Recent Posts
In September 2005, when Rio’s twelve Special Samba Schools moved into Cidade do Samba, the spectacular new complex of workshops down in the Gamboa dockland district, it was the realization of a long-held dream. But it was also a further affirmation of the place of the Samba as the country’s national dance and of Carnaval as Rio’s premier event. It was one more step in Rio’s, if not Brazil’s, historical journey.
Cidade do Samba
The Sambadrome, which opened in 1984, had given the Samba and Carnaval their own special stage. But for over half a century, the Samba Schools had dreamed of a dedicated site where they could put it all together - the fantastical floats, the costumes, the headdresses, the sculptures, the masks - the whole extravaganza!
Until mid last century, a single float, decorated in a local yard, led each school’s parade. But as more floats were added and as they evolved into complex stage sets, larger spaces were needed. Makeshift community workshops were set up in huge barracoes or sheds. In time these proved not only inadequate but inconveniently located. A much larger, centrally placed, common area was needed. In the 1970s the Mayor turned over the half-ruined Sao Cristovao Pavilion to the Samba Schools but fire broke out in the ramshackle building and in the 80s the workshops moved again, to the abandoned warehouses near the Docklands. They were closer to the Sambadrome, but as Carnaval developed into a giant extravaganza worthy of the new venue, it outgrew the dockland workshops.
Finally, in 1999, the Mayor, Cesar Maia, agreed to build Cidade do Samba or Samba City, a complex of permanent Carnaval workshops on the disused rail yards near the docks in the Gamboa District. It was a significant site. Gamboa lies at the centre of the famed “cradle of Samba” between Santo Cristo and Saude, where in the 18th century, the slave markets flourished, where the first Sambas were danced to the beat of African drums, where they evolved and blossomed into the great Brazilian boogie of today and where some of Carnaval’s greatest stars and sambistas made their homes.
Work began on Cidade do Samba in August 2003. Designed by architects Joao Uchoa and Victor Vandelay, it is modeled on the old Gamboa warehouses which surround it. It is built around a central plaza and consists of 14 workshops providing all the technical and technological support needed to realize the Carnaval parade - 12 metre high ground floor float assembly areas, top floor costume, millinery and props workshops, sculpture and modeling studios, along with bathrooms, kitchens, canteens and offices.
Samba City’s 19000 square metre complex welcomes thousands of visitors each year. Not only can they tour the workshops and see the Carnaval floats and costumes in progress but they can also see snippets of parades past and future, in Samba City’s shows and exhibitions. There are Snack Bars and restrooms. Boutiques sell Carnaval paraphernalia and souvenirs.
True to the spirit which gave birth to the Samba Schools and which governs them still, a large section of Samba City houses a sports complex, with facilities for underprivileged communities.
It sometimes happens in restaurants, that the choicest cuisine is completely undone by poor service, unpleasant surroundings, or a dull atmosphere. But sometimes too, the fare is completely outdone by exceptional service, fascinating surroundings or a fabulous atmosphere. And so it happened, that in two quite different Rio restaurants, the most succulent churrasco and the ultimate caipirinha were almost totally eclipsed by the service, the décor and the ambiance.
Zozo
The front windows and veranda of Zozô look out across a busy square at Praia Vermelha into the majestic profile of Pao d’Acucar. On one side is the Naval Academy and on the other the cable car station. The restaurant’s back windows and roof stare straight into a massive rock of the same rounded shape, without foothold, as Uluru and of the same grainy, grey hue as Pao d’Acucar. From the floor a tree spreads giant limbs out and up, through the roof. It pushes against the rock and throws constantly shifting shadows on the floor. Torn between the amazing setting and the stunning view, it’s difficult to give due attention to the impeccable dishes of churrasco that appear on the table and to the team of Latin Lotharios in suits who deliver them. But it’s worth wresting the eyes away from the cinema outside the front window, the waiters, the tree and the overhanging rock to browse at the buffet which offers everything from sushi to acai na tigela. It’s worthwhile, too taking a stroll past the great tree to see the row of recessed “altars” with their statues of the Holy Family and the saints all dressed in luxurious cloth and surrounded by candles and offerings.
