I hate Rio de Janeiro but I think he loves me.
Almost everyone who thinks of Brazil will automatically associate it with Rio de Janeiro. The ( wrong ) cultural image around the world of what the country is is largely connected to the major aspects that form the city of Rio de Janeiro. Samba. Soccer. Beach. Carnival. Women. Countless times when I say I’m from here, someone asks about Rio. Little do they know that the vast majority of Brazilians don’t like this famous city. At least the people in my social circle, and when I say that, I mean southerners and people from São Paulo-The biggest city in the Country.
There are much more pleasant and similar destinations where you can get to know Brazil more safely and peacefully. The city is widely known for its armed robberies, vehicle thefts by highly armed thieves, gang conflicts in the city due to drug trafficking. The contrast between this and the city’s luxury can be seen in the imported cars in the streets, expensive restaurants and newly built buildings with one of the most expensive square feet in the world, a pure reflection of the state the country has been in for a long time. There is inequality everywhere, extending into the political and social spheres.
The reason for my visit to the city is the same one that has compelled me to come here for the last four years. One of my spiritual mentors lives here and I often come to visit him and take part in his indigenous ceremonies. I arrive at Santos Dumont domestic airport in the middle of the afternoon, just after lunch. The weather is what you’d expect in the city, sunny with a pleasant breeze from the sea in front of the terminal exit overlooking one of the city’s tourist attractions. O Cristo Redentor. I wanted to walk to the other side of the street, take pictures and record a video of the view for a documentary that I’ll probably never make.
But I remember that I just bought my Iphone 14 PRO less than 20 days ago in Canada and I know how much it’s worth here, an easy target. I value the safety (of the device) and I don’t cross the street. I hop in a taxi and head to a dear friend’s mother’s house, where I’ll sleep the night before heading to the famous “imperial” city of Petropolis, where he lives.
The reason for my visit to the city is the same one that has compelled me to come here for the last four years. One of my spiritual mentors lives here in the state and I often come to visit him and take part in his indigenous ceremonies. I arrive at Santos Dumont domestic airport in the middle of the afternoon, just after lunch. The weather is what you’d expect in the city, sunny with a pleasant breeze from the sea in front of the terminal exit overlooking one of the city’s tourist attractions. O Cristo Redentor. I wanted to walk to the other side of the street, take pictures and record a video of the view for a documentary that I’ll probably never make.
But I remember that I just bought my Iphone 14 PRO less than 20 days ago in Canada and I know how much it’s worth here, an easy target. I value the safety (of the device) and I don’t cross the street. I hop in a taxi and head to a dear friend’s mother’s house, where I’ll sleep the night before heading to the famous “imperial” city of Petropolis, where he lives.
Note:The city of Petropolis in Rio De Janeiro is located among the mountains of the state and was one of the favorite places of the former Emperor Dom Pedro II to rest with the city’s aristocracy around 1850.
It’s inevitable to talk to someone who has lived in Rio de Janeiro or spent a period of time there without at some point being mugged or living with someone who has had a similar experience. The dangers that are created in our subconscious by knowing the news that circulates about the city create a constant state of paranoia that perhaps not even the beautiful landscapes of the Cristo Redentor or the cinematographic beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana can diminish, so my state of mind is one of constant attention.
I spend just one day in the city before catching a ride to a place called Akasha Village. My 10-day stay there was incredible, with many healings and teachings. I’ll tell you more about the experience in another article, so please follow me and subscribe by email.
I spent those ten days in Akasha Village with practically no cell phone and no contact with my computer. I return to Rio in a mental state of relaxation and tranquillity, it’s hard to adapt to the constant flow of everything around me. Cars, horns, shouting in bars in the Lapa district, people shouting while watching Sunday’s soccer match.
On Monday I decided to take a chance and go to a famous used bookstore in the city center, my love of books being greater than my fear of something happening. Everything goes well, a taxi driver helps me find the right address and I spend the rest of my afternoon choosing some books to take back in my hand luggage. In the café, I spend a long time with a elderly man who ask me about what i was reading and we started to chat about contemporary Brazilian literature, his accent is strong and he tells me that he was born in the capital and share a little bit of his life story with me . When elders talk, you listen.
Everyone I met was nice to me. I got to know a bit more of Rio, but I didn’t go to the beach or to any other famous tourist spot, but I did walk around the city center a bit, I saw most of the city from the window of a car, but the truth is that every time I return to Rio de Janeiro I feel more at ease, more relaxed, I feel like just putting on my famous Havainas flip-flops and walking along the Lagoa or Barra Beach. Perhaps nothing has ever happened to me because I’ve never spent more than three days in the city or because I’ve always been aware of my surroundings. But I’d really like to allow myself to experience and discover what so many people love here, and I promise that on my next return I’ll try to do that.
The truth is that there are places where you feel at home, and there are places that make you feel better. To ourselves or our spirit. Thank you Rio.
