Journey to the sip of the devil

From the window of the room on the twentieth floor of the hotel "Meriden" Well admire the most famous beach of the world below. This is Copacabana, a business card of the Brazilian capital.

Morning. The sun was still quite recently rose from the emerald water of the Atlantic Ocean, and a wide sand strip, smooth bend running away, deserted.

With difficulty believes that behind the back – a multi-million city. This is reminded only by the Atlantic cars that appeared on Avenide cars Yes Physical Administration. On the edge of the beach, next to the roadway, bicycle and treadmills are laid for them. And many Cariocas – Residents of Rio de Janeiro appear here before work to ride a bike, work jogging or fast walking. Age – from sixteen to seventy. Skin color – from white to black. Clothes – from easy to very light. Attractiveness – from normal to "O, god!"

With the beginning of the working day, the number of physical education systems does not decrease, but increases. They are added to those who come to the beach to sunbathe, reinforce along the surf barbell or play volleyball.

Beach volleyball here very popular. Returning to the hotel late in the evening, when it is completely dark, I discovered that matches continue. To the left of the road rose modern residential buildings, scattered by trees decorated with thousands of small light bulbs. Right rolled with a measuring buzz of waves, crowned with white ridges, and on the night lane between the city and the ocean, people played volleyball. And all this happened on the eve of Christmas.

Two days before that, in the student Sheremetyev, our huge IL-96 with some spider-manipulator was poured by an anti-icer. We are not ignited. Moreover, in nineteen hours of flight we fed three times with hot meals and once breakfast. And for those who wanted in a fair amount, an internal use anti-icer was served. Especially in business class. It seems that Aeroflot began to love his passengers.

By the way, about drinks. In Brazil, in principle there are all. A country that has created a nuclear submarine and selling his coffee all over the world, of course, imports Scotch whiskey and French brandy. However, the prices of these goods will not call low. So the Brazilians themselves, arriving in Rio from abroad, buy alcohol at the airport – in Duty Free it is cheaper than in the city.

Above all the local cocktails with sugar and lemon: "Kapinina" – based on moonshine, and "Kapiroska" – On vodka.

Very thoroughly and local beer. We especially appreciated it in the same Pite and dance institution under the hippodrome. Closer to night there is a local golden youth to have fun until the morning. All of the middle of the Big Hall is a dance platform around which tables are standing. There are tables and on the upper gallery – for those who want more privacy. This place was the only one in Brazil, where we were not allowed to use video cameras. It seems that not all dance lovers come there with their wives, and not everyone, accordingly, would like to see themselves on TV.

We arrived there too early, the dances have not yet begun, and in the center of our attention it turned out beer. And not only in the portable, but in the direct meaning of the word. The fact is that the middle of our table was done a crane connected to a barrel hose. And we ourselves poured foamy beer in the circles, and the waiters only brought snacks. Barrel we still did not master, but dug out of it a lot.

But on the Copacabana, if you are separated to the swimsuit, it is best to drink coconuts juice – to penetrate the local flavor.

Yes, about swimsuits. Brazilians – zealous Catholics. And their strict moral foundations do not allow them to allow swimming naked or, if we are talking about a woman – with naked breasts. But these very foundations do not regulate the width of the swimsuit. And the most fashionable at the local beauties model is called "Tooth cleaning thread". In the sense that all the details of such a swimsuit is not much wider than that thread. And if we consider that the nature was awarded Brazilians with sculptural forms, but they did not hear about weight loss, then the means of heart attack is better to take for prevention before going to Copacaban.

I’m not a connoisseur male beauty. But justice for the sake of forced to admit that men in Brazil – under the name of the women. In the young years, they are athletically developed and slight, and in mature, energetic and male are attractive. This Brazilian always wants to stay "macho", And the best praise, which a woman there can give his beloved, is to call him "macho". Translated into Russian, this means approximately the following: "A true man, a great man that you need a man, always and everywhere". Those of our readers who managed to meet in their lives "macho", Catch this word. The rest to translate it is useless. Is it worth advising to go to Rio, to Copacaban.

Copacabana is not the only beach in Rio, although the most famous. Along it is the most prestigious hotels. Such as "Copacabana Palace", In which the princess Diana and other celebrities stayed. But other city beaches – Leme, Ipanema, Leblon, San Conrad and Others – are also good.

True, it should be borne in mind that in the Rio de Janeiro area, the coast is washed by a cool current. Even in February, in the forty-portus heat, the water temperature is not much higher than twenty degrees. And in December, when water was not higher than eighteen, only we and local boys climbed into the ocean. Normal people bathed in pools. And one more feature: the whole beach in Rio is opened with a powerful ocean wave, and she does not like disrespectful relationships: an inexperienced swimmer can hit, spin, drag from the shore.

