Exotic Rio De Janeiro: A Place For Wild Encounters
Called the “Cidade de Maravilha” (The Marvelous City) by the Brazilians, the place certainly deserves all the superlatives thrown at it. Rio de Janeiro’s anthem is “Marvelous city, full of a thousand charms,” which was originally a carnival hit by Aurora Miranda.
Thousands of visitors understand the meaning of this anthem better when they witness the wonders of the city, riding trams through Santa Teresa and cable cars up to Pao de Acucar; visiting the époque palaces at Cinelandia and the palaces at Copacabana; going up the mountain to see “Christ the Redeemer” and getting on a minivan to reach the Rocinha favela (shanty town); shouting “oll” at Marcana soccer stadium and regaling the samba lyrics at the Sambodromo parade grounds. This may sound like a lot of things to do, but not in Rio, you will still be left with hundreds of delights to take in.
Rio de Janeiro can knock even the most jaded travelers off their perches. Mention to anyone that you’re headed to Rio, and they look at you with a naughty gleam. Reason? The first thing that flashes in front of their eyes is images of you having a wild time in the beach/sex/football haven. If you are visiting just before Christmas, they know to cross you off their Christmas list.
That’s how mesmerizing are RioDe Janeiro girls, who are known for their sultry looks and exotic features. They are famous for their well-shaped and fit bodies that they are not afraid to show off. Their zest for life is said to be unmatched. While the lovely Brazilian girls are eagerly waiting for a smart foreigner to date, Rio has several points of interest you just cannot afford to miss while you are there.
The Federative Republic of Brazil continued to enjoy steady growth after splitting from Portugal’s colonial rule in 1822. From being an agriculture-based economy during its European rule, it is now a progressive economy. It has become a huge South American tourist attraction, with millions of tourists thronging the different parts of Brazil each year.
Explore Rio de Janeiro
Everywhere you turn, you find yourself surrounded by the stunning panorama of beaches, bays and jungle. The tropical hills swelling behind the beaches, is a vision for sore eyes.
There are so many outdoor adventure options in Rio that it can easily rival Boulder, Colorado in the United States. Rock climbing on Sugarloaf or in Niteroi, hand gliding from a ridge top, hiking in the forest or biking around Rodrigo Freitas Lagoa, it is one of the best refuges for outdoors. You can do it all.
Lagoa, a Central Park in Rio and is a great sanctuary from heat and urban chaos. This is where you should be heading if you are looking for some baseball fun or if you just want to enjoy a walk or a jog. You might want to check out the great hike in Parque Catacumba, a trail that leads through the rainforest to beautiful views at the top.
If you are keen on experiencing some out-of-this-world adrenalin rush, there are local outfitters that offer a canopy walkway high in the trees, a zip line, rock climbing wall and rappelling lessons. How much better can it get than a canopy adventure in the Atlantic Rain Forest?
Rio’s best party on the streets is the carnival, where more than 1,000 street bands (blocos) and brass and percussion marching bands (bandas) sing and dance to their heart’s content.
With adventure taken care of, if you’re looking for some relaxation, there are several points of interest, but most foreigners would have heard about Maracana Football Stadium, Sugar Loaf, Corcovado, Copacabana and Ipanema beaches.
Pao de Acucar, known as Sugarloaf, is a world famous monolith that is more than just a prop. There is a reason it is one of the most sought after tourist attractions in Rio. It offers pure magic from a height of 1,299 feet above sea-level: Water, sky, landscape and brilliant lights conspire to take your breath away as day becomes night (sunset). You gain entry to this visual delight with the help of cable car rides that take you to the peak of the Sugarloaf Mountain, from where the most spectacular views on the planet await you. You can view the beaches of the Zona Sul to the Two Brothers Peaks, and the beautiful mountains out of Tahiti. And yes, beer and caipirinhas (national Brazilian drink made from cachaca – crushed fresh fruit and ice) are available to steady your weak knees. Just make sure you are on those cable cars on a day when the sky is clear. You don’t want fog to limit your view. Keep an extra day aside to spend some time at Praia Velmelho, a dreamy beach in a cove-like setting. This is just a short walk from the base of the cable car.
