TROPICAL GEM
Spending the holidays in Rio de Janeiro was an incredible experience, filled with lots of breathtaking sites, delicious food, and a whole lot of samba!
SURPREENDENTE, increíble— Portuguese for “amazing” and “unbelievable.” This is how we would describe our experience in Brazil. This country has always been on our travel bucket list, and we were blessed and thrilled to be able to visit Rio de Janeiro during the holidays. Rio de Janeiro is one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever been to. Lively yet mellow, laidback yet cosmopolitan, tropical yet refreshing, sprawling with countless panoramic views—it’s like many cities packed into one. The beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema are chic and full of beautiful and friendly people who seem to be untroubled. The views from the hills are breathtaking. The city center, with its cobblestones and colonial buildings, reminds me of Lisbon with a musical quarter as colorful and vibrant as New Orleans. The name was given by Portuguese navigators who arrived on January 1, 1502. The bay forms the opening of a river, thus, the name Rio de Janeiro, which means “River of January.” Brazil was under Portugal’s rule from the 16th century to the 19th century. After a 30-hour flight from Manila to Rio, we checked in at the Sheraton hotel located in the Leblon area. Since this was our first time in Brazil and due to the not-sotourist-friendly perception of Rio, we opted to stay in a more serene area. It turns out that we made the right choice as most places were accessible, and we were greeted with a view of a breathtaking sunrise each day. In every trip, we prefer to explore the city using the lens of a local. We gained some inspiration for making our itinerary through The Culture Trip App—an app written and curated by locals and enhanced by travelers. We were led to book with Rio by Foot, Free Walker Tours, and of course, the reliable Viator. Time Out is our go-to reference for food. The beauty of nature filled my heart with gratitude and put me in a state of genuine happiness. It allowed me to realize how gorgeous Brazil is, especially as we started our tour in one of the most iconic places in Rio. First on our list were the two biggest attractions: Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) and Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain). The majestic Christ the Redeemer statue is on the Corcovado, a 710-meter steep mountain. The statue is 30 meters high. It’s a mighty structure, depicting Jesus Christ watching over the city, with arms wide open. As a Catholic, seeing the statue up close in person was a monumental moment for me, and I couldn’t be more
thankful. The view from up there was spectacular. (Tip: Go there early morning to avoid the crowd.) The experience on the Sugarloaf Mountain was just as exciting. We had to take two cable cars to arrive at the peak (about 400 meters above the harbor). And the view was as breathtaking as Corcovado (even better since the clouds cleared up). The platform at the top seemed to be larger than that of Corcovado; thus, there was more room to wander around and get the perfect spot for our photos. After our sight-seeing in the mountains, we headed over to the beaches—that’s where the fun began. Copacabana and Ipanema are the main, touristy beaches of Rio. No matter where you are on the beach, you’d surely notice how stunning Brazilians are as they love to show off their bronzed beach bodies. One could say they turned “beaching” into a lifestyle. Since I didn’t really plan to swim or lay on the beach to sunbathe (my daughter Pilar said that this is a mortal sin), I did the next best thing— people watch from a beach bar; which I think is the best way to experience the laidback beach culture of Rio. Copacabana is one of the most famous beaches in the world. The atmosphere is lively. The cool breeze is blowing, refreshing drinks are available, samba music is being played throughout the four-kilometer stretch of soft golden sand. The locals would usually rent a lounge chair and beach umbrella, sit back, relax, and enjoy a refreshing caipirinha (Brazil’s national cocktail, featuring a local sugarcane spirit, cachaça). Ipanema, on the other hand, seems to be for the younger crowd
