Home

After a long, but uneventful two plane and one train journeys, I'm home. I have a luscious 3 weeks ahead of me before I jet off to start the second part of my trip in the States.

Sight Seeing in Rio

Colourful steps in Santa Teresa


Christ the Redeemer


Outside the Cathedral


Inside the Cathedral

Rocinha, Favela

Rocinha

I first heard the word `Favela` when I was about 10 and Blue Peter did a report on the ram shackled world of the poor in Brazilian cities. After that I always wanted to visit Brazil and had a somewhat naive wish to `help`. Reading about an organised tour of Rio's largest Favela, Rocinha I felt guilty that my knowledge of a Favela is based on that children's tv show.
The tour company (Be A Local) gives 40% of it's profits to the Favela, the result is the Rocinha day care centre. It's a safe haven for pre-school children to receive three hot meals a day, educational development and even psychological help. This also means both parents (if the child is lucky enough to have two) can work and continue to provide. With a sense of guilt for my big fat Western lifestyle I took donations of children's medicines, food and a few toys.
Brazil was the last country to outlaw slavery, the first Favela was a home for freed slaves. As continues to be the case, no one owns the land in a Favela, anyone can build a home and water and electricity are taken freely from the supplies running through the community. People often loose their life trying to connect to the already overloaded electricity poles. The government do not collect taxes in a Favela.


Electrical Supplies in Rocinha.

Rocinha is the biggest Favela in Latin America, with 400,000 inhabitants it's been growing since the 1930's. As one of the older Favela's, Rocinha is well organised and there is little space left for people to build. As is the case in London people are now building upwards, any flat roof space is hastily claimed. You don't need planning permission here to build, just the materials and the know how.
I'd wrongly assumed that most people living in a Favela couldn't find work and were perhaps forced into crime. But in fact the Favela is a huge working class community. Rio's receptionists, waiters, bus drivers, builders and cleaners come from homes in the city's Favela's. Under Brazilian law employers pay for employee's transport costs, so there is a benefit to the hotels, apartment blocks and restaurants of Ipanema and Copacabana employing people from Rocinha, as it is nestled right in the city.


Children in the Favela love digital camera's

Our tour of Rocinha began with motorbike rides to the top of the Favela, along steep and winding roads. I clung to the back of the rider as we whizzed past buses on narrow streets, all without a helmet, in shorts and t-shirt.
Daniella, our guide explained it was safe to take out camera's. We wouldn't be robbed by the locals, but if they see us in Copacabana it's a different story.
The police rarely enter a Favela, instead the communities are `policed` by drug dealers. Graffiti tags let you know who is in charge of the area, if there is a problem in that area it is down to that particular dealer to sort out. The problem can be disposing of a body. It's thought alot of those unacounted for are buried in Rocinha.


Daniella explaining the graffiti in the Favela

One day the Be A Local van was broken into while in the Favela, a radio and a box of t-shirts were stolen. Daniella and another guide cautiously approached the local dealer and explained what had happened. The next day they returned from a tour to the van to find the radio and t-shirts returned.
Before any tour of the Favela began permission was gained from the leaders. The rules are simple, if a tourist sees someone with a gun or making a deal don't take a photo. If there is a shoot out, duck and don't take a photo! Follow those rules and everyone will be okay.


