Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Life is for living, Rio style

I’ve been lucky enough to visit many of the world’s great cities ranging from Tokyo, to London, New York and Istanbul but Rio de Janeiro in Brazil is different. Where most cities are about business, commerce and getting ahead the locals of Rio realise that life is for living. Everywhere you look the locals are out enjoying a stroll, run or jog along endless walking trails, parks, and promenades.  Along the beaches (and not just the main ones) there are cafes to enjoy a drink and exercise equipment to work it off. On the weekends roads along the beach are closed to most traffic and the locals take over. But even during the week the beaches are busy. Down on the beaches themselves for a few dollars you’ll be set up for the day with a beach chair and umbrella.

We arrived on a Sunday and on the way in from the airport our guide Marcia gave us some tips – leave your jewellery and passport in your hotel safe deposit box and then get out and enjoy Copacabana! Marcia, like all Cariocas (Rio locals), loved life and was our girl from Ipanema although she did proudly say she was born in Copacabana.

Once we’d checked into our hotel right on the beach in Copacabana, Marcia walked us around the local area pointing out all we needed to know. We then hit the beach, joining the locals for a stroll along the promenade and stopping for a refreshing coconut milk. We had to pinch ourselves to remind ourselves that we were on Copacabana Beach in Rio!

On our first night we had dinner in the most amazing BBQ restaurant at Copacabana Beach where an endless procession of meat was brought to the table. On our second night we headed out to party! Marcia suggested the Lapa district – and Lavradio Street in particular. Here cafes, bars and restaurants spill out onto the street. The drinks were well priced and the atmosphere was brilliant. We were recommended to visit Rio Scenarium a four level music club and restaurant where locals outnumber the tourists and the party vibe was alive and kicking. Unfortunately we enjoyed the street so much (trying out 3 different places including a great pizza joint full of locals) that we never did make it inside. At 3am we caught a taxi back to the hotel – Lapa was still full of life.

We finished our Rio stay with one last walk along Copacabana Beach with the early morning joggers before flying on to Iguazu Falls. Again we were outnumbered by locals getting in their outdoor fix before the start of their working day – it seems to me that the people of Rio have got the right idea about life. Words and photos only tell half the story – while in Rio I discovered the movie feature on my camera and managed to take a few video clips.