On the Sunday before New Year we went to Ilha Grande, an island 3 hours south of Rio. I had to be out of my flat for 6 days and it was too expensive to stay in the city so we decided to take it easy for a bit and hopefully save a bit of money while we were at it. Ilha Grande (193 km²) is a protected island with no cars allowed and no banks. There's a small village, Abraao where the boats come in and most people stay, but that aside, the island is pretty much deserted and covered in virgin Atlantic rainforest. The Portuguese, Spanish and Dutch all came across the island in the 16th century and the Tamoto natives remained and mixed with the explorers over the next 2 centuries. Because of this, many islanders today have native indian features, but blue eyes and blonde hair. The Portuguese eventually secured the island for themselves and it played a major role in slave trafficking and exporting and importing of valuable goods. This caught the attention of pirates and for a while, the island was a no-go-zone for European colonials. These days tourism is the most valuable commodity although the island is protected as a national park. The most treasured part of Ilha Grande is Praia Lopez Mendes, gernerally thought of as the best beach in Brazil and often considered the best in the world.
We set off from Rio in a minibus for Mangaratiba port, where the boat would take us to Abraao, with a group of 5 dutch travellers. There is one major road east from Rio, linking it to Sao Paulo and all coastal towns on the way, and this was the route we took. I had heard about this road before - a TV programme about its regular hijackings and shootings had been on BBC before I left home. Almost inevitably, when we came to traffic, we saw this first hand. As we passed a black volkswagen saloon in the next lane, the driver looked over at our obvious gringo-waggon and pointed a hand-gun at us through the window. I only caught a quick glimpse of it and it didn't really register until I saw the others in the bus panic. The dutch guys were a bit worried about it and for the next half hour they were constantly looking back at the slow moving line of vehicles, trying to keep track of the black car. This was a strange experience, but not unusual - guns are everywhere in Brazil. From cops and shop security guards to traficantes (dealers) and 13 year old children, firearms are the essential accesories and most valued work tools for a lot of people here.
We took the boat to Abraao and had a little look around the town. It has a pretty harbour and small square. The architecture is not especially beautiful or old, but the locals have done their best to disguise this fact by painting the buildings in various bright colours. Strangely this works and accompanied by its palm trees and green mountains, the town has a distinctly Caribbean feel to it. We stayed at Hostel Holandes and camped in the garden in excellent tents. For the first day and a half we took in the surroundings and explored the area, looking at the old prison ruins and sampling the restaurants. On Monday We took a 3 hour walk from Abraao to Lopez Mendes. The 15 trails on the island are original Indian paths, maintained today for the tourists and it was on one of these that we set off in the morning. The walk took us along the coast for about 20 minutes until it cut inland and up a steep hill. Lopez Mendes is on the southern side of a peninsular so following the coast all around the head would have taken far too long. This meant we had to go over the hill and through the forest. The path was clear, but hard work. Exposed tree roots and rocks became makeshift steps as we struggled up. The trail continued for about another hour uphill until we reached the top and suddenly a break in the vegetation. Had I had any breath left at this point, it would have been take away by the view. From here we could see the town below and several small coves and beaches, mostly with private yaughts moored off them. We took a quick breather and some pictures and moved on. The trail now snaked off ahead, back into the forest and into a steep descent. This part of the walk was almost as arduous as the first as we slipped and fell down the hillside. We were lucky not to get any rain as the trek would have been impossible in the mud. We walked on for another hour or so, stopping at streams to drink water and passing several beaches before eventually, the sound of waves came into earshot and we knew we were close. The path opened out into a grassy field and then Lopez Mendes. On first sight the beach isn't as impressive as you imagine. The waves weren't huge as we had been told and the beach itself was busy. You only really get a true idea of its beauty from the sea where you can see its setting. Whereas Copacabana is framed by high-rise buildings and favelas, Lopes Mendes has two dominating mountains and decending green carpet of vegitation behind it and although we had just walked through it, from a distance it looked like something out of an adventure movie. The whole walk and the views of the island from up high had got my imagination working, picturing tree houses, hunting and fishing with spears and exploring the forest like something out of Lord of the Flies. We spent the afternoon swimming and sun-bathing before taking the boat back to town where we found a great little fish restaurant. A good day.
Ilha Grande really impressed me and I'm sure I'll go back and spend more time there in future. We spent the next day lazing around in town before heading back to Rio for the New Year party. Feliz Reveillon!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Sunday, December 21, 2008
6 weeks in Rio
THE STORY SO FAR.
I've been in Rio for 7 weeks now and seen loads. I should have set up a blog before this, but better late than never. I'll just do a recap post on the story so far and then do posts whenever something interesting happens which will probably be quite often.
