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Rocinha favela Brazil’s largest

October 16, 2013 by David Herd

 Vidigal favela just behind the Rio Sheraton

Rocinha favela Brazil’s largest

Rocinha favela Brazil's largest

Rocinha favela Brazil’s largest is about a mile past the Sheraton, Vidigal favela in Rio is just behind the five star Sheraton hotel, it really is a clash of cultures.

Just a little further along is  Rocinha favela (little farm) it is the largest favela in Brazil, and is located in Rio de Janeiro’s South Zone between the districts of São Conrado and Gávea. Rocinha is built on a steep hillside overlooking Rio de Janeiro, and is located about one kilometre from a nearby beach. Most of the favela is on a very steep hill, with many trees surrounding it. 69,161 (census 2010)  people live in Rocinha, making it the most populous favela in Brazil.

Although Rocinha is technically classified as a neighbourhood, many still refer to it as a favela. It developed from a shanty town into an urbanized slum. Today, almost all the houses in Rocinha favela are made from concrete and brick. Some buildings are three and four stories tall and almost all houses have basic sanitation, plumbing, and electricity. Compared to simple shanty towns or slums, Rocinha has a better developed infrastructure and hundreds of businesses such as banks, medicine stores, bus lines, cable television, including locally based channel TV ROC (TV Rocinha), and, at one time, a McDonalds franchise. These factors help classify Rocinha as a favela bairro, or favela neighbourhood.

I guess Monday is washing day.

Rocinha favela Brazil's largest

Rocinha favela Brazil’s largest and one of the most developed.  Rocinha’s population was estimated at between 150,000 and 300,000 inhabitants in 2000s (decade)  but the IBGE Census of 2010 counted only 69,161 people. In November 2011, a security operation was executed where hundreds of police and military patrolled the streets of Rocinha to crackdown on rampant drug dealers and bring government control to the neighborhood.

The smell here was rather unpleasant.

Rocinha favela Brazil's largest

I’ll say this, the smell was hard to cope with and it was not a hot day.

Garbage waiting for collection.

Rocinha favela Brazil's largest

No one knows where and when the name Rocinha favela emerged, but the most likely theory is that in the 1920s there was a famous open air market in what is today the Santos Dumont Plaza in Gávea. The middle class and elite who bought their fresh produce there would ask the vendors where the produce came from and they would answer that they came from their ‘little farm’ or Rocinha.

No council approval here.  😳

Rocinha favela Brazil's largest

Rochinha favela is the largest in Rio.

Master electrician on the job.

Rocinha favela Brazil's largest

This incredible mish mash of electrical wiring reminds me very much of Thailand. In Rocinha it is an illegal system, in Thailand however a mess like this is legal. Take a look at my Thai photo blog here.

Exploring Rocinha is an incredible experience.

Rocinha favela Brazil's largest

200,000 people live here in Rocinha, in fact 20% of Rio’s population live in Favelas. Personally I found seeing this close up was a very humbling experience.

Rocinha (little farm) is the largest Favela in Brazil

Rocinha favela Rio de Janeiro

Life in the Favela is very much like any other Brazilian community.

Life in the favela is fascinating.

Houskeeping

Rocinha favela Brazil's largest

He sweeps while madame supervises.

A typical walkway

Rocinha favela Brazil's largestRather depressing don’t you think?

Kids will always find somewhere to play.

Rocinha favela Brazil's largest

Happy children playing on the roof top.

Happy kids are everywhere.

Rocinha favela Brazil's largest

Kid’s are happy no matter where they live.

Beautiful faces in the slums.

Rocinha favela Brazil's largest

No matter where in the world you travel one of the most wonderful sights are the children’s beautiful faces.

Life in a Favela

Rocinha favela Brazil's largest These children don’t know any different, they are just happy being kids. 🙂

At carnival time most of the favela population celebrate in the streets of Ipanema and Copacabana.

Rocinha favela bakery

Rocinha favela Brazil's largest

Tasty pastries in the local bakery.

Lucy is checking out the goodies.

Rocinha favela Brazil's largest

                       The bakery is no different to what you would find down-town
 

Rocinha favela Brazil’s largest

Rocinha favela Brazil's largestHard to have any privacy in this environment.

What’s the plan today Boys?

Rocinha favela Brazil's largest

Some serious business going down here.

25 killed in city’s deadliest police raid on favela

Rocinha favela Brazil's largest

On May 7 2021 at least 25 people have been killed after heavily armed police stormed one of Rio de Janeiro’s largest favelas in pursuit of drug traffickers, in what was the deadliest raid in the city’s history.