Capital beaches stretched 40-45 kilometers and are separated from each other, as a rule, huge cliffs.

In general, Rio landscape and all its appearance are amazing and unique. Smooth surface areas are mixed with mountains several hundred meters high and real cliffs, under which car tunnels are broken. Lively streets adjacent to quiet parks and wild thickets. Side by side with fashionable quarters and five-star hotels on the slopes are shaking each other, like swallow sockets, ordinary people houses. It is the famous Favels.

In many cities in the world, you can allocate a business center, shopping streets, areas of rich villas, work outdoors, although the boundaries between them are usually very subject to. Otherwise in Rio. Several favorites, each of which numbers thousands, tens of thousands of inhabitants, are located in Rio separately, as if Chechnya in Russia.

Their houses with unpacked walls are built on such a steepness, that it is difficult to imagine a third-party observer, how there are not the fact that cars are driven, but the people themselves are closer. All these buildings are made without an architectural project, on a living thread, but the authorities have to close their eyes.

In Faverch – its own life, their laws and their power. Say that the biggest "Authoritics" There – drug trains. If so, then in Faverchs live some poor people.

As evidenced and installed on the roofs of some houses satellite teleconnenne. And then, only the one who did not see Russian barns with amenities can consider favlai slums with amenities "to wind" and African bidonville, where accommodation is made of old roofing iron and cardboard boxes. But be that as it may, even the police do not disturb the Favel without any need.

And next to them – jockey club, golf club, yacht club, quiet lagoon with rowing boats on it, botanical garden, sandy beaches, rocky coast and a huge bowl of Maracany – the largest stadium in the world, accommodating two hundred thousand people.

The best football player of all the times and peoples of Pele, who recently arrived in Russia to advertise their coffee, is still the most popular person in the country. His rich, fenced from the outside world Villa on top of one of the hills showed us as a landmark. Pele is nominally Minister of Sports Brazil. But it is rather honorary title than position. At his disposal there is no administrative apparatus and budget. Nevertheless, the Minister submits a personal example of a healthy lifestyle and in people does not drink even beer. But it is noticed in the fact that over the years it is accompanied by blondes in life.

Blondes in Brazil are rare as Africans in Vologda. So any of our white Vologmcan has a sure chance to be mounted in Brazil diamonds. Or at least tourmalines – they are 900 tones there. A "National stone" – Emerald. In its prey, the country ranks second in the world.

Undoubtedly, the tourist in Brazil is better to come without a lady of the heart. Not even because local girls are unmatched. And because, arriving there with a companion, you risks leave all your money from jewelers.

Many wonderful jewelry sold in London, Hamburg, Paris, made in Brazil. But here they are much cheaper. Especially if you buy not in the hotel or street store, but on the jewelry factory. It is easy to do so, since in all class hotels there are mediators who hand free tours to tourists, allow you to get to the factory for free to the factory, inspect it and even get souvenir.

But this is how the cheese in a mousetrap: the wealth of choice in the store in the factory will allow to leave without buying except that. You need the same earrings, but with another stone? – Please. The same ring, but the size is smaller and with a bigger diamond? – Please. Do not speak foreign languages? – They will speak Russian.

I asked the Firm factory "Stern", processing 60 percent of all brazil precious stones, which most often buy Russian. It turned out – products made of gold with diamonds and emeralds; what is called, simple, but tasteful.

Women have dropped from the shining shining faces, men walked heavy gait and with a light wallet.

In addition to jewels, it seems to me, no normal person will buy anything in Brazil. Because it is silly to heat the half of the globe in order to go shopping for hours. But the rate is as you know – the concept of relative. Some patients look like healthy. For them, that is, good conditions have been created for infected with the shopping virus. In addition to ordinary stores in the city, there are several giant shopping centers on its outskirts. For example, the largest in Latin America "Bar Shopping". Under his roof would fit not one gum. Sold there everything. Around the building, stopping from different inputs, runs mini train. Inside you can move on a three-wheeled electric car. Sellers – Same Goodwill, Buyers – Fun. In short, everything is as at the Fair in Luzhniki, only much better.

Incurable sick shopinings can also be prescribed to visit the free trade zone in the border with Brazil Paraguay. Specially shopping there, it is clear, no one for $ 400 will fly. But it is there, on the border of Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay, there are waterfalls Iguazu, a genuine miracle of light. So, inspected a miracle, you can, if you wish, for several hours to go to the Paraguay for purchases. Product mainly from China, Hong Kong and T. NS. But cheap. I bought a large umbrella for two and a half dollar and roller skates – for thirty.

