We went to Rio de Janeiro in 2011 for the 18th International Congress on Sound and Vibration.  I had an abstract accepted for this conference and my wife and I decided to make a vacation of it.

We didn’t venture away from Rio, but there’s a lot to see in Rio.

Here are my experiences and impressions.

1.  Weather was perfect, beach weather every day if you like that sort of thing.  I don’t, I’m not a beach person, but the scenery is beautiful.  Just look.

2.  The landscape is amazing.  I’ve been all over the world and so far the landscape of Rio is the most exotic I’ve ever seen.

3.  Damn expensive!  Don’t expect your US dollar to go far.  Unfortunately things are expensive.  Food was quite expensive and we found ourselves eating at small food shacks on the beach to save money.

4.  Some of the food at the food shacks is incredible.  If you want the best breakfast sandwich of your life this is where to get it.  On a bun or small loaf of bread you will get, the kitchen sink (I think that’s what they called it).  Imagine a fried egg, cheese, ham (pretty standard), several other types of fried cold cuts, hash browns or other fried potatoes and onion and pepper mix, lettuce, tomato, and other salad fixins, a chorizo, chicken breast, and basically one of everything the proprietor has on the grill.  This was a memorable eat.

5.  People don’t speak a lick of English so don’t try to push that on them.  At hotels and tourist sites employees will most likely speak English or be able to get someone who does.  But everywhere else, no way, you’re on your own.  Learn some Portuguese.

6.  There is a Brazilian food concept that is popular in America, the Brazilian steak house, more appropriately Meat house and all you can eat everything else.  Here for example we have Fogo de Chao.  They can be quite expensive but they are all you can eat establishments.  The most popular in Brazil is called Porcao (The Big Pig).  Skewers of every kind of meat imaginable are brought to your table and pieces dropped off, all night long.  There is a buffet with all sorts of salads and side dishes; rice, casseroles, chicken, cold cuts, fish (both cold and cooked) and Sushi.  That’s right sushi as a side order.  There is no food that I can think of that was not present.  And if you don’t see what you want you can still order it al la carte.

7.  The people and culture are exotic.  This is expressed in the last example.  Sushi at a steak house?  Yes that’s the Japanese influence.  Every group of people who have migrated there have brought something to the table and it has become integrated into the culture.  Everyone is Brazilian!  This is part of the attitude there that makes you feel at home.

8.  It is very religious, mostly Catholic.  Many of the most memorable tourist sites were old Catholic Churches.  They were beautiful inside and out.  But culturally the people of Brazil are outwardly religious.  Tour guides will ask you if you are Catholic or not.  This is not a private topic like it is in America so don’t be surprised if people ask.

9.  Unfortunately it can be dangerous in the wrong area.  I would not go on a walking tour of the Favelas and some of our tour guides had horror stories for us about being caught in cross-fire in their own apartments.  That can happen on a visit to Chicago if you’re not careful.  I would not be scared of vacationing in Rio, just careful.  Plan ahead, ask your hotel concierge what the best course of action is or what the best tour companies are.  Stay on the regular path.

10.  Jujitsu.  If you are a martial arts fan, especially Jujitsu then you are in a holy land when you visit Rio Brazil.  This is the birth place of Brazilian Jujitsu and the Gracie family.  While we were there an international MMA conference and competition was going on, fighters from all over the world were on the streets of Rio.

11.  Music.  Brazilians love great music and host an annual event called Rock in Rio.  The line ups are usually pretty impressive and if you like large out-door festival style concerts I’d plan a trip when Rock in Rio is on going.  It’s supposed to be one of the best festivals in the world.  Brazil is also the origin of Carlos Antonio Jobim, the father of what American’s call Brazilian Jazz or Bassa Nova.  So Brazil is the birth place of a lot of great things and they know it.

12.  There were many tours available and beautiful things to see, Sugarloaf Mountain (shown above), Corcovado, Military Museum, Forests and Waterfalls.

We are waiting for an opportunity to go back.

copyright 2014 David R Bergman