About 200 members of Rio’s civil police launched their incursion into Jacarezinho in the early hours of Thursday, sprinting into the vast redbrick community as a bullet-proof helicopter circled overhead with snipers poised on each side. By lunchtime at least 25 people were reported dead, among them André Frias, a drug squad officer who was shot in the head. Police and local media described the other victims as “suspects” but offered no immediate evidence for that claim.

 
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The tour through Rocinha favela in Rio de Janeiro was one of the highlights of my trip.

Here is my post on Sugarloaf Mountain

 

Here is one of my favourite posts on Rio

 


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Rio di Janeiro Carnival

October 8, 2013 by David Herd

The greatest show on Earth.

Rio di Janeiro Carnival 

Rio di Janeiro Carnival

Rio di Janeiro Carnival worlds sexiest show,  it is really the greatest show on Earth. I was at the Sambadrome in 1999 and 2005, then I celebrated Carnival at a Bloco in Ipanema in 2008. I was way up in the bleachers in 1999 so in 2005 I paid about $500 to have a front row seat. Therefore I have been fortunate enough to have experienced Carnival from 3 different aspects.

Happy dragon at Sambadrome.

Carnival worlds sexiest show

The Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí is center stage of Rio Carnival, the host venue of the annual parade of Samba Schools. It is important to note that Rio Carnival, popularized around the world as the greatest party on the planet,is about much more than drinking and partying. At its heart, Carnival is an exhilarating combination of competition and camaraderie as organizations called Samba Schools battle for the title of Rio Carnival Samba Parade Champions. For Cariocas, the local residents of Rio de Janeiro, is a time to show the world the product of a year’s worth of hard work and dedication. All the magic of Rio Carnival — the beats, songs, dances, floats and costumes — are the product of well-orchestrated machines called Samba Schools.

Rio Carnival floats are spectacular.

Rio di Janeiro Carnival

A samba school (Portuguese: Escola de samba) is a club or dancing school. They practice and often perform in huge square-compounds (“quadras de samba”) devoted to practicing and exhibiting samba, an African-Brazilian dance. The schools are traditionally associated with a particular neighbourhood, often shanty towns (“favela”). Throughout the year the samba schools have various happenings and events, most important of which are rehearsals for the main event which is the yearly carnival.

Another beautiful float.

Rio di Janeiro Carnival

The parades during carnival are a showcase of each “escola” enhanced by the participation of celebrities, fans and guests who often pay large sums of money for their costumes.  Each school displays glamour in colorful costumes and floats with special effects and is organized into different segments or “alas”. The “alas” represent different components of the school’s theme, or “enredo”, as they act out a homage to a myth, historic event or figure, or express their view on a social, environmental or international issue. The “alas” display distinct costumes or “fantasias” and also reflect traditional samba school roles developed years ago.

Thus, each samba school parade has the “comissao de frente“; individuals who open the parade by walking in social attires, saluting the crowds; the “ala das Baianas”, or the traditional segment of Bahian African-Brazilian ladies with impressive round dresses spinning through the avenue; the “puxadores” (lead singers) singing the “samba-enredo” or theme-song while they play the “cavaquinho” or other string instruments; the “velha guarda,” or veterans who made history in the school; the “bateria”, or samba band with drums, “cuicas” and other instruments, preceded by the “madrinha da bateria”, or band godmother who is often a sexy female celebrity. The “porta-bandeira”, or the female flag holder, and the “meste-sala”, or male cortsy, display and salute the school’s flag, as they dance and strive to show harmony and samba expertise, as their performance is carefully observed and scored by the judges.

Rio di Janeiro Carnival , a wonderful paint job.

Rio di Janeiro Carnival

I would have loved to have been the lucky guy to get the job painting this gorgeous girl.


 

Giselle Bundchen was opposite from my spot.

Giselle Bundchen, the Brazilian super model was right opposite where I was sitting. She was a guest in the Brahma beer hospitality box.

Carnival worlds sexiest show

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Each school takes about 90 minutes to pass.

Rio di Janeiro Carnival

This fabulous parade simply takes your breath away.

Carnival worlds sexiest show

Rio di Janeiro Carnival

I’m guessing they take many months to build these wonderful floats.

Happy face at the end of the parade.

Rio di Janeiro Carnival

Another happy face at Carnival.

Meanwhile out of the street.

Carnival worlds sexiest show

Outside the Sambadrome the parties go all night, not everyone can afford a ticket to the parade so they boogie all night at the Blocos.

Day & night the party goes on.

Rio di Janeiro Carnival

Blue sky and beautiful ladies.

Rehearsal the day before.

Rio di Janeiro Carnival

Here I am taking a photo of the Sambadrome the day before the awesome parade.

