Esther's Adventure

The flight to Rio is very good. I sit next to a Korean Business man who listens avidly to my stories about my trip so far. He's very nice and invites me to dinner if I ever get to Lima. The plane lands in Rio and I make my way through customs. It's strange being back and recognising it all from when I landed here with M back in January. We were so excited and full anticipation for our trip! What a great feeling and what a great trip! (I'm sure M concurs:-). Once through I get the shuttle bus to Flamengo and Thiago's place. I tell the bus driver in broken Portuguese where I need to be dropped. The bus leaves the airport and slowly winds it's way through Rio towards the beaches and Zona Sul.There are some gringos fresh off the plane from Blighty who ask me my advice about Rio. They're petrified of it! I explain that it can be dangerous like any capital city. But as long as they're careful and keep they're whits about them, don't walk on the beaches at night, and don't band around the camera or Ipod, they should be fine. Zona Sul is also a lot safer that other neighbourhoods. I remember how scared M and I were. The bus drops me on Botafogo Praia and I jump in a cab to Thiago's. It's only round the corner, but just to be safe. It's about 9ish when I'm finally sitting in the flat having gotten the key from the doorman. I chill out, unpack and wait for Thiago.

The purpose of my stay in Rio is because I love it. It reminds me of San Diego and living there and loving the heat and the beach. Jumping out of bed every morning when the sun is shining and you don't have to worry about freezing when you get out the shower or generally is pure bliss, my kinda place. Rio is so beautiful, it's setting is stupendous, and the visual feast you get breathtaking. It makes me feel alive. OK you get the idea...

After a few days of acclimatisation, getting used to Rio and Thiago. I try to find a Portuguese course for two or three weeks, which is in budget. They're all very expensive. I finaly find one which starts on the Monday of the following week (nice B'day pressie from M and D, thank you!) That gives me a week to reinstate the tan (!) and explore Thiago's Rio. He take me to some great foody places, including a quilo place next door to him. Wholesome fresh food from a buffet which you pile onto your plate and weigh at the end, and cheap enough to make it worth while. I'm so glad to be back in Brazil and eating good food. I really missed it throughout Argentina and Chile. The fruit and veg in Brazil are plentiful as are the juice bars on every corner. Thiago works quite crazy hours so I spend a lot of time doing my own thing and visiting shops and places I'd like to research. The beach is also there beckoning. On Thursday eve there is a Samba bar open in Lapa where I meet some of Thiago's friends. My non Portuguese is very apparent, as is their non English. I have a fustrating (but OK!) evening speaking sort of Spanish / French - with an accent. I find Portuguese so difficult to understand. Usually I find I can imitate an accent for a language quite easily, like French or Spanish. Portuguese though is entirely another matter. Even when I think I'm saying what I hear, and imitating it, I'm not understood.

On Saturday I'm excited to be taken to Morro do Alemao, The German Hill, which is a favela in the northern suburbs of Rio, the land was once owned by a German. There is a street festival going on with lots of graffiti artists working on the streets. Thiago and his friends will be filming the artists and the street party throughout the afternoon. It's sobering to be in a favela with Brazilians and seeing it from this perspective (instead of the gringo tour I did before). Although the favelas are run by drug lords, you quickly realise that most people here try to live normal lives. Going to work or going to school, but in the poverty and essentially the 'war zone' of the favela. The festivities and the fact the drug lords and their cohorts have been warned about our presence, mean we are given a Carte Blanche to photo and walk around freely. The Federal Police and their AK 47's at the end of every road is a reminder that things are not really OK, in fact far from it... This is what these people have to live with every day. At one point we see the drug lord himself on a street corner with his henchmen, he looks about 18. It's paradoxical that this is literally 200 m from the Federal Police blockade. At no point however do I feel threatened or un safe, Thiago and his friends have been here before and know the ropes. The fact that the drug lord is there is safer for us. Children follow us about and are fascinated by our cameras. There is so much life and soul and a sense of community there, something I don't think Ive ever seen anywhere else. I'm very lucky to have been there and participated in the day. In the evening we head down to Cine Lapa and a really cool evening of soul and funk. We dance into the early hours. At the end of the eve I politely offer to escort a drunken girlfriend of one of Thiago's friends to the loo. Where she blatantly comes on to me and tries to snog me!? I like men, sorry!

