Rio de Janeiro

The narrow staircase up to my room
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(5.31.06) This morning I left Renato in Curitiba and flew to Rio de Janeiro. When I arrived in Rio, I found that fewer people spoke English than I thought. I followed what my guidebook said and took the Real Auto Bus which was operated by no one who spoke English. I made it to Botogofo where my hostel is, but the bus dropped me further away so there I was with my huge suitcase trying to find my street. I finally found it and checked in. The people here are so friendly and all young of course. They showed me the hostel and all their facilities. I have a private double which is up this very narrow spiral staircase so I had to pull my giant suitcase up there. I guess they usually don't see people like me traveling with such big cases.

Cristo Redentor from a distance
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After I settled in, I quickly left for the Museu do Indio (The Indian Museum), which displays exhibits on the indiginous Brazilians. The exhibits were in Portuguese but I got the gist. After that I walked further down Rua Voluntários da Pátria, the main street with lots of shops and restaurants. At the very end (about a 30 min walk from the hostel) there is an indoor market where I had some dinner at Rota 66, a Mexican and American restaurant. Again, not many spoke English which I was surprised considering Rio is a heavy tourist area. I headed back to the hostel and decided to relax. Many people here are going to a futebol match but I think I need a break from my non-stop journey. It is nice to meet people from places like France, Lousiana, USA, Ireland, Austrailia, and other parts. I also have seen some nice views of Christo Redentor which I will be visiting tomorrow.

I felt like Jason Bourne zipping through the streets of a third world country on a motorbike!

The monsterous favela, Rochina
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(6.1.06) What an exciting day today! This morning I had some breakfast and met a couple more people, one from Italy and another from Miami. At 9:30 I left for a favela tour organized through the hostel with an excellent group called Bealocal. They picked up ten more people and we headed to the base of Rocina, the largest favela in Rio. 200,000 people in Rio live in these favelas or shantytowns which are technically illegal land but since Rocina is so big it even has its own bus route and post office. We each rode up the mountain on the back of a motorbike. I felt like Jason Bourne zipping through the streets of a third world country on a motorbike! At the top our guide lead us down the hill through the narrow streets and passageways. This tour is very safe and the company has been leading them for three and a half years. They take the same route and our guide knows everyone! Yes, drug lords may hide in favelas but everyone that lives there has a job or opens up shop. Most can't afford to live elsewhere but they get by. In Rochina there are four high schools which is not enough for the number of residents.

Inside the favela, a narrow passageway
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Everything, even the living on the land is illegal. But, the favela is 75 years old and buildings are just built on top of one another. People tap into the electric poles for free electricity. It looks like any poor neighborhood, but the reality is quite amazing. We stopped at an art studio in case we wished to buy some of owner's paintings, then we had a bite to eat and off to a local daycare! The children were so cute and the daycare was in quite good condition. From that point we walked down some more and were shown some graffiti that said "ADA" which stands for the drug gang that controls that favela. Again... very safe. Our guide Marcio is an expert when it comes to navigating the favela. The people there are very friendly and nice. The tour company donates some money from their revenue to the daycare from time to time. Even to the local favela residents if they need something like a repair to their house. It's sad, many children play in bare feet near the open sewers and often contract disease.

Favela daycare
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Afterwards I walked a bit on Copacobana beach but it was so rainy and foggy it wasn't that exciting. I had a bite to eat and then took a taxi to the Cristo Redentor monument which is 710 metres high. What a huge statue of Christ! And, gorgeous views of the city. I then took a taxi back to the hostel. Tomorrow it's off to Belo Horizonte!