G’Day All
Well my Rio adventures behind me, I found my self once again headed to the interior pf Brazil, to a small rural community in the middle of nowhere, well an hour and half by car from Brasilia (capital of Brazil – created much like Canberra or Washington DC). Why I hear you ask? I came to Abadiania (Aba-je-arn e-a, Portuguese at least Brazilian Portuguese has no D sound – so D are pronounced like J – bit of trivia for the day), to spend time at the Casa de Dom Inacio, a spiritual healing centre. Again I hear you ask why? Last year I came here out of curiosity, as I had heard so much about this place from friends in Australia, In addition I was suffering terribly with tinnitus, imagine the screeching wailing sound of a slipping fan belt of a car, and put that inside your ear and think about never been able to switch it off and you might come to an approximation of what I was experiencing. I came to the Casa, had spiritual surgery and within two weeks of returning to Australia – the Tinnitus was virtually gone, now I just have a tiny sound left in my ear, which most of the time I can ignore, and do.
Since I was coming in this direction, well you get the idea, decided that two weeks of meditative bliss in a town that feels like you are in paradise (once you have been through a day of adjustment – it’s a bit of a culture shock) and to get rid of the last of my Tinnitus for good and also to treat my eyes, as my eyesight has been getting significantly worse over the last 12 months – 20+ years sitting in front of computers has finally started to take it toll.
So I arrived on Sunday, to my Pousada. Monday I arose and did the usual walk around town, thinking to myself, what the hell have I done!! Went to the Casa (home/house) and did some meditation and slipped back into the feeling of been at home. The Casa is owned and run by a spiritualist by the name of Joao. Joao is often referred to as John of God – not by himself, but if you want to know more about him, do a google search on “John of God Brazil”. A most humble man, who acknowledges he does nothing, that only the healing power of god provides healing. Now before you start all freaking out going – OH MY GOD – Peter’s joined a cult … notice I wrote god with a lowercase ‘g’ signifying the universal energy/divine presence in us all. This place is a place that while is very spiritual, embraces all faiths and beliefs. I can only tell you that to cure Tinnitus is a miracle as there are no western cures for it and I had tried a bunch of other alternative treatments with no success… my last trip here was not only a miracle for me, but I witness many other miraculous things take place for other people.
On Tuesday I went to Anapolis, which is a large town about ½ hour drive from Abadiania. The only place you can do banking, get to travel agents etc (it virtually impossible to do a lot of things over the internet here in Brazil – unless you are Brazilian). So I had decided to catch a bus, arrived at the bus stop, waited … waited … waited … and waited some more… just as I was asking someone if the approaching bus was the one to Anapolis … it kinda slowed down and just as I was able to read the sign on the bus (small sign), the bus was going by, I stuck out my hand in the international sign for signalling a bus – he slowed down a little more, but I think he decided it was too hard to stop so he accelerated and kept going.
So here I am at a bus stop on the highway, now having to wait another hour for the next bus. I had noticed a little earlier that cars pulled up at the bus stop and people waiting at the stop got in. Just after my bus went by, another car pulled up and a couple of the other people at the stop were getting in. One woman looked at me and said “Anapolis?” I nodded my head and she waved me into the car. So here am I getting into a car with a bunch of Brazilians, having no idea what would happen next. Turns out on of the passengers’ lives in Sydney, originally from Brazil. The driver took us to Anapolis and dropped us off near the heart of town. One of the other people in the car indicated that it was $3 real for the driver, which was only $0.35 more expensive than the bus. And got me there much faster than the bus… it was great sitting in a car with a bunch of people and not understanding a word they were saying.
Got to Anapolis and the moment I arrived realised I really didn’t want to be there, small ugly city, population 260,000 approximately. I wondered around for a bit, ended up the local cemetery – this was really peaceful and nice to wander around. Some observations about Brazilian cemeteries, 1) they have the most amazing mausoleums – they are mostly made of glass, a glass door, with glass windows that can be opened and many had top windows that were swung open – they all had little alters with the photo’s of deceased loved one – they were like little shines, prayer areas for the surviving family members. And of course the universal truth – the more money you have the larger your mausoleum. 2) Almost without exception every gravestone contained pictures of those buried there, the pictures were always oval and surrounded but a gold metal frame. Nearly every burial plot was a family plot – I saw very few single burial plots.
After leaving the cemetery, I hightailed it back to Abadiania, was planning to catch a bus, but the taxi driver I got to take me to the bus station, indicated he could take me to Abadiania. So I got him to drive me back to my Pousada, cost me a lot of money – but hey.
So spent the rest of Tuesday just hanging out in a hammock, resting, snoozing, sleeping, it was divine.
Then the Casa week begins - Joao is only at the Casa three days a week, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There are two sessions a day. You can do a couple of different things; you can sit in the Current rooms, which is basically three hours of intense meditation, or you can go before Joao with a list of issue/questions/problems etc that you need help with. Joao is a spiritual medium who incorporates a number of entities – usually only one at a time; the entities provide information on what you need to do to heal the condition you are presenting with. Now regardless of whether you believe in this or not – it matters little, the results speak for themselves. My tinnitus was healed and I witnessed a number of miraculous events and healings the last time I was here.
