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| From Living in Rio |
It´s been some time since I have last written, as I have stopped traveling and settled in Rio for now.
After more than a year traveling through Asia and several more months traveling in Western Europe and North America (visiting friends and family), I finally returned to my America Latina!
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| From Living in Rio |
In all my travels, South America is where my fondest memories lie. It is where some of my most extreme experiences and most profound connections have taken place .In fact, much of the direction I have taken in the last 7 years has been influenced or was as a result of, my first encounter with South America.
Although, I´ve been back several times with work , it has been 5 years since I´ve spent a good amount of time on the continent. Although I have found again, so many of the things I enjoy, in many ways it has changed .
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| From Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil 2008 |
Colombia is still an amazing place. Even with it´s tragic history of violence, and its long struggle between gorillas, paramilitaries, governments and drug cartels Colombians are still very warm and accommodating. Since my last visit in 2004, Colombia has become a lot safer and much more expensive.
The people are still lovely and the natural beauties vast. Green valleys, tropical islands, coffee plantations, mountain peaks, deserted beaches, jungle and loads of wild life....
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| From Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil 2008 |
The culinary traditions of the Arepa, la Bandera Paisa, good coffee, and exotic fruit juice (in particular Mora-blackberry), and of course the excess drinking of Rum and Aguardiente.
To the cultural root of corruption, drugs, cheap plastic surgery (ever so popular in Medellin and Cali) and amazing nightlife with the pulsating Latin rhythms of Salsa, Meringue, regaton and Bayanato, not to mention so many attractive women...Colombia is a hard place to leave indeed.
Venezuela is very different and feels much more dodgy to travel through for one.
Filled with military checkpoints,corrupt police, day to day petty robbery and the occasional Bus hijackings (still in 2009), there are a lot of reasons not to go.
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| From Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil 2008 |
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| From Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil 2008 |
In contrast it has some amazing natural beauty with many national parks, full of peaks, savannas, the infamous Angel falls (The highest waterfall in the world) and some very famous hikes for the more adventurous.
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| From Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil 2008 |
The food very average. Rum , beer, baseball, Arepas and Miss World Beauty Queens are the national pastimes.
Since I was last in Venezuela, (5 years ago) prices have sky-rocketed. Inflation is outrageous and costs have at least trebled.
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| From Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil 2008 |
The people in general I found dis-interested, unfriendly and at times quite aggressive. Perhaps due to the tense situation that has been brought on by Chavism?
Of course, I met some very friendly people as well. Yet coming from Colombia and then going to Brazil, I felt quite a difference.
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| From Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil 2008 |
In proportion to the amount of Miss worlds coming from Venezuela, I was surprised not to have seen more beautiful women. Am guessing the more attractive Venezuelans are confined to the posh clubs , expensive restaurants and Shopping malls of Caracas and Isla Margarita( Venezuelan´s main holiday spot).
I do remember on many occasions seeing women aged 20-30 with dental-braces and silicon implants, a funny combination indeed.
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| From Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil 2008 |
The society overall seems very shallow and capitalistic, solely there to consume. In addition life has very little value. Cheap contract rates (to hire some one to kill on your behalf) only costs about 60 bolivars(30us$).
Should you want to kill anyone who has not paid your debts or said something you did´nt like. To add, Chaves and the police are quite aware of these mass contract killings. Yet they seem to be ignored.
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| From Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil 2008 |
Brazil was a refreshing change full of smiles, music and dance. The 6 day boat ride via the Amazon, was less eventful than I imagined but still nice.
After re-visiting many places that I searched for on my prior trips, ie ( that were bit off the beaten track, not in guidebooks, not touristy) have been spoilt!
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| From Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil 2008 |
Bigger and better hotels, Internet cafes, shops etc.. Tourism and costs in Brazil have exploded. Especially in high season. (December- March and holidays)
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| From Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil 2008 |
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| From Colombia, Venezuela and Brazil 2008 |
While the rest of the world was worrying about the ´´Crisis, Brazilians were on package holidays spending.
Aside from Careva in Bahia my small fisherman villages and desolate beaches are no more. Perhaps in the off season they are somewhat like they were?
It made my arrival in Rio that much better. Rio aside from becoming more expensive has not changed at all. I still love the energy in Rio.
But my timing was off, it was tough arriving in Rio just before Carnival.
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| From Living in Rio |
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| From Living in Rio |
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| From Living in Rio |
It made getting a long term flat and work almost impossible. Nothing can be done until after Carnival.
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| From Living in Rio |
In the end I got lucky. I found friends of friends to sleep at for a week until, I found a studio flat which I split. Its amazing how sometimes people you have known for a few days will go out if there way to be kind and help. Somtimes the kindness of stramgers is perhaps more what you recieve from people you have known for years.
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| From Living in Rio |
After Carnival, I found another flat by literally knocking on doors as Internet is not as common of a resource in Brazil. Jobs were more complicated, especially with out of Visa. I started teaching English privately to make ends meet. The money has run out unfortunately! But who am I to complain, its been more than a year and half since I last worked.
On the whole, things have been great.
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| From Living in Rio |
I have met a lot of good people in Rio thus far (many International).I am learning to dance Samba, bettering my Forro and hope soon to learn Lambada Zouk. Getting in a bit of surf in the mornings and weekends, thanks to Friends who were kind enough to lend me their surfboards (Obrigado Felipe e Charles).
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| From Living in Rio |
As an English teacher I can´t yet afford such luxury´s, at least for a few more months. Am slowly getting back into Capoeira, the ritual of exercise and Yoga.
Soon, I would love to learn some Bossa Nova and MPB. In regards to nightlife, it´s fantastic! I am out almost every night dancing or drinking. There are still so many places to discover.
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| From Living in Rio |
My diet has gotten a lot better. Am not exactly a vegan, but living off fruit and veggies for the most part. I have never eaten so much fruit. At least 7-10 different types (mostly exotic) daily, with a weekly churrasco to satisfy my protein needs on the weekend. To add, almost zero junk food aside from the occasional churro or french pastry.
I live a block from the beach in Copacabana getting my daily need of Vitamin D from the sun and the sunsets and views from most hills in Rio are stunning.
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| From Living in Rio |
The quality of life here has really been amazing so far. Its going to be hard to leave for Buenos Aires next year.
So what about the negatives? It can´t all be good right? There are quite a few fortunately they don´t effect me too much.
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| From Living in Rio |
Essentially, Brazil is a country of extremes. Things are extremely good or extremely bad. Aside from the obvious dangers, The difficulty of working, visas, endless cues and waiting, and other bureaucratic issues such as the inability for anything to get accomplished, and the gross amount of in-efficieincy...
I also have a hard time digesting the differences between rich and poor, the lack of education, ignorance, The police and how corrupt and dangerous they can be, the class discrimination, the extreme surperficial culture of many many Brazilians cultivating only their bodies and not their minds, etc...
Lovely bodies indeed though...
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| From Living in Rio |
Aside from going home to Paris in September and spending a week in Argentina in May, I should be here at least through New years 2010....so if you fancy a visit let me know, and I wil show you the best of Rio.
Abrazo grande!
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| From Living in Rio |
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| From Living in Rio |
