Rio de Janerio
by Caroline M. Jackson
Arriving in Brazil by jet after a comfortable
10-hour flight from Toronto seemed strangely ostentatious. After all, the
first explorers had to endure scurvy and the doldrums, then battle against
the southeast trade winds in order to reach their South Atlantic
destination. But discover it they did. On 1st January 1502, Portuguese
navigator Captain Goncalves named their destination Rio de Janeiro (River of
January) when he mistook the balloon-shaped natural harbour of Guanabara Bay
for a river estuary.
Just a hair's-breadth above the Tropic of
Capricorn, today Rio is a city of kaleidoscopic contrasts. Steep rocky
mountains march unimpeded down to the expansive ocean; modern skyscrapers
stand next to old colonial-style Portuguese houses and favelas (shanty
towns) cling to hill sides behind waterfront luxury hotels.
Perhaps it is these very contrasts that
reflect the true nature of the spirited locals, fondly known as cariocas.
There is always time for an impromptu game of volleyball or soccer on one of
the many local beaches or a chat with an acquaintance over a demi-tasse of
strong Brazilian coffee.
Because the city is built on a series of
hills, it is easy for the visitor to get disoriented as each time one
emerges from a tunnel burrowed through the side of a mountain, a new vista
appears, the old familiar one having disappeared from sight.
The ideal way to get a geographic perspective
of this burgeoning city of 13 million people is to visit Sugar Loaf
Mountain. This massive double-humped granite tooth overlooks balloon-shaped
Guanabara Bay. The ascent to the top is made in two stages by bubble-shaped,
Italian-made cable cars, and the coastal view from the top is breathtaking.
For another local aerie-like adventure, take
the Swiss-built rack railway on an 853-metre climb to Corcovado (Hunchback
Mountain), site of the familiar 40-metre-high reinforced concrete statue of
Christ the Redeemer. Made of reinforced concrete and coated with small
triangles of soapstone, the head of the statue alone weighs 30 tonnes, and
the distance between the outstretched arms is 28 metres. Because of its
elevation, this monument is often surrounded by slow-moving clouds, creating
a somewhat ethereal spectacle.
Back down at sea level, visitors would do
well to follow the example of the locals by donning a pair of thongs and
heading for one of the city's 23 white sand beaches. As petty theft is a
serious problem, carry just bare necessities and leave your camera and other
valuables in the hotel's safety deposit box. The most popular beaches along
the 980-km stretch are Copacabana, Ipanema, Flamengo, Leblon and Botafogo.
Fronting the silica strips are wide aviendas (esplanades) paved in wavy
black and white mosaic patterns.
Because Rio was Brazil's capital for 125
years - a distinction given to Brasilia in 1960 - the city is well endowed
with public buildings, parks, museums and squares. Most are located in the
downtown area and are best visited on weekends when commuter traffic is
light. The neoclassical Municipal Theatre is a replica of the Paris Opera
House and is richly decorated with marble and mosaics. Another eye catcher
is the cone-shaped New Cathedral evocative of an ancient Mayan pyramid in
Mexico's Yucatan.
In striking contrast, Rio boasts many
magnificent colonial churches spectacularly set among the hill sides. Among
the best known is Nossa Senhora da Penha, which sits atop a rock into which
365 steps are cut. During the religious festival of October, the staircase
is ascended by pilgrims on their knees and more than 5,000 lights illuminate
the church's facade.
For a glimpse into the past, ask your taxi
driver to take you to the Santa Teresa neighbourhood, just inland from the
downtown core. Built on a hilly area, its twisting cobbled streets are
reminiscent of another area. Today, it is a favourite haunt for artists,
musicians and writers. Another charming area is Largo do Boticario, a square
of colonial-style houses with wooden balconies and Portuguese ceramic tiles.
One of the highlights of any trip to Brazil
is the shopping. A favourite place is the Feirarte, formerly known as the
Hippie Fair. It is held every Sunday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in Osorio Square
near the famed beach of Ipanema. Here you can bargain for silverware,
African wood carvings, hematite jewellery, delightful paintings and leather
goods. The stalls also offer delicious Bahian food which you can enjoy while
absorbing the pulsing beat of the samba.
Each day, local vendors set up stalls along
the beaches parallel to Copacabana. Here you can purchase T-shirts
emblazoned with colourful toucans, preserved piranhas or skimpy bikinis
known as tengas. For a refreshing snack, choose a sweet pineapple or coconut
split apart on the spot by a machete.
For more sophisticated shopping, you can
visit the Barra or Rio Sul shopping centres. Brazil is synonymous with
gemstones so include a tour to the headquarters of the world famous jeweller,
Hans Stern. The displays of aquamarine, topaz, opal, amethyst and turquoise
are a feast for the eyes.
The local cuisine is as varied as the people
themselves, and is characterised by three typical dishes: feijoada, the
national dish, a mix of black beans and pork, served with rice and
traditionally served on Saturdays; Bahian food (a mixture of African, Indian
and Portuguese) is cooked in palm oil, and the churrasco in which large
pieces of barbecued beef, pork and chicken are served with manioc meal and
marinated onions. The local drink made of sugarcane liqueur, limes and sugar
is called caipirinha - perhaps because it has the bite of a piranha.
For a change of pace, take a day trip away
from the city. Less than a two-hour drive north of Rio is the cool alpine
resort of Petropolis where a lavish summer palace and grand halls bear
witness to its origins as a retreat for Portuguese royalty who escaped to
Brazil during the Napoleonic wars. Another lovely one-day excursion is a
tour west to Sepetiba Bay with its many tropical islands - a great place to
relax, swim and snorkel from a Bahian schooner.
With such variety, it is not surprising that
Rio de Janeiro is called the "marvellous city".