and for the upmarket. It also has the same vibrant atmosphere. I noticed that there are more sports activities on this side. One unique sport was footvolley— it’s like beach volleyball except that players are not allowed to use their hands and a football replaces the volleyball. Like in Copacabana, several vendors sell almost anything. This is where I tried an açaí smoothie made from local berries. This is Pilar’s favorite Brazilian snack. The next day, I decided to go on a walking tour that focused on history and culture. The meeting point was right at the city center, the Teatro Municipal (Municipal Theater). It’s a very impressive classical building. The facade was designed in an eclectic style and inspired by the Paris Opera. Just across the Teatro Municipal is Fundacão Biblioteca Nacional, the National Library of Brazil. This is the largest library in Latin America and the seventh largest in the world. After visiting the library, I headed over to another major attraction in Rio. The colorful Escadaria Selarón (Selaron Steps) is a 125-meter staircase covered in more than 2,000 pieces of colorful tiles, mirrors, and ceramics, and is probably the most beautiful staircase in the world. It took the artist, Jorge Selarón, 20 years to complete this city landmark, and he called this his “tribute to the Brazilian people.” How does one live in the 22nd century? You’ll find the answers in the Museu de Amanhā (Museum of Tomorrow). The ultra-modern science museum is anchored on the energies of tomorrow, exploring issues of climate change, and focusing on sustainability. It was inaugurated before the 2016 Summer Olympics. The attractions are interactive and mostly digital. The building’s striking appearance was designed by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. Music plays an important role in a culture. And for Brazil, it’s samba! What better way to experience street samba than to go where it all started, Pedra do Sol. Every Friday and Monday, the most authentic, entertaining and traditional cultural event happens in this tiny plaza. The best samba bands come together for a spontaneous jamming session. Aside from the cozy bars that surround the town square, there are numerous food and beverage stalls. The site is also a UNESCO Cultural Heritage site. Another important piece in Brazilian music history is the restaurant, Garota de Ipanema. The restaurant is located one block from the beach on the famous Rua Vinicius de Moraes. The song Garota de Ipanema (The Girl From Ipanema) was written by Vinicius de Moraes and Antonio Carlos Jobim, famous Brazilian musicians, at this very restaurant. Helo Pinheiro was a 17-year-old fixture on the Rio beach (“tall and tan and young and lovely”) in 1962, when she caught the eye of the composers, who would create the bossa nova classic. One story reveals that Mr. Jobim proposed marriage to Ms. Pinheiro more than once. Within the city center, you’d find the Arcos de Lapa (the arches of Lapa) or known as the Carioca Aqueduct. It dates back to the 17th century and was built to bring fresh water from the Carioca River to the city center. This structure depicts colonial architecture. The main religion in the country is Catholicism, and about three fourths of the 210-million Brazilians are Catholic. There are several churches in the city, and we were blessed to visit beautiful ones. Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Monte do Carmo is a Carmelite cathedral, dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Mosteiro de São Bento or the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat is more commonly known as the Sao Bento Monastery. This is a Benedictine abbey located on the São Bento Hill in downtown Rio de Janeiro. This is a stunning example of Portuguese colonial architecture. Catedral Metropolitana de São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro or the Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro and is dedicated to St. Sebastian, the patron saint of Rio de Janeiro. The cathedral’s beauty lies in its interior, where four colored stained glass windows span 64 meters from floor to ceiling over the walls. This gives the church beautiful natural lighting and a mystical atmosphere. Convento Santo Antonio or the Santo Antônio Convent is a Catholic monastery located at the top of Morro de Santo Antonio at Rio’s city center, and is one of the oldest and most important colonial remnants of the city. This centuries-old monastery features ornate religious art and a church with an interior highlighted with gold. The Igreja de Candelária (Candelária Church) is an important historical Catholic church because it is the city’s first church dating from 1630. The church combines a Portuguese colonial baroque façade with neo-Renaissance interior elements. Dining out has always been a part of our travel itinerary. Food provides a deeper understanding of the city we are visiting. Sharing food with the family provides fond memories that define a travel experience. The food scene in Rio is overwhelming. Restaurants and bars are plentiful and
