Come Walk With Me...

One of the things that I like best about Rio so far is the beach culture. Now, hailing from Florida myself, I am not easily won over on just any beach, or little strips of sand pretending to be beaches (*cough, Chicago). But Copcacabana beach has a vibe that is truly unique, chaotic and social, commerical and physical. But above all, it’s fun...

One of the first things you notice about Copacabana beach is the immense, patterned sidewalk that stretches the whole length of the sand. The black and white pattern itself is very iconic of Copa, having been created by renowned Brazilian architect Burle Marx, and can be found on numerous tourist items. This sidewalk is constantly filled with people, whether they’re walking their dogs, hawking some kind of beach food, or just taking an evening stroll by the beach.

Every 50 feet or so, you’ll also run into one of these things. Beach kiosks, as omnipresent as the sand, but oh so much more enjoyable. Offering everything from caipirinhas to ice cream, they’re constantly packed with people who just like to sit and watch the beach action. My favorite thing that they serve are chilled coconuts, which the vendors cut into with giant machetes and then stick a straw into it. Mmmm, fresh coconut water!

Some enterprising beach bums earn a living with building these fabulous sand castles along the beach. They range from the fantastical, to the slightly risque, but all are wonderfully and artistically done. Watching them work on these sand artworks is an exercise in futility: you still don’t understand how they possibly have the patience to do that kind of work.

And finally, you eventually can’t help but notice all the interesting sports that people play on the beach. Everyone from small little kids learning beach soccer to old men playing paddle ball. And trust me it’s all a lot harder then it looks (how fast can you run in the sand?) But by far my favorite new sport is one called “futevolei”. Yes, that’s right, volleyball played without the hands. Don’t believe me? Check out this video we managed to snag below. And a word to my family: you better start practicing now, because this is what we’re going to play the next time we’re around for the 4th of July.