Iguazu (Brazil side) and Rio de Janeiro
Trip Start
Aug 04, 2011
1
15
17
Trip End
Aug 20, 2011
Rio de Janeiro, State of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Friday, December 25, 2009
We had lunch at a buffet on the grounds of the National Park. Brazilian food has tons of flavor--its got lots of spices, hot sauces, lots of vegetables and salads, lots of fruit, and their famous delicious black beans. There were also a lot of shrimp dishes, fish, and even ox. Chile has great wine and salmon. Argentina has all the beef, sausages and cheeses. But Brazil, wow, it has bold flavors and mixtures.
After lunch we took another flight, to Rio de Janeiro. Rio is a huge city, with beautiful green hills and tiny islands and rock formations sprinkled everywhere. But there is also a lot of poverty, and many neighborhoods and streets are very run down and need repair and upkeep. In Rio, if you are a tourist, you don't walk around with flashy jewelry, cameras, or purses or you could get robbed. Brazil is a mixture of races, Portuguese, Indian and Black. They say they all get along, but for the most part it's the rich who are white and the very poor who are black. It is the poor though who have given Brazil its identity; it's out of the favelas (the poor shanty towns) that the great rhythmic, fun Brazilian music was born, the dance, and the samba schools.
Our hotel is right across the street from the famous Copacabana Beach. The Brazilians are very active. They love to walk along the beach to socialize, and many of them, despite the extreme heat and humidity, are jogging, roller blading, bike riding, playing beach volleyball, or beach soccer. The water itself is absolutely disgusting looking, I wouldn't even put a foot in it. But the locals are playing and splashing in it, along with huge groups of family members and friends. Brazilian beaches are known for the skimpy bathing suits, and we did see lots of them. But just like in the U.S., the same old adage applies. If you are young, you probably look great in skimpy. If you are getting a bit older, well...you probably should wear more things to cover yourself up, because that gravity...
