Favela Chic...

Let’s start by rewinding 12 hours... Kate and I sat in the lounge of the hostel about to book a tour for the morning to one of the Favelas of Rio and a short trip into the Jungle, speaking to one of the guys – Jason – from last night and signing him up to come along with us in the morning, when the girl from last night – Suzie – piped up that she was going to book it as well; Bring on the trumpets!!!

Santa Marta Favela; ‘reasonably safe’ – according to the guide – is the latest of the Favelas to become ‘Pacified’; meaning that the Policia now control the Favela instead of the drug dealers and gang leaders.  The four of us arrived at the base of the Favela and was taken to the top by a rickety ‘new’ train system that has been built by the council in a bid to help the people within the community from having to walk 45minutes + to get to the top.

It may be a good time now to tell you that the main reason that the Favelas are becoming pacified is due to the forthcoming World Cup within Brazil and the Olympic games within Rio; in an attempt to depict the city as a wealthy, community based place.

So... at the top of the Favela there is a small church, a small astro-turfed football and a large Police station.  Oh, and the most amazing views of the city possible apart from Cristo and Sugar Loaf.  At the top is also the poorest part of the Favela.  Families move from poorer parts of Brazil to live within the Favela to obtain a job within the city and to attempt to progress and save enough money to move onwards.  The Favelas are always expanding where families are bringing in relatives from their local town.  The initial house will be made out of wood and as money is saved, the house will b re-built from bricks.  Once there is enough money saved, a relative will join the community and will take over that house and the residents will expand and build a newer, bigger house on top of the old.

The spirit within the Favela was very positive and all of the people that we met were very friendly and welcoming.  The influence of the Police within the Favela we were told was met with mixed views from the residents.  They like the structure, the presence and the security; however, with the drug dealers and gangs running the areas they almost felt safer and there was a greater sense of community.  Pre-police, the gangs/dealers didn’t want any trouble within the Favela which would draw attention to themselves; therefore there were no robberies, muggings, violence etc... and the dealers also kept the residents sweet by paying for medicine etc... to stop them telling the police what was really happening.

Walking through the Favela was very morbid at points.  Open sewers are throughout and the conditions within the houses look very bleak.  The area was however heavily promoted several years ago by Michael Jackson who filmed the video for ‘They don’t care about us’ within the Favela and there is now a large monument and statue dedicated to him.

Following on from the Favela tour was a very very brief trip to the Tijuca national park Rainforest.   We drove to a viewpoint high over the Jungle and the city to take in the views, shortly followed by a trip to a small waterfall; that happened to be full of Brazilians who looked as if they were having a bath...

Happy days!!

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