I sat in current on Wednesday morning, and then went to Joao the medium in the afternoon, requesting further healing with my Tinnitus and Eyesight. He told me to come back Thursday morning. Which I later found out was because the entity who would be incorporated the following morning would be better able to help my particular condition. So I returned Thursday morning. The closer I got to Joao in the line of people, the more I wanted to cry – it was such an intense feeling, a releasing of sadness and overwhelming sense of joy at the same time. I came before him and he told me through one of the interpreters to come back next Wednesday morning for eye surgery – indicating he would be doing visible surgery. I was then directed to sit in current and meditate for the next couple of hours – it was extremely intense and sublime at the same time.
Normally when you are directed to receive spiritual surgery you are a given the option (at surgery time) to receive invisible or visible surgery. I opted for invisible last time – this time it seems I don’t have a choice. So I am just a little petrified. Eye surgery involves having your eyes scrapped with what is simply an ordinary kitchen knife – without any conventional anaesthesia or any other sterile conditions we would come to expect in a western hospital. I have seen this procedure down now several times and have meet several people who have had it done – it is extraordinary. After surgery as part of the recovery and healing process you are not allowed to read for 8 days – so this will be my last email to you for a while and I will not be able to read any of your replies until I am in the US.
I spent Friday in current and mediating for the day and it is now the weekend, there is not a lot to do in Abadiania, although I seem to be having fun nonetheless.
Friday night is the Vegetarian feast at Frutti’s and a live band – so hung out with a bunch of people, having some of the best vegetarian food I have ever tasted, then watched the band for a while – Indian sitar music mixed with Brazilian drums and other Brazilian/African instruments… was a lot of fun – did a bit of flagging in the back of the crowd – never flagged to Sitar music before, so that was fun….
Saturday night, the owner of our Pousada had a little family get together with some of her nephews playing guitar, drums, percussion, so we danced away Saturday night to Brazilian music. Again I did some flagging – so have now flagged to traditional Brazilian music as well – it was a blast – had a couple of the kids trying to flag with me. I think they were a little amazed at the whole flagging thing.
Have had a relaxing day today – Sunday … there was a service at the Casa, run by Ron Roth, this Padre from the US – it was interesting – but a little too evangelical for my liking and their repertoire of music was amazingly limited, give me a Baptist Gospel choir any day. Sunday evening (just got home to add to the email) was spent at Café Central – they had live music tonight – which consisted of a guy playing a Pan Flute with a background of CD music. Remember those terrible Telemarketer ads for some terrible Pan Flute player, who played all the old classic, but with a Pan Flute – well he now lives in Brazil near Abadiania…. I am trying not to be judgemental – but it certainly did not float my boat.
Some other observations about Brazil for your enjoyment and amusement. Brazil gives definition to the phrase “Paper Thin”, toilet paper, hand towel paper, paper cups, even plastic cups… unbelievable thin …
Brazilian highways have the most marvellous invention – “Retorno” – every couple of kilometres there is a Retorno – basically a U turn bay in the middle of the highway so you can turn around and head back the way you came… handy if you lost, handy if you just drove past the entrance to a friends house and its on the other side of the road … at least you don’t have to drive 40Kms to the next town before you can turn around…
Today (Monday) I am head back into Anapolis again – this time to get money from the ATM machines. Was a much better experience, hung out with a new friend, Craig, and we also had someone who lives in Abadiania with us and know Anapolis well, was able to point out where a few key places where – like the HSBC bank etc. I hopefully will spent the rest of today relaxing and Tuesday as well in preparation for my surgery on Wednesday morning …
So the next time you hear from me ….
Enjoy the photo’s
25 May 2005
16 May 2005
Chapter 2 - Rio the Adventure Continues
The time has come the Walrus said .....
My time here in Rio is almost at an end, I have one more beach day left, might get in some morning sun on Sunday. What I cant believe is that I am going to the beach every day ... Lying in the sun, albeit under an umbrella, mostly and putting up with sand in my trunks. I am so not a beach bum ....
My days have been spent, waking up around 7am, out of bed around 7:30am and getting on my bike and riding around the Lagoa (Lagoon) behind Ipanema. One lap around the Lagoa is 7.5kms and most mornings this week I have done 2 laps. The Lagoa is beautiful, there are many people running, jogging, walking and cycling the pathways and a large number of rowing skiffs out on the water. There are a couple of rowing clubs around the edge of the Lagoa – each of them has a practice rowing pool – two long pools on either side of a long rowing bench – each seat with a set of rowing oars. It is a great idea to learn how to row and to improve your stroke – but I have to say it looks hilarious as am riding by on my bike.
Each morning there has been a group of Bombeiros (Firemen) who have been jogging around the Lagoa. If Rio is full of beautiful people, then the ugly ones became Bombeiros. I know this is a terrible judgement on my part, but I have never seen in my life such an ugly bunch of Firemen.
After my morning cycle, come home and do some yoga and push up and sit ups (although I have not been as religious with this part of my routine). Then a lazy Brazilian breakfast, meat and cheese on a bread role, with some yoghurt. Shower then off to sit on the beach and read a book and listen to music. On the way I head to the corner store to get a juice and a chicken pastie. I have learnt to ask for my juice in Portuguese, as the first couple of days it was hard to get them to understand me…. “Bonjea, Uma suco, manga com laranja sem asuca, por favor” my spelling is way off but the translation is, “Hello, one juice, mango with orange no added sugar, please” Now it is very important to ask for “manga com laranja” – instead of “laranja com manga”. The former will give you Mango juice with a touch of orange (my favourite) the later with give you Orange juice with a touch of mango – I of course found this out the hard way. The laranja suco was lovely tho.
