再びダウンタウン・リオへ。

 

ハリーポッターの魔法学校のような王立ポルトガル図書館、１８５４年に建てられた国内初の公式モニュメントMonumento a Pedro、そしてブラジル文化の代表の一つとも言える刺しゅうの展覧会等を訪れました。

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

ダイナミックで豪快かと思いきや、繊細な文化も持ち合わせているブラジル。前回駐在も含めると５年目になりましたが、本当にまだまだ驚かされることばかりです。でも、歴史的な建造物等の状態は悪く、国もきちんと保存していこうというマインドはなし。お金はあるところにはあるのだからと思うと、とても残念です。

 

Downtown Centro is a place where you can feel the city's unique and passionate pulse. It's not necessarily a clean and safe neighborhood, but a place where a number of attractions, very different from what you expect of Rio, line the streets. 

 

The highlight of my second tour in Central was the Royal Portuguese Reading Room which makes you feel you are taking part of the shooting of Harry Potter's latest episode. The beautiful library is filled to the ceiling with wood-carved bookshelved containing incredible wealth of information about Portugal and its culture.

 

Fell in love with the elegance and intricacy of embroidery, an unknown delicate aspect of Brazil, and of course, never forget the statue of D. Pedro, the first officially constructed monument in the country.

 

This is my fifth year in Brazil, but it just never stops amazing me. That's why it's so sad to see the decaying classical and beautiful hisotrical buildings. They really are not getting the attention they need while not much goverment funds are spent to preserve these cultural assets either. When you think about it, too little have to much in this country, and there defintely is way to preserve and restore.

ダウンタウン・リオ（通称セントロ）にはサッカーやサンバ、ビーチだけではないブラジルの奥深い魅力がいっぱい。

約５００年前にリオが発見され、そこからポルトガル王室の拠点として政治、経済、流通の中心地として発展した街並みがそのまま残されています。

ポジティブとネガティブという両極端を抱えながら、ダイナミックに成長を続けるブラジルの姿がここにはあります。

When you visit downtown Rio, or also known as Centro, you realize that the beaches, soccer and samba are not the only things that represent Brazil.

Centro is filled with historical sites that will show you how the city bloomed after it was descovered in the 1500s with the bay area becoming the center of politics, finance, trade and culture along with the relocation of the Portuguese royal family.

Even today, you can still feel that vigor specific to Centro which has shaped this booming country of either positives or negatives, the two extremes. 

イパネマ海岸を友人たちと早朝ウォーキング。少し曇っていたけど、春らしさも感じられるようになってきた。

楽しくしゃべっていたらブラジル人友人が突然、会話をポル語に切り替えた。見るとちょっと怖そうな雰囲気の男性二人がこちらに向かって歩いてくる。彼らが通り過ぎるまで、皆でポル語をしゃべり続けた。リオはリゾート感たっぷりでおしゃれだけど、やはりここはブラジル、治安面では決して油断してはいけない。何も分かっていない外国人と思われるのが一番狙われる。さすが地元だけあって、ブラジル人友人の防衛本能がとっさに働いた。

１時間半ほど歩いて解散。リオに来て２か月、何かとバタバタはしていたけど、運動は全然していなかったので良い汗かけました。

それにしてもリオって自分の出身地に似ている。観光客でにぎわう海と白い砂浜、そしてゆる～い雰囲気。トータル１０年ちょっとしかいなかったけどやはり一番落ち着く場所だから、リオにも特別なご縁を感じてしまいます。

Took a long morning walk on the Ipanema beach with friends.

The city is warm throughout the year so I guess we don't really have distinct four seasons here, but you could somewhat feel spring in the air.

Chatting along the way, my Brazilian friend suddenly switched to Portuguese. There were two men coming this way, looking a bit dangerous, if that is the way you can put it. Although Rio is a beautiful city with its beaches and a relaxed autmosphere, there are still safety issues. Never ever present yourself as a foreigner who knows totally nothing, that will quickly catch attention. We continued to talk in Portuguese until the men passed us and were far behind. Thanks to my Brazilian friend's alertness and quick thinking!

Other than that little incident, the hour and a half walk was great after no excercise for me these past two months trying to get life started here.

I've come to realize, by the way, why I'm so attracted to this city. Rio is similar to my hometown in Japan which also has beautiful beaches and a friendly autmosphere. Although I was there for only a bit over ten years, it's still my home sweet home even after three countries and 12 cities.