The bonde (tram) of Santa Teresa
Rio de Janeiro… the “marvelous city,” home to the 2016 Summer Olympics, tropical landscapes among urban jungles and fabulous beaches like Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Barra, with luxury hotels and flats… blah blah blah…
ok, true, there is all of the aforementioned… and yes the luxury and beaches of the marvelous city can’t be discounted (I am on those very beaches whenever I have some free time), but behind this beautiful initial image is a spectacularly charming neighbourhood of artists, intellectuals, musicians and backpackers.
Largo dos Guimaraes
Santa Teresa, or “Santa” as it is affectionately called by Cariocas (Rio residents), is an old 19th century neighbourhood on a large hill and is surounded by many of the neighbourhoods of “zona sul” or the sothern sector. Originally an upper class area, it fell into disrepair in the 20th Century and now is more of a mix of lower middle class and middle class punctuated with a few mansions and some luxury hotels. The charm here is incredible. The neighbourhood is famous for its bondes (or trams), painted yellow, moving along through the narrow streets. These are the only bondes left in Rio, where they used to be plentiful. They connect Santa Teresa to the center of the city over the Arcos da Lapa, or the Arches of Lapa, an old aqueduct now used only for the trams. The bonde costs only 60 cents and if you hang off the side, you don’t need to pay. Santa is also increasingly know for its fine cuisine around the Largo dos Guimaraes or the Guimaraes square (actually a bit triangular), where some famous culinary cants include: Bar do Mineiro and Jasmin Manga. Among the other cool local cool joints: there is an alternative revue cinema, a bunch of artist workshops, some streets that connect directly to the Tijuca Forest (world’s largest urban forest) and the many 19th Century churches. The winding streets are the perfect stage for the carnival blocos of old that have newly infected the Carioca carnival.
The decor of Bar do Mineiro
the view from Santa Teresa
Among the many artists, both native and foreign, who make up the Santa Teresa community is a Chilean known as Jorge Selarón. He is a painter and a sculptor. In a wacky and ambitious project he has covered a staircase spanning several blocks from the height of Santa Teresa to the bottom in Lapa with tiles from around the world. In the process he has created original works and included pieces of art that fans from around the world send to him. The staircase, that manages to maintain a an overall aesthetic of red and white despite its eclectic collection of art and recycled materials, has become a tourist attraction.
the stairwell going up to Santa Teresa, by artist Jorge Selarón
Santa Teresa, one of the many wonders in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Please stop me people, I think I’m falling in love with Rio de Janeiro.
Alex Bordokas