Vikki and Danny have facebooked me to tell me they will be in Rio the following week. I'm looking forward to seeing them. I start my course on the Tuesday, I tell you its hard getting up at 8.30 for well, school!? Class finishes at lunch so I can still head to the beach after. I meet Danny and Vikki on Ipanema and we all marvel at the spectacle, it's incredible people watching. We try to meet up in Lapa on the following Friday but don't manage it, Lapa on a Friday night is insane. We end up at Fundicao Progresso to see Afrika Bambata. Lots of fun. Vikki and Danny head over to Flamengo the next day to meet us and see the David Lachapelle expo. Thiago takes us for some Lebanese afterwards.

Next day we head to the football at the Maracana. Amazing. Flamengo against Botafogo. We spend all day drinking and end up at a street part in Santa Theresa. I meet Neil and Justine who tell us about visiting San Pedro prison in Bolivia, we all take notes...(wait for La Paz chapter)

My favorite district in Rio is Santa Theresa. It was once one of the most opulent neighbourhoods in Rio (till the beaches were developed). It's in the hills and is full of crumbling old colonial houses and winding leafy lanes. It's beautiful. One evening we go to a house party in an amazing house which is basically someones home. All their possessions are there, pictures on sideboards, toiletries in the bathroom...but they rent out the house for parties. Obviously the clientele are in the know and it's invitation only, but still it's strange. I fall in love with the house and Rio all over again. It's the coolest venue for a party I've ever been to. I want a house in Sante Theresa, I want THAT house. I think about Brissy and her letting us party in her house for new year (she was away!). Who does that??? She was so happy about the reports from that party. We partied like it was 1999, including muddy footprints on the new white carpet, 8 people in her bed and the mouldy burgers in the oven (which we discoverd whilst trying to cook) and Bill's lethal cocktails. A damn fine party and Brissy was very happy we'd had such a good'n.

My course is going OK and I enjoy living in a flat and not being in a hostel. We decide to hire a car the following weekend to take us up the coast to Macae and Buzios. Vito's parents have a house there where we can stay and there is a birthday party to go to. A good party except for when it's pointed out I have my skirt tucked into my knickers. On the way home we stop in Buzios v cool, and head to Pacha. The super club is beautifully designed, but the music beautifully atrocious. Thiago drives me home, back to Rio.

I finish my Portuguese course and pass! (86%, how??), although I have to say I still can't speak a lot. I understand most things written down and understand what people are trying to say. I'm much more happy with the pronunciation. I've had a great time in Rio with Thiago, he's been really cool letting me stay and looking after me. His friends have been very friendly and I'm really sad to be leaving Rio after this month of pretending to be a Carioca. I've explored all the districts in Zona Zul, Flamengo, Botofogo, Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon. Ive found cool shops, cool restaurants, great beaches. I still love Santa Theresa most of all. I love the street of lady boys in Gloria (only to be viewed by taxi). The craziness of Lapa and the whole place really...what can I say apart from I'll be back...

After the football, I get home steaming and have to do my homework at 2am, which I pass!
I have a stab at driving in Rio, successfully.
My Birthday! Thiago makes me breakfast then taken to fab restaurant in Botofogo called Miam Miam. I don't like being older (34 WHAT??)
Mums parcel never arrives (mourning the loss of Helmut Lang perfume)
ACAI ACAI ACAI everyday.
Skype with camera revolutionary, cept I can see Marianne's in MY bed!

Love me xxx