Brazzil

Interesting article and that is a great song. The book sounds interesting but I must admit I feel less safe in Rio than any city I have visited anywhere in the world except Sao Paulo. I know it is often overstated. But I also have been robbed and know more people who have been robbed in Rio than in other places in the world, so I would say it is understandable how people feel about Rio sometimes. But as you and this book point out there is rich cultural heritage and so many things to do and see that Rio should not be missed. And I go there many times since the assault. I just use more caution there than other places. Nice work on the article.

Except that if you read the article concerning the robbing of the Chief Justice, you will also read that a Brazilian has been robbed 4 times in 14 years.
In my city, in Europe, I know some Brazilians ! ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN ROBBED AND ASSAULTED AT LEAST ONCE, 2 OR 3 TIMES FOR MANY WHILE THE LIVED IN BRAZIL - NO EXCEPTION FROM THOSE I KNOW !

Therefore saying that either Rio or Brazil is as safe as elsewhere......is simply a lie !

Don't you have a life? Your posts seems to be filled with hate towards Brazil, did some brazilian girl dump you pretty badly for you to be so hateful?

Brasileiros, falemos somente o português e deixemos esses gringos se virarem com tradutores pela rede mundial, se assim quiserem. Assim podemos conversar livremente e comentar as asnices aqui escritas por eles. Esse site não pode ser sério ao permitir coisas como bem exemplificados nesses comentários. Isso não é apenas ofensivo de uma forma inocente, mas sim proposital. O intuito desse site é denegrir a imagem do Brasil e de seu povo, portanto gastar tempo e saliva argumentando é inútil.

Escrevamos somente o português para que outros brasileiros não se iludam ao visitar o site, e deixemo-los na escuridão de sua própria ignorância.

Você pode ser roubado em qualquer lugar do mundo. Minha prima foi roubada no metro de Roma! Essa revista brazzil é ridicula

O pessoal da ESPN Brasil foi roubado na Alemanha durante a cobertura da Copa do Mundo.

Vai lamber o pinto do seu portero!

O que é um portero? Tem uma rua em San Francisco denominada "Potrero". `Caba com esta gíria, pô!

(scroll down for portugues)I looked at my own piece and noticed soooo many bad comments that had little to do with my article; anyway, I live in New york and have heard stories of friends being mugged; I have been lucky, I guess, for I have never been mugged anywhere (there was one occasion in Fortaleza, but I had a guitar case and the other guy a pocket knife; it was like Crocodile Dundee - 'you call that a knife'? ).

I would like to see comments here that have to do with what I wrote; I have a mission upon myself to promote Brazil, its music and everything else. I am proud of my Brazilian heritage, and although I respect the opinions of those who dislike the country, I strongly disagree those who denigrate the land; please use this space intelligently, or just fade away...

Visitando o site, notei comentarios que pouco tinham a ver com a matéria. tive sorte, nunca fui assaltado em NY ou no Brasil, exceto por um momento meio Crocodilo Dundee em Fortaleza, no qual um cara com um canivete partiu para cima de mim (eu tinha uma caixa de guitarra, que eu joguei na cara dele--- isso foi suficiente).

Eu gostaria de ver comentarios neste site que tenham a ver com a materia (a proposito, os comentarios sao postados imediatamente). Quem nao gosta do Brasil, fique distante, eu respeito sua opinião. Por favor nao use o espaço para falar mal do país gratuitamente, isso é falta de tempo e tb falta de inteligencia. Se vc nao tem nada de construtivo a dizer, simplesmente suma, nao precisamos de vc...

It is so annoying to read interesting articles on Brazil (both positive and negative) and have this LOSER CH C come on and just bash everything about Brazil in semi-coherent English. What a waste of time! Get a life you F***** loser!

I'd like to know what city it is you live in that is so perfect because i've yet to see one...is there no way we can get this idiot off the site?

I was born in Rio de Janeiro in 1956. In 1976, I got married to a swedish man and left Brazil to live in the USA. Of the 20 years I lived in Rio, I was never robbed nor was anyone from my family or circle of friends. I travelled back to Rio many times during the last 30 years and still noone from my family or circle of friends have been robbed. I guess we have been lucky. I am now back living in Natal, RN for the last 8 months and all I hear about Brazil, from brazilians and foreigners alike, is violence of many shapes and forms.

I found this site recently as I was searching about brazilian news in the english language. The reason was that I wanted to read unbiased opinios of what is happening in Brazil, since I feel I cannot trust the brazilian media. Instead I found a site where there is so much hatred about everything. Either people are putting down the USA or Brazil. However, I was hoping to find ideas, interesting feedbacks and just plain information about the country which I was born but have been away for so many years.