Children in the Day Centre

Thankfully there was no shoot out on our tour, but I did see a man brandishing a gun. It was like a peacock showing it's feathers.
The narrow alleys that snake through Rocinha hold shops like any other high street, except here you have to tread carefully to avoid the stream of sewage.
I asked Daniella if the shopkeepers can make enough to move out of the Favela. The problem is they don't pay any taxes here and if they have built there home\business then no rent either, the burden of opening a `legit` shop would be too much.
I'd imagined people would want to move out of a Favela, everyday they see wealth less than a mile from the Favela, yet here people seem to accept their place in society. It's something I find hard to understand, the people of Rocinha have televisions, even Internet access, they are deluged with the same imagery as we are. Why don't they have the same desires? That constant need to have what you don't, no matter how lucky you are?
I spoke to a Brazilian guy who had moved to Canada when he was 9 and now at 20 his family were moving back to Brazil. It was fascinating to get his take on the situation. I wanted to end my trip around Latin America with some kind of understanding, why has this continent struggled for so long? Why are some incredibly rich, while others beg for food? Why are there adverts on television telling people why it's a bad idea to `scavenge through rubbish dumps`?
Felipe's explanation, if you live in a Favela or a gated complex, the mentality has always been take what you can. Can you get away without paying for taxes, rent, your employee's wages? Then do it. There is no concern for `the other`.
Yes there is medical treatment on offer to those in the Favela's, but is it as good as the private health care the middle classes receive? Hell no. If your child is bright, but lives in a Favela, don't expect them to go to university. They will be given a general education, but only those privately educated will have the skills to pass the public university entrance exams.
Britain might be famous for it's class system, but people here have no opportunity to better themselves.
Felipe spoke of his concern for the future. The main drug dealer in Rocinha makes $4 (US) million a month (still lives in Rocinha), rocket launchers have been found in Favela's. What happens when people do decide their world is unjust and they do want more?
Right now in Rocinha, the locals are proud to be Brazilian, as is the case everywhere in Brazil people smile and laugh. They seem genuinely happy. Maybe a strong sense of community and family is the cause of this. Maybe it's being able to stop wanting, instead working to simply get by. I wish I had the answer. I find I'm ending this trip with frustration, with so many unanswered questions. I guess there isn't a simple answer for such a complex problem. What I have learned is to be thankful for is all the opportunities I have. But will I stop wanting?

Ilha Grande

I spent the last week on an island off the coast of Rio de Janeiro State called Ilha Grande. The whole island is a national park. It originally held a political prison, but this was destroyed in the late 60's. Now the island's main industry is tourism and fishing. Cars are not allowed on the island, so it's a great place to trek. There are a series of well signposted walks on the island, some take you to remote beaches, past lush vegetation with the sounds of monkeys squealing above, past waterfalls and fresh water pools.
It's the low season so the island was fairly peaceful, but unfortunately the weather was a little hit and miss. I've now returned to Rio as there is still much for me to see here. I'll post a little more about Ilha Grande later, for now some photo's.


Beach life.



What can I say, some hostels are very nice.



The boats at Abraao.

Maracana

How to feel intimidated, the answer visit the world famous Maracana stadium, Rio on Cup Final day with a large group of Gringo´s being guided by a man in a black t-shirt that reads "Don´t be a Gringo, Be a Local"!
I desperately tried to distance myself from the Australian man with a new romantics haircut, powder blue shirt, torn jeans and leather sandals. It was all in vain, as we made our way through the huge crowds of Flamengo fans to the reach the stadium gates. The chants of "Gringo" began, they said much more but it was in Portuguese. I don´t understand a word of Portuguese, apparently knowing some Spanish I should be able to, but even Rio sounds completely different. Flying from Iguasu to Rio I got into a panic when I thought I was on the wrong plane.
I had no idea if the chanting was aggressive or the more humoured variety, but I didn´t want to stick around to find out. We had about 40 minutes before kickoff, the tour company (Be a Local) had collected us hours before KO but somehow hadn´t expected all the traffic and people.
Our "guide" suggested it would be best to join the queue, well actually just push in. Of course this completely goes against my English nature, we did event the rules of queuing after all. I spent the day in the company of two English people, James (Bradford fan) and Laura (Leicester fan), we conferred about cutting in and decided to follow the "guide" and the other 30 gringo´s. As if we didn´t stand out enough we were now cutting into the line. Surprisingly jumping a queue didn´t cause any problems. Eventually we were led into the stadium (not as big as I expected) and to an area with about three free seats. Our "guide" told us to find seats and enjoy! Um yes thanks I really feel like a local now.
James, Laura and I set off to find our own seats, we got closer to the pitch, although we were out of the shade. The temperature was in the mid thirties, kickoff was set for 4pm.