I arrived in Rio on November 4th 2008 with Ben, my fellow would-be English teacher. After a tiring 16 hour trip (including a stop in Sao Paulo) we got to Rio and Che Lagarto Hostel in Ipanema. The first thing we did was ask the staff for a good place to eat steak. They recommended Garrota de Ipanema (Girl from Ipanema), the steak-house where Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes penned the classic Bossa Nova track of the same name - amazing coincidence I thought as I swiftly devoured the chunks of prime Brazilian beef. Best steak ever? Until I visit Argentina, it'll take some beating.
IPANEMA
We spent the first week mingling with other tourists, seeing the sights and lazing on Ipanema beach. Seeing the sun again for the first time in two years came as a bit of a shock and within about 2 days I was pretty dark. Ben went red.
Praia de Ipanema is considered by many to be Rio's best beach. There are more beautiful shores, better waves and calmer suroundings elswhere in the city, but nowhere other than Ipanema can boast such a complete display of Rio's facinating inhabitants. Favela kids and rich Leblon fashionistas sit side-by-side on the sand. Old and young, strictly religious and openly gay, conservative and liberal - all are drawn to the praia for the same reason. This more than anywhere else in Rio is the place to show off. Weather its mesmorising football juggling, the latests labels or some new silicone implants, almost everyone at Ipanema has something to offer the eye. The beach itself, unlike the larger, curved one at Copacabana, is almost straight. Stretching from Arpoador to Leblon and beyond to the limits of Zona Sul, the beach is the perfect catwalk for its flamboyant worshipers. They come from all around, Zona Norte, the mountain-top favelas, Barra de Tijuca in the West and Copacabana. It is testament to its popularity and general air of cool that citizens from nice or more famous beaches make the long journey to sample is loud vibrant atmosphere. It certainly made an impression on us. The beach is divided into sections - almost colonies - by different sub-cultures. The hippies, steroid-heads, gays, fashionistas and others all plant their flags in the sand and claim their very own peice.
COPACABANA
We stayed in Ipanema for 2 weeks, lazing in the hostel or the beach, making friends with gringos and cariocas (Rio residents) and getting to grips with the city. Luckily we got a good day for the Christo Redentor statue and Sugar Loaf Mountain, both of which had amazing views over Rio. After 2 weeks and after seeing all the main attractions, we decided on a change of scenery and moved to Che Legarto Copacabana. This neighbourhood, adjacent to Ipanema, is a bit more down-market, sketchy and real. Ipanema's class and swagger pretty much ends at Praça General Osorio and the designer stores become juice bars and burger stalls. The smells become more affordable and the sights tougher to digest. Suddenly we were aware of people we hadn't encountered in Ipanema. The wandering urchins know only as street-children have a strange, almost semi-mythical aurora about them - people speak of them as if they don't really exist as humans. The children, of all ages, seem to all look the same. Light brown, matted afro hair, indistinguishable in colour from their faces and light brown or blue eyes, the street-children could all be brothers and sisters - a race of their own.
The hostel at Copacabana was nice and spacious, less rushed and hectic than its sister-hostel and about 10 minutes walk from the famous Praia de Copacabana. Walking along Avenida Atlantica for the first time, whistling Barry Manilow and sipping a suco maracuja (passion-fruit juice) I finally realised where I was. Ipanema had been a nice break with its own character, but this was the image of Rio I had come with. The fantastic curved sea front, watched over by Christo, Sugar Loaf and the surrounding hill-top favelas, grand old hotels and pent-house apartments was the picture I'd longed for and it didn't dissapoint.
We stayed in Copacabana at the hostel for 5 weeks while we looked for work and an apartment. This proved more difficult than we had first assumed. For one, it was the wrong time of year. With Christmas holidays fast aproaching, the little private teaching we had got soon dried up as locals took vacations or spent time with family. Work starts again in mid-January. Recently, Ben has decided to leave Rio and abandon the teaching plan in favour of touring the continent. I would love to do this, but my aim has always been to stick it out in Rio for as long as I can and learn Portuguese. With New Year coming up, finding an apartment became the priority. Over the summer season, landords push up the rent and take full advantage of the willing tourists that flock to the Cidade Marvilhosa. This fact made it vital that we find somewhere before the extorsion began. Luckily I met two cool guys staying at the Che Lagarto in Ipanema when I went back there to visit a friend. Jess, from Johannesberg is in town to sample the surfing and live for 6 months, working in bars and hostels. Mike, from Stockholm is training in Brazilian Ju-Jit-Tsu. A few days after meeting the guys, we found a nice flat in Copacabana, one block from the beach and moved in on Monday.
There are loads of stories and cool things I could talk about from the 7 weeks like favela funk-parties, trips to the hill-top bohemian suburbs, football at Maracana stadium and more, but there will be loads more to come in the next 4 months too. So this is the story so far, keep posted for further instalments.
Josh.
I've been in Rio for 7 weeks now and seen loads. I should have set up a blog before this, but better late than never. I'll just do a recap post on the story so far and then do posts whenever something interesting happens which will probably be quite often.
