Life is a Beach

The beauty and the laidback attitude of Rio de Janeiro makes Achal Dhruva fall in love with the city at first sight.

Aerial view of Copacabana Beach strip All pics: Achal Dhruva
Cariocas enjoying at the Ipanema Beach	The world famous mosaic pavement of Copacabana Beach

Statue of Christ the Redemeer Pics courtesy: Embratur

Brazil has always been a dream destination for me, especially the city of Rio with its silver beaches and pretty girls in bikinis. This image of the paradise city - the promised land - was etched in my mind thanks to the countless brochures and travel shows that I had seen.

But I was wrong. Rio de Janeiro was all that and much, much more. This I discovered last February on my two nights stay on a 10-day ‘Caravana Brazil’ trip organised by the ministry of tourism and Embratur (Brazilian Tourist Board).

Silver Shoreline

Dancers participating in the carnival parade Pics courtesy: Embratur

My first glimpse of Rio from the plane was of a fabulous white curving shoreline kissing the azure blue ocean. This was landscaped by thickly forested hills rising above the concrete jungle and tiny islands dotting the bay. Rio was, to say the least, beautiful. It was, without exaggeration, love at first sight.

As my taxi threaded its way to the hotel at Copacabana, the city began to unravel its multiple layers to me in ever shifting glimpses of disparate images. Despite a population density of approximately over 11 million in a country whose economy was shaky not too long ago, the infrastructure is amazing. The city was not only dotted with a network of flyovers and tunnels but also had economical options for public transport - from the metro to air-conditioned buses to the tram.

Another aspect that impressed me was the city's level of cleanliness, especially the beaches and other tourist areas. This made me wonder why Mumbai, which was similar to Rio in so many ways, was not kept clean. Marine Drive in South Mumbai at best could be described as an ugly cousin of the chic and urbane Avenue Atlantica lining the Copacabana Beach. Forget Shanghai, my vote is to do a Rio for Mumbai.

City Guide

The city is divided into two zones - Zona Sul (south) and Zona Norte (north). The downtown or the Centro, the commercial area of the city is located amidst blocks that house historic monuments and public buildings like the Municipal Theatre, the National Museum of Fine Art, the Itamaraty Palace, the National History Museum and the National Library.

Cable car ride to Sugar Loaf	The sprawl of Rocinha, one of the largest favelas in Rio
Old quarter with Portuguese style architecture	The funicular going up Corcovado to the statue of Christ the Redemeer

The north zone is more industrial and not on the tourist radar unless one wants to visit the biggest soccer stadium in the country, the Maracana Stadium, which if you follow soccer would know is like a temple for Brazilians. The sport is like a religion here and to understand the passion for it one needs to take a tour of the stadium. Here you can step on the footprints of the stars, enter the stadium and take a look around the changing rooms but without any locker room talk.

A guided tour to favelas or shanty towns is yet another experience in understanding the myriad layers of the city. We visited Rocinha, one of the largest slums in South America. Favela means a yellow flower, which proliferates fast and is an apt description for Rocinha, which has in the last 45 years or so burgeoned to a population of nearly five lakhs. It's a city within a city with restaurants, businesses, workshops, community centres; you name it and its there. It is a labyrinth of narrow alleys filled with a hole in the wall tenements. But despite the abject poverty, the ambience is lively and people are friendly. But there are certain dark corners that your guide will tell you not to linger at. Drug dealers are plenty and drug trafficking is big business. But after visiting the country, I found it hard to believe the violence portrayed in the Brazilian film, 'City of God', which is based on the life in the underbelly of Rio - its favelas.

The Carnival

While other cities have more money and cultural outlets, none have the beach, the pulsating music and the joi de vivre of Rio. And what is Rio without its Carnival or Carnaval, which along with Copacabana Beach has made the city world famous.

Unfortunately, our visit was timed exactly a week after the Carnaval but the hangover of the wild and non-stop revelry was very much evident. But Rio does not need any reason to celebrate. It is always party time on its beaches and the air is always ecstatic with festivity. The casual and laidback attitude of the cariocas, as the locals are called, is infectious and even though our itinerary was chock-a-block, all I could do was dream of spending a day on Copacabana Beach observing its changing moods; no, being a part of it.