Most days I would be down at the beach well ahead of the crowd. Jonatan (Jonathan) and Steve would join me at some point. These are some friends I have made through Ivan. I have met some great people here in Rio, locals and ex-pats.
The beach is an experience in itself. There are numerous vendors on the beach, each have their own tent. They will rent you the use of a chair and umbrella for the day ($3 Real for each) and will supply you with anything you want, drinks, food, cigarettes, tip them appropriately and they will run into Ipanema and get you a four course meal and bring it back to the beach. In fact there should be no reason you should need to get out of your chair, except to go for a swim or talk with a cute man who has caught your eye. For a week this has been fantastic, I think for a month it could be fun, but as a lifestyle I think it could get very boring. Although the two English Steve’s that I have meet, both serious alcoholics (no judgement, just a statement of fact) seem to want to spend the rest of their lives doing just that. The beach in a way is perfect for them; there is someone who will bring them a beverage at the blink of an eye.
The little group that I have made friends with hangs out near Miriam’s tent on the beach. Miriam is this rather large lesbian, who apparently is very depressed and on anti-depressants. She sits on her thrown in the middle of her tent, in the shade, occasionally directing her servants (Leo and Tracey) to provide services to her customers, all done in Brazilian time of course – the pace of life here is so very different. The only time I have seen her animated is when the Sun is setting and they pack their tent and collect their umbrellas, chairs and cash from the punters.
The beaches in Rio are rather unusual, in that the coastline faces south. This means the Sun rises at one end of the beach and sets at the other end of the beach. So initially until I figured this out I thought the laws of nature had been warped and the sun was rising in the north and setting in the south – very confusing for a boy from the east coast of Oz. Although the warping of natures law in Rio would not surprise me one little bit.
Since it is now autumn, the sun for the most part remains behind the beach all day. Beach dwellers sit their chairs or their towels and face the sun, which means they are looking inland at the row of tall buildings which line Ipanema beach. Yet behind them is a stunning vista of ocean and islands. Since I am not that interested in the sun – I watch the ocean, which also gives me a great view of all the people looking the wrong way and those who wander by at the waters edge.
Then there are the hawkers, selling ever trinket imaginable. The only one that really astounds me are the guys carrying around hammocks and swing chairs. If only I had some palm trees to tie up a hammock I might just be tempted…. Náo (No) Obrigado (Thanks) is the polite way of dismissing them, although some are very persistent. Then there are the clowns, two people with clown faces, coming round collecting money for some clown charity that does clown things for poverty stricken children. These young people speak or at least can say hello in just about every language. They have incredibly short memories and will come back to you day after day – even when you tell them Náo Obrigado, day after day. One young man will say hello in each language until he gets some sort of response, thus knowing what language to do his spiel in. I told him in a very bad and fake accent that I spoke Hebrew – thinking there is no way he would be able to talk to me… he greeted me in Hebrew. Ten points for persistence.
There are a couple of women who sell sandwich’s on the beach, the roam the beach calling out there wares …. “Sand vic cea, Oh, Nat u raal – Sand vic, Nat ur aal” Most of the other hawkers make no attempt to call out there ware in English or other languages – which astounds me as Ipanema is just full of Gringo’s, who don’t speak a word of Portuguese – like me.
There are no seagulls here in Rio, only pigeons on the beach, which is amazing to me. I wonder where all the seagulls have gone….
And at least in Ipanema and surrounding suburbs there are more Labradors dogs than I have seen anywhere in the world – this city seems obsessed with them, so I am in puppy dog heaven....
I love the way the Carioca’s (locals) park – any patch of street will do - the seem to be good about not blocking drive ways – however it is totally OK for a car to drive up on the pedestrian footpath and park – even when there are pedestrians in the way. It is nothing for a motorcycle to just start driving down the footpath to get around some traffic blocking their way. It’s chaos – yet it works. That could some up Rio really ...
The ocean itself, as I mentioned in my previous letter, is different to the pacific I am used to. The tenor and tone of the ocean has an altered pitch. The roar of the surf pounding the beach, is well, not the same, yet the same all the same. The waves are filled with sand, the ocean appears a little rougher and there are strong currents in the water. While I know that these things are not unusual in and of themselves and I could be describing most beaches in the world, there are subtle differences, which are difficult to describe. I get the sense that the Atlantic ocean is a more secretive ocean, than the Pacific. It has a lot of stories that is not willing to reveal.
Rio (pronounce Heo – sounding out each letter - I found out yesterday) itself is a city built around mountainous pinnacles of rock and low lying areas. The huge irony of Rio, is that the Favella’s (slums) are relegated to the side of the mountainous rocks and as a result have some of the best views in the world. While the middleclass and wealthy live in the flat areas of city, in high rise apartments – where you view is often the wall of the next apartment building – unless you are very wealthy and can afford a direct ocean view of Lagoa side apartment.
