Rio de Janeiro - The Making of a `Brazilian` Woman

TRAVEL
Rio de Janeiro The Making of a ‘Brazilian’ Woman
By Nancie A. Balun-Boughton
Praia Vermelha, or Red Beach, near Sugar Loaf Mountain
I
still find this difficult to
believe, but I went on a vacation that has probably
changed me for years to come. I
left New York for six short days
to attend my friend’s wedding in
Rio, and I came back a sexy
“Brazilian” woman. I hadn't
planned to remake myself; it just
happened. I guess the movie
about this gorgeous place
explains it all-“Blame it on Rio!”
What turned this ostensibly cosmopolitan woman into a
provocative, free-spirited, décolleté dressing lady has everything
to do with the culture of this
Latin American paradise. You
can dance until three in the
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morning. Dine at midnight while
sipping a potent Caipirinha--a
delicious blend of indigenous
Cachaca, crushed limes, ice and
sugar. Wake at noon, lunch by
the ocean at four in Copacabana,
and shop in Ipanema. You may
even get invited to a friend's
Botox party! And most surprising
to me, unleash a sensuality that
eludes most American women.
The lifestyle of Rio's
upper class embraced me thanks
to the generosity of Raphael and
Stephane, Francisca and Jeferson,
and their daughter Marcelle. But
it was my amazing friends Felipe
and Maristela who captivated me
the most for they were long, lost
sweethearts from Rio, who
reunited 25 years later for a big
traditional wedding. Because
of them, I experienced the best
of Rio-it's people (Cariocas). And
along the way, I visited magnificent historical sites, indulged in
fantastic ethnic foods, and
learned how not to be an
American woman.
Never did I have to experience the crime and corruption
that besiege this coastal oasis
along the Atlantic Ocean, though
I did hear stories of what it was
like to be kidnapped and to be
robbed at gun point in your
home. Unlike America, driving
home from dinner at 2am, when
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PHOTOS BY NANCIE BOUGHTON
Copacabana Beach girls in the sand
PHOTOS COURTESY OF WOLIVEIRAJUNIOR@YAHOO.COM.BR
the streets of Rio are mostly
empty, require you to “not” stop
at a red light. When street shopping, your purse is held tight to
avoid a grab-and-run thief.
Security guards, gate cards,
underground parking garages and
fencing are typical wherever people of means live.
Don't be surprised if your
first impression of Rio leaves you
worried that you have arrived at
the wrong destination, since the
Antonio Carlos Jobim Airport has
an old, run-down wing and a
new and very modern terminal.
Unfortunately, I arrived via
Continental at the least desirable
location after 11 hours of air-
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Panoramic views 1300 feet above Sugar Loaf Mountain
plane time! I had a nine-hour
flight to São Paulo and about two
more hours to Rio. And since
the airport is on the outskirts of
the city, the hillsides of tiny
homes, called Favela, will pull at
your heart strings, as they house
the poorest of people.
To get around Rio, a car
and an adventurous spirit are
needed, because everyone drives
fast! Clenching one hand to the
car's safety handle helped me
maintain my body parts through
the many bumpy roads and
swerving turns. Parking is also a
challenge, since spaces are narrow--even at the mall and in gas
stations. The car of choice seems
to be the Toyota Corolla, but if
you are very affluent, you will
see SUV's, usually with bulletproof glass. It helps if you speak
Portuguese, though many can
speak some English. I easily
mastered the all-essential oi (hi),
tchau (good-bye) and obrigado
(thank-you).
Since we arrived in
September during Rio's winter,
the weather was in the 70's and
80's with typical tropical humidity. The beautiful beaches of
hotel-lined Copacabana and
Ipanema fill with people, and it
is these beaches that make Rio
fun. Men wear little spandex
bathing suits and women of all
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PHOTO BY CHIAPETTA'S PHOTO STUDIO, BARRA DA TIJUCA
Bride and groom (above) cake cutting ceremony during night-long wedding party. Middle: Party girls Marcelle,
writer Nancie Boughton and Francisca. Bottom: Christ the Redeemer, newest Seven Wonders of the World.
PHOTO BY NANCIE BOUGHTON
PHOTO COURTESY OF WOLIVEIRAJUNIOR@YAHOO.COM.BR
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sizes like thong bikinis. On
every corner can be found vendors selling beer and, from freshly opened green coconuts, light
coconut juice.
If the seaside is the heart
of Rio, food and music is its soul.
Fine eateries are everywhere.
Places like Churrascaria Porcão,
also found in New York City, and
Churrascaria Tourão are fun
places to eat. Both feature traditional gaucho barbecues with
delicious buffets of salads,
seafood, side dishes and breads.
Marinated ostrich, beef, chicken
and lamb are carried on skews
by waiters who carve them tableside. Surprisingly, Sushi is very
popular as are chocolate desserts,
fresh fruits and many rich coffees. My favorites are fried
bananas and incredibly thick
chocolate candies. If you crave
Chinese food, Mr. Lam is “the”
place to eat, as he is a highly
regarded chef from China. His
beautiful restaurant is located
near the Lagoa Rodrigo de
Freitas, the most beautiful lake in
Rio. If Italian is more your interest, Borsalino's in Barra da Tijuca
offers brick oven pizza and an
immense fine wine list, but there
are many fine French restaurants
too.
With food so appetizing,
how do Brazilian woman stay so
sexy and healthy? Rio women
take care of themselves via the
gym, employing housekeepers,
and indulging in plastic surgery
afforded by the many qualified
surgeons. (FYI: Ex-patriots will
often retain their insurance for
the excellent and less expensive
medical facilities that provide 24hour doctor's care or an occasional nip and tuck.) Salons, like
Esmel in Ipanema, offer a fullday of beauty with lunch, which
the girls enjoyed for Maristela's
wedding. Shopping is a social
event. But don't be shockedthere is a fee to park. You shop,
eat, dine for lunch or dinner and
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PHOTOS COURTESY OF WOLIVEIRAJUNIOR@YAHOO.COM.BR
imbibe alcoholic beverages. The
upscale and trendy Barra Mall
and the open air shopping center
in Ipanema highlight Rio's real
fashion sense.
While shopping offers
insight into the latest trends for
home and fashion, the recreational activities and historical sites
show how enormously passionate its people are for sports and
the preservation of its history.
Barra da Tijuca is the borough of
adventure for gliding, windsurfing and kite surfing. At every
park or field can be found adults
and children having a soccer
game or you can watch one at
their newest stadium Maracanã,
one of the world's largest. Many
excellent examples of magnificent historical churches can be
found. But of course, the 105foot-tall Christ the Redeemer
Statue at Mount Corcovado is a
must-see as it was recently
named the new Seven Wonder of
the World. Sugar Loaf Mountain
provides an excellent opportunity
to view the city atop the cable
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Sugar Loaf Mountain (above) viewed from Botafogo Bay. (Inset) Hotellined Copacabana. (Below) Leblon and Ipanema beaches.
car ride as well as rock climbing.
And if time permits, visit Floresta
da Tijuca, the world's largest forest inside an urban area.
Whatever you decide to
do in Rio, you are sure to never
forget the experience. It certainly
showed me a whole new way of
living. On weekends, I find
myself shopping for sexy push-
up bras, ornate thong underwear,
big silver hoop earrings, and long
clinging dresses. But then reality
hits come Monday morning,
when I have to get up early, get
my son off to school and my
husband to work. I can only
hope I get invited to another
wedding in Rio so that I can
party all night long once again! ■
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