I am so behind with my blogging and photography; And sooo much has happened since I last published something in here. I am very much tempted to condense every experience and photograph taken in the past 10 months in just a post, but I think that would be completely unfair with one of my true loves: #Rio. And so this post will be completely dedicated to Rio, or to my latest trip to Rio, back in January of this year.
And yes, I am in love with Rio, and will continue to travel there for as long as life gives me the opportunity to do so. I am in love with its urbanism, city & beach life, laid back inhabitants, culture. with everything. I would love to live there.
This trip was even more special because I got to do it with two of my closest friends from back home, who also lived in NYC at the time Marco and I did. We have shared so many experiences, struggles & challenges, and it seemed magical that we could also share the love I have for this city.
We stayed at an AirB&B a few blocks away from Ipanema Beach. Even though the itinerary was completely packed with touristic activities, we managed to spend a few hours at the beach, just doing nothing but enjoying a typical Carioca morning.
As I said, the trip itinerary was packed!! Most of the things we had already done during the past trips, but as this was my friends’ first time in the city, we didn’t mind repeating the activities. Besides, it’s not about the destination, it’s more about the experience, and each and every one of them has been unique.
Food was an important part of the trip, as we are foodies, and Rio’s Gastronomic experience is atomic. From fancy restaurants like Aprazivel (100% recommended) to small mom & pop shops, there were so much richness, texture and different flavors to try. It was mind-blowing.
One thing I really enjoyed this time in Rio was the opportunity to put my recent photography hobby into practice. I think visiting this city is a must for any starting photographer. There is so much contrast – of nature, infrastructure, people, culture, wealth. You get a chance to really get immersed in it, the good, the not too good, the unbelievable. There’s also so much color, so much light.
The next time I travel there, I am planning on staying for at least 2 weeks, and try to experience what it would really be like to live there. Let’s see when does it happens!
What are the odds? 