I went on a Tourist tour of Corcovado (Christ Redeemer), the huge statue of Christ atop the mountain, I am sure you have all seen pictures – it is one of the defining vistas of Rio and possibly Brazil. The tour was in an open jeep. I was the last in the group to be picked up and when I got into the back of the truck found myself with a guide and a bunch of Australian's – it was very funny. It was a great afternoon and the Corcovado gives you a true perspective on how large Rio is... From here you can see a great deal – although if there had been less smog – I probably could have seen a lot more. To get to Corcovado, we drove through jungle areas of Rio and past a number of Favella’s (slums). The statue itself is impressive, but like Leonardo Da Vinci’s Madonna – I was expecting it to be bigger, although at 30 meters high and 28 meters across – its pretty big. It can been seen from just about everywhere in Rio and based on the scale of the mountain etc etc – I thought it would be bigger when I got up close and personal. We then drove through Santa Teresa, an old colonial part of town, amazing architecture and melting pot of people. I need to go back there and spend days, weeks, wandering the streets photographing the building and people.
To try and put Rio in perspective, particularly for my Australian friends an family. The official population of Rio is about 7 million, although it is believed that there could be as many as fifteen million. Three quarters of the population of Australia in a densely packed city.
Last night, Friday, Ivan took me to Lapa, this is in the downtown (Centro) area of the city, like many inner city urban centres in the world, it’s run down and neglected. If you have money you do not live in Centro, you live in Ipanema or Leblon or other parts of the city.
On Friday nights the streets of Lapa are transformed in a huge street party. Every living soul in Lapa and many from all over Rio are out on the streets, to let go of the weeks stress and worries. What results, is a pulsating, vibrating, beating, heaving street party that has energy to rival any street parties of San Francisco, New York or even Sydney’s own Mardi Gras, except it is happens every Friday night, every week of the year. The party will go until the wee hours of the morning or until sunrise – depending on the mood of the people and the weather.
There were more beautiful people in Lapa, on Friday night, per square foot, than any place on earth. There is also an equal amount of decay. Wealth and Poverty exists on the same coin, as do beauty and decay – a photographers delight.
Rio is a city of extremes. However you view Rio, this city is alive and yet dying at the same time. Yet the pulse overwhelms you with sensations and delights, the smell of street cooked barbeque beef, thick in the air, the crush of people as you make your way through the arteries of Lapa. The street vendors calling out their wares and the sound of electric blenders humming in the night, as they make a variety of drinks, including Caiparinas and Margaritas. A man walks by carrying a tray of glasses and a bottle of vodka, held high – shots to sooth the worn out spirit. Every bar and club, throbbing to the beat of various styles of music. Blended into the melting pot of this huge party are the stunningly beautiful transvestite street workers, plying their trade.
Everything about Rio is fluid, from the street parties to navigating your way around. There is fluidity in the movement of the people, the way they live, talk, walk and drive. A two-lane road can easily become three lanes of traffic and red stoplights, well if you need to stop then you are probably not going fast enough. Concepts of sexuality are not so fixed here as they are in other parts of world. There are many rules, and yet there are none, corruption is common place, so if you are caught smoking wacky tobacco, a bribe of $100 Reais (hey eyes) to the police will soon solve your problem. The sale of dope of the beach was quiet open, with this little old lady going about hawking her wares – of course not speaking any Portuguese I had no idea, until one of my friends translated what she was attempting to say to me… I wont tell you whether I bought any or not ;-).
Ivan (pronounced Eevan) drove me around the area where the rent boys hang out on the street. I was gob smacked!! Not only are they absolutely stunning young men that cost nothing, $30 real ($15 AUD), many of them are openly stroking their hard cocks on the street, to attract customers. There was one guy in a darkened doorway (to what seemed like an apartment block) that was completely naked – jacking himself off. I did not see him the first time we past by, Ivan looped around the block to show me again, and again and again ;-). Sadly i did not have my camera…
----
My last night here in Rio has been just as wonderful as all the rest – I realize that there is so much I have not yet done, having become a beach bum and all. Ivan, a friend, took me and another Gringo friend (Brad) so a look out up in the jungle. With Spectacular vistas of the Corcovado, Lagoa, Ipanema, Leblon, islands and ocean, just on dusk – I don’t know if the pictures I took will do it justice.
One of the things I love at the moment, is the conversations I am having with people, where they only speak portuguese and I only speak english (ignorant aussie that I am). Like just know on the elevator on the way up to my apartment, an elderly couple where talking with me, ask me where I was from and other questions to which I could only give a none-committal shrug – maybe I suppose I was replying .... Its just fun.
I have to say that I have had an absolute blast, I’m in love with Rio, as polluted and dangerous as it may be, and want to return as soon as I can to continue to explore this amazing city. Next time I will come for a couple of months, I could spend a lifetime photographing this place, and I have not even scratched the surface of this amazing city.
Peter
Officially an Ipanema Beach Bum
My time here in Rio is almost at an end, I have one more beach day left, might get in some morning sun on Sunday. What I cant believe is that I am going to the beach every day ... Lying in the sun, albeit under an umbrella, mostly and putting up with sand in my trunks. I am so not a beach bum ....
My days have been spent, waking up around 7am, out of bed around 7:30am and getting on my bike and riding around the Lagoa (Lagoon) behind Ipanema. One lap around the Lagoa is 7.5kms and most mornings this week I have done 2 laps. The Lagoa is beautiful, there are many people running, jogging, walking and cycling the pathways and a large number of rowing skiffs out on the water. There are a couple of rowing clubs around the edge of the Lagoa – each of them has a practice rowing pool – two long pools on either side of a long rowing bench – each seat with a set of rowing oars. It is a great idea to learn how to row and to improve your stroke – but I have to say it looks hilarious as am riding by on my bike.
