Comunidades as they now call them
Favelas (or "comunidades" as they now call them) are a difficult subject, I admit it. Rio has more than 750. And it should be one the objectives of the new Rio: To make the lives of these people more livable with better services.
But these people are real. Just like you or me. They laugh, they cry, they struggle, they are born and they die. Most of them didn't choose to live there. But nobody choses their place of birth (do they?).
Here's a short documentary (10 minutes in Spanish and Portuguese) that shows the two sides of the city: From the Pastana Rio Hotel to one of the "comunidades" or favelas. It's worth watching (specially the second part), even if it's just to practice your Portuguese (don't say Porto, please). Life inside the favela is real. Real people. Real life.
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jFUuvfZ75o4[/url]
Another comment: Last time I was in Rio (a few months ago) I had a series of work meetings at Botafogo, close to the "comunidade" of Dona Marta. The funny thing is that there's a public wi-fi in Dona Marta, paid by the community. And it's so strong and so good that most of the neighbours pick up the signal.
We had a local wi-fi at the meetings but I ended picking up Dona Marta's signal because it was so much stronger. So who's robbing who?
Here's the scond part of the same documentary covering Carnaval.
For whoever is interested. Here's the scond part of the same documentary covering Carnaval.
Carnaval, for example, is something that wouldn't be posible without people from the favelas.
They're the ones that create the costumes and most of the "escolas de samba" are associated to them.
[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adqyONH8I-g[/url]