The Real Rio.

Rio is full of layers. On the surface, you get to see its natural beauty, its incredible lifestyle, laughter and happiness that are contagious. Underneath that, you find all the functional problems that, only one that experiences Rio can see and understand. It is a layer of corruption, inequality and poverty, that makes this city very hard to love. 

But then, there is another layer, where you get the true essence of Rio. Its culture, its ravishing creativity and its boiling passion for art, music and love. And this is the part where, if you blink, you might miss. 

Today I went to an abandoned factory that has been turned into an art studio. No, not an art studio. Dozens of small ateliers (like little workshops) where artists can come to show and sell their work. It is this huge place, where the visitors still walk among the old machinery, the cricked stairs, and the worn out structure.  

The art pieces were from all different shapes and forms. Some were wooden tables, some were paintings, some were jewelry. There was music and laughter, smoking anywhere and chatter everywhere. It was a sunny Sunday, where families, dogs and friends came to find each other, to celebrate life in their own way.  I was shocked to see that, in this seemingly poor neighborhood, they are so rich in culture and art.

As I walked through the dirty hallways, I kept thinking about the United States. In the US, we would never allow a place like this to exist. There are safety hazards everywhere you look. Someone can fall from the old stairs at any given moment, and the structure of the place doesn't seem like it will hold much longer. There are no signs "follow this way"; there, art is found in every wall, every corner, and it is up to the visitors to explore as they please. I kept looking at all the possible lawsuits and hospital bills that could potentially come from this, but then I remembered: this is Rio.

And just as I thought I had seen it all, we get to the rooftop. This huge open area, with nothing but grass, where you can see Rio with your own eyes. I could see everything, from the streets down, to the slums up there. The sun was hitting my face, and the wind was blowing on me. I felt so alive! It feels like from here, Rio is untouchable. I am untouchable. 

It becomes so easy to take for granted the little things that make a city so special. Today, I feel like I explored a deep layer of Rio. A layer that characterizes the true difference between Brazil and the rest of the world; something that cannot be explained, only experienced.