Ipanema – as beautiful as the song
I arrived in Rio well rested, excited, and clutching my international text-worthy cell phone. I wandered around arrivals trying to figure out where exactly I was going and how I was going to get there. After circling arriving for a tenth time hoping to see a kind Brazilian with a little sign saying “Dana”, I found something better, my Irish friend Orla.
She arrived a day after she thought she was going to so we ventured to the hostel together excited to begin our journey. We quickly discovered that her ATM card didn’t work in any ATM and that there must be a lot of dangerous scams in Rio because everyone warns you about everything all the time.
Ipanema is gorgeous, just like the inspiring girl in the song. It’s is a lovely posh neighborhood on the beach full of gorgeous homes, highrises, stylish boutiques and amazing clothes, jewelry and leather handbags. People are uber-stylish and wear nearly nothing all the time – with havaianas flip flops, stilettos or platform sandals. The girls start wearing bikinis and dancing at age 1 and the men seem to have a permanent distaste for wearing shirts. On Sundays, the beachfront road is closed and everyone rollerblades, walks, plays music, sports, and hangs out on the beach. The beach path continues past Ipanema to the dodgier and more (in)famous Copacabana beach. Another brilliant song. There is so much to sing about in Brazil!
It’s easy to understand why Brazil, their neighborhoods and Brazilians themselves inspire so many songs. The country is a cacophony of sounds, sultry songs and beats accompanied by the and irresistible sway hips, fast moving feet, smiles and skin every shade of brown imaginable from cocoa to golden to ebony. According to the lonely planet, Brazil is 39% mixed race, but Rio seems much higher. A history of open immigration and intermingling has created one of the most beautiful and interesting populations I’ve ever seen. I imagine that America will one day have such a mix of cultures and skin tones.
Given my love of accents and diversity, I suppose I’ll eventually contribute to my own melting pot children.
