Landmarks | Rio 2015 Culture and City

The Green of Rio

March 27 2015

My favorite moment of our one short week trip in Rio de Janeiro, would be time we visiting gardens or the designed landscape relating to the famous buildings. In all, Rio is so different with Columbus, including culture, foods, people, language, buildings, etc; and also without doubt, the plants, trees, flowers in nature, which grow in South America. Architects and Landscape architects have taken the advantage of characteristics of their local environment, and their designed landscape look so distinguishing with those I used to be familiar with. My first experience of the Brazilian garden, is the sitio of Roberto Burle Marx. Things are all new to me there; so many trees and plants I have never seen, and only if you are really in there, you can understand its scale; all the trees and flowers are in large scale! even the mosquito btw: ) I really enjoy the time spending in the sitio; all the things look green, but not the same green actually. The plants had been selected carefully, and they always being placed in a pattern of depth of color; in the middle is a large tree with dark green leaves and surrounded by other smaller lighter green plants, or in the opposite order; and layer by layer the change slowly going on; giving people a feeling of dynamic change even only in the color of green.

I have the same feeling when we visited the botanical garden, and the small garden in front of the Ministry of Education and Health, below is a sketch I draw for it. How the Brazilian landscape architects deal with the harmony of botanical plants in their garden impress me a lot in this trip.

Impressions of Rio de Janeiro

March 26 2015March 26, 2015

Looking back to the sketches I did in Rio remind me a lot of experience I got from Rio. Rio is a city that combines so many unique features: beach, mountain, plants, and busy urban. The city of Rio is deeply influenced by the beaches because all kind of activities happen on the beaches. There are people jogging along the beach, laying on the beach, working out and playing volleyball on the beach. Beach become a place where Brazilians show their passion. The comparison between Copacabana and Ipanema is a way of showing how the urban is developed along the shoreline.

The day we went to visit Christ the Redeemer is really foggy that you cannot even see Christ’s feet. But I still enjoyed the unique view seeing through the fog. We have seen a lot of photos taken in a sunny day and Christ the Redeemer is hugging the whole city. Seeing even part of the status has already amazed me how huge it is and how much work and time it took to build it.

Inserted in Rio culture, Rio de Janeiro Cathedral has such a different interior and exterior look. My impression of the exterior when I saw it was a lot of concrete and this cathedral has such a strong characteristic. And the interior has such a strong pattern of colors, worked with the natural light from the outside. We also went to the Nossa Senhora do Brasil Church, whose scale is so much smaller than the cathedral. Different from the cathedral, the church is following the European style.

It is so fascinating to see the landscape and architecture in Rio, which speak to the natural contexts of Rio so much. Every piece of land tells a story of the city.

Football Game&Maracana

March 26 2015April 13, 2015

I’m a big fan of football game so when I heard we could have a chance to watch a local game at Wednesday night, I definitely said I’m not gonna miss it. The game is between Flamengo FC & G.E Brasil at the Maracana Stadium. This is a very good chance not only it is the “first fase” of the Brazil Cup, it’s also chance we see the Maracana Stadium at night and on a game.

I have learned about the craziness and enthusiasm of the fans, but when I was really with them still I’m overwhelmed by the atmosphere! The song and beats are never stopped, even before and after the game. And I`d say it really boost the morale. Since the Flamengo is the home team, the stadium is full of red and black. We were sitting at the very first one and two rows , and this is also my first experience to watch a game in such a close distance. Since I support the Flamengo, when they wins I stood and clapped with the fans, feeling excited as same as they did.

And at the last day we are very luck to have a guide trip in Maracana in the daytime. That is really good for me cause I have gotten the views of this famous stadium in different times and conditions. And thanks to the guide I have gained a better understanding of this stadium. I noticed the mix of yellow and blue seats, like the two colors are slowly melted together. The guide told us the yellow and blue, with color of grassland green, represent the idea of this country and flag. How interesting to learn that! The experience in Maracana is really amazing.

