Rio de Janeiro: The City of God!

Favela on my way up the Corcovado

I have been following reports of the police crackdown on Rio’s drug gangs this past week and some of the images on the BBC website surely paint a completely different picture of the city than what I encountered during my trip.  I of course did not venture into any of the favelas (shantytowns built on mountain top overlooking the city and the South Atlantic) despite my humorous threat to do so when heading out of work in Sao Paulo.  Indian kid (not really a kid but kid sounds right when I type this), can’t speak português, travelling alone to Rio and threatening to walk into drug and crime infested favela! My Brazilian client contact laughed alright but something told me he wasn’t amused. I guess the fascination with Rio’s favelas has something to do with the fact that I absolutely loved “The City of God”.  It ranks very very high among my favorite gangster movies and is usually one of my first recommendations, if asked may I add.

Anyway like I was saying, I had a great time in Rio and at no point during my 3 day stay did safety cross my mind!!  I went everywhere, did late nights, took the subway, the bus and all I got was “Indiano?!!!” or “Slumdog milionário!!”.  Like Raj Koothrappali from 'The Big Bang Theory' would say “I was exotic!” and boy did I love it!! J  The touristy stuff was outstanding too.  The tram ride over the Lapas with me hanging out, the stunning sunset from Pao de Suca (Sugarloaf mountains), the colourful graffiti, the outstanding Maracana, the late night samba at Rio Scenarium, the chopp and bolinho de bacalhau on Copacabana, the unique Cathedral Metropolitana, the bohemian people and the majestic Christ the Redeemer (partly covered due to renovation) watching over us! Cidade Maravilhosa as they say it. City of God, I’ll add if you ask!