Each morning there has been a group of Bombeiros (Firemen) who have been jogging around the Lagoa. If Rio is full of beautiful people, then the ugly ones became Bombeiros. I know this is a terrible judgement on my part, but I have never seen in my life such an ugly bunch of Firemen.
After my morning cycle, come home and do some yoga and push up and sit ups (although I have not been as religious with this part of my routine). Then a lazy Brazilian breakfast, meat and cheese on a bread role, with some yoghurt. Shower then off to sit on the beach and read a book and listen to music. On the way I head to the corner store to get a juice and a chicken pastie. I have learnt to ask for my juice in Portuguese, as the first couple of days it was hard to get them to understand me…. “Bonjea, Uma suco, manga com laranja sem asuca, por favor” my spelling is way off but the translation is, “Hello, one juice, mango with orange no added sugar, please” Now it is very important to ask for “manga com laranja” – instead of “laranja com manga”. The former will give you Mango juice with a touch of orange (my favourite) the later with give you Orange juice with a touch of mango – I of course found this out the hard way. The laranja suco was lovely tho.
Most days I would be down at the beach well ahead of the crowd. Jonatan (Jonathan) and Steve would join me at some point. These are some friends I have made through Ivan. I have met some great people here in Rio, locals and ex-pats.
The beach is an experience in itself. There are numerous vendors on the beach, each have their own tent. They will rent you the use of a chair and umbrella for the day ($3 Real for each) and will supply you with anything you want, drinks, food, cigarettes, tip them appropriately and they will run into Ipanema and get you a four course meal and bring it back to the beach. In fact there should be no reason you should need to get out of your chair, except to go for a swim or talk with a cute man who has caught your eye. For a week this has been fantastic, I think for a month it could be fun, but as a lifestyle I think it could get very boring. Although the two English Steve’s that I have meet, both serious alcoholics (no judgement, just a statement of fact) seem to want to spend the rest of their lives doing just that. The beach in a way is perfect for them; there is someone who will bring them a beverage at the blink of an eye.
The little group that I have made friends with hangs out near Miriam’s tent on the beach. Miriam is this rather large lesbian, who apparently is very depressed and on anti-depressants. She sits on her thrown in the middle of her tent, in the shade, occasionally directing her servants (Leo and Tracey) to provide services to her customers, all done in Brazilian time of course – the pace of life here is so very different. The only time I have seen her animated is when the Sun is setting and they pack their tent and collect their umbrellas, chairs and cash from the punters.
The beaches in Rio are rather unusual, in that the coastline faces south. This means the Sun rises at one end of the beach and sets at the other end of the beach. So initially until I figured this out I thought the laws of nature had been warped and the sun was rising in the north and setting in the south – very confusing for a boy from the east coast of Oz. Although the warping of natures law in Rio would not surprise me one little bit.
Since it is now autumn, the sun for the most part remains behind the beach all day. Beach dwellers sit their chairs or their towels and face the sun, which means they are looking inland at the row of tall buildings which line Ipanema beach. Yet behind them is a stunning vista of ocean and islands. Since I am not that interested in the sun – I watch the ocean, which also gives me a great view of all the people looking the wrong way and those who wander by at the waters edge.
Then there are the hawkers, selling ever trinket imaginable. The only one that really astounds me are the guys carrying around hammocks and swing chairs. If only I had some palm trees to tie up a hammock I might just be tempted…. Náo (No) Obrigado (Thanks) is the polite way of dismissing them, although some are very persistent. Then there are the clowns, two people with clown faces, coming round collecting money for some clown charity that does clown things for poverty stricken children. These young people speak or at least can say hello in just about every language. They have incredibly short memories and will come back to you day after day – even when you tell them Náo Obrigado, day after day. One young man will say hello in each language until he gets some sort of response, thus knowing what language to do his spiel in. I told him in a very bad and fake accent that I spoke Hebrew – thinking there is no way he would be able to talk to me… he greeted me in Hebrew. Ten points for persistence.
There are a couple of women who sell sandwich’s on the beach, the roam the beach calling out there wares …. “Sand vic cea, Oh, Nat u raal – Sand vic, Nat ur aal” Most of the other hawkers make no attempt to call out there ware in English or other languages – which astounds me as Ipanema is just full of Gringo’s, who don’t speak a word of Portuguese – like me.
There are no seagulls here in Rio, only pigeons on the beach, which is amazing to me. I wonder where all the seagulls have gone….
And at least in Ipanema and surrounding suburbs there are more Labradors dogs than I have seen anywhere in the world – this city seems obsessed with them, so I am in puppy dog heaven....
I love the way the Carioca’s (locals) park – any patch of street will do - the seem to be good about not blocking drive ways – however it is totally OK for a car to drive up on the pedestrian footpath and park – even when there are pedestrians in the way. It is nothing for a motorcycle to just start driving down the footpath to get around some traffic blocking their way. It’s chaos – yet it works. That could some up Rio really ...