would fit any budget. Our food spend in Rio was much lower when compared to European cities. Brazil prides itself on its churrascarias, a type of all-you-can-eat steakhouse. There are waiting carvers, who circle the room offering cuts of various meat to the diners. We tried the Carretão Ipanema Classic Grill, right in the center of the district. There are long queues, and mostly locals. The friendly waiters keep the plates full. A full buffet of salad and seafood is included. Don’t leave Rio without dining in a churrascarias. Confeitaria Colombo, a 160-year-old charming and elegant coffeehouse, is a landmark in downtown Rio. Some travel guides named it one of the 10 most beautiful cafés in the world. Its architecture and interiors are inspired by the European cafés. Entering the café was like going back in time. The stained-glass ceiling, Belgian floor-to-ceiling wooden-framed mirrors, and rosewood furniture create an opulent setting for a meal. The food is excellent. We tried the bacalao croquettes, empanada, and pastel de nata. (Tip: Arrive before midday to beat the queues.) Aprazível is a family-run restaurant located at the top of Santa Teresa hill. A tropical garden surrounds the treehouse-like dining area which has a great view of the city and Guanabara Bay, thereby creating a relaxing ambiance. The restaurant is known for artisan Brazilian cuisine using organic foods and unique ingredients. The highlight of our meal was a roasted heart of palm with olive pesto sauce, where the server sliced the core directly from a trunk of a palm tree (how fresh can that be?). Another flavorful dish was the moquequinha do Rio, which is a seafood casserole cooked in coconut milk and dende oil. I had the best caipirinha at this place, as they age their cachaça in their own centenary oak barrels. One of the most popular seafood places is O Caranguejo in Copacabana. It serves the freshest seafood as well as the tastiest deep-fried crab empanadas and shrimp pastries (which are a steal at one dollar each). The casual ambiance makes this a favorite place for a post-beach meal. This is where we had our last meal of the decade! Aside from the shrimp and crab pastries, we feasted on grilled lobster with caper, mushroom, and olive oil sauce, and grilled garlic pulpo (octopus). Since this country was under Portuguese rule for centuries, the city should have several Portuguese restaurants. We got our Portuguese (and Spanish) food fix at Mercearia da Praca. The place, with its tiled walls, reminded us of Lisbon. We ordered the specialty of the house which was baked bacalhau (codfish), and a plate of cheese (manchego) and deli meats. Since it was Christmas, we had the urge to splurge a bit. We tried Olympe (ranked one of the world’s best restaurant). It is owned by Chef Claude Troisgros, a chef who belongs to a group of French chefs who pioneered nouvelle cuisine in the 1970s. Chef Claude’s menu is French-Brazilian fusion, using French technique on native Brazilian ingredients. The seven-course tasting menu was out of this world. During Christmas Eve, we tried L’Etoile, a French restaurant located on the top floor of our hotel, therefore with a breathtaking view. It’s Michelin-starred, and the kitchen is run by French chef Jean Pail Bondoux and Argentine chef Emmanuel Serrano. They had a special tasting menu with wine pairing for the night. The food and wine were extraordinary. This was also where we had our breakfast meals during our stay, and they have the best scrambled eggs ever! We are all chocoholics in the family. We knew that Brazil is known for cacao so we searched for a good one. The most delicious Brazilian chocolate we tasted was Dengo. This brand is not commercialized. Instead, they have chocolate boutiques. They get their cacao directly from the cacao growers and the company seems to have respect for social issues and environment. I think this is the current trend (even here in the Philippines), and this makes this brand even more special. New Year’s Eve in Rio is insane. Some say, it’s even bigger than the famous carnaval. Our last night in Rio just so happened to be on New Year’s Eve. This time, we booked a room at the Hilton hotel right in front of Copacabana beach, where all the craziness happens. The photo below was taken at about 10:30 pm on New Year’s Eve. Three million people gathered at Copacabana, waiting for the final countdown to the new decade. The atmosphere was so lively. There were several stages along the beach, and the main podium was only a few hundred meters from our hotel. Most people like to wear white for NYE; it’s a tradition, and it stands for peace. Another tradition is jumping over seven small waves. For every small wave, they make a wish or be thankful for anything good that happened during the year. There were 10 platforms in the sea where the fireworks were lit, and these were 275 meters away from the beach. There were several big screens spread over the beach and the final countdown was shown on these. When the clock struck midnight, the fireworks show brightened the sky, and this lasted for 15 minutes. This was truly an experience of a lifetime. Our travel to Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires was awesome. We thought that two weeks were enough, but no, there’s still a lot to see, taste, and experience. We will miss these two amazing cities. We will definitely come back.