With all that said, I would like to make a comment about the article. It is great that someone has written a book about Rio and it's beauty. However, in my opinion it's natural beauty is being erased by its ugliness in the heart of it. Is like a beautiful woman with nothing on the inside. The favelas are the most horrible and ugliest places I have ever seen. The city is usually dirty. Cariocas throw trash everywhere. The beaches are polluted. The other side of the Rio-Niteroi bridge the waters are disguting. I have never seen so much trash. People use the rivers as their sewer systems. The drive from the airport to Leblon, where I was raised, it is an eye sore. I feel ashmed of showing all that povertry and trash to my friends and family not from Brazil. I don't understand what happened to my city. How could a place that had so much potential become nothing but a degrading pool of trash. Is it because there are so many poor people, ignorant government officials, or citizens that do not care about their home? When I think of my hometown, Rio, my thoughts are favelas, trash, overcrowed streets, pot holes, sewer, pollution, a place I will never want to live there again. But I still have some good memories of it. My friends and family, the beach, and my mother's cooking.

Agora retire-se. Se você não percebeu esse site é dedicado para pessoas que odeiam o Brasil. Se você realmente é brasileira e realmente tem boas intenções ao dizer essas coisas saiba que isso será usado pelos nazistas que aqui freqüentam.

I can not believe so much ado about nothing.

First, with respect to your comments on the hatred on this site, it's a sad development which has been increasing the past few months.

I lived the first 46 years of my life in Los Angeles and started to travel to Rio about 5 years ago. I was, and still am, overwhelmed by it's natural beauty. Two years ago we decided to move to Rio. We haven't been robbed. To my knowledge none of our friends have been robbed the past couple years.

I admit that I take more precautions than I did in Los Angeles but none of my precautions are that extreme.

I live in Alto Leblon and have a great view of the city I love. I'm very much interested in architecture and I'm always finding things to appreciate. I had to go to Delta Air Line's office in Centro yesterday and had a quick lunch on Rio Branco, walked the area of the National Library, the Muncipal Theater and all the other great buildings in that area. Then entered a small street called Rua do Ouvidor where Delta's office is located. Here was this very modern office tower surrounded by great colonial buildings; many of which are being restored. The whole Urugaiana area is an area most tourists don't see and that's a shame. The other area in Centro that makes for great walking is between Candelaria and the Ferry Terminal. Great historic buildings and some surprisingly good restaurants.

I'm not blind and find the polution of Guanabara Bay tragic. And, of course, the Favela's and their residents could use some help. But, I don't agree with you about the trash. I find Rio to quite clean, at least compared with Los Angeles! Most of the services delivered by the Prefeitura are quite good. (Not so with the State).

Does anyone know if this book is available in Rio yet? I'm going to the States next week and would love to take it along to show friends and family over the holidays.

responses/respostas
written by Ernest Barteldes, 2006-12-14 01:51:03

(scroll down for portugues)I looked at my own piece and noticed soooo many bad comments that had little to do with my article; anyway, I live in New york and have heard stories of friends being mugged; I have been lucky, I guess, for I have never been mugged anywhere (there was one occasion in Fortaleza, but I had a guitar case and the other guy a pocket knife; it was like Crocodile Dundee - 'you call that a knife'? ).

I would like to see comments here that have to do with what I wrote; I have a mission upon myself to promote Brazil, its music and everything else. I am proud of my Brazilian heritage, and although I respect the opinions of those who dislike the country, I strongly disagree those who denigrate the land; please use this space intelligently, or just fade away...

Well I enjoyed your article and I may very well have to acquire this book At Home in Rio by Paulo Thiago de Mello.

Architecture in a city, the design of the city planning itself, how it blends in and compliments the natural surroundings has a psychological and emotional effect on us I'm convinced. I rather look at the green, rolling hills of California and her Spanish style roof tops then any barren, Asian steppe. Rio is magnificent in many aspects - aesthetically that is - be it in many of the human bodies that don the sands of her beaches or in the high rises of Ipanema.

