|
|
We returned from our rainforest retreat last Thursday and, after a hectic bus ride back, picked up the keys to our new sea front pad on Copacabana, Rio.
I’ve had the weekend now to gather my thoughts on the last two months living in Lapa, and decided that, overall, the experience was fantastic. I learnt a lot about the real Rio, and not just the bits that tourists see. It’s not all beaches and favelas in Rio; clearly there is a third side. Whilst the wealthy live in Copacabana, Ipanema, Botafogo and Barra, and the poor live in the Cidade de Deus, Vila Canoas and Rocinha favelas (amongst 500 others!), there is this ex-glamorous yet dangerous semi-wealth living in Gloria,
Continue reading Reflecting on my time in Lapa
Last week we decided that, after all the shooting, robbing, noise and chaos of life in Lapa, enough was enough. It was time we found a flat in Copacabana.
We began our usual net search and contacted countless landlords in Ipanema, Botafogo and Copacabana, mostly using Google translate and Alugal Temporada. All we received in response were owners of small over-priced studios; most at around BR$3000 (£1100) per month, which we can’t justify whilst out here volunteering. As luck would have it however, whilst visiting a ‘cambio’ money exchange place called ‘Blame it on Rio’ to change some money, I got chatting to the owner Bobby, who is super friendly chap from New York. I mentioned I was looking for
Continue reading Finding a flat to rent in Copacabana
Last night a 20 year old man was shot dead outside the front gate of my flat on Rua da Lapa, Rio.
Marju and I were woken at 6am by 8 to 10 massive gun shots resonating through our building. At first I tried to pass the noise off as fireworks, but clearly it wasn’t. Once the shooting had stopped, we lay silently in bed before nervously venturing to the window to see what was happening.
Everything seemed pretty normal with a few people strolling down the street and the light slowly creeping in over the airport, however, within a minute, from all three roads approaching the building came a stream of maybe 10 or 15 blue Rio Polícia Civil cars.
Continue reading Man shot dead in Lapa, Rio de Janeiro
Sadly, it does appear that all the bad things people say about Rio are true. We’ve only been in Rio for nine days – and living in Lapa for four and last night we were robbed.
On Tuesday evening we were sitting in Marju’s Casa Amarelo hearing stories of how almost everyone in the house had been robbed. Most people had stories of street kids taking money in no more violent a way than just sticking their hands in people’s pockets – but there was a story of one girl being hit with a bottle over the head for refusing to hand over money. One guy Damian had been robbed twice by street kids on some steps leading up to their
Continue reading Robbed in Lapa
|
|
|
Recent Comments: