight of about 100 guys all pissing on the beach at the same time (not together or anything, just doing what they had to do) - every pole, post or tree was indisposed.
We had organised to go and see the big event at the sambodromo which is a big samba competition between the different samba schools in the favela´s (poor areas) held over a few nights. Unfortunately we had alot of trouble with the tickets we had ordered over the net and they didn´t deliver them so we missed out
02 Random carnaval-ers
. Nevertheless, we are both not too disappointed due to the fact that we had such a good time.We thought about forking out more money to go on the second weekend but most of the backpackers etc. are happy to come here simply for the Bloco´s (street parties) etc. and whatnot which turned out to be the best fun anyway.Katie and I went to the Maracana football stadium for my birthday present to watch Flumenense (A local team) vs. America (Not the country). It was only R$15.00 (Approx AUS$9.00) each for tickets and it was great. Although it was not nearly a full crowd, the atmosphere was still there and it was fun, sitting umounst the smoke of the red and green flares, whilst the avid Brazilian supporters, waving their flags, blare out well-rehersed, excitable team chants to drums, whistles and anything else they brought along with them. Lucky for us the local team won so there was fewer unhappy spectators leaving the stadium after the game. We had learnt earlier on that day, after talking to some poms that had just purchased their tickets, that after a big game the other night, there was a gun fight between the two oppossing team supporters outside the stadium. After hearing this we had decided not to take our camera, but we, ourselves dordled along cautiously anyway because I was excited to get the opportunity to see one of these games - more for the atmosphere
03 Really random carnaval dude
.We loved it sooo much that we decided to go again - to the game we were originally trying to get the tickets for and this time it was so fun! The crowds were much larger and we took our camera to get the videos that I uploaded (if it worked). At half time it was still 0-0 and a massive thunder storm rolled over so all the crowds cramed to the back of the stadium where it is sheltered. At this point, the atmosphere was intense and everyone was going nuts. Just as the players had run back on and were about to kick off for the 2nd half, all the lights in the stadium shutdown because of the storm. The crowd let out a huge roar and the atmosphere further intensified. The lights eventually came back on and the crowds were all going nuts - Most decided they didn´t mind getting wet and one of the videos I have put on is almost the intire tier of fans damcing from one side of the section to the other... The last vid I put on is on the train ride home! The war-cries didn´t stop the whole way back to copacabana and the train carraige we were on was litterally bouncing up and down as the winners jumped in glee. What a great night - That was the best birthday ever! (Earlier, we hired chairs and an umbrella and sat on the beach all day) That is the life!
We did a Favela´s (slum) tour on Friday which was very exciting and insiteful
04 Us in a bloco in Copacobana
. Most of the favela´s are run by drug lords and the police won´t step foot inside of them. Our tour guide assured us however, that we were safer there then on the beach because it is in the drug lords best interest to have peiceful favela´s thus the first warning for steeling is a bullet through the hand and the second warning is a slit throat. The tour was absolutely brillient and I would suggest it to anyone who is travelling here - it is great to see the otherside of Brazil / Rio. Our tour guide in particular was fantastic - he lives in a favela himself. (Tour company - Marcelo Armstrong www.favelatour.com.br, ask for tour guide Andres). One of the things Katie and I found most interesting is something our guide told us as we walked down the street where we were told not to take photos due to the fact that alot of the drug gang are around there. He pointed out a bank on the way down the road and told us the story which had recently occured there. He said that 2 Rio city cops in plain clothes held up the bank and the drug lord and his members were the peice makers in the situation after a shot up - How backwards is that? At the end of the road, he asked us... did any of you see any guys with guns, no?, well they were there. Hahaha.Me and Katie both got our brand spanking new Havaianas from the biggest outlet in Copacabana (Rua Figueire do Magalhaes 414) which we both love
05 Bloco
. Every second store sells them here though - for us it was all about getting the best and cheapest.We have decided to go straight to Guatemala now as we have found it hard to connect with the locals here due to our lack of portuguese language knowledge. We are sure the trip would be so much better when we can chat to the locals etc. so we are studying Spanish for 3 or 4 weeks now before we go on the rest of the trip.
Other goods about Brazil:
Beer - 3 main (VB style) cheapies - Skol, Antartic and Itaipava - All good but Itaipava was a favourite of mine
Wine - We managed to find a fantastic wine - Roberts Rock (From South Africa) Cab Sav Merlow
Mc´Donalds - The super mc´shakes are spectacular and truely super!!!!!! A must try...
Music - Fun, upbeat and bouncy, the banjos are awesome (I never liked them that much before now).
Street food - There are some truely truely good tasting street food out there, Chorros are great, The hotdogs here are unbelievable (everything in them - who knows what but they come in taco shaped bread and taste great). etc. Lots of good food stalls along the paths.
A must must must do, my personal favourite, maracana Stadium for a football game.
Next up Guatemala for a while.
Comments
Fantastic!!!
Hey Jose and Katie....what fantastic fun you seem to be having!! The soccer match sounds like it was great FUN! Love your last blog and the photos you included.......well done!!!