I'm from and live in the United States. I live in a Midwestern city of about 500,000 people - a post industrial city. Frankly my town has some lovely middle class neighborhoods from "painted ladies" to "Polish flats" to our style of bungelows. We have good green Midwestern land and a solid infastructure. That said, it is a place of very hot and humid summers and even longer... freezing, cold winters at times. Heavily run by Democrats, it is traditionally conservative and sight of the female nipple is considered detrimental to health, Gangster Disciple and La Cosa Nostra in certain elements of its culture, the city also runs fast and "get the f-ck out of my " is the basic attitude of most the inhabitants, there's never enough time and a 1.2 second stare can get you punched in the face, in general people don't smile most either have a "poker face" or they "mean mug." I think consequently the cold weather and disposition of the people inclines the city to be less sensual in culture than Rio de Janeiro.

However, something In Rio (and other parts of Brazil for that matter) has to be done about the state of the favelas. Honestly, a certain aspect of the favelas have the potential to look very attractive, but it would take much renovation. Some American film director that filmed Denzel Washington in Mexico City playing bodyguard for a rich young girl, stated on the special features section of the DVD how beautiful Mexico city's favelas looked. He stated that you would think you were in Morocco. Pictures of Rio favelas strike me as having this potential if certain aspects of it are demolitioned and renovated. Better building codes must be enacted as well. It will take billions of dollars though but Rio will reap a positive reward.

One thing that really developed the United States was federal money being infused into the development of the country. In the early 1800's private industry basically developed the nation (as a result many aspects of the U.S. remained oustide this development). In the mid 20th century however it was federal money that did a massive development of the United States. For instance it was the Federal Highway Act that spent billions of dollars building the U.S. an interstate (before then much of the U.S. was dirt roads) and then the Hill-Burton Act took billions of U.S. federal dollars into building hospitals all across the country and renovating existing ones. Rio should reinvest in itself.

(good building codes force developers to infuse money into the residential or commercial structures they build - like the situation in Vancouver, Canada for instance.)

Oi A brazilian pena que não tenho o seu email e poderia fazer meus comentários no email ao invés daqui, isto que vou escrever não tem nada a ver com o artigo.

Gostei muito dos seus comentários pelo site. E esse seu Ótimo Regina. Agora retire-se fpi o melhor do meu dia. Tava ouvindo as notícias sobre os dep**ados e o aumento dos salários que eles se deram. Isso é péssimo, a vida tem coisas chatas, eu fico mesmo chateada. Com relação a aquele Bryan e um ou uma tal de bianca, naõ sei por que eles não vem como ele que começou a não me respeitar. Não posso eu fazer um comentário sobre o artigo dele? Mas ele vem com ignorancia pra cima de mim, o que é que eu não entendi? Até agora não sei por que ele acha que não entendi mas não concordo. O cara me acudando de não respeitar a cultura dele.... certo, como eles respeitam os brasileiros neste site,, Daí foi pernas para que te quero, quer dizer dedos para que te quero, tasquei-lhe uma muqueca direto no seu olho rs.

enfim, esse cara deve ser um dos mais hipócritas deste site, bom afirmar isso é mesmo difícil. Acho ótimo como esses caras estão me atacando. Claro, o que eu achava que iria acontecer não é? Bom acho que é isso. Se cuida, abraços.

Brasileiro eu estava mesmo chateada quando escrevi, por isso que saiu com tantos erros. Espero que consiga entender. Na verdade, meu comentário estava tomado por ironia, triteza e pelo agradecimento de como você foi legal e é legal e mais do que isso inteligente. Espero que veja que eu não comecei com esse Bryan. Ele não teve a presença de espírito ao lidar comigo, eu estava fula da vida com a ignorância que aparece aqui e ele me veio com arrogância. Estou querendo realizar algo sério, contribuir mesmo porque qualquer contribuição é valiosa. Não acho ótimo eles me atacando, o que eu desejava mesmo era desmarcar esse bolhas. Valeu, brasileiroo!

Myself also a Carioca, born and raised in Rio (Tijuca) moving to the USA back in 1973 by myslef. Being in the States ever since, I obtained my College degree(s) many moons ago and have worked as a professional spanning several years. I have many good American friends just like me, who one way or the other, not always agree with the American foreign policy nor the government.

My desire however is to retire in Brasil some day in the future, and live the rest of my days in some small town by the coast somewhere in Brasil. Frankly, the US has given me the opportunities but never a handout, and for that, I respect them.

One interesting fact before I moved to the US is that my last grilfriend in Brazil was a lady named Regina (with big blue eyes), and I wonder if you are that person. Some good lasting memories of long ago. Just curiosity!