The ocean itself, as I mentioned in my previous letter, is different to the pacific I am used to. The tenor and tone of the ocean has an altered pitch. The roar of the surf pounding the beach, is well, not the same, yet the same all the same. The waves are filled with sand, the ocean appears a little rougher and there are strong currents in the water. While I know that these things are not unusual in and of themselves and I could be describing most beaches in the world, there are subtle differences, which are difficult to describe. I get the sense that the Atlantic ocean is a more secretive ocean, than the Pacific. It has a lot of stories that is not willing to reveal.
Rio (pronounce Heo – sounding out each letter - I found out yesterday) itself is a city built around mountainous pinnacles of rock and low lying areas. The huge irony of Rio, is that the Favella’s (slums) are relegated to the side of the mountainous rocks and as a result have some of the best views in the world. While the middleclass and wealthy live in the flat areas of city, in high rise apartments – where you view is often the wall of the next apartment building – unless you are very wealthy and can afford a direct ocean view of Lagoa side apartment.
I went on a Tourist tour of Corcovado (Christ Redeemer), the huge statue of Christ atop the mountain, I am sure you have all seen pictures – it is one of the defining vistas of Rio and possibly Brazil. The tour was in an open jeep. I was the last in the group to be picked up and when I got into the back of the truck found myself with a guide and a bunch of Australian's – it was very funny. It was a great afternoon and the Corcovado gives you a true perspective on how large Rio is... From here you can see a great deal – although if there had been less smog – I probably could have seen a lot more. To get to Corcovado, we drove through jungle areas of Rio and past a number of Favella’s (slums). The statue itself is impressive, but like Leonardo Da Vinci’s Madonna – I was expecting it to be bigger, although at 30 meters high and 28 meters across – its pretty big. It can been seen from just about everywhere in Rio and based on the scale of the mountain etc etc – I thought it would be bigger when I got up close and personal. We then drove through Santa Teresa, an old colonial part of town, amazing architecture and melting pot of people. I need to go back there and spend days, weeks, wandering the streets photographing the building and people.
To try and put Rio in perspective, particularly for my Australian friends an family. The official population of Rio is about 7 million, although it is believed that there could be as many as fifteen million. Three quarters of the population of Australia in a densely packed city.
Last night, Friday, Ivan took me to Lapa, this is in the downtown (Centro) area of the city, like many inner city urban centres in the world, it’s run down and neglected. If you have money you do not live in Centro, you live in Ipanema or Leblon or other parts of the city.
On Friday nights the streets of Lapa are transformed in a huge street party. Every living soul in Lapa and many from all over Rio are out on the streets, to let go of the weeks stress and worries. What results, is a pulsating, vibrating, beating, heaving street party that has energy to rival any street parties of San Francisco, New York or even Sydney’s own Mardi Gras, except it is happens every Friday night, every week of the year. The party will go until the wee hours of the morning or until sunrise – depending on the mood of the people and the weather.
There were more beautiful people in Lapa, on Friday night, per square foot, than any place on earth. There is also an equal amount of decay. Wealth and Poverty exists on the same coin, as do beauty and decay – a photographers delight.
Rio is a city of extremes. However you view Rio, this city is alive and yet dying at the same time. Yet the pulse overwhelms you with sensations and delights, the smell of street cooked barbeque beef, thick in the air, the crush of people as you make your way through the arteries of Lapa. The street vendors calling out their wares and the sound of electric blenders humming in the night, as they make a variety of drinks, including Caiparinas and Margaritas. A man walks by carrying a tray of glasses and a bottle of vodka, held high – shots to sooth the worn out spirit. Every bar and club, throbbing to the beat of various styles of music. Blended into the melting pot of this huge party are the stunningly beautiful transvestite street workers, plying their trade.
Everything about Rio is fluid, from the street parties to navigating your way around. There is fluidity in the movement of the people, the way they live, talk, walk and drive. A two-lane road can easily become three lanes of traffic and red stoplights, well if you need to stop then you are probably not going fast enough. Concepts of sexuality are not so fixed here as they are in other parts of world. There are many rules, and yet there are none, corruption is common place, so if you are caught smoking wacky tobacco, a bribe of $100 Reais (hey eyes) to the police will soon solve your problem. The sale of dope of the beach was quiet open, with this little old lady going about hawking her wares – of course not speaking any Portuguese I had no idea, until one of my friends translated what she was attempting to say to me… I wont tell you whether I bought any or not ;-).
Ivan (pronounced Eevan) drove me around the area where the rent boys hang out on the street. I was gob smacked!! Not only are they absolutely stunning young men that cost nothing, $30 real ($15 AUD), many of them are openly stroking their hard cocks on the street, to attract customers. There was one guy in a darkened doorway (to what seemed like an apartment block) that was completely naked – jacking himself off. I did not see him the first time we past by, Ivan looped around the block to show me again, and again and again ;-). Sadly i did not have my camera…
----
My last night here in Rio has been just as wonderful as all the rest – I realize that there is so much I have not yet done, having become a beach bum and all. Ivan, a friend, took me and another Gringo friend (Brad) so a look out up in the jungle. With Spectacular vistas of the Corcovado, Lagoa, Ipanema, Leblon, islands and ocean, just on dusk – I don’t know if the pictures I took will do it justice.
One of the things I love at the moment, is the conversations I am having with people, where they only speak portuguese and I only speak english (ignorant aussie that I am). Like just know on the elevator on the way up to my apartment, an elderly couple where talking with me, ask me where I was from and other questions to which I could only give a none-committal shrug – maybe I suppose I was replying .... Its just fun.