Rio di Janeiro Carnival worlds sexiest show

Rio di Janeiro Carnival

Can you hear the drums Fernando?

I hope he is friendly.

Rio di Janeiro Carnival worlds sexiest show

I’m at a big warehouse where they store many of the Carnival characters and floats.

David Herd with the bird.

A great thrill to be so close to the Carnival props.

Please keep an eye out for me.

Carnival worlds sexiest show

Here’s looking at you kid. 🙂

My friend Mary Rocha.

Rio di Janeiro Carnival

This is my friend Mary, she has now married and living in Miami.

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Here is a webcam focused on Copacabana.

Thanks for visiting my Carnival worlds sexiest show photo blog.

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Ipanema Carnival street party.

October 7, 2013 by David Herd

Ipanema Carnival madness.

Ipanema Carnival street party

Ipanema Carnival street party

Ipanema Carnival street party was one of the best nights in my life with my friend Dave Wylie. There was a “bloco” going on in front of the restaurant.  A “bloco” is a block party during carnival.  There are hundreds of them just in Rio. They are organized by local Carnival groups and the best ones move up the food chain of blocks to become the big samba schools that put on the big Carnival parades each year that Rio is famous for. We had a window table at “Garota de Ipanema” with of course means “The Girl from Ipanema”, and this is the exact spot the song was written in 1962, with music by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Portuguese lyrics by Vinicius de Moraes. English lyrics were written later by Norman Gimbel.

Here is a great version of the classic song.

Garota de Ipanema.

Ipanema Carnival street party

During a recording session in New York with João Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim and Stan Getz, the idea of cutting an English-language version came up. João’s wife, Astrud Gilberto, was the only one of the Brazilians who could speak English well and was chosen to sing. Her voice, without trained singer mannerisms, proved a perfect fit for the song.

The song was inspired by Heloísa Eneida Menezes Paes Pinto (now Helô Pinheiro), a seventeen-year-old girl living on Montenegro Street in the fashionable Ipanema district in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Daily, she would stroll past the popular Veloso bar-café, not just to the beach (“each day when she walks to the sea”), but in the everyday course of her life. She would sometimes enter the bar to buy cigarettes for her mother and leave to the sound of wolf-whistles.

In the winter of 1962, the composers watched the girl pass by the bar, and it is easy to imagine why they noticed her—Helô was a 173-cm (five-foot eight-inch) brunette, and she attracted the attention of many of the bar patrons. Since the song became popular, she has become a celebrity.

The Girl From Ipanema - Frank Sinatra & Antônio Carlos Jobim | Concert Collection

He should have shaved his legs.

Ipanema Carnival street party

The is nothing wrong with the frock but surely he should have shaved his legs? There are so many characters and weird outfits to photograph, as you can see.


Smile, you are on candid camera.

Ipanema Carnival street party

So many funny sights at Ipanema.

Talking about characters.

Ipanema Carnival street party

This crazy guy was so funny, he was absolutely smashed and spoke to Dave Wylie who is fluent in Portuguese, he said “Voce sabe quem eu sou?” (do you know who I am?”) “Eu sou o deus de dor da cabesa”) (I am the God of Headaches”).

So many happy faces.

Ipanema Carnival street party

The joy and happiness Brazilians feel at Ipanema Carnival time is an experience not to be missed. Just check out the smiling faces, these people really know how to party. I saw two Carnivals at the famous Sambadrome, however I had the most fun at the street party at Ipanema.

Everyone is your friend at Carnival.

Ipanema Carnival street party

No one parties like a Brazilian, and when it is Carnival time they take it to an art form.

My friend Sudzi

Ipanema Carnival street party

Sudzi went to the Samadrome and had his camera stolen in the crowd, he cheered up when he joined us at Ipanema.

Princesses & pirates.

Ipanema Carnival street party

Huge smiles everywhere.

Another Brazilian Princess.

Ipanema Carnival street party

Talking about smiles, this one is a knock-out. 🙂

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Partying gives you an appetite.

Ipanema Carnival street party

One of the restaurants specialities is rare roast beef, absolutely delicious when washed down with a nice red wine.

David Herd & Dave Wylie in Ipanema.

Ipanema Carnival street party

Here I am with my good friend Dave Wylie at our window table at Garota de Ipanema. All night the action was all around us as you can see from the photos. As I said earlier Ipanema Carnival it was one of the best and most memorable nights of my life. Another equally memorable night was 4 weeks earlier, New Years Eve on Copacabana, simply awesome.

This is the best photo.

Ipanema Carnival street party

I took a number of shots of this great scene, but the photo of the night is this taken by Dave Wylie, it just captures the mood beautifully.

