Tall and tan and young and lovely
the girl from Ipanema goes walking
and when she passes
each one she passes goes ahhh
After my visit to Rio de Janeiro it's easy to see how a certain stretch of coastline could inspire such songs as the The Girl from Ipanema and Copacabana. It's impossible to walk along these renowned beaches on a sunny day without a catchy tune in your head.
The differences between Rio and São Paulo are vast. While São Paulo feels like an endless mish-mash of buildings and more buildings...and more buildings, Rio seems more open. The city's infrastructure weaves around the scattered peaks and wraps along the coast, so you always have that visual escape from urban life. There even is a national park inside the city, which is kind of unique. And despite Rio's problems with crime and violence, it is still one of the most beautiful cities in the world. No doubt.
When she walks she's like a samba
that swings so cool and sways so gently
that when she passes
each one she passes goes ahhh
My group flew in on Friday morning and began the weekend with a tour of Rio's historic downtown. Stuffy churches, classic libraries, provocative art - I think just about every city has these things, but I was in Ree-Oh Day Jah-Nare-Oh so it seemed innovative. We ate lunch downtown at one of the most well-known restaurants in the city called Confeitura Colombo. It was a buffet-style restaurant with one heck of a dessert selection. Of course I took full advantage.
For three nights I stayed in The Ipanema Hotel, which coincidentally is located right next to A Praia da Ipanema, sometimes referred to as "the beach." I didn't actually get to enjoy the beach until Sunday and Monday, but when I did it really felt like walking into a postcard. The waves build up right on top of the shore and the islands rest in front looking out into the Atlantic. A towering rock that touches the clouds towers to the right and the line of hotels sit behind.
On weekends, people flock to the beach to relax or play volleyball. Ipanema is the first beach I've seen in Brasil where people are serious about their volleyball. Even some of the older women can get some wicked spin on their serves.
The waves on Rio's coastline can be wicked as well. If you're not paying attention, every once and awhile a towering current will crash into the sand and leave you washed up on shore wondering who just hit you with a baseball bat. Several people in my group complained of shore shoulders, busted bottoms and headaches courtesy of Wave Monster Ipanema.
Oh, but he watches so sadly
How can he tell her he loves her
Yes, he would give his heart gladly
but each day when she walks to the sea
she looks straight ahead not at he
Friday night I attended a samba show at the Vivo Rio. Beth Carvalho, a well-known Brazilian singer, was the headliner for a show that celebrated the history and development of Brazil's favorite rhythm. I recognized one song thanks to my Brazilian music class, but sadly I couldn't join in with the rest of the audience who seemed to know just about every song. I think the U.S. could use a little more samba on the airwaves just to shake thing up a bit.
Saturday was a day of high altitudes and amazing birds-eye views. Not only did I take the cable cars to the summit of Pão de Açucar (Sugarloaf Mountain) and get to see Cristo Redentor shrouded in mist at the top of Corcovado, but I also went hang gliding in the morning. It was an experience that I won't soon forget.
Asa Delta, the hang gliding company, picked my group of three up at our hotel and drove us to a beach where hang gliders were floating in to land. In a nearby peak 520 meters above I could make out the small wooden runway where the gliders were taking off. Another shuttle ride took us into Tijuca Forest and to the top of the peak where the platform stood. There I strapped into a hang gliding suit and was giving quick instructions by my pilot/partner Rafael, who couldn't have been much taller than five feet.
Watching people take off made me a bit nervous. The runaway didn't seem too long. Each time a new glider prepared to take off the instructor would count to three, then the instructor and the paying customer would take a first step and begin to run together. And keep running. Right off the platform and into the sky. Yikes.
After a quick run-through of the takeoff and an explanation on the landing procedure, however, I was standing on the runaway ready to fly. The key is to keep running and not slow down as you approach the edge. I think I executed fairly well.
That first few seconds in the air was awesome. From my vantage point in the sky I peered out into the ocean, stared below at the tops of 30-story buildings and sailed between the tree-covered peaks. Of course, I left the controls to Rafael. After a few slow turns, the fifteen-minute flight ended on a sandy beach. My Superman impersonation was over.
Tall and tan and young and lovely
the girl from Ipanema goes walking
and when she passes
each one she passes goes ahhh
Sunday night was the 21st birthday of an American friend, so a group of us went to a Thai restaurant where the tables are only like a foot off the ground so you sit on the floor. Obviously everyone in Thailand is the size of Oompa-Loompas because that is not a way to enjoy a good meal. We also visited a nearby bar where the strangest combination of fashion and music was waiting for us. Grunge, emo-looking Brazilians were rocking around the clock to 50s rock-n-roll at a place called the Irish Bar. Jerry Lee Lewis is very much alive in this country.