We began to bake, but the atmosphere was incredible. Maybe the sale of beer helps. I´d of preferred it if people didn´´t throw their empty cans, but I didn´t mind when it was aimed at a man with a flare. The smoke was billowing across our section and it was hard to see the pitch. The kickoff was typically prompt at 4.07pm.
The Rio State final is played in two legs, Flamengo and Botofogo had drawn 2-2 in the first leg. We were in the Flamengo section, they are kind of the Man U of local football. I wanted Botofogo to win, but of course I didn´t shout about it.
Brazilian fans have a very different way of supporting their teams. They actually show support. Can you imagine? Maybe this is the secret to Brazilian football. When there keeper punched the ball TOWARDS the opposition forward there were no shouts of "Donkey", well only from James to my left. They actually applaud their players, even if they make mistakes! If the opposition scores heads are bowed in frantic prayer, but they don´t shout or berate their own players. It was strange. When the opposition has the ball they are loudly booed, but it felt more like pantomime then an English match. While booing the fans also stretch their arms in the air and rapidly dance their fingers in the air, in a kind of Deep South Gospel dance. The whole event is very religious to the fans. We were sitting behind a family with three young boys, they spent most of the match praying and making the sign of the cross over their narrow chests.

The standard of play in the first half was typical of a cup final match. But things improved in the second half. Flamengo took the lead (I became deaf for a while) and half the stadium rocked and frantically gave prayers of thanks. Within four minutes Botofogo equalised, usual Brazilian defence right? Typical Brazilian response followed, score more goals. The matched closed in normal time, 2 all thanks to some amazing goals.
There was no extra time, but the ground was set for penalties. As expected the atmosphere in the tense, the young boys were feverishly praying along with the rest of the ground. Beer was now being sold quickly, along with salty popcorn strangely enough.
With Botofogo missing their first two penalties it became clear they took penalties like the Dutch, sorry Wendy but you know what I mean. The final result was 4-2 to Flamengo and the dancing began in Brazilian style!

Add On

I now have a vimeo account, hopefully if you click on the Iguasu Falls clip it will play. Let me know if you have any problems, I won't be able to help but it will be nice to know.

Iguasu Falls

The amazing Iguasu Falls, from the Brazilian side.

Wow! I had been told by many people how beautiful the falls are, often the experience doesn't meet the hype. This time was different. I've spent two days at the Falls, first on the Argentinian side and then onto the Brazilian side. The sheer power of the water (some 8000 cubic Cm's per second) and the vastness of the place is awe inspiring. Thankfully I had good company (thanks Lana and Gaby) to share the experience with and take a ridiculous number of photo's. Helen and Richard you have chosen a great holiday destination.


Thanks for this one Lana, I look moody and intelligent don't you think?!


So many rainbows


Lana and I on the Argentinian side of the Falls

I'm staying at a HI Hostel, the staff are unfriendly, but I have met some nice people and it has a great pool and outdoor area. Of course I will always think of it as the place where I watched Liverpool knock Chelsea out of Europe, AGAIN!


Lana, Gaby and I

I'm taking a flight to Rio tomorrow, I'm done with 20 hour bus rides, even if I'm asked to join a game of Bingo, yes this actually happened in Argentina...
I plan to spend the weekend in Rio (how cool does that sound?), I'm branching out culturally and I'm going to see a football match at the Maracana. Okay I will hopefully see more than football in Rio. I plan to spend the following week on Ilha Grande an island in Rio State, relaxing and sunbathing. I often think, "can't wait to get to a beach", but after 30 minutes I'm often bored. So I've chosen an island with plenty of hikes and activities.


Me and my pet butterfly


88 Butterfly. There are so many around the Falls, they land on you all the time.