City of Gods

If a city could be described as a wild and whimsical dream, flooded with beautiful contradictions, majestic and frightening scenes seamlessly entwined, that dream would be Rio de Janeiro. To say I love this city is an understatement. Jogging along the beach, sun beaming down, sweat pouring off my forehead, I looked around at this gigantic and stunning city and actually got the chills.

Rio´s contrasting layers are what truly astound. The first layer is the gorgeous white sand beaches with ships floating in the distance. The second is huge skyscrapers interspersed with 16th century buildings lining the beaches. In layer three the mountains become visible, where an old streetcar winds from the city center up the side of steep cliffs to hundreds of crumbling 19th century mansions. Layer four is favelas, spilling down the hills, shack upon shack as if they were one long and continuous eight story structure. The final layer is the steep mountain of Corcovado, rising 700 meters straight up from the city, with the amazing 38 meter tall Christ the Redeemer statue atop, surveying, protecting, blessing the entire city.
The week that we spent in Rio was unforgettable. Each area we visited provided more culture, more history and more juice bars with unknown fruit than I could have ever imagined.

Each day meant visiting a different neighborhood and with each new neighborhood we experienced a new and vibrant culture and a different type of street food. The Centro is Rio´s commercial district where we strolled along wide cobbled sidewalks, viewing baroque churches and colonial buildings, while nibbling on piping hot cocoa popcorn drizzled with sweet condensed milk, fresh from the jolly street vendors.

Copacabana means serious beach time to the Rio residents. On the weekend the place is packed with umbrellas, tanning beauties and beach sports. We shoved our way past the other tanners to the edge of the ocean and practiced relaxing while balancing a caiparinha and a grilled shrimp on a skewer.

Lapa is the gritty and edgy center for Rio´s nightlife. Who needs to pay a cover charge when the streets themselves are so entertaining? Anyone with a few limes, some booze and a make shift cart can make a quick buck selling cocktails on the street. We didn´t ask to see their drink license but thoroughly enjoyed their drinks. Samba music streamed from every alley and the corners were dotted with some very scantily clad ladies that I am afraid were uhh, also trying to make a quick buck.


No trip to Rio is complete without a futebol game and so Brig and I squeezed into the packed metro and headed with thousands of rowdy fans to the famous Maracanã stadium. We got to yell GOOOAAAAL four times while munching on grilled meat on a stick and something crunchy in a bag.

If you are looking for the perfect city, one that has all of the elements of a crazy dream, amusing and startling, look no further. Rio is magical, the residents are spirited and an expression of love for life appears in every way imaginable.