Pretty little outfit.

Ipanema Carnival street party

Anything goes at Carnival time.

Street kids in Ipanema

Ipanema Carnival street party

So many wonderful smiling faces in Rio, especially at Carnival time.

Christ the Redeemer

Ipanema Carnival street party

Any post on Rio should include this wonderful iconic statue.  Christ the Redeemer, Portuguese Cristo Redentor, 

Ipanema Carnival street party 

colossal statue of Jesus Christ at the summit of  Mount Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro, southeastern Brazil. It was completed in 1931 and stands 98 feet (30 metres) tall, its horizontally outstretched arms spanning 92 feet (28 meters). The statue, made of reinforced concrete clad in a mosaic of thousands of triangular soapstone tiles, sits on a square stone pedestal base about 26 feet (8 metres) high, which itself is situated on a deck atop the mountain’s summit. The statue is the largest Art Deco-style sculpture in the world. Listen to corcovado by Joao Gilberto.

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Well folks, many thanks for visiting my blog on the fabulous Ipanema Carnival street party photo blog, I hope you enjoyed the post as much as I enjoyed being there. Please send the link to your friends https://fivestarvagabond.com/

 

 

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Brazil Beautiful Exciting Exotic

July 5, 2013 by David Herd

 

Brazil Beautiful Exciting

Brazil Beautiful Exciting

Brazil Beautiful Exciting destination with far too many places of interest to describe in a few paragraphs. Everyone’s favorite including myself is Rio Di Janeiro, one of the most colorful cities on on the planet, however there are many other lessor known cities & towns worth visiting. Paraty is a favorite of mine, the town is located on the Bay of Ilha Grande, 3 hours drive from Rio, which is dotted with many tropical islands. Paraty is known for the  cobblestone paved streets throughout the Historic Center District. No cars or trucks are allowed in this part of town. Check out the video of two very sexy ladies doing the Samba, please click here

Three hours in the opposite direction from Rio is Búzios,  a popular getaway from the city and a worldwide tourist site, especially among wealthy Brazilians and Argentinians. The peninsula is surrounded by 17 beautiful beaches and there are many fabulous restaurants and bars to choose from. It was in 1964, when Brigitte Bardot visited the small town, that Búzios actually became well known.

Paraty

Brazil Beautiful Exciting

Clad in swimwear and rags, slathered in mud, adorned with branches and bones and crying “ooga ooga ha ha”, over 3,000 people parade in Paraty every Carnival Saturday afternoon. Bloco da Lama started a few days before Carnival in 1986 when two friends were catching crabs in the mud mangroves of Jabaquara Beach, about one mile from central Paraty, and completely covered themselves with mud to stave off the area’s voracious mosquitoes and dark giant horseflies.

Apart from well known destinations like Salvador & the Iguazu Falls there are 3 places at opposite ends of the country I would like to recommend,  in the south Florianopolis which boasts of 42 beaches, in 2009 Newsweek  placed Florianópolis in the “Ten most dynamic cities of the world”. An hour north is Balneário Camboriú, with its steep hills dropping down to the sea, is very popular among South Americans but not well known to people from other countries.  The beach is twice as long as Copacabana in Rio and far safer for tourists.

Copacabana.

Brazil Beautiful Exciting

Way up in the north east corner of Brazil is Praia do Pipa, one of the most famous beaches in Brazil, 84 kilometres from the city of Natal. With its crystal-clear waters, fine, white sand it is popular with surfers and backpackers. Rio Di Janeiro however should always be your first choice, the beaches, the people, the food, the music, Carnival, New Years Eve, I could go on forever. At the end of the post  is a video of the amazing NYE crowd all dressed in white along with the nine cruise ships that were moored in the bay.  There is no gathering of people in the world to compare with Carnival in Rio Di Janeiro, do it once before you die. I have been twice to Sambadrome, once way up in the bleachers, and once right at the front, both were great but the front is the best. Sitting opposite me was the beautiful Gisele Bündchen.

I was also at Garota  de Ipanema restaurant for one Carnival with my friend Dave Wylie, there was a huge street party all around us and we had a fantastic night.

Carnival

Brazil Beautiful Exciting

It really is the greatest show on Earth.

Future Super models.

Brazil Beautiful Exciting

This photo in my mind captures the essence of Rio, when these gorgeous kids saw me lift my camera they struck this pose instantly without being asked to do so. Future super models for sure.
 
Thanks for visiting my Brazil Beautiful Exciting photo blog.
 
 
 

New Years Eve in Copacabana, unbelievable! Click here to see all the action.  

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