Tuning Into Rio De Janeiro South America’s ‘Good Times Capital’ Is Fighting Back Despite A Reputation As A City Od Extremes

In 1931, the people of Rio de Janeiro built a statue of Jesus, 130 feet tall, on Corcovado Mountain. From this perch, high above the city, its outstretched arms seem to embrace all below. The symbolism is not wasted, as residents have come to believe Rio truly is blessed - and most visitors are inclined to agree.

In the four centuries since its founding, Rio de Janeiro has grown into one of the world’s largest and most interesting cities. In a breathtaking medley of scenery, mountains and forests mingle effortlessly with the city skyline, merging to a single tapestry bordered by a brilliant, blue sea. “Cariocas,” as city residents are fond of calling themselves, claim the sun shines brighter here then anywhere in the world. Sunshine is an important part of the Rio scene, but it is the Cariocas themselves, with their enthusiastic, daily celebration of life, who make a stopover here such a delight.

First-time visitors quickly discard several misconceptions. First, though settled in 1536 and one of the oldest cities in the New World, Rio is a surprisingly clean, modern commercial center with a diverse, international population of more than 7 million people - not to be confused with quaint little colonial outposts. And although Brazil is in South America, it was settled by the Portuguese rather then the Spanish. As such, and to the surprise of many, the culture, language and attitude are very different from its Latin neighbors.

Plus the weather is great, the beaches are extraordinary, the sun shines all year, nights last forever, and the attitude is definitely outrageous.

And there’s more! Rio has something else other great cities don’t - Ipanema and Copacabanna.

These two beachfront neighborhoods have grown to legendary status as “fun capitals” of the world, where the beautiful people congregate. Popular songs, books, and Hollywood have seen to it. The guest book at the Copacabanna Palace Hotel reads like a bible of “who’s who” in recent world history.

As famous as Rio has become for its carnival and samba, it is these beaches that have become its signature. A mix of locals and tourists mass here each day, passing the hottest hours, baking in the sun, cooling in the temperate waters of the South Atlantic, and practicing the old cliche, “see and be seen.”

Separating the hotels from the beach is Atlantic Avenue, with its wide, mosaic-tiled promenade, palmlined boulevard and busy two-lane bicycle highway. On either side, sunny little beach bars with colorful plastic tables and umbrellas dispense guarana (an Amazon fruit drink) or more potent caipirinha (the national high octane beverage guaranteed to ignite a party mood, fast). If you prefer something simpler, vendors will sell you a coconut and whack off the top with a machete.

The latest in international fashion and fad are always in evidence along the promenade and bikeway. Joggers, walkers, lovers strolling, vendors, beach goers of every age, complexion and ambition will all pass. There are poodles, and Dobermans, bicycles built for two, little red wagons, fruit vendors, electric cars, entire soccer teams - a never-ending parade that makes sitting on a comfortable bench in the shade of a Rio palm tree a life experience unmatched anywhere else in the world.

Not least to be witnessed are the amazing bathing suits worn by the natives. A bathing suit or bikini suitable for wear on Ipanema or Copacabanna is an indescribable statement in understatement - way too ambitious for the average North American, with the possible exception of nudists.

But Rio really isn’t just sunshine and beach parades. Choices for dining include no fewer then 860 restaurants with every cuisine in the world represented. If you want to get out “on the town”, there are fabulous Samba and native dance shows every night. There are literally hundreds of night clubs and discos - for if Cariocas love anything it’s music and dance.

If you prefer pomp and pageantry, start with a late supper, as Cariocas do. Then afterward, catch one of those local dance shows, where feathers and scant, gaudy costumes redefine the word “tacky” into an art form meriting serious consideration.

During daylight hours you can ride the little trolley up to Santa Teresa and view its historic, 19th century neighborhoods from the old aqueduct the tracks were built on. A morning walking tour of downtown - El Centro - reveals a city that is very much caught up in the world of commerce, yet at peace with its roots. Ancient colonial buildings share the tree-shaded avenues with modern glass skyscrapers. Old neighborhoods of ancient stucco and pitted oak are interspersed with wide new sidewalks and modern shopping malls.

Everyone journeying to Rio eventually realizes there are two treks in the “simply must” category. First is the two-mile tram ride to the top of Corcovado, the mountain that casts one of the few shadows over Rio. On top is an extraordinary view. All of Rio de Janeiro stretches below like a tiny diorama built under glass by an ambitious civil engineer. Laid out and exposed so they finally make sense are the beaches, boulevards and neighborhoods, pulsing with life, like giant human arteries.

The hill is 2,400 feet tall, rising at an alarmingly precipitous rate, and the statue of “Christ the Redeemer” at the summit stands another 130 feet, with the arms spread a distance of nearly 100 feet.

The second mandatory pilgrimage is the cable car ride to the dual peaks of the Sugarloaf - a mountain twin that balances the view of Rio with a reflection from the water side.

For years Rio had been considered one of the world’s elite destinations by international jet setters and affluent South Americans. But like any great city, it is far from perfect, and in recent years has struggled with its own dark side.

Like much of South America, Brazil is nearly devoid of a middle class. The rift between the haves and the have-nots grows wider each year. Unrest and crime is the legacy of such a system, and Rio’s reputation has not been spared.

Neighborhoods, called favelas, are not places you want to get lost in, and their problems spill over. Favelas are so crowded, drugs so commonplace, violence so prevalent, and families so dysfunctional that surplus children are regularly expelled, to wander aimlessly in other parts of the city.

The overall crime picture peaked in the 1980s, and visitors must be forewarned, though by no means frightened away. After all, Rio is no more dangerous to Americans then Miami is to Germans. Crime statistics here may even be less threatening today then in New York, Chicago or Los Angeles.

The rules are the same anywhere. You don’t flaunt expensive jewelry in an American city. You shouldn’t in Rio. There are neighborhoods at home you don’t wander into alone, or late at night, and you don’t here, either.< Many recent visitors to Rio have reported moving freely about the city, day and night, without witnessing or experiencing any unfortunate incidents, or feeling particularly menaced - a generally good sign. Perhaps Rio is truly back as the “fun and sun” capital of the world.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: If you go

Getting There: from the United States, American, United and Varig fly direct to Rio, with gateways in New York, Los Angeles, and Miami. Rio is farther than most people realize, and most flights are overnight. Facts You Need To Know: You will need a passport and visa. Visas for tourists may be obtained in person, at no charge, at Brazilian consulates in New York, (212) 687-0530; or Houston (713) 961-3063. No special vaccinations are needed unless you travel on to the Amazon or have recently been in a country where there was an outbreak. Places To Stay: There are 16,000 hotel rooms in Rio, so except during Carnival in February, there is no shortage, though few bargains. Avoid “motels” (they rent by the hour) and stay only near the beaches at Copa, Ipanema, Lemme or Leblon. Tips For Travelers: Due to its emphasis on night life and party activity, and some of the less inhibited cultural aspects, Rio is swell for couples but not very suitable for children. If you plan to travel out of the city, always check with the U.S. State Department for an updated list of traveler’s advisories. Tour companies are numerous within Rio. Nothing is cheap in Rio, so bring what you need. For More Information: Call or write Funtur, the Brazilian National Tourism Foundation, at 551 Fifth Avenue, Room 519, New York, NY 10176, phone (212) 286-9600.