Day 3 ... a city of contrasts

Today we had two half day tours booked. Our first one was another jeep tour that would take us to the Rocinha Favela and the second with Paulo for a history tour in Santa Teresa and the old town.

We both slept well and with a slightly later pick up time were able to take the start of our day a little slower. Breakfast was once again yummy ... the same as yesterday but this time you knew what to head for and what to skip.

We then met our guide Dario and driver Edison and our tour companions ... a couple from Germany and their teenage daughter. Into the jeep we climbed, and off we headed to the favela driving along many of the same streets as we did yesterday until we left the main road and headed towards Rocinha. On the way we had a little excitement when a thief stole something from a passer-by and the locals chased him down, across traffic, to a local park where the police quickly took over!

When we booked the tour I was a little hesitant about whether we should go. I didn't know if us wandering through would be rude and offensive to the locals. For those who don't know what a favela is ... it is a highly urbanised neighbourhood with lower standards of living conditions, often with no sanitation, government services and poorer standard of housing. Sometimes they are referred to as slums ... but I am loathe to use that word.

About 30% of Rio's population live in a favela … an estimated 1.6 - 2 million people. There are over 1000 favelas in Rio but only 3 are open to allow tourists to visit. These visits are monitored by a tourism auditor and a portion of the monies taken for each tour is returned to the neighbourhood. Dario told us that the Rocinha favela welcome tourists as it brings two things ... money and a police presence. Rochina has fewer incidents of violence because of this.

The favela was fascinating. House built upon house built upon house … climbing up the side of the granite mountains. The streets are narrow, steep and filled with horn honking motorbikes. With no sanitation there is no garbage collected so it piles on the streets ... although the locals are very ordered and keep it in set positions. The electrical wiring is absolutely crazy! Huge coils of wire run from poles to houses ... but it isn't just one wire ... it's 20 or 30 (at least).

We were able to take photos and I was so happy to see smiling faces, a warm nod of the head and the occasional “ola”. We stopped at a cafe, a small place which offered cold drinks which were very welcome in this very hot day! The cafe provided views over the entire neighbourhood and Dario was able to point out various sites within and outside of the favela. He was able to tell us that the majority of people living in the neighbourhood have jobs, either within Rocinha or further out.

It was hectic, it was noisy, it was steep with stairs that would in no way met code back in Australia. We climbed our way up and then down, navigating the tiny lanes and stairs that appeared to go no where. Without Dario we would have been lost!

It was such an incredible experience. Very much out of our comfort zone but I think it is a must do when/if you come to Rio. Rocinha developed out of a rural area to become densely populated (current estimates place it as 200,000 although the offical government figure is 80,000). The government does little to support this and the other favelas … and yet the people make do, are proud and welcoming. We even came across a public library!

And then it was time to head back to our hotel for some lunch and a break before our afternoon tour.

Ian here for the afternoon tour. We walked into our hotel foyer and immediately spotted our Rio guide Paulo who was ready to go when we were. So with a quick toilet and snack lunch we were on our way again within 10 minutes - an early start on our private Old Town tour.

After a drive past Botafogo, Flamengo and Gloria, Malom pointed the car up into the hilly old neighbourhood of Santa Teresa. Think ... narrow steep windy cobbled streets. 19th century houses, coloured frontage, multi levels, castles, churches. Narrow tram ways. Up and down, this way and that. Too many photo opps on every side. Wow!

First stop was Parco Gloria Maria. An old stone house atop a hill it was abandoned for some time before the government purchased it, did some renovations, added stairs. Now a museum and viewpoint with 270 degree views from Sugarloaf Mountain to the Rio de Janeiro Bay, the city centre and northern suburbs. A particularly ugly conical Catholic cathedral stood out, but other than that lots of interesting things to see - with Christ the Redeemer cloudless in the distance.

After a steep drive down the winding streets, past a little narrow tramcar, and an old aqueduct, we pulled up outside a street market at the base of Santa Teresa. Welcome to tourist central - Escaderia Selaron! What, you say? The Selaron steps. 215 of them. Each one tiled with images people have brought from all around the world. Thousands of tiles, all colours and styles. Gotta get that Insta shot of your Platypus and Kookaburra sitting on the steps. And at every open door or window is a pop up bar with refreshments for weary step walkers.

From there a short drive to the Old Town where we jumped out and Paulo lead us on a 2+ hour walk ... Old Town, waterfront, Business District and theatre district. We passed the old parliament buildings (with Paulo going through Brazilian and Rio's colonial Portuguese history), the old palace, narrow lanes, a stunning old cathedral with ornate gold paintwork on every nook and cranny, the ferry station at the port, street bars, an exhibition at a photo gallery, Carmen Miranda's place and the Central Bank of Brasil (now a tourist spot, co-working hub, climbing wall, gallery, etc.). Are you tired yet?

Now on to the Business District where people work but no one lives, and even the work bit is intermittent post COVID since work from home kicked in. In the context of this day a pretty uninspiring area.

Finally a stroll down cobbled streets with shops on every side. Florists and jewellers, cafes and chocolaterie, high end fashion stores for women, men and children. Then a little wiggle back on to Ave Rio Branco and the National Museum, Theatre and Opera House - commissioned to replicate similar buildings in gay old Parree (Paris).

By which time we were hanging out for a swim in the rooftop pool at our hotel, a 20 minute drive away. It was cool and refreshing after a long but wonderful day. Made even more special as I stood dripping in my towel looking over many thousands of people enjoying the colourful Copacabana Beach, to turn around and see Christ the Redeemer arms stretched wide on the mountain out the back. What an amazing place we have come to experience.

Quick change of dry clothes, over to the beach and a lovely paddle in the Atlantic Ocean. A walk past a friend's apartment, some purchases at the supermarket and dinner at Maxim's opposite our hotel. Recommended by 2 separate sources it serves mostly traditional Brazilian cuisine, plus burgers and pasta, etc. We went Brazilian with meat, beans, rice, etc. and some tasty empanadas on the side. Yum.