I arrived in Rio on November 4th 2008 with Ben, my fellow would-be English teacher. After a tiring 16 hour trip (including a stop in Sao Paulo) we got to Rio and Che Lagarto Hostel in Ipanema. The first thing we did was ask the staff for a good place to eat steak. They recommended Garrota de Ipanema (Girl from Ipanema), the steak-house where Antonio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes penned the classic Bossa Nova track of the same name - amazing coincidence I thought as I swiftly devoured the chunks of prime Brazilian beef. Best steak ever? Until I visit Argentina, it'll take some beating.
IPANEMA
We spent the first week mingling with other tourists, seeing the sights and lazing on Ipanema beach. Seeing the sun again for the first time in two years came as a bit of a shock and within about 2 days I was pretty dark. Ben went red.
Praia de Ipanema is considered by many to be Rio's best beach. There are more beautiful shores, better waves and calmer suroundings elswhere in the city, but nowhere other than Ipanema can boast such a complete display of Rio's facinating inhabitants. Favela kids and rich Leblon fashionistas sit side-by-side on the sand. Old and young, strictly religious and openly gay, conservative and liberal - all are drawn to the praia for the same reason. This more than anywhere else in Rio is the place to show off. Weather its mesmorising football juggling, the latests labels or some new silicone implants, almost everyone at Ipanema has something to offer the eye. The beach itself, unlike the larger, curved one at Copacabana, is almost straight. Stretching from Arpoador to Leblon and beyond to the limits of Zona Sul, the beach is the perfect catwalk for its flamboyant worshipers. They come from all around, Zona Norte, the mountain-top favelas, Barra de Tijuca in the West and Copacabana. It is testament to its popularity and general air of cool that citizens from nice or more famous beaches make the long journey to sample is loud vibrant atmosphere. It certainly made an impression on us. The beach is divided into sections - almost colonies - by different sub-cultures. The hippies, steroid-heads, gays, fashionistas and others all plant their flags in the sand and claim their very own peice.
COPACABANA
We stayed in Ipanema for 2 weeks, lazing in the hostel or the beach, making friends with gringos and cariocas (Rio residents) and getting to grips with the city. Luckily we got a good day for the Christo Redentor statue and Sugar Loaf Mountain, both of which had amazing views over Rio. After 2 weeks and after seeing all the main attractions, we decided on a change of scenery and moved to Che Legarto Copacabana. This neighbourhood, adjacent to Ipanema, is a bit more down-market, sketchy and real. Ipanema's class and swagger pretty much ends at Praça General Osorio and the designer stores become juice bars and burger stalls. The smells become more affordable and the sights tougher to digest. Suddenly we were aware of people we hadn't encountered in Ipanema. The wandering urchins know only as street-children have a strange, almost semi-mythical aurora about them - people speak of them as if they don't really exist as humans. The children, of all ages, seem to all look the same. Light brown, matted afro hair, indistinguishable in colour from their faces and light brown or blue eyes, the street-children could all be brothers and sisters - a race of their own.
The hostel at Copacabana was nice and spacious, less rushed and hectic than its sister-hostel and about 10 minutes walk from the famous Praia de Copacabana. Walking along Avenida Atlantica for the first time, whistling Barry Manilow and sipping a suco maracuja (passion-fruit juice) I finally realised where I was. Ipanema had been a nice break with its own character, but this was the image of Rio I had come with. The fantastic curved sea front, watched over by Christo, Sugar Loaf and the surrounding hill-top favelas, grand old hotels and pent-house apartments was the picture I'd longed for and it didn't dissapoint.
We stayed in Copacabana at the hostel for 5 weeks while we looked for work and an apartment. This proved more difficult than we had first assumed. For one, it was the wrong time of year. With Christmas holidays fast aproaching, the little private teaching we had got soon dried up as locals took vacations or spent time with family. Work starts again in mid-January. Recently, Ben has decided to leave Rio and abandon the teaching plan in favour of touring the continent. I would love to do this, but my aim has always been to stick it out in Rio for as long as I can and learn Portuguese. With New Year coming up, finding an apartment became the priority. Over the summer season, landords push up the rent and take full advantage of the willing tourists that flock to the Cidade Marvilhosa. This fact made it vital that we find somewhere before the extorsion began. Luckily I met two cool guys staying at the Che Lagarto in Ipanema when I went back there to visit a friend. Jess, from Johannesberg is in town to sample the surfing and live for 6 months, working in bars and hostels. Mike, from Stockholm is training in Brazilian Ju-Jit-Tsu. A few days after meeting the guys, we found a nice flat in Copacabana, one block from the beach and moved in on Monday.
There are loads of stories and cool things I could talk about from the 7 weeks like favela funk-parties, trips to the hill-top bohemian suburbs, football at Maracana stadium and more, but there will be loads more to come in the next 4 months too. So this is the story so far, keep posted for further instalments.
Josh.
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