Rio de Janeiro is affectionately called the “cidade maravilhosa”, the marvelous city. Of course, Rio is most famous for her beaches, Christ the Redeemer, and carnaval. What really makes Rio a “marvelous” city is a neighborhood in the center that is sleepy if not a bit dangerous during the day, but when the sun sets, people descend from all parts of the city for food, music, and dancing. This is Lapa.
Lapa sits at the base of a small mountain that is home to the neighborhood Santa Teresa, a mix of bohemian homes and shantytowns. As Lapa extends into the historic center it envelopes rundown buildings and the famous arches on which the now defunct train, “o bonde”, that used to run from the cathedral all the way to the top of Santa Teresa. Often deserted during the day, Lapa becomes a throbbing web of humanity as dark falls on Rio. People from all parts of Santa Teresa (the upper, middle, and lower class), the wealthy students from Leblon, random tourists, and any number of entrepreneurs hoping to cash in by selling beer from coolers, drinks from makeshift bars, or street music, come together to celebrate….what? Music? Night? Humanity? Lapa? It doesn’t matter.
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