Memories of Rio

[andynap]

Phyllis on Copacabana


Christ Statue



Phyl and Moi



The city from Corcovada

 

[andynap]

Copacabana Beach

 

[amyb]

Hotcha! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Dennis]

Very nice, Andy!

 

[LindaP]

Great photos, Andy....what year was that?

 

[cec1]

What happy memories you and Phyllis must find in these great shots! Thanks for sharing!

 

[andynap]

Great photos, Andy....what year was that?

1976. We were there in 1980 too.

 

[Jim Kelly-Evans]

Dan and I first visited Rio in 1986 or so, but these photos are from our visit in 2006. We arrived via cruise ship from Buenos Aires, and the views coming in to Rio by sea were fantastic.

 

[amyb]

Thanks Andy and Jim for sharing these photos with us.

 

[andynap]

Very nice Jim.

 

[marybeth]

Great pics! Love those ones of Andy and Phyllis.
Thanks for sharing, good to see something positive about Rio (besides all of our medals!)

 

[andynap]

Thank you Marybeth

 

[cec1]

I can only weakly guess at changes between 1976, 1980, 1986, 2006, & today . . . and would love to hear Andy, Phyllis, "the Jim's," & a 2016 Olympics visitor comparing notes! Knowing the "cast" in this conversation, I'm smiling at the bright eyes & happy faces that would be spiritedly engaged in "did you see?" . . . "was _______ still there?" . . . "there was this little place" . . . "what about ________?" Oral history at its best!

 

[andynap]

I can only weakly guess at changes between 1976, 1980, 1986, 2006, & today . . . and would love to hear Andy, Phyllis, "the Jim's," & a 2016 Olympics visitor comparing notes! Knowing the "cast" in this conversation, I'm smiling at the bright eyes & happy faces that would be spiritedly engaged in "did you see?" . . . "was _______ still there?" . . . "there was this little place" . . . "what about ________?" Oral history at its best!

Well Dennis- our first trip in 1976 was a Phila Bar Assn event and the trip over was interesting- we stopped in Venezuela to refuel at around midnight and were allowed off the plane to see armed guards watching us- like we were going to escape and ask for amnesty there. After we landed in Rio we were bused to the Rio Sheraton- the only hotel directly on the beach- Leblon. In the bus we were advised NOT to drink the water- it had too many chemicals in it. It was the start of the bossa nova craze and our hotel had dancing every night in the ballroom with rotating bands- never ending music- we loved it.
The view from the hotel away from the ocean was interesting- you could see the favelas in the hills behind and the smoke coming from the open kitchens.
The food was excellent- a lot of the restaurants had churrasco- barbecue- with slabs of meat on skewers brought to the table. An unusual regional dish was feijoada which was a meat stew with parts of the animal that you would never see at home. We were introduced to a local drink- caipirinha with 100 proof cachaça in it. What amazed us was that most of the people were beautiful- even the men- all in shape and tanned. The beaches - Ipanema and Copacabana - had workout equipment on them and they were always in use. The country was economically viable and the restaurants were always full as were the nightclubs. The Brazilians certainly love to dance.

Our trip in 1980 was a little bit different. The country was in a bit of government change and a little economic downturn. Some of the rich who had apartments facing the ocean, were starting to leave and the empty apartments were being taken over by squatters. For the first time we were seeing prostitutes trolling the sidewalks of Ipanema and Copacabana- their uniforms were jeans and high heels and they were always in 2s and 3s. Little kids were hawking shoeshines and were very insistent. It wasn't the carefree country we had left 4 years before. The food and dance were still the same as were the beautiful people but something was missing.

 

[cec1]

Very interesting, Andy. The period between 1976 & 1980 seems to have been a turning point in the exercise of military control over Brazil's government, as it sought to establish a transition from heavy-handed, dictatorial rule to aspects of democracy.

 

[andynap]

Very interesting, Andy. The period between 1976 & 1980 seems to have been a turning point in the exercise of military control over Brazil's government, as it sought to establish a transition from heavy-handed, dictatorial rule to aspects of democracy.

I agree and it seems the rich were allies of the military and were afraid of revenge when democracy took over.

 

[cec1]

It's a fascinating history, especially as many in the country continue to seek public disclosure of human rights abuses in the period.

 

[marybeth]

Thanks for sharing about your trips. So interesting. I love that music, too.

 

[Disco]

Definitely one of the most beautiful cities in the world!