The four-day visit ended all too soon, but I think I got to see the best parts of Rio. Besides, I've got to get this song out of my head.
the girl from Ipanema goes walking
and when she passes he smiles
but she doesn't see
she just doesn't see
the girl from Ipanema goes walking
and when she passes
each one she passes goes ahhh
After my visit to Rio de Janeiro it's easy to see how a certain stretch of coastline could inspire such songs as the The Girl from Ipanema and Copacabana. It's impossible to walk along these renowned beaches on a sunny day without a catchy tune in your head.
The differences between Rio and São Paulo are vast. While São Paulo feels like an endless mish-mash of buildings and more buildings...and more buildings, Rio seems more open. The city's infrastructure weaves around the scattered peaks and wraps along the coast, so you always have that visual escape from urban life. There even is a national park inside the city, which is kind of unique. And despite Rio's problems with crime and violence, it is still one of the most beautiful cities in the world. No doubt.
When she walks she's like a samba
that swings so cool and sways so gently
that when she passes
each one she passes goes ahhh
My group flew in on Friday morning and began the weekend with a tour of Rio's historic downtown. Stuffy churches, classic libraries, provocative art - I think just about every city has these things, but I was in Ree-Oh Day Jah-Nare-Oh so it seemed innovative. We ate lunch downtown at one of the most well-known restaurants in the city called Confeitura Colombo. It was a buffet-style restaurant with one heck of a dessert selection. Of course I took full advantage.
For three nights I stayed in The Ipanema Hotel, which coincidentally is located right next to A Praia da Ipanema, sometimes referred to as "the beach." I didn't actually get to enjoy the beach until Sunday and Monday, but when I did it really felt like walking into a postcard. The waves build up right on top of the shore and the islands rest in front looking out into the Atlantic. A towering rock that touches the clouds towers to the right and the line of hotels sit behind.
On weekends, people flock to the beach to relax or play volleyball. Ipanema is the first beach I've seen in Brasil where people are serious about their volleyball. Even some of the older women can get some wicked spin on their serves.
The waves on Rio's coastline can be wicked as well. If you're not paying attention, every once and awhile a towering current will crash into the sand and leave you washed up on shore wondering who just hit you with a baseball bat. Several people in my group complained of shore shoulders, busted bottoms and headaches courtesy of Wave Monster Ipanema.
Oh, but he watches so sadly
How can he tell her he loves her
Yes, he would give his heart gladly
but each day when she walks to the sea
she looks straight ahead not at he
Friday night I attended a samba show at the Vivo Rio. Beth Carvalho, a well-known Brazilian singer, was the headliner for a show that celebrated the history and development of Brazil's favorite rhythm. I recognized one song thanks to my Brazilian music class, but sadly I couldn't join in with the rest of the audience who seemed to know just about every song. I think the U.S. could use a little more samba on the airwaves just to shake thing up a bit.
Saturday was a day of high altitudes and amazing birds-eye views. Not only did I take the cable cars to the summit of Pão de Açucar (Sugarloaf Mountain) and get to see Cristo Redentor shrouded in mist at the top of Corcovado, but I also went hang gliding in the morning. It was an experience that I won't soon forget.
Asa Delta, the hang gliding company, picked my group of three up at our hotel and drove us to a beach where hang gliders were floating in to land. In a nearby peak 520 meters above I could make out the small wooden runway where the gliders were taking off. Another shuttle ride took us into Tijuca Forest and to the top of the peak where the platform stood. There I strapped into a hang gliding suit and was giving quick instructions by my pilot/partner Rafael, who couldn't have been much taller than five feet.
Watching people take off made me a bit nervous. The runaway didn't seem too long. Each time a new glider prepared to take off the instructor would count to three, then the instructor and the paying customer would take a first step and begin to run together. And keep running. Right off the platform and into the sky. Yikes.
After a quick run-through of the takeoff and an explanation on the landing procedure, however, I was standing on the runaway ready to fly. The key is to keep running and not slow down as you approach the edge. I think I executed fairly well.
That first few seconds in the air was awesome. From my vantage point in the sky I peered out into the ocean, stared below at the tops of 30-story buildings and sailed between the tree-covered peaks. Of course, I left the controls to Rafael. After a few slow turns, the fifteen-minute flight ended on a sandy beach. My Superman impersonation was over.
Tall and tan and young and lovely
the girl from Ipanema goes walking
and when she passes
each one she passes goes ahhh
Sunday night was the 21st birthday of an American friend, so a group of us went to a Thai restaurant where the tables are only like a foot off the ground so you sit on the floor. Obviously everyone in Thailand is the size of Oompa-Loompas because that is not a way to enjoy a good meal. We also visited a nearby bar where the strangest combination of fashion and music was waiting for us. Grunge, emo-looking Brazilians were rocking around the clock to 50s rock-n-roll at a place called the Irish Bar. Jerry Lee Lewis is very much alive in this country.
The four-day visit ended all too soon, but I think I got to see the best parts of Rio. Besides, I've got to get this song out of my head.
the girl from Ipanema goes walking
and when she passes he smiles
but she doesn't see
she just doesn't see
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