Barra Beach
On the other side of town, Bangolo looks out over the palms, the broad white sands and rolling surf of Barra Beach. It sits at that end of Barra where new luxury hotels and opulent high-rise give way to smaller, older and shabbier buildings. On one side is the local square where the buses from Rio Centro pull in and out, where idle taxis wait, where, in the evening, bands of deadly earnest boys kick a football across a dusty pitch and dream of the Maracana and where, when night falls, shadowy girls sit on the roadside and hope for their time in the purple neon light of the nearby Papillon Motel.
Bangolo is a neighbourhood restaurant, frequented by convivial regulars. Groups merge, blend and expand. The owner, an hospitable, gregarious New Yorker named Mark can’t do enough for his guests. This is no doubt why his team of affable waiters spend a great deal of their night extending the tables and chairs of Bangolo beyond its borders and into the gallery of graffitti masterpieces that cover the once-grand building next door. On certain nights a band, with the look and sound of 70s and 80s USA, plays old rock covers and on certain other nights, Mark’s Brazilian wife sings everyone’s favourites. With the band, Mark’s wife, Mark’s chat, the convivial neighbours, the waiters and their furniture removals, the theatre on the street and the starlit sea, it’s easy to overlook the brilliant baked octopus and the simply sensational caipirinhas.
While feijoada is Brazil’s national dish, the caipirinha is its national drink. The two make great companions. The cold, tart, light cocktail is a fabulous foil to the rich, hot, salty feijoada. However the caipirinha also goes brilliantly with churrasco, with the little crisp fried fish served in the beachside kiosks or with the simple spiced nuts peddled by the kids from the favelas. As a stand alone it’s sensational. At home, in the restaurant, in the bar or on the beach, it never fails to “create a sensual and relaxed atmosphere” according to Ernesto Britto of Clube da Caipirinha.
This little beachside bar, opposite the Sheraton at Barra Beach makes a delicious Caipirinha
The name caipirinha comes from “caipira” which means, in English “hillbilly”. It is difficult to reconcile the notion of the rough bumpkin with the classy cocktail which is prepared with minute attention to detail and served with such dash and panache in bars all over Brazil. But, like the hooch and moonshine of the USA, the cachaca (fermented and distilled sugar cane juice) which forms the alcoholic base of a caipirinha, probably has its roots in hillbilly country.
The other Caipirinha components are limes, sugar and ice. Each drink is individually and painstakingly prepared. It’s a long wait for a round, but it’s definitely worth it. Sipped through a straw, it’s a long-lasting drink, with a long-lasting effect too!
Although it is an old Brazilian drink, until quite recently it was almost unknown else where. Now one of the world’s most popular cocktails it has been designated as one of the official cocktails of the International Bartenders’ Association.
Where cachaca is unobtainable, enterprising bartenders have come up with some passable variations, like the Caipivodka and the Caipiroska made form vodka, the Caipirissma, made from rum and the Caipirao made from Portuguese licor beirao.
Local Brazilain variations, known as batida, exist too, like the Caipifruta. Still with its cachaca base, the Caipifruta adds condensed milk and crushed fruits like tangerine, lime kiwi fruit, passion fruit, pineapple, lemon, grapes, caja and caju.
Nothing, however, compares to the classic lime, sugar, cachaca and ice Caipirinha!
I sampled quite a few Caipirinhas at quite a few different Rio establishments, from Garota di Ipanema to the tent on the sand at Barra Beach, but the best, in my opinion were those served up in the Barra beachside kiosks. Best of all were those muddled to perfection in the bar opposite the Sheraton and Luana's little gems from the next one down, heading south.
