Jaunted

Rio

Danger in Rio?

June 27, 2006 at 10:30 AM | 0 Comments

Most guidebooks stress the dangerous aspects of tourism in Brazil, primarily in the form of armed robbery. Fair enough, tourists should be warned of potential dangers. But the degree of potential threat often seemed far out of proportion to what one sees on the streets of Rio.

Check out these particularly scary words, taken from Moon's current Brazil Handbook:

Rio de Janeiro is practically out of control and wars between the police and traffickers often move out into the regular neighborhoods.

The Moon Handbook also warns of waves of favelistas sweeping through Rio's beaches and speaks of terrifying scams involving armed motorcycle ambushes of taxis. These warnings, even taken with Lonely Planet's more measured cautions, can easily make a New Yorker feel paranoid.

We don't want to be accused of thumbing our noses at danger, but we did do the following three things, each strongly recommended against: [1] walk the entire length of Copacabana at night; [2] ride a bus; [3] skirt the edge of Centro on a weekend afternoon.

In each dangerous location, there was not a hint of violence. Even the eager Copacabana drug dealer who followed up his failed marijuana sales pitch with an offer of crack seemed relatively friendly.

[Image via mistca/Flickr]

Rio

Brazilian Modernism

June 13, 2006 at 8:45 AM | 0 Comments

Brasilia, the capital city that defines and enshrines the ideal of a modern (thus wonderfully dated) capital city, deservedly hogs the limelight when it comes to the subject of Brazilian modernism.

That acknowledged, two particularly remarkable temples to a distinctively Brazilian architectural modernism can be found side by side in Rio, in the Parque do Flamengo.

One, a World War II Memorial, was designed by Marcos Konder and Helio Ribas. (Few non-Brazilians seem to know that Brazil fought in World War II.) The monument was completed in 1960, four years after construction began. It features a subterranean mausoleum that absorbs the sounds of running water from a connected fountain. It's still, vast, angular, and dramatic.

A few minutes away by foot sits Rio's Museum of Modern Art, designed by Alfonso Eduardo Reidy. Reidy, who was influenced by Le Corbusier, created a dramatic, massive-scale structure that calls to mind Oscar Niemeyer as well as Le Corbusier. A grand circular stairway in the middle of the room links floors containing temporary exhibitions.

The two structures make for a great introduction to Rio's modernist heritage.

[Image via chillntravel/Flickr]