Tag: rio de janeiro

3 Slang Words from Rio de Janeiro: Get Ready for the Olympics

At this point you probably know that I am a fan of colloquial expressions and slang words. They are a part of the language, and to communicate naturally you need to make good use of certain slang words and colloquial expressions. It helps you fit it and, most importantly, it helps you express yourself clearly […]

The Tijuca Neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro – Our Little Secret

In my final months in Rio, I was living in the neighborhood of Tijuca which is in the North Zone of the city and basically behind downtown and Santa Teresa. Tijuca is like the Ipanema of the North Zone, which is not to say it’s an area for rich, white people but it is considered to be the best place to live when comparing it to other bairros of the Zona Norte.

Rio de Janeiro is So Much More

I was on Reddit, a popular crowd-sourced news site when I noticed one of the breathtaking photos of Rio, shot from atop the highest point at Sugarloaf Mountain. Of the more than 500 comments it garnered, the most interesting, or rather surprising, were by a mix of about 10-15 people made up of Brazilians and non-Brazilians, with all of them basically saying “Rio = favelas”. Of the non-Brazilians commenting, half of them had been to the city. One of them vaguely mentioned something about ATMs being blown up by gangs, and another, of his love for the city but his absolute fear for his safety. The most level-headed response was by a Brazilian who acknowledged Rio’s pluses and minuses, which any city has.

Beach Culture in Rio de Janeiro: “Olha o Globo!” – A Story of Brothers, Biscuits, and Beaches

(Source, with Two Brothers in the background)

Ask any beach-going Brazilian that has been to Rio de Janeiro what images come to mind when they think of Rio and I’d bet Biscoito Globo is one of them. The famous doughnut-shaped powder biscuits are as common a sight as the sunbathers in Ipanema applauding the beautiful sunsets, silhouetted by Two Brothers hill. Speaking of brothers, three from São Paulo deserve some applause, too, as they are responsible for another pleasing sight, one that can be sweet, like catching some rays, or salty, like the sea itself.