RIO DE JANEIRO – a refined guide to a rough city

Instead of being Brazil’s rough and tough bad boy, Rio de Janeiro could be the most beautiful city on the planet. There are the ocean, the beaches, the hills, the vegetation, the views….I could go on and on.

Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro, a smooth place in a rough city
The world-famous Copacabana

But then there is the poverty, the violence, the hopelessness, the corruption, the dirt….I could go on and on.
And I do. In this refined guide to a rough city.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

Street Art in Rio de Janeiro: The Voice of Colors by Rita, Eduardo, and Jorge

Street Art is becoming more and more not only tolerated but also actually recognized and promoted – not exclusively in Rio de Janeiro. All over South America, Street Art has a long tradition – as a medium where colors give people a voice.

Street Art in Rio de Janeiro
#favelismo – an art movement turning poverty and humiliation into power and pride. That’s what great street art stands for.

I’m introducing Rita Wainer, Eduardo Kobra, and Jorge Selarón, three of the greatest urban artists that left ineradicable traces in Rio de Janeiro.

This Way to the Whole Story ->

Language Learning in Brazil

My passion for travelling and my interest in learning yet another language took me to Rio de Janeiro, the legendary metropolis on the Atlantic coast of Brazil.

Renata Green in Rio de Janeiro while learning the Portuguese language in Brazil.
This is what Bildungsurlaub stands for: Getting inspired by seeing things from a new perspective!
Here at Rio’s Jardim Botanico, a beautiful, serene oasis not far from the beach of Ipanema. 
There is not only an eclectic mix of untamed nature growing next to manicured lawns and flowerbeds, decorated with old, weathered statues and fountains. There is also an exhibition of modern art taking place. 
My favorite piece is an installation by Gustavo Prado called “Caminho Inverso”/”Reversed Path”. It consists of about thirty mirrors facing the top of the palm tree alley which shows you the plants from many, many….different perspectives!
This Way to the Whole Story ->

Pre-Travel Jitters: Danger Seems Closer from Afar

No, I’m by no means immune to pre-travel jitters and I sense danger looming ahead. Even after years and years of solo-travel, days before the departure, I’m a nervous wreck.

Man selling Cangas on the Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.
A gentleman selling Cangas on the beach of the Copacabana. This is certainly a place where you shouldn’t take your valuables and leave your phone unattended. Other than that: Enjoy, life is a beach, after all!

Did ever anything happen to me that would justify this hysteria? Of course not! It’s only the tricky phenomenon that danger seems to be so much closer from afar.

This Way to the Whole Story ->