Combine this trip with a visit to the iconic Christ statue that remains a focal point for foreign tourists as well as locals. A cog-train ride through the Tijuca Rain Forest takes you to the 39 meters tall and unfazed statue atop Corcovado Mountain at a height of 710 meters. Cristo Redentor himself acts as a tour guide, with the left arm pointing to the giant soccer stadium in the North, and the right arm waving to the Rodrigo Freitas Lagoa and the Zona Sul beaches. The platform stares straight ahead at the Centro, the city center, the bay and the Sugarloaf.
Come down from the mountains to a free show on the beaches. The Zona Sul beaches, on the sand and in the water, are filled with volleyball and soccer players and surfers. This is where you get a glimpse of the play-hard philosophy of Cariocas. The hippest beaches are Ipanema and Leblon. Ipanema turns into Rio’s fashion runway during the weekends. The dark and tanned bodies of the gorgeous Rio women in their rationed bathing suits are sure to take your breath away. This may just be the perfect place for hooking up with girls in Rio de Janeiro.
Posto 9 is the place where you can spot TV stars and locals are always ready for a game of beach soccer. Copacabana is the largest and a tourist-packed beach where you can hang out during the day with thousands of other tourists and spend time at the night clubs by night. On New Year’s eve, more than 2 million people visit just to watch the fireworks display.
Lapa, a bohemian neighborhood, is where you should be headed for live choro and samba at night. There are many antique stores here.
Food & Drink
Great food can make for a great trip. The gastronomy of Rio is a fusion of the intense flavors and spices brought by the African slaves and Portuguese colonizers. The typical dish of the Carioca cuisine is the “fejjoada,” a stew of black beans and pork. It is usually eaten on Wednesday and Saturday. The “churrasco” is a roast meat delicacy that represents the region, and is now prepared with ten different types of meat, including alligator meat. “Leao veloso” is a typical seafood dish. The “Caipirinha” drink is the most representative beverage of Rio, made from cachaca (cane liquor), lemon, sugar and ice.
But the Amazonian fruit that is said to keep the beautiful Brazilians fit enough to don the skimpy bikinis is the acai berry, which has gained popularity all over the world for its weight loss properties. Obviously, you would want to sample the fresh fruit after having tasted the bottled wonder. You will find it everywhere on the beaches of Rio.
Start with sipping a nice cool early coconut juice on the beach while watching the sunset. The waterfront in Copa or Ipanema have many beachfront kiosks. While Santa Teresa is an old-time neighborhood packed with many traditional restaurants, the best way to enjoy Rio’s most beloved foods is by renting a lounge chair on the beach.
Nightlife & Rio Women
Getting a grip of Rio’s nightlife is not easy, as the Cariocas (people of Rio) seem to possess some hidden nightlife gene. If you are a visitor looking to enjoy the quintessential nightlife, consider a wee nap after your day’s activities. This is the key to making it through the night.
Depending on the time of the year, a Samba school rehearsal on Saturday night is great. There are a number of discos and bars to choose from.
There are selected slices of the Copacabana waterfront for visitors who want to interact with girls. The best thing about these places is that they are not sleazy or dangerous. The Balcony Bar and Lido Square are regular hangouts for sex tourists and working women. You will find a number of strip clubs around here.
Another popular place for meeting women in Rio is around the Rio Othon Hotel. Daytime possibilities of meeting women in Rio de Janeiro is the Meia Petaca patio or out on the beach. If you are visiting Rio during the carnival, you will find hundreds of Brazilian girls dancing on the streets. Brazilian women from different parts of Brazil visit Rio de Janeiro during the carnival. They dance their way not only down the street but also into the hearts of thousands of men who visit only for the purpose of meeting Rio girls. It is not just short-term affairs; several men from around the world have lost their hearts to girls during Carnivals. This visit may perhaps turn out to be lucky for you. Extend your exploration further to Sao Paulo or Salvador. We assure you, they are as worthy of a visit as Rio is.