Cristo Redentor

March 22 2015March 22, 2015

This was taken at the Christ the Redeemer monument on Corvocado Mountain. The picture is actually Ashton’s because all of my photos were too cloudy. Upon arriving at the monument and finding out the fog was covering eighty percent of the statue, i was pretty disappointed. However, despite the lack of visibility, the visit to the statue was very moving. The size was incredible as well as the height above the ground. Looking around and down at the city (which we couldn’t see) felt like we were in some other world, above the clouds almost (the fog helped with that). It really is intriguing to me how in pretty much any part of the city of Rio de Janeiro, you can look around and somewhere, on a clear day, see the Christ the Redeemer statue. The statue has its arms open, engulfing the city and all of its people, as if he is always watching over them. On the backside of the statue there is a small chapel actually inside the Christ the Redeemer for worship. It really illustrates the strong presence of the catholic religion in Rio de Janeiro. Even though the fog may have diminished our visibility the visit to Christ the Redeemer was an overall eye opening experience.

a free day wandering in Rio

March 20 2015March 20, 2015

Rio de Janeiro is a city that I want to wander around to every corner of the city, and today is a freeday! Zen, Ran, Yuanyuan and I decided to explore the city more. We went to the post office and sent a piece of Rio to our families and friends, hoping to share with them our wonderful experience in Rio.

Our second stop is the Escadaria Selarón, which is a long, colorful steps. It reflects the colorful side of Rio. The materials it used is kind of mosaic, which share the same method with the pavement of pedestrians in Rio ( as we can find in along the beach and in the downtown area). Each mosaic is unique in terms of its shape and story. The step is like a collection of art from all the citizens and the story is continuing as you are walking along the steps, I can almost image the steps can be continued by generations and generations, which will finally become a stepping way that tell the story of Rio, an outdoor museum.

The bright colors reminded me the green tropical plants in Rio, which is a huge contrast with the steps in color. The experience is so different from the Botanical garden, which was full of green. The trees along the steps also created shades, adding another layer for the Escadaria Selarón. The bright, high-contrast colors shined under the sun, which attracted a lot of tourists. We spent a huge amount of time there and really enjoyed ourselves.

Botanical Garden

March 20 2015March 20, 2015

We went to the botanical garden this thursday. It was an awesome experience to see around 6500 species distributed around the garden.This garden had a really good landscape design with all kinds of plants, so that those plants grew with each others harmoniously. Designer had well combined the primitive forest with the geometric shape of the garden design. This garden was founded in 1808 by King John VI of Portugal. Two rows of palm trees were the main feature of the garden. Those palm trees were so tall and they are standing straight like safe guards for this garden. From the picture below we could see how tall the palm trees were when we compared them to the size of us.

This botanical garden itself was huge, so it took a long time for us to walk around the garden. I think this garden is a wonderful place for photographing, especially for a newly married couple to have them photos taken.

This botanical garden is a nice place to walk and see rare tropical plants. It has a very ecological environment that I see monkeys climb between trees.

There is a big statue in the middle of the garden which is called the Fountain of the Muses. I have a sketch about it as following:

This botanical garden is a nature paradise conceived by the designer. It is definitely worth a visit!

Mapping Our Days

March 20 2015

One piece of technology that we’ve implemented here in Rio is a GPS puck which, when paired with a smart phone, can track out movements through the day. Below are the results from our downtown tour on Monday as well as out trip out to Sitio Roberto Burle Marx on Wednesday.

Monday 3.16.15

Downtown via Metro, walking tour of Palacio Gustavo, Capanema, Metropolitan Cathedral, Lapa District. Visit Museum of Modern Art, Flamengo Park before group dinner at Porcão.

Downtown Tour

Wednesday 3.18.15

Bus to Sitio Roberto Burle Marx and group lunch. Return to Rio for cog train to Christ the Redeemer and return to hotel by metro.

Sitio Roberto Burle Marx

Cristo Redentor

March 20 2015March 24, 2015

The visit to Cristo Redentor (or better known as Christ the Redeemer) was a very special one for me. Not to make it about religion, but I myself am Catholic so this experience was especially breath taking. Though the clouds were heavy when we went up, just being up there was good enough for me. I tried all angles to look at Cristo Redentor but to little luck.
This was still very humbling in the sense of just how large the monument was. I mean just being around different parts of the city for a few days before actually being up there, you could see Cristo Redentor at almost every stop you made. I have hundreds of pictures of him at different angles all in different spots. But actually being up here puts the thing in perspective.
I had a very nice moment to myself up there religiously but I also took the time to examine the statue as a whole. It is truly amazing the detail that this statue has. For as big as it is, you wouldn’t think it would be that detailed. But the cloak that Christ was wearing (which was almost all I could see) was very detailed. I also enjoyed the train ride up. Going up through Corcovado provided a lot of good scenery and views. I am planning on going back to see it when the sky is clear which will hopefully be Friday!

