Thousands of gays and lesbians live in Rio de Janeiro, a city of more than
10 million residents, and one of the most celebrated gay vacation
destinations in the world. Huge numbers turn out for Gay Pride in early
July, and the city's festive Carnival celebration (held the week of
February 17 in 2007) also sees plenty of "family" pour into the city.
But Rio is a fascinating, exciting place to visit year-round, possessing
a splendid natural setting, a tropical climate (with highs in the
mid-80s in summer and mid-70s in winter), and an extremely welcoming
personality.
Rio hugs the Atlantic Ocean, its neighborhoods strung between white-sand
coves and rocky mountain peaks, the two most visited being Corcovado,
topped with its Art Deco-style statue of Christ, and Sugarloaf. You're
rarely far from a sugary beach abuzz with vendors hawking fresh coconut
juice and tropical cocktails. The city's most established neighborhoods
are characterized by attractive, colonial-style architecture, but much
of Rio is dominated by modern skyscrapers. One negative aspect of Rio is
its reputation for crime, but the city has greatly stepped up efforts to
make the touristy areas safe. Crime is still an issue here, but it's not
generally any worse than in most other major international metropolises.
Americans have been visiting Rio in great numbers in recent years, in
part because it's one of the few major cities in the world where the
U.S. dollar enjoys a highly favorable exchange rate. Hotels,
restaurants, bars, taxis, and shops in Rio are a comparative bargain for
Americans, who can often save enough to offset the steep price of
airfare to Brazil (this typically costs from $1,000 to $1,500
round-trip). An appealing trait of Cariocas (as residents of Rio de
Janeiro are known) is that they tend to be extremely friendly, keen on
having fun (whether it be dancing, eating, or beachcombing), and devoted
to style. A potential challenge, however, is the language - relatively
few Cariocas speak fluent English. You're more likely to encounter
English-speaking locals in the more touristy areas, but it's definitely
a good idea to pick up a Brazilian Portuguese phrase book and learn a
few basics.
Although Rio is something of a gay mecca, the scene itself is a bit
diffuse. The Ipanema and Copacabana neighborhoods have the majority of
the city's gay-popular businesses, and there's one particular two-block
area in Ipanema where you can detect a visible queer presence, but
overall, this is not a city of gay ghettos and streets lined with
rainbow flags. There are only a handful of gay bars and clubs, and the
community here blends more or less imperceptibly with the rest of Rio.
This is a city that's highly tolerant of homosexuality, especially
compared with other major Latin cities, but gays here still tend to
conduct themselves with an air of discretion. Continue to page
2>>>
The Hunk