I have to say that I have had an absolute blast, I’m in love with Rio, as polluted and dangerous as it may be, and want to return as soon as I can to continue to explore this amazing city. Next time I will come for a couple of months, I could spend a lifetime photographing this place, and I have not even scratched the surface of this amazing city.
Peter
Officially an Ipanema Beach Bum
11 May 2005
Chapter 1 - Rio
It might be a long time between emails so I thought I would take the opportunity to send one (have access to wireless broadband for a moment or two this afternoon)
Well my first week of my new adventure and Rio has certainly been just that. I arrived in Rio after a very long and exhausting flight, to discover that I did not have the address of the backpackers hostel I was staying at. Also I had not confirmed with them a few days before leaving Australia, that I was still coming. So the promised driver to pick me up at the airport did not materialise. The only way to access the address of the hostel was with internet access – and you can possibly imagine that was not going to happen at the arrival hall of Rio international airport.
After waiting for 1/2 hr and realising it would be pointless to wait any longer, I got into a Taxi, and had a long frustrating conversation that lead nowhere – the Taxi driver of course speaking only Portuguese and me only speaking English, very badly I might add, after 21 hours of flying. I took a deep breath, let go of the frustration of my own errors and eventually had a brilliant idea - I said “Any International Hotel in Copacabana” in my best imitation of Portuguese. Somehow he managed to understand me and 30 minutes later I was deposited at a hotel. They of course had no vacancies – but he concierge very kindly arranged a place for me a block or two down the street. One of the bell boys also carried the bulk of my luggage for me – I was most grateful, and tipped him appropriately – I hope.
So now booked into a hotel for the night, access to the internet allowed me to track down the address of the hostel and all was well with the world.
It 11:30pm and of course I am wide awake – so I decide to go wondering the streets of Copacabana, which I later found it is probably not such a good idea (Ipanema yes – Copa No). It was invigorating and I did start to get the lay of the land, feeling the pulse of Copacabana, hearing the roar of the Atlantic ocean on the shore – I had took the hotel’s advice and did not venture onto the beach at night. Its amazing how the Atlantic sounds different than the Pacific – one would think and ocean is an ocean pounding on a shore, but there is a different tenor, a song that sounds different to my ear – it is a foreign ocean, for a boy from Oz.
As I have been discovering life here in Rio is very hard for a large part of the population, there is a lot of poverty and a lot of crime. I had some indication of it before I headed here, but it has been an eye opener. I witnessed a lady have a necklace ripped from her neck by a robbery on a push bike. I meet a young , Canadian, who was the victim of a drug they call “Goodnight/Midnight Cinderella”. He invited someone he did not know very well back to his apartment and was drugged while the other party made him drinks. Cinderella, puts you to sleep for up to 72 hours. His is an amazing story which I wont tell, but the drug only partially affected him, he was out cold for 24 hours – all his valuables had been stolen, his credit cards, thankfully not his passport. He was helped by his apartment/real estate guy – he did a number of things including a police report but does not remember the next 48hours as the drug was still in his system.
Despite these things, it is an amazing place. The people are friendly, and very good looking. There is every shade of colour of skin, it is very multicultural, with a few hundreds years of integration, not like Australia or Canada, who’s experiments in multiculturalism while partially successful, will take many many more generations to truly reap the benefits. Brazil was one of the last countries in the world to abolish slavery, so there are many black people who’s grand parents where the children of slaves.
On Tuesday I found my hostel, moved over to it and quickly realised – I am NOT a backpacker. Sharing bathrooms and common areas etc – is really not my style, so I started to contact some people about renting an apartment short term. By Thursday I had moved into a fantastic little one bedroom apartment in Ipanema, very gay neighbourhood, much safer than Copacabana and a very different energy feel to it. I did meet a lovely young lady from England at the hostel and we spent some beach time together.
I decide that I would go find the gay beach – I think Tuesday afternoon, so I walked from Copa to Ipanema, 20 minutes, and I was walking along the beach front, wondering where the gay area was. What I say made me laugh, the gay section has two HUGE rainbow flag flying high above it .... WHERE HERE WHERE QUEER AND WE ARE ON THE BEACH.... It was very amusing, now where have I encountered this before on a beach. Australian gay beaches are on a need to know basis.
I have been spending a lot of time on the beach, reading, watching the surf, watching the parade of gorgeous men. Have meet some nice people down there. Via Gaydar I meet a Carioca (name for Rio people). Ivan is his name and he has introduced me to some other great people. So I am having lots of fun and meeting some fun people along the way. As I said earlier, the Atlantic is quiet different to the Pacific, the surf is rough and with strong currents. The water is full of sand as it is churned up, by the waves pounding the beach.
I moved apartments again on Sunday to a much nicer apartment, bigger, more secure, 15th floor, fantastic views... Oh my God – the views. Apart from that I have not been doing very much – just going to the beach and reading, doing a lot of writing – very inspired which is great, doing some photography, many amazing sights. However I reluctant to have my camera out very much – carrying such things openly, sets you up as an easy mark, and I have been warned numerous times.
I now have a push bike and went for a ride around the lagoon this morning, 7kms, then came home and did yoga and some other exercises. Before dropping off my laundry and once again heading to the beach.... This is my plan every day for the next week, cycle, yoga, exercise, breakfast, beach. Tomorrow afternoon, I am taking a small tour up to Cocovado – Christ Redeemer. Later in the week, I will go to Sugar Loaf for sunset, the views from there are supposed to be spectacular.
