“We want schooles, metros, trains, buses, ferries and hospitals”
After many crowded days of watching World Cup games at the FIFA Fan Fest on Copacabana, I wanted to see what other Brazilians thought of the World Cup.
Back in June of 2013, Brazil came to a standstill as the largest protests in decades swept the country, with citizens expressing anger at the increasing cost of living and the governments decision to spend billions on FIFA stadiums while ignoring the basic needs of lower and middle class citizens. While these protests are largely over, there still exists a small minority who continue to express themselves, yet while the number of protesters are getting smaller, the response from the military police is becoming increasingly more violent.
While I have only been here for 3 weeks, it seems that most Brazilians are quite content with the fact that the World Cup is here, in fact they seem so swept up with their daily lives that the World Cup is just an afterthought. That being said, the frustration of these protesters speaks volumes about the massive internal problems Brazil faces as a country. The violent military and police crackdown I saw on this night is no way of dealing with these problems, it is only sweeping it under the rug for another day.
We hiked Dois Irmãos yesterday. It is one thing to dream of heaven. It is another to walk above the clouds and live in it. It is an experience that will awaken an incredible sensation in your soul. When you stand at the edge of a precipice that seems to hover above the earth. When you are suspended in flight, and below you the world is glowing with the artificial orange light cast by tall steel street lights numbering in the thousands. Dogs bark to one another across the favela. They share secrets, and you are secretly listen in on every little story that is told. The sheer number of sounds shrinks your being into a small blue dot on a large black sheet.
Rocinha, the largest slum in South America.
Two hundred thousand souls survive in the streets below me. Two hundred thousand mothers and fathers, grandfathers and grandmothers, aunts, and uncles. The list goes on with every generation, and this was a neighborhood as old as Rio itself.
I sat upon the edge of the world and was swallowed into it’s gaping maw. My mind was a pebble rolling down the mountain; there was nothing I could do to stop the momentum of my curiosity about the world below me. What lives in such a place? What culture grows in a crammed community, that never slept, and never ceased to make noise, for no reason other than for the sake of sound.
Lagoa and Ipanema.
When we passed the summit, the glorious, and legendary beach of Ipanema stretched before us The majestic lake of Lagoa was basking in her glory, spoiled with attention from hotel towers who surrounded her form; peddling a view of her for a ridiculous sum to the only the wealthiest patrons of society. The silence was deafening.
There is beauty in Ipanema, but there is no music. Money does not sing in Ipanema, not like the people who dance in Rocinha do. There is Samba creeping through the trees from the largest favela in Latin America into your body. The sounds reach in and grab you from your place on the mountain and thrust you into a whole new world. They shatter your perspective on life by showing you something you never thought existed.
Contemplating Leblon.
Lost in our moment of grand exposure to a new world, we forgot to keep track of time. The sun had set, and the sky was pitch black, and the air was thick. With no moon in sight, we began hiking through the trees; enveloped by jungle, and a thick shroud of darkness. We had lost sight of the trail, but had found our place in a paradox lost.
Its hard to believe that my time in Rio has reached the half way point. I’ve been so preoccupied with the World Cup that I have yet to visit any of the classic tourist sites in Rio, which I’m totally okay with. Instead we’ve been catching the bus to Copacabana. Our first stop is usually a cafe two blocks from the beach.
A delicious fresh fruit smoothie, coffee with milk, and tasty ham and cheese pastry is my go to breakfast. The açaí and chocolate chip smoothie is my favorite, but you really can’t go wrong with any juice you choose.
Only in Brazil do the have protein powder prominently displayed at the local cafe.
Next we join throngs of fans from around the world headed to the beach to watch the games and soak up the warm winter sun. The Argentinians are the most obnoxious and the Chileans are the loudest. Chanting chi chi chi le le le, viva Chile!, non stop. Everyone, including myself has been really impressed by the number of USA fans in Rio. Aside from the aforementioned teams, we have been the loudest and biggest fan base, which makes watching USA games really exciting. One of the coolest and most unique aspects of the World Cup is that it brings together people from all over the world. Where else can you meet a bunch of Bosnians, Algerians, Colombians, and Nigerians in a matter of minutes?
Copacabana Beach.
There is a giant walled Fifa Fan Fest at the start of Copacabana beach sporting a giant screen, between game concerts and host of dumb activities to waste your money on. Fifa doesn’t allow soccer balls inside and the beer is way more expensive. So the best option is to avoid going inside and walk around to the beach side. There is nothing better than buying a Caipirinha from a makeshift rasta bar on the beach, and taking a dip in the warm Atlantic, all while watching soccer.
Fifa Fan Fest in the distance.
Quick Travel Tip: We found our awesome place on AirBnb and could not be happier. Many other people we talked to did the same and also highly recommend it. If you are coming to Brazil definitely check AirBnb for your accommodation.
I’m not sure what the reporting has been like back in the States, but there have been very few protests here in Rio. The majority of Brazilians appear to be really enjoying the cup so far. Everyone is rocking Brazil jerseys, lots of Brazilians from all over the state of Rio show up at the Fan Fest cheering on other teams and party, restaurants are packed with people watching the games and there are Brazil flags everywhere. However, there are plans to stage a protest at Maracana this Sunday to prepare for the big one on the day of the final, which takes place at Maracana.
That being said, the World Cup has done little to quell the brutality of the police. It has simply directed attention elsewhere. The other day a little boy was shot in a favela near us. He didn’t die, but Patrick fears that he will disappear tonight. The same cops that shot him are working again and he thinks that they will attempt to get rid of the evidence. While the pacification of Rio’s favelas has made a few safer, ultimately it has just pushed the violence to the once quiet and peaceful suburbs of Rio as the drug dealers flee the city.
Rio is so crazy because there are people living in Barra de Tijuca, suburban sprawl on Rio’s west side that is nicer than Miami, completely oblivious to brutality and unaccountability of the police on the north side. Its as if you are traveling internationally between to vastly different countries when you take a bus from Barra to Maracana. Never before have I experienced such stark contrasts, astonishing inequality and immeasurable beauty.