For more about Caipirinha and to order a Caipirinha T-shirt, apron or glass printed with the classic, authentic Caipirinha recipe plus a free Caipirinha “muddler” visit www.caipirinha.com.br
September 30th 2009 02:50
" New Zealand is made up of two main islands and numerous smaller islands, most notably Stewart Island/Rakiura and the Chatham Islands. Not to forget Great Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf near Auckland. The Auckland city is located on the North Island and the main city in the South Island is Christchurch. Both Islands have lots of vast open spaces and mountainous terrain.
A wild west coast Auckland Beach
[ Click here to read more ]
September 28th 2009 06:57
New Zealand is famous as a country that offers everything; stunning beaches, magnificent mountains, pristine lakes, wild rivers, lush bush, rich farmland, 21st century cities, quaint country towns, pure fresh food, luxury hotels, sumptuous spas and gourmet restaurants. But it is the Maori culture that sets it apart from any other place on earth and makes it truly unique. TIME Unlimited’s Maori Culture Tours are a chance not just to see, but to live that culture.
The Hongi
[ Click here to read more ]
September 27th 2009 07:46
Auckland is New Zealand’s biggest city and the largest Polynesian city in the world. Crowned with the bush-clad peaks of ancient volcanoes and wrapped around the Waitemata Harbour, where flotillas of yachts blow across the sparkling blue waters, it has been dubbed the Queen city and the city of sails. Yet Auckland is often underestimated and sometimes completely overlooked as a tourist destination. For many it’s a corridor, a springboard to attractions further north or further south. For those who do linger, it often means little more than a cursory look around the Queen Street shops, a quick bite down at the waterfront café and restaurant precinct and a lightning trip around the harbour and across the bridge.
Auckland (Photo TIME Unlimited") wrap="0
[ Click here to read more ]
September 25th 2009 04:27
Manaakitanga, in Maori, means hospitality. However, hospitality in Maori culture has layers of meaning. It’s not just a question of rolling out the red carpet, giving up the best beds, killing the fatted calf and providing the guests with lively entertainment, it’s doing all that with warmth, kindness, generosity and a friendly, welcoming, inclusive spirit. Manaakitanga is a cornerstone of Maoritanga, but the entire country enjoys a reputation as one of the world's most hospitable.
Kia Ora Cuisine (Photo TIME Unlimited)
[ Click here to read more ]
September 23rd 2009 04:25
No New Zealand adventure is complete without a little fishing. After all we are a country blessed with beautiful and accessible fishing grounds, from crystal clear lakes and meandering rivers to the wild beaches of the Tasman sea and the tranquil bays of the Pacific Ocean. TIME Unlimited has a fishing tour to suit every place, every taste and every range of experience.
Catch of the day (Photo TIME Unlimited)
[ Click here to read more ]
September 21st 2009 05:10
New Zealand Travel Company TIME Unlimited is a small fish and a relatively young fish too, but with a fresh, innovative approach and a range of unique experiences to share, it is making quite a splash in the big pond of world tourism. It has hit the TV screens of the UK (BBC’s Extreme Fishing with Robson Green) and Germany (“Am anderen Ende der Welt. Neuseeland, Heimat der Kiwis” - On the other side of the world, New Zealand, home of the Kiwis) as well as the pages of the UK’s Daily Mail, Blinker (Europe’s biggest fishing publication) and Russia’s leading fishing magazine. And of course, they're talking and writing about it back home, down under, too - on New Zealand Maori Television, in the New Zealand Herald, the Herald on Sunday, Kia Ora (Air New Zealand Inflight Magazine), The National Business Review and NZ Fishing News. So who and what exactly is TIME Unlimited?
Auckland's West Coast Beaches (Photo Time Unlimited)
[ Click here to read more ]
|
|
|
Add Comments
Comments (5)
Read More
Comment by Patricia
on My darling Stella is gone
Travel Stripe