Rio strikes back
I feel like I’ve been mildly unfaithful recently. I’ve been off having flings with other cities and neglecting my beloved Rio. First I was seduced by Lima with its exciting food and reasonable prices. Then Melbourne caught my eye with its fancy restaurants and excellent transport system.
My first week back in Rio wasn’t easy. The people who told me that jet-lag is worse when you travel from west to east were so right. More than a week after arriving back, I am still waking up at 5:30am each morning and falling asleep at 9pm. On top of that there has been the usual trauma of returning to full-time work after 2 weeks of lounging, snoozing and other forms of general relaxation.
So, have my dalliances with other cities made me think twice about whether Rio is the one for me?
No way! Sure, spending time in cities with reasonable prices and efficient transport systems makes me wish Rio would raise its game, but while Rio may not be the most perfectly functioning metropolis, she has still got it going on:
This was 5:15 Sunday morning. Jet-lag has some fringe benefits…
Of course Rio is more than just pretty views – it is full of rich culture and tradition. Cariocas are warm, creative and know how to have fun (last time I checked that wasn’t a crime). As I said in a recent discussion in the comments section, for all its faults, I would be proud to come from Rio.
I’ll leave you with a quick video clip of that lovely sunrise. The noise in the background (as well as the birdsong) is the sound of a club that stopped playing music around 8am. Like I said, Cariocas know how to have fun and it’s good to be back!
Man, you try hard! Congratulations! Warmest.
As the song goes, “You’ve got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmative, don’t mess with Mr Inbetween!” :D
“Return of the Rio Jedi” would have bee worse ;)
Who is this song by? These are wise words indeed and well worth remembering. I´d need to hear it for it to stick on the Dukebox playing in my head.
Hee hee! :)
Here is Bing singin it – enjoy!
http://youtu.be/-cgVRwITAfY
It’s just an unbelievable place, in all senses of the word. ;)
Totally! It can be frustrating/infuriating at times, but I can’t help but love it!
Going away always leaves us wishing the place we lived had some qualities of the places we have just visited. But, when we live in a place we truly love I always find that the things we love about where we live are reaffirmed when we are away. An advantage to jet-lag are those beautiful sunrises (or, if you start work as early as I do you HAVE to be up at the time the sunrises)!
Ah, so true Saskia! And if coming home makes you genuinely miserable then it’s time to move! ;)
I have a friend and he was also seduced by Lima’s reasonable prices. Then he got the clap. Anyway just wanted to share.
Your ‘friend’ right Gritty? ;)
Yes, İ really am talking about a friend. Your making me look bad Tom (and İ’ve tons of fans, especially here in the blog, that turn to me for moral guidance). Do not tarnish the grit.
Cheers Tom. I’ll stick to the words without the song as listening to Bing Crosby totally put me off my breakie this morning. ;)
What?! Not a fan of the Bing? Next you’ll be telling me you don’t LOVE High Society… (don’t!) ;)