Caro Ernest

Moro nesta cidade de concreto que é sp. Então você pode imaginar como gosto do rj, o Rio é uma cidade de praia e visual com asfalto. A cidade de São Paulo também tem a sua beleza natural. A mata atlântica dá os ares da sua presença quanto mais nos afastamos do velho centro. As árvores sozinhas dão um show de beleza, com suas copas enormes e verdes, árvores de várias cores dependendo da estação. Os pássaros também são abundantes e nos faz lembrar da natureza que está em volta na maioria das vezes. A beleza está aí para ser buscada. Acho o Rio lindo e a única coisa que posso desejar é que a beleza possa ser cada vez mais abundante nas nossas vidas. Obrigada pelo texto, ele realmente está muito gostoso de ler e me dá vontade de sair correndo garimpar as belezas da cidade fluminense. Parabéns!

P.S.: Quanto a violência, muito se falou sobre o filme Cidade de Deus. Penso que é preciso saber separar realidade e ficção. Não dizendo que não existe violência, mas que os filmes assim a mostram para provocar análise sobre os fenômenos. Sempre curti a cidade de São Paulo, mas ela é uma cidade grande que nos exige atenção.

Lets' talk about the article and leave the bla-bla-bla for the ildle, that, obviouly , do not have any other meanings for expressing themself.It is avery good, ,wll written, plesant review and serves its purpose:to. give the reader information on the book.
Congratulation E.Barteldes, do not bother with the illiterate .

Se você é brasileira eu aconselho a dar uma olhada nos demais artigos e veja as mensagens de ódio ali colocadas. Você concorda e incentiva o ódio? Caso negativo então há de concordar conosco em nosso protesto. Caso concorde em produzir e incentivar o ódio então o diabo que te carregue.

Thanks for the comments on my piece, I live in New York City and, like Sao Paulo (where I lived for a few years) it is a lot of concrete and asphalt (though browsing through the boroughs, you might be surprised...). I haven't been to Rio in almost 10 years, and reading AT HOME was a sight for sore eyes.

I plan to travel to Brazil in mid-2007; plan to make a short stop in Rio...

E

Sobre Cidade de Deus. O autor, em visita a NY, achou que o filme nao foi suficientemente violento; mas ele ressaltou que a população das favelas que tem uma vida dedicada ao crime é uma minoria; eu escrevi um artigo sobre a visita dele aqui, e foi dali que eu tirei a referencia...

Segue a materia na integra:

INTO THE BIG SCREEN
by Ernest Barteldes

A Conversation with Paulo Lins &
Antonio Skármeta
PEN World Voices
Two Boots Pioneer Theater
Sunday, April 30


Fernando Meireles' Oscar-nominated City of God was one of the most controversial Brazilian movies of recent years. The film showed a side of Brazil that usually is a far cry from the picture-perfect image that most Americans (and Europeans) have gotten used to over the years.

You get a glimpse of the beach a couple of times, but Ipanema and Copacabana are nowhere to be seen in here. Instead, what you see is a raw view of the real-life area of Rio that gave Paulo Lins' novel its name.

It was during an overcast Sunday afternoon that Paulo Lins (aided by an interpreter) sat down with Antonio Skarmeta (the author of Ardiente Paciencia, which was adapted to the screen as Il Postino a few years ago) to talk about how the written word is transposed to a screenplay.

The conversation began with the genesis of the novel. Paulo Lins explained that he set out to write a nonfiction novel with a "focus on gang violence" that he grew up around.

"The fact is", he explained, "that the great majority of those living in Cidade De Deus today are not involved in crime - there are about 200,000 residents there today, but only about 500 - who are heavily armed - are criminals."

He also stated that once youngsters are involved in this life, rehabilitation is more often not an option. "There are networks in that world," he explained, "and once you are arrested, you have a record that brands you for life - no one will give you a job if you've been in jail."

When asked about writing the novel, he said that the task was more difficult than he thought it would be.

"I thought it would be easy, as I knew all the characters, and had lived through most of it, but as I began writing, I realized that to live it was easier than to write about it."

"There was a moment in which a child gets killed that I just couldn't face", he said, "so I just skipped ahead and went back to it much later."

"Writing Cidade de Deus took a lot from me --- I lost my hair, and aged a lot while working on the novel -- I was a much more handsome man before I began working on it".

He also talked about how the book made its way to the screen - the script took five years to be made, because it was difficult to transpose the language of Rio's shantytowns to the adaptation. He explained that the final result was a compromise, and that today he sees the film as a "distant cousin" of his original work.

When discussing the making of the film, he said that because they chose to used mostly unprofessional actors to play most of the parts, much of the dialogue was unscripted.

"The director would tell them that they would rob a bank, and then he would roll the cameras while everyone improvised. There were no rehearsals, and many of the scenes were done in a single take."

