Nursing our Lapa hangover we walked down Ipanema beach, only a short walk away from Copacabana. The strip is iconic to Rio and seen across the world often on TV and in magazines, it was like having a dejarvu feeling to actually be there having seen it so many times but nothing can do it justice until you see it with your own eyes. For a city beach it is absolutely stunning.
Once again Michael and I were distracted when we heard screaming, we thought no way not again, as we watched a black lady shouting at a police officer completely naked. She then stormed off, her bear arse wiggling, we turn back round and looked at eachother bemused before we burst out laughing. Michael exclaimed 'that's two naked ladies in as many days in Brazil, I Love this place'Ha Ha.
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| Michael on Ipanema Beach just after the naked lady show, unfortunately we have no pictures of her |
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| Me Ipanema |
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| Lots of sports on the beach |
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| Copacabana beach |
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| Sunset on Ipanema |
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| An impressive sand sculpture on Copacaban beach |
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| The view from the top overlooking Rio |
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| Wildlife at the top |
We booked this tour with a company called Bealocal who were actually really good. We were collected from our hostel and drove to the top of one of Rios largest favelas called Rocinha. We started our descent down by foot walking through narrow littered alleys, smothered by the thick smell of open sewage that trickled along it. As we got into the depths of the favela we walked past man made shacks and some were better than others. One house was made entirely from scraps picked from rubbish bins and another was made from concrete bricks that proudly displayed a 12inch flat screen TV that was bigger than the living room itself.
The guide explained that this particular Favela was ran 2 years ago by gangs and the gang leader who ruled the area was only 27 years old. He would run drug operations and recruit the young children of the Favelas because if they were caught they were then quickly released for being a minor. Mothers feared that there sons would enter this trade as the temptation of easy money above education swayed many. However, 2 years ago this gang member was prisoned for a measly 9 years as part of a government initiative to crack down on drugs and make the Favelas a better place to live. As we walked along we stopped at a bakery and the guide told us not to take any pictures as it would cause trouble. I quickly chimed "Is that because they are selling more than just bread?"- The guide then twitched his lip and said "I guess you could say that."
The company logo is don't be a gringo, be a local and part of the proceeds go to community projects in the Favela. On the tour we stopped by at a day care centre where you could volunteer. The center is set up to give low cost child care to enable mothers to work and create better lives for their family. This is not funded by the government so donations are important to keep the project running. The guide also told us of the government scheme that gives all children from the Favelas until the age of 18 free bus rides to and from school. All children wear T-Shirts with a blue strip across it and this allows them to get on transport for free, so no matter the distance of the school any child can attend.
Looking below from the top of the Favela you can see where the motorway divides the rich from the poor.Once you reached the bottom of the favela you simple had to cross the motorway by bridge and you are already on a decorately lined street, shadowed over by modern towering skyscrapers where the rich live. The divide between rich and poor is astronomical. People often ask if the Favela was scary and whether it was safe to visit. As far as the tour goes it completely safe and people look happy. They may not live by our western standards but they are doing okay, most of them work in the city and live in the favela which is much cheaper. Of course given the choice they would probably move but these people are far from miserable. The Favela has a great community spirit and its own thriving economy, it is not a grim as people think. However, as a gringo it certainly isn't somewhere you should be walking around on your own at night. I dare not think about the underworld that lies within these Favelas, but I bet it would be enough to make your skin curl. Here are some pictures.
The guide explained that this particular Favela was ran 2 years ago by gangs and the gang leader who ruled the area was only 27 years old. He would run drug operations and recruit the young children of the Favelas because if they were caught they were then quickly released for being a minor. Mothers feared that there sons would enter this trade as the temptation of easy money above education swayed many. However, 2 years ago this gang member was prisoned for a measly 9 years as part of a government initiative to crack down on drugs and make the Favelas a better place to live. As we walked along we stopped at a bakery and the guide told us not to take any pictures as it would cause trouble. I quickly chimed "Is that because they are selling more than just bread?"- The guide then twitched his lip and said "I guess you could say that."
The company logo is don't be a gringo, be a local and part of the proceeds go to community projects in the Favela. On the tour we stopped by at a day care centre where you could volunteer. The center is set up to give low cost child care to enable mothers to work and create better lives for their family. This is not funded by the government so donations are important to keep the project running. The guide also told us of the government scheme that gives all children from the Favelas until the age of 18 free bus rides to and from school. All children wear T-Shirts with a blue strip across it and this allows them to get on transport for free, so no matter the distance of the school any child can attend.
Looking below from the top of the Favela you can see where the motorway divides the rich from the poor.Once you reached the bottom of the favela you simple had to cross the motorway by bridge and you are already on a decorately lined street, shadowed over by modern towering skyscrapers where the rich live. The divide between rich and poor is astronomical. People often ask if the Favela was scary and whether it was safe to visit. As far as the tour goes it completely safe and people look happy. They may not live by our western standards but they are doing okay, most of them work in the city and live in the favela which is much cheaper. Of course given the choice they would probably move but these people are far from miserable. The Favela has a great community spirit and its own thriving economy, it is not a grim as people think. However, as a gringo it certainly isn't somewhere you should be walking around on your own at night. I dare not think about the underworld that lies within these Favelas, but I bet it would be enough to make your skin curl. Here are some pictures.
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| Walking through the Favela |
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| Our guide |
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| From the top before our descent |
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| You can where the Favela stops and the rich live |
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| Samba in the Favelas |
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| Typical house |
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| Add caption |
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| Yep, they still get mail!!! |
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| Abadoned trolley |
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| The dirty alley ways |
Thank you for sharing this information. The information was very helpful and saved a lot of my time.
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