Futbol Game!

March 20 2015

So I haven’t had a chance to post yet with a busy night and morning, but last night (Wednesday) was one the best and most memorable experiences of my life. A group of us went to a futbol game last night at the famous Maracana Stadium. And the game/stadium did not disappoint. We were taken in a bus to the stadium, directed to our seats, and taken back to the hotel after the game. A very good deal for only 210,00 reais!
For the game itself, it was awesome! We watched Flamengo FC play G.E Brasil in the first “fase” of the Brazil Cup. When we got our ticket, I didn’t know where our seats would be. I thought we’d be lucky to even get a seat in the upper bowl. But sure enough, as great as our tour guide Vanesa has been on this trip, we got hooked up with front row seats!
I’ve grown up and played soccer my whole life. I played on the varsity team at OSU for three years and the sport itself since I was 5 so I know a thing or two about soccer. But this experience blew away all expectations I had and increased my personal passion for the game even more. Flamengo won 2-0 including a last minute goal that was unforgettable. What this experience taught me was how passionate Brazilian people are about the sport. In essence, soccer depicts their culture. And that was seen by the away team refusing to sit down and stop cheering even though they were losing and even after the game was done. So, I can officially cross seeing the world’s greatest sport in the world’s greatest stadium in the world’s most passionate soccer country off of my bucket list.

Awesome cultural experience!

Corcovado Mountain- Christ the Redeemer

March 19 2015

Taking the train to the top of the Corcovado Mountain to see the Christ the Redeemer, I was so enjoyed sitting in the little red train. When the train was climbing up, the little red train was surrounded by greenwoods. Windows were open widely which let the fresh air flooded into the carriage. It was a visual feast to see the color of the red train against the color of green around.

This is a tiny train stop in the middle of the mountain. Local people who live in the mountain will take the train to transport up and down the hill.

There are trains in two directions: up and down. It runs every twenty minutes. Since there are only few forks in the middle of the track, the train which goes down will stop at the fork to let the other train which goes up to pass first. Everything just works in perfect order.

The day we went was not a good day to see Christ the redeemer. Seas of clouds enshrouded the top of it. It was hard to see the entire statue. But I was so impressed only by the outline of Christ the Redeemer. It was so incredible! Standing at the top of the mountain, Christ the Redeemer has gazed down at Rio de Janeiro with open arms. And this statue has became the symbol of Rio and Brazil which implies the meaning of peace.

If by any chance that I could go there again, I would really wish I could see Christ the Redeemer in a bright sky!

Lost & Found

March 16 2015March 18, 2015

Off to the peak we went, all slammed into one cable car with at least a couple other families resembling something of a sardine can. There I stood in the cable car as it drew closer to the peak of sugar loaf mountain, snapping as many pictures of the beautiful surrounding landscapes as I could. Little did I know there was still so much more to see. I was under the impression that once we reached the peak of the Loaf it would simply be an observation deck or a small precarious platform to look out onto the bays from. However, to my pleasant surprise once we reached the top there was a gift shop, a place to eat, several observation decks in which you could see all of Rio de Janeiro, as well as an elaborate set of trails on the backside of the mountain. These very trails would become the cause of a very acute and temporary stress on my part. Somehow, Someway, my phone ended up outside my pocket. After retracing virtually every step I could remember taking, both before and after I remember having my phone yielded no results, I turned to Vanessa for help. She was able to quickly speak to most of the security guards atop the loaf asking weather or not they had found a phone or even heard anything about a missing phone. Luckily one of the security guards remembered another tourist asking where the lost and found was because he wanted to return “something”. This very security guard ran over to the cable car that was already on the platform about to leave, found the man the previously asked him about the lost and found and told him he in fact knew who the phone belonged to. With our fast acting wonderful tour guide Vanessa, the local security guards, a good samaritan (whom I wish I could have at least bought uma cerveja) as well as what seemed to be boundless luck on my part I was able to get my phone back and even get a few more photos coming down from the peak. To think all this happened on the first day, I simply cannot wait to see what lies ahead.

