About Rio

Wednesday, Feb 6 – Day 51

Rio has a population of about 7 million compared to Sao Palo’s +/-25 million (it’s only about 300 miles away from Rio). Brazil’s land mass is 10% larger than the US, and it has just over half the population. Rio was a shipping center for supplies during Brazil’s gold rush in the 1700’s, and became the country’s capital in 1762. In 1808, Portuguese prince Dom Joao, who later became King, fled Lisbon ahead of Napoleon’s armies and set up shop here in Rio. He brought 12,000 of his noble buddies, and they began to transform the city’s culture.

Rio grew at a rapid pace, and by the late 1800’a, was once one of the largest cities in the world. After World War II, most of the country’s industrial base moved to Sao Palo, the capital was move to Brasilia in the early 1960’s, and Rio entered a period of decline that lasted through the 1980’s. This is when the city became notorious for its crime problems, and it seems to be a legacy that won’t go away.

Geographically, the city’s beaches face South and East. Along the Eastern side Guanabara Bay, which divides the city into a large Northern part and a smaller Southern part. The airport sits on an island in the bay. Zona Sul, the Southern part, is the tourist area. There is no reason to ever go to Zona Norte.

Copacabana is an interesting place. The guide books and blogs tend to give the impression that it is past its prime and a little seedy. It was developed in the 1920’s, and its centerpiece is the absolutely stunning Copacabana Palace hotel. Ipanema and Leblon are said to be the more trendy areas, while Sao Conrado is older people, bigger $’s, a smaller beach, and quiet.

The beachfronts of Copa, Ipanema, and Leblon all looked the same to me – block after block of 10 to 20 story condo buildings, with a sprinkling of hotels. A block or two inland, where most of the retail is located, Copacabana does look rather tired compared to Ipanema and Leblon, but to be honest, none of it looks all that great.

Along all of the beaches, there are numerous small kiosks that sell a variety of drinks and food. Most are not much more than a 10’x10’ wooden box with a few plastic tables, some umbrellas, and plastic chairs. They sell beer, water, coconuts, and some snacks. Copa also has these really nice “kiosks” that are pretty stylish, and you can actually have a nice lunch there. These locations also have a public restroom and shower, but you have to pay an attendant to use them. This one had the oddest-looking urinal I think I’ve ever seen. Both the sink and the urinal are made up of clear green glass. When I first walked in, I wasn’t sure which one I was supposed to pee in. In both, the bottom piece of glass is angled away from you, and then there’s about a 3 inch gap at the wall where everything just falls to a single drain in the floor. Now that’s different.