Leisurely Day on Ipanema Beach

Journal - 081014

Today is my day to play like a local and spend the day on the beach.  After several full days of sightseeing, a leisurely day enjoying Ipanema Beach was a perfect idea.

I got my breakfast coupon from Pedro (B&B manager) and headed out to Cafeterina.  There was a line at breakfast.  Finally one of the workers indicated that there were tables upstairs.  Service once again was pretty poor.  The breakfast was fine - very typical Europe breakfast - cheese, turkey and baguette with OJ and tea.

After breakfast, I decided to head to the weekly Hippie Market.  Many, many local vendors and artists selling their wares.  I walked around for about an hour looking at the various stalls.  I bought a few postcards and something that I could make into a Christmas ornament.  It is surprising how similar art fairs, festivals and markets are all around the world.  Obviously the art itself is distinctive, but the concept and the interaction with potential buyers is much the same.

A fountain in the middle of the Hippie Market:

After the Hippie Market, I headed back to the B&B to drop off my iPad and change into beach attire.    Walking the quick block to the beach, I was joined by many other beach-goers on the sidewalk.  When reaching the main beach boulevard, I was surprised to find that one entire side of the street (3 lanes) is closed on the weekends for foot traffic.  There were so many people walking along the new boardwalk - walkers, runners, bikers, families, others.  The beach is such a part of everyday life in Rio.

Like so many others in Rio, numerous small entrepreneurs had set up shop right on the beach to rent chairs and umbrellas, but will then also set them up and serve you drinks and food during your entire stay.  The chair was 5 reals, umbrella was 10 reals and the freshest Pina Colada I've ever had was 15 reals.  An incredible day on the beach for less than $15.  The exchange rate is approx 2.2 reals per $1.

Views from various points on the beach:

After getting settled, the beach was the not the quiet reprieve I had expected.  Relaxing, yes; picturesque, yes; but not quiet.  There is a constant stream of vendors selling their wares on the beach.  The typical things were welcome - drinks, food, suntan lotion and beach blankets.  But then there were vendors selling jewelry, bathing suits, cigarettes, etc.  The sheer number of the vendors was overwhelming, there was easily a different vendor going by every 30-45 seconds, sometimes, multiple vendors all at once.  Some of the selections left we wondering about food safety violations - for example, 5 shrimp on a skewer being transported completely exposed on a tray on the beach for extended periods of time.  Needless to say I didn't wave down any of the vendors.

I had heard jokes for years about the swimsuits in Brazil; the Brazilian cut, etc.  I can fully attest to everything that you may have heard.  The women's swimsuits are mere strings of material...and the men's are not much larger.  I now fully understand the term Brazilian wax and the need for it.  There has never been any better marketing and advertising placement, than the overhead plane ad for a "Full Brazilian Wax".

What I found most interesting of the beach scene - everyone seemed to be comfortable with their body.  In the US we are told by TV, magazines, movies and others that we need to use certain clothes or clothing style/cut to hide the less desirable parts of our bodies.  Magazine covers scream how to pick a swimsuit to camouflage _____ (fill in the blank with your least attractive body part).  In Rio, everyone wears a bikini - no natives wear one-piece women's suits or board shorts for men.  No one takes a second glance, it is what it is and everyone is fine with it. With my American mentality I certainly thought there were many people wearing things that they should not be wearing...but they were fine with it, as were their friends and family, so I needed to be as well.  I think we've become too judgmental in the US, me included.  I hope to use this experience to better appreciate the person and not necessarily how they look in their selection of clothes.

I got back to the B&B and took a shower and dressed for dinner - still surprised by how early it gets dark - around 5:45 today.  Pedro had heavily suggested a place for dinner when I told him the other places I was considering - Zaza's Tropical Cafe.  He said the food was very good along with the presentation.  He cautioned that the service was still so-so...which has been my experience in Rio, at best.

I headed out to Zaza's.  There were a few tables on the porch, but was told they were reserved and the only available table was inside.  I ended up between two English speaking tables.  To the right was Tina - a 24-year old who was born in Santa Cruz, but had lived the past 4 years in Rio.  To the left was Alise, a 55-year old divorcee mother of 3 with her youngest son - 19 year old Reese, both from North Haven, CT.  Alise was a talker and as soon as she heard English, the group of three tables were chatting all night.  Reese was so sweet - not the typical new college Freshman - he was nervous about who he was going to have lunch with on his first day of college.  He made me remember my first day at UVa, when my entire hall went to dinner together - all as nervous as the next guy and just wanting to fit in.  Alise was a very caring mother who had come to Brazil to visit her middle daughter who was studying for a year in northern Brazil.  

Tina was a whole other story.  She is a lost, older soul.  She can't connect with anyone from her generation, feels like the world is ending and doesn't think she'll ever find love.  We had the most incredible conversation after Alise and Reese left.  She said she wanted to learn from my 40-year old wisdom, but in the end I think we learned from each other.

Tina was really wise beyond her years and I wish her well.  I wish her the best of luck as she moves back to CA to follow her dream of being an actress.  I wish her the patience and wisdom in finding a partner, but first in finding and knowing herself.  Tina was one of those few connections that you can never quite explain, but someone who some how makes things seems so clear for that with which I was struggling.

While I was first annoyed by Tina and her conversation - it was keeping me from my journal writing - by the end of the evening, I greatly appreciated her flirting (as she called it) and our ensuing conversation.  Her naive perspective helped with my jaded outlook.

For dinner I started with the Lamb Croquettes, then the Tuna with Horseradish Cream.  Both were quite good.  My only complaint was the sweet sauce with the lamb croquettes.  

Leaving the restaurant, I went in the wrong direction, sort of.  I ultimately got back to the street of the B&B, but perhaps just 2-3 minutes longer than expected.

At only 9:45, I didn't want to go back to the room just yet.  I went to the restaurant next door to the B&B - Crusto - which I had stopped and looked at the menu numerous times.  They had an Argentinean Malbec by the glass that I had wanted to try.  I whipped out my iPad and journaled the majority of the day.  I ended up having two glasses of the Malbec - it was quite good.  Plus I had at least 50 reals that I needed to spend.  By the end of the night, the server and I were singing along with "It Must Have Been Love" by Roxette.  The restaurant played English pop songs all night, but it was mostly Phil Collins, Heart and other artists from the the late 1980's.  I was trying to remember, but I think that song was in the "Pretty Woman" soundtrack.

I headed up to my room, packed a bit more and headed off to bed.