Adios Amigo’s will write again when I have the opportunity – a couple of photos attached.
Well my first week of my new adventure and Rio has certainly been just that. I arrived in Rio after a very long and exhausting flight, to discover that I did not have the address of the backpackers hostel I was staying at. Also I had not confirmed with them a few days before leaving Australia, that I was still coming. So the promised driver to pick me up at the airport did not materialise. The only way to access the address of the hostel was with internet access – and you can possibly imagine that was not going to happen at the arrival hall of Rio international airport.
After waiting for 1/2 hr and realising it would be pointless to wait any longer, I got into a Taxi, and had a long frustrating conversation that lead nowhere – the Taxi driver of course speaking only Portuguese and me only speaking English, very badly I might add, after 21 hours of flying. I took a deep breath, let go of the frustration of my own errors and eventually had a brilliant idea - I said “Any International Hotel in Copacabana” in my best imitation of Portuguese. Somehow he managed to understand me and 30 minutes later I was deposited at a hotel. They of course had no vacancies – but he concierge very kindly arranged a place for me a block or two down the street. One of the bell boys also carried the bulk of my luggage for me – I was most grateful, and tipped him appropriately – I hope.
So now booked into a hotel for the night, access to the internet allowed me to track down the address of the hostel and all was well with the world.
It 11:30pm and of course I am wide awake – so I decide to go wondering the streets of Copacabana, which I later found it is probably not such a good idea (Ipanema yes – Copa No). It was invigorating and I did start to get the lay of the land, feeling the pulse of Copacabana, hearing the roar of the Atlantic ocean on the shore – I had took the hotel’s advice and did not venture onto the beach at night. Its amazing how the Atlantic sounds different than the Pacific – one would think and ocean is an ocean pounding on a shore, but there is a different tenor, a song that sounds different to my ear – it is a foreign ocean, for a boy from Oz.
As I have been discovering life here in Rio is very hard for a large part of the population, there is a lot of poverty and a lot of crime. I had some indication of it before I headed here, but it has been an eye opener. I witnessed a lady have a necklace ripped from her neck by a robbery on a push bike. I meet a young , Canadian, who was the victim of a drug they call “Goodnight/Midnight Cinderella”. He invited someone he did not know very well back to his apartment and was drugged while the other party made him drinks. Cinderella, puts you to sleep for up to 72 hours. His is an amazing story which I wont tell, but the drug only partially affected him, he was out cold for 24 hours – all his valuables had been stolen, his credit cards, thankfully not his passport. He was helped by his apartment/real estate guy – he did a number of things including a police report but does not remember the next 48hours as the drug was still in his system.
Despite these things, it is an amazing place. The people are friendly, and very good looking. There is every shade of colour of skin, it is very multicultural, with a few hundreds years of integration, not like Australia or Canada, who’s experiments in multiculturalism while partially successful, will take many many more generations to truly reap the benefits. Brazil was one of the last countries in the world to abolish slavery, so there are many black people who’s grand parents where the children of slaves.
On Tuesday I found my hostel, moved over to it and quickly realised – I am NOT a backpacker. Sharing bathrooms and common areas etc – is really not my style, so I started to contact some people about renting an apartment short term. By Thursday I had moved into a fantastic little one bedroom apartment in Ipanema, very gay neighbourhood, much safer than Copacabana and a very different energy feel to it. I did meet a lovely young lady from England at the hostel and we spent some beach time together.
I decide that I would go find the gay beach – I think Tuesday afternoon, so I walked from Copa to Ipanema, 20 minutes, and I was walking along the beach front, wondering where the gay area was. What I say made me laugh, the gay section has two HUGE rainbow flag flying high above it .... WHERE HERE WHERE QUEER AND WE ARE ON THE BEACH.... It was very amusing, now where have I encountered this before on a beach. Australian gay beaches are on a need to know basis.
I have been spending a lot of time on the beach, reading, watching the surf, watching the parade of gorgeous men. Have meet some nice people down there. Via Gaydar I meet a Carioca (name for Rio people). Ivan is his name and he has introduced me to some other great people. So I am having lots of fun and meeting some fun people along the way. As I said earlier, the Atlantic is quiet different to the Pacific, the surf is rough and with strong currents. The water is full of sand as it is churned up, by the waves pounding the beach.
I moved apartments again on Sunday to a much nicer apartment, bigger, more secure, 15th floor, fantastic views... Oh my God – the views. Apart from that I have not been doing very much – just going to the beach and reading, doing a lot of writing – very inspired which is great, doing some photography, many amazing sights. However I reluctant to have my camera out very much – carrying such things openly, sets you up as an easy mark, and I have been warned numerous times.
I now have a push bike and went for a ride around the lagoon this morning, 7kms, then came home and did yoga and some other exercises. Before dropping off my laundry and once again heading to the beach.... This is my plan every day for the next week, cycle, yoga, exercise, breakfast, beach. Tomorrow afternoon, I am taking a small tour up to Cocovado – Christ Redeemer. Later in the week, I will go to Sugar Loaf for sunset, the views from there are supposed to be spectacular.
Adios Amigo’s will write again when I have the opportunity – a couple of photos attached.
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