Parça General Osorio

March 16 2015March 24, 2015

It’s funny how much can be fit into one single day here in Rio. I find it hard to believe that there is seemingly such little time in the States to stop and enjoy your surroundings while still going about your daily lives, where in Rio here they have time for fun and work. After leaving the vigorous beach on my first day in Rio de Janeiro we were able to experience and immerse our selfs in the weekly cultural market known as the Hippie Fair. Every Sunday craftsmen and women bring their work; vivacious paintings, skillful leather goods and artistries only found in museums hang amongst the canopy of tree at General Osorio.

This is the heart of Ipanema, the last stop on the metro and social meeting grounds for the neighborhood of Ipanema. At the Hippie Fair I was able to get a breathtaking look at the people of rio. They are vibrant and terrible warm. They love to welcome you into their world and show you how to speak, how to dance, how to breath and relax like a Carieoca. They are embraceful!

It was hard,!I must say, to keep from spending my life savings in reals buying all the unique treasures at the Hippie Fair. Tent after tent displayed works, in particularly artwork. I met a man, he was selling his oil paintings in the middle of he square. He spoke very little english but understood much. He taught me the meaning behind his paintings and the history of the farmers and the plight of the poor workers against the harsh stratified class system of Rio. Although it was difficult, my heart was breaking thinking about their struggles, struggles so foreign in my sometimes shallow reality I could hardly grasp. I was impressed by this man, by his hardships, his expression and his artwork. Needless to say I purchased one of his pieces.

Although the Hippie Fair is the most popular, Praça General Osorio is not just used on Sunday’s for the Hippie Fair it is used every day and transforms by the hour! Every Tuesday one of most vibrant markets of Ipanema takes place. The locals call it “Terça feira”, meaning “Tuesday market”. Local tropical fruits and vegetables, fish and meats can be bought directly from the fishermen and framers themselves. They are incredibly skilled and generous-they will let you taste all types of fruits, nuts and cheeses. At night the parça is flourished with several restaurants who establish their dinning rooms on the Portuguese stone on the fringe of the park. The canopy of trees is becomes filled with the aroma of grilled kebabs and meats. This is truly an amazing place experience every day of the week!!

Ipanema

March 16 2015March 24, 2015

Sunday I woke to the misty morning of our first full day in rio. It was early and I was eager to get outsidei the hotel and enjoy everything Rio has to offer. So I left the hotel and l headed to the beach. !The streets where quite, hardly a soul was awake, just the occasional runner and dog walker, but other than that it felt like I was all alone. It was a was a surprisingly comfortable feeing as I walked along the ornate black and ivory mosaic sidewalks, watching the venders begin to set up for their daily ritual.

Looking over the embankment I could see the pale sands of Ipanema weighted by the two brothers to the south and a large rock protruding in the ocean to the north. This rock, or series of large rocks piled high on each other captivated me….I had my heading. As I got closer I noticed the beach wasn’t only inhabited by street venders, the sands were freckled with teenagers lying in piles on each other cuddling, half naked toddlers playing in the rising waters, and energetic dogs tackling each other, leash-less. The soothing crash of wave interrupting my every thought, making it impossible to think of anything but the shear beauty of the landscape. As I approached the pier-like rock I began hear more barking. My passage between the hotels lining the beach and the rock lead me to a dog beach. What looked like hundreds of dogs played in droves around the few owners who watched them. Try as I did I couldn’t get through the crowd of canines without being covered in lovable licks and sniffs. But my destination was just past them so I mustered up the courage to be adored. Fishermen cast their lines from the edge catching the small fish that swam in the morning shallows. From the top of this rock I was awarded for my trouble with a stunning view of all of Ipanema.

On my backside was Copacabana, more specifically a sliver of golden beach leading to Fort Copacabana. A thin wire fence and a armed guards stands as a barrier between the beach and the rocks leading up to the fort. These guard prohibited me from moving forward so I settled for a secluded cornered nestled between the beach and the rock, this is where I slipped into the sea.

Like in all of rio beach front property is gold so it wasn’t long before beachgoers began to flood the tranquil sands. This is when I began to see the real heart of these beaches. The beaches are alive with locals and tourist alike claiming their own slice of the beach for the day. The vendors, now in full operations scurry around the towels and umbrellas, like ants in a colony, selling Globos and Matte

Coco, my new favorite drink, epitomize my idea of the beaches here in rio. They have a way of breathing life in and reviving you. The water is like the city, rough but gentle — rash moments of adrenal rushes followed by calms of effortless motion, and utterly saturated by prolific culture and life.

