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| Lapa Steps (Selaron's Staircase) in Rio. |
(Rio, Brazil). I traveled to Rio in 2013 to visit friends who moved there from San Diego and to celebrate my birthday. They had an amazing apartment in Ipanema, right across from the lake which was surrounded by jogging and bike trails and coconut vendors. We were able to take lovely walks around the lake, but it was way too hot and humid to try to jog.
While in Rio, I couldn't help but feel as if I was in a country that was growing much too quickly at a pace that was overwhelming their local economy and infrastructure. For example, the prices were surprisingly high (similar to New York or London), but the local economy and standard of living was nowhere near that level so it was difficult not to see and feel that discrepancy and tension everywhere. It was also difficult not to notice the constant gridlock in traffic, the incomplete construction everywhere, the socioeconomic tensions, the labor protests, the lack of sufficient hotels and visitor services, and the prevalent crime. While I normally don't expect locals to speak or understand english, I did sort of expect the staff at the high-end hotels, restaurants and bars to understand a little bit of english but it was a challenge everywhere - even the airport. I kept finding myself thinking "how are they going to get ready for the upcoming Olympics and World Cup"? But let's hope for the best!