The discussion was followed by a screening of City of God. Most of those present had already seen the film a number of times (myself included), and it was interesting to see it again after hearing the point of view of the novel's author, who jokingly expressed, at the end of the conversation, that the film was not "violent enough".

"The novel is a political statement, a denunciation of a reality that most don't want to address", he explained.

He also added that although there is a lot of violence in the slums due to drug trafficking, Brazil is pretty safe for tourists. "There aren't so many muggings or petty crimes around. You can come visit us and feel reasonably safe."

I am not Carioca but miss Rio big time, I miss its center, the beaches, the bitches , the food, the corcovado,friends,family etc...I lived in front of Bondinho at General Tiburcio square at Praia Vermelha and climbed Morro da Urca many times with friends. I do not want at this time live there but everytime I go I just enjoy it from the moment the plane reaches its air space.It is not perfect but come on which city is, I hope its still beautiful and elegant at least for 500 more years.

I'm English, I live in Rio. In any city if you go to the wrong neighbourhood you have the chance of being robbed or attacked. With the enormous division between rich and poor it always amazes me there is not more violence in Brazil. The real thieves in this country, unfortnately, are many of the politicians. Brasilian senators just raised their salaries by 90%. They will make more money per year than their counterparts in the USA and UK. The USA and UK are so called 1st world countries. We don't have the type of poverty that exists in Brazil. This leaves me absolutely dumbstruck.

Not only can I not understand how these politicians can justify such personal income, how can the Brazilian population just casually stand by and let this happen? This is an absolute disgrace. Mobilize your friends, relatives, colleagues and every citizen of this country and get out into the streets and protest. With violence if necessary. Tear this government down. Make your voice heard, and for God's sake give this country a wake-up call. There is so much potential in Brazil and it is up to each and everyone of you as citizens to make that potential a reality. That is your (and my) money. This is your government. They have a responsibility to spend that money correctly and fairly and administer this country in a manner that will provide growth and opportunity for every poor f**ker that lives in the favelas, and for you.

Get out, get angry, and force a movement in the right direction.


JB

My comment was not meant to denigrate or disrespect so I hope you did not take it that way. I just felt your article is a little soft on some realities people face in Rio. It has many positive sides. I tried to say that as well. But safety can be a real issue and must be kept in mind.

He also added that although there is a lot of violence in the slums due to drug trafficking, Brazil is pretty safe for tourists. "There aren't so many muggings or petty crimes around. You can come visit us and feel reasonably safe." --- I think for a Brazilian to say this is natural because of the pride in their beautiful city, but I was mugged as was my fiancee, who is Brazilian and when we were at the police station there were 10 others who had been mugged from various countries. So I consider Rio dangerous compared to cities like Los Angeles, where I lived 10 years with no problems, or New York which I frequently visit with no problems. But this is as much for tourists as anyone. As tourists are targeted. So I think it is fair for people to question the way that your article and comments like this tend to blow of the dangers people can face there. I also know Brazilians who tell me they would never go to Rio because it is too dangerous. I know other Brazilians who adore it despite the dangers. It is a mixed bag. But at the same time, you have to be aware, careful, and willing to risk it.

You write: I'm English, I live in Rio. In any city if you go to the wrong neighbourhood you have the chance of being robbed or attacked. OK, SO COPA BEACH IS THE WRONG NEIGHBORHOOD I Guess.

Copa is an obvious target. It's where most of the tourists stay. If you were a penniless sod without hope where would be your easiest target? Like I said, considering the circumstances of so many poor people with so little opportunity it amazes me there isn't more violence. The south zone is generally safe. Brazilians in general are not a violent race. Statistics obviously paint a different picture. But those statistics are taken from most of the areas that tourists never visit. The circumstances leading to violence are related to lack of opportunity. Lack of opportunity is linked directly to the beurocracy and inefficiency of implementing jobs and training for Brazil's expanding population. People say Brazil is a poor country. It's not. If the enormous wealth this country has were distributed fairly so much of the misery and resulting issues like crime would diminish. It's an obvious solution. Humans being humans they can never implement the obvious.

Ernest, thank you for the thoughtful review. I never would have known about this book if it weren't for you, and it prompted me to order the book from Amazon (where it's sold for just over $30). It is absolutely beautiful! Being a New Yorker, too, and only able to visit Brazil once a year, it will help "matar a saudade."

My son and his friend were mugged a few days ago going by bus from Recife to el Salvador. From what my son said these muggings are frequent. Sad to say I have my doubts as to Brazil future as a tourist destination.