Crap Elvis - The Redeemer
So it was a photo that had to happen. And barring a few healthy discussions (and threats to forever burn in hell etc) here I am at Christ the Redeemer in Rio De Janeiro. Recently voted one of the world's new 7 wonders, closely behind "cheese on a stick" and the popularity of David Hasselhoff (OK, I may have guessed those last two), it really is an amazing sight from all around the city. At night I like to think that rocket burners light up underneath, and he takes off and flies around the city...but nobody in Rio could confirm this.
Here I am in Lapa, Rio De Janeiro with an artist called Selaron (or maybe a moustache called Selaron with a man attached) who is devoting his life to making these stairs a living work of art. He tiled them all, but continuously adds more tiles either with his own artwork on or sent in from all over the world. Every bit of art he now produces, whether for the stairs or not, features a pregnant woman due to something that happened in his past. So far that is over 30000 paintings. He could have quite a long chat to Dr Phil. He says "THIS CRAZY AND UNIQUE DREAM WILL ONLY END ON THE DAY OF MY DEATH'."
I also confirmed with him that he's not rushing it, and he's just taking it one step at a time. Sorry.
(find out more on Selaron and send him a tile from your country - info here www.selaron.net )
A fine debut performance in goal at Copacabana Beach
A Rio night boatcruise - it's all very funny until someone loses a Crap Elvis overboard and a 7 year old drives the boat.
Rio was a great stop, and also included a couple of trips where I heeded the advice to not unleash Crap Elvis. This included an amazing game of football at Maracana Stadium with 90000 fans between Flamengo and Botafogo. Both big Brazilian teams and both from Rio, it was the final of a local competition with Flamengo winning and becoming "Bi-campeon" as they also won last year. I was told that if I went in costume someone may decide i'm wearing the wrong colours and pin me down and shove a firework up my bottom. Wasn't overly keen on that (not on a sunday afternoon anyway). It was everything I'd imagined though - drums, chanting, flares being let off, huge insults, lots of stuff being thrown everywhere...and that was just on the bus getting there.
Also did a tour of Latin America's biggest Favela, Rocinha. Favelas are the slum areas which are usually controlled by drug gangs. This one is home to 200000 people, and only on very rare occasions will the police enter them, and then only heavily armed. My first interaction with anyone there was someone shouting out "Hey gringo motherfucker!", but I was assured that it was just friendly banter. However when your guide tells you "no photos" at a certain point, and then you turn a corner and see a kid with a walkie talkie and a huge gun (looking out for police), you realise the non-suit-wearing advice was right. An amazing tour, where despite the obvious poverty, you meet some really happy fun people who enjoy meeting you, and also the tour donates money to various projects within the favela. If you're ever in Rio, contact Marcelo at www.bealocal.com
At Rocinha Favela - why pay for electricity when you can steal it as easy as this
Rio - yes it is quite nice isn't it?!
Crap Elvis in Brazil video:
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