Cathedral Metropolitana
The view of Guanabara Bay from Sugar Loaf	Birds eye view of the city

There are some popular sites that should not be missed while in Rio. One such site is Copacabana. It was a small fishing village until a new highway in the 1900s changed its face; it shot to fame in the 1920s when the first hotel ever - Copacabana Palace - opened its luxurious doors to international jet setters who came there to gamble.

The high-rise skyline began to take shape since the hotel boom in the 1960s with Neoclassical and Art Nouveau skyscrapers, penthouses and apartments. Today, Copacabana has steadily extended to become the most populous and expensive neighbourhoods in Rio. The charm of Copacabana is its raucous and boisterous joy - the beachfront is nearly an invisible blur of umbrellas and towels with a cacophony of stereos during peak tourist season. Add to this the four kilometres of beach that transforms into a microcosm of Rio with the rich, the poor, the old, the young, lovers and loners all converging here.

Another site that cannot be missed is the Ipanema Beach. Stretching north from Copacabana Fort, it is more the preserve of the chic and the elite. The beach was immortalised in a popular song, 'The girl from Ipanema' penned by two starving artists for a beautiful girl who would stroll past their bar stools everyday with an insinuating walk. Although the song didn't further the writers' cause, it did set fashion trends, particularly in the line of skimpy swimwear. Fashion buffs should look out for famous bikini boutiques here like Salinas, Blue Man and Bum-Bum. The area also boasts of excellent hotels, a bustling nightlife, good restaurants and shopping malls.

Elaborate floats, part of the carnaval parade Pic courtesy: Embratur
The Maracana Football stadium	View of downtown Rio

Twin Stars Of Rio

Apart from the beaches, Rio also offers a lot of sightseeing and adventure activities like paragliding, scuba diving, trekking and entertainment options like plays and operas, live bands, karaoke, etc. Among the spectacular sights that shouldn't be missed are Sugar Loaf and Corcovado, which is the unmistakable landmark of Rio. It is a statue of Christ the Redeemer towering over the city perched on the 2,400 feet high Corcovado mountain. The 120-feet tall figure of Christ with his arms outstretched to an expanse of 75 feet seems to be welcoming the multitudes that throng to the city. One of the world's best known monument, the statue illuminated at night in golden light appears to rise mystically from the sky and is an ethereal sight. The sweeping panoramic view of the city from the statue is also equally breathtaking.

Rio Carnival (Feb 25-28, 2006)

Rio Carnaval is the mother of all Carnivals. It stems from a Catholic Church spring thanksgiving celebration dating from the Middle Ages in Europe and imported by the Portuguese after colonising Brazil. They instituted Carnaval as a period of abandoned merriment. The parades with extravagant floats, brilliant costumes and amazingly energetic dancers takes place in the Sambodromo, a half-mile path built specifically for the event. At the end of the parade the samba schools perform in front of stands packed with spectators, vying for the championship title. Tickets range from US $5 to US $70.

The main street of Rocinha

Locals of Rocinha showcasing their art

One can also sight the voluptuous curves of Copacabana and Ipanema beaches from the south side as well as the crystal clear blue waters of Lagoa (lake) Rodrigues de Freitas. Closer to the statue one gets a glimpse of the leafy neighbourhoods of Botafago and Laranjeiras along with excellent views of Sugar Loaf, Guanabara Bay and Flamengo Park. The 20-minute ride on the funicular or mini-train from Cosme Vehlo district to the foot of the statue is an interesting ride as it cuts through Atlantic rainforest, part of the Tijuca National Park (175 square kilometres) offering stunning vistas of Rio. However, it is a real test of patience to get a clear shot of the statue thanks to the hoards of milling tourists.

The huge granite and quartz mountain of Sugar Loaf sits on the edge of the shoreline of Urca peninsula like a lone sentinel looking out to the ocean. The 1,500-feet high mountain derives its name due to its resemblance to the loaves of sugar used by the Portuguese. The summit here is reached by cable car ride in two stages, which is an attraction in itself.

The first stage takes visitors up 550 feet to the Morro da Urca, which houses a restaurant, an amphitheatre, heliport and offers a spectacular view of the Yacht Club.

Even as I make my way back to the airport to take the flight to my next destination in Brazil, I am certain that the festivity on Rio beaches has not stopped. The air must still be frenzied, the people as friendly and relaxed, and tourists still being enchanted and enticed at the same time.