We flew into those edges on "Boeing" One of the local airlines, because Native Aeroflot landings only in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. When pilots learned that we are journalists from Moscow, they were very happy and not only allowed to shoot in the cockpit, but also promised to show waterfalls "Closer". By God, the pilots – it seems, contrary to all the rules – descended below the laid echelon and made a semicircle over Iguazu. A four-kilometer surge of the earth’s crust, from which a huge river will be launched, was perfectly visible.

But only later, being on the ground, having heard his noise and seeing the spray pillars over the forest, we realized the greatness of this colossus. In the height of the fall of water (from 30 to 80 meters) Iguazu is inferior to Niagara Falls and Victoria, but in power and painting exceeds them. There are few places on Earth, where the soul would have experienced the same adequacy and tremble before the scope and beauty of the creation of nature or providence.

The crumbs of the greenery divide the waterfall into many sources. The biggest and scary of them are called the devil’s sip. His roar and the view really seek thoughts about the underworld. Especially if not just standing nearby, on the observation site, and, as we, come from below, on the river, close to the falling wall of water on an inflatable boat. The noise of two strong hanging engines is not heard behind the root of water, everything around the splashes, the river Burlit, as if boiling, tourists in the boat shout, crowded with horror and admiration.

Yes, Iguazu is idle. Moreover, it is surrounded by a large protected forest – subtropical jungle, for which tourists go on an open excursion carriage or go to the paths laid for them, not tired admire the species and not releaseing photo and video cameras.

For lovers of photo and video filming Brazil is generally an ideal place. And first of all – Rio himself. It’s not just that the city is picturesque. It is also important that nature and people provided in it a few perfect points for shooting. One of them is a semisotmeter mountain of Corcovado with the statue of Christ installed on her vertex. Prostrate Hands The Savior Parit, Like a Bird, Over this Amazing City, which is visible with Cukovado like a palm.

Another notable place in Rio, which is visited by every visitors, is a mountain sugar head. It is located on the peninsula, and it is necessary to go to the hanging road. From there, there is a beautiful view of city beaches, surrounding quarters and on the towering away Christ.

When we rose to the top of the sugar head, there was a shot of some regular television "Soap opera".

In Brazil, I must say, then it’s still a strange feeling that it was in the fabulous kingdom: a crystal dream of a great combinator, the birthplace of Don Pedro and Tetsushka Charlie, a country from the song "And I want to be in Brazil, to distant shores", Place of the famous carnival, the country of Great Amazon and Anacond, the country of the Fazend, which we began to call our country sites.

By the way, the phasend, that is, plantative land possessions, not left in Brazil. But the word it has to hear often. Lagoon in the center of Rio and the park on her shore were someone’s phasenda. Botanical Garden – also former phasenda, and so on.

Black people of Brazil The essence of the descendants of African slaves who worked on the phasends. To today, they have so much threatened with the descendants of their owners – French and Portuguese planners. There are in the ethnic Brazilian cocktail and the Indian component. Of course, exaggeration would argue that all racial differences were erased in this country. By no means: in the northern, hot, provinces more black, in southern – more than whites, including ethnic Germans. Rich quarters – mainly "White", Favels – "Colored".

And yet mixed marriages and simply mixed pairs – a common phenomenon, and Mulati make up, probably, the greatest part of the population of this one hundred and sixthillion countries. And undoubtedly all – black, white and "Colored" – Realize themselves with a single nation, it is the Brazilians, and they are proud of it. All of them – open, cheerful, temperamental, performed self-esteem people. Easto believe in God and adore dancing. Church, love and samba – in these words all the charming Brazil.

At the hotel "Sheraton" In Rio, where we spent several wonderful days and nights, on Friday and Saturday, the dances arranged for a small quartet. They also participated in the girls of eighteen years old, and seventy-year old old men. But mostly – middle-aged pairs. How they danced and tango, and rock and roll, and sambo! Skillfully, selflessly, sensually, beautiful. If I could assume in Moscow that I would find in such an environment, I would take a few dance lessons in order not to feel an eccentric. Most of our even dare to go out in a circle.

V "Sheratone" Danced lovers. And the real professionals of Samba can be seen in February on the carnival, where five thousand dancers perform.

But if you failed to get to the carnival – not trouble. The best Brazilian dance masters – every evening in the so-called "First platform" on Mulatto Show. Talking about it meaninglessly, there you have to visit myself and see this waterfall of music, dancing, bright costumes and almost naked beautiful bodies. I confess honestly: taking care of the memory with long-legged mulatto, I hugged them with excitement in the blood for slim and elastic waist.

But I distracted. After all, it was about sambe. Brazilians say that the one who does not like samba is accurately sick: on his feet or head.