Pão de Açùcar

March 16 2015March 18, 2015

Day One: Success!

*Unfortunately the wifi in our hotel is nothing too spectacular so posting my blog entry from yesterday is a bit delayed.*

Today we rode to the top of Pão de Açùcar (Sugarloaf Mountain). We got breathtaking views of the city and the geography of the area. I learned my new favorite way to eat ice cream – add many different types of fruit first (I got pineapple, banana, watermelon, and kiwi), then add a small dip of vanilla ice cream and top it with crushed peanuts. Muito delicioso!

Upon arriving at the top of the mountain, I explored a little and soaked in the views. The buildings seemed minuscule compared to the massive morros (mountains). It’s truly mind blowing to see a city that is home to millions of people be so dense and compact as the built environment weaves around the bases of the mountains, sometimes even climbing up the sides. I will have this view in the back of my head throughout the rest of the week as we travel on the ground and learn about the city more in depth.

A few of us wandered on a trail for a while until we reached a bench overlooking the water and some small mountains and buildings in the distance. We heard Brazilian music being played on the ground below and decided it was the perfect spot to stop and sketch for a while. As I was sketching, clouds began rolling in. I would look at my paper to sketch a coastline and look back up to see nothing but whiteness (compare sketch to photo below). It really put it in perspective how high up we were, we were literally sitting in a cloud! I still can’t believe the cable cars used to reach the top of the mountain were built in 1913..

Tchau!

Reflections on the First Day

March 15 2015March 18, 2015

This city has a syncopated rhythm. The people walk slow and drive fast. It is a New York smeared across a tropical forest. The beauty that comes from that is captivating.

It seems like every inch of this city begs to be photographed. The people are kind and patient with a grand kind of showmanship about it, reveling in any stumbling bit of shared communication as much as I did. Trying ask if a vendor made his bags himself was rewarding for both of us, him smiling with a proud “Sim” and me thrilled in successfully generating my question. I bought the bag for R$ 97, $33 in the US.

The view from Morro de Urca toward Niteroi.

The journey to the top of Pão Açúcar was calmly amazing. The impression of this landscape is irresistible, the city is nothing without it. At the top of the mountain, the grand sweeping views were inverted in the tight and tiny patios all along the top park. I felt I could have stayed and sketched there forever, it was so varied, and so quiet. The city seems to have learned how to create moments of sublime peace like these from the hills themselves.

A small patio on the bay-side of Pao de Acucar

At night a group of four of us went up to the rooftop pool, which we thought was a hot tub because of its appearance. This city and country seems to understand the value of rooftop spaces in a way that I wish the United States would. All along the Ipanema promenade full-grown palms, ferns, and bushes can be seen flowing over rooftop patios. Our pool area serves as more than water recreation; the multi-platform space serves as a semi-private urban space to socialize. The views brings about a feeling of voyeurism about the city, giving grand views from the comfort of the private rooftop.

A terraced green space teetering on the edge of Pao de Acucar

Ice Cream atop Pao de Acucar

March 15 2015March 18, 2015

What better way to enjoy the view at the mid-point of Pao de Acucar than with some ice cream and fruit.

Wyatt, Brent, Reyna, Ashton, and Sarah enjoying some ice cream and fruit on Pao de Acucar

Wyatt, Brent, Reyna, Chloe, and Sarah enjoying some ice cream and fruit on Pao de Acucar

Reyna, Ashton, Chloe, Sarah, Jay and John enjoying ice cream and fruit on Pao de Acucar

Brent, Sara, and Ashton (and Wiatt) at the mid-point of Pao de Acucar enjoying some ice cream…and the view.

Pi Day 3.1415926

March 15 2015March 18, 2015

In honor of Pi Day (3.14.15) and our visit to Pao de Acucar (Sugarloaf Mountain), Sara Kline was kind enough to leave the official OSU mark…a Block ‘O’

Sarah Kline signing the Victorinox wall at the top of Pao de Acucar

Sara Kline signing the Victorinox wall at the top of Pao de Acucar

The Victorinox Wall atop Pao de Acucar