South America Sabbatical

Rio de Janeiro is a stunning city that enchants the visitor with its physical beauty. Arriving in Rio, one is struck by the way the city nestles among the steep hills, lagoons and beaches. While it is a beautiful place, we are warned that we should not wander from the streets close to our hotel and the Carioca pride in the city appears to be diminishing.

The beach, though, seems to be where the carefree life of Rio can flourish. The center of this is the beachfront of Ipanema and Copacabana where thousands of people gather whenever possible to enjoy the sun, water and sand.

We have arrived here on Good Friday and the beach in front of our hotel is alive with people on the sand as well as on the wide sidewalks that adjoin it.

The sidewalks of Ipanema and Copacabana are this city´s urban core, with the distinctive patterns that define each neighborhood. Roberto Burle Marx´Copacabana waves are the classic icon of this very urban beach.

The beach and pavement are a marketplace for whatever one needs here, from food and drink to Brazilian swimwear. All of this adds to the color and movement.

Good Friday in Rio is good.