Rio De Janeiro City Tour
by Victoria Pacheco
On our last full day in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, we were given a tour of the city. It was raining a lot that day so we didn’t get a lot of time to stand outside and admire the views. On this day, our tour guide took the class and I to the famous stairs. They’re called Escadaria Selaron. There are over 2000 tiles with over 130 colors. These beautiful colorful stairs were built by Jorge Selaron, a Chilean artist who claimed it as his “tribute to the Brazilian people.” He really liked the colors red and green as those were the colors mostly shown. The sides of the stairs are bathtubs that way the people who live in the neighborhood can use them as a base for planting flowers.
One of the first tiles you see is a picture of Jorge Selaron. Before heading up the stairs, there is a long line to take a picture on the stairs stating the name of this famous attraction. As I kept going up the stairs, I noticed that each tile was different. Some represented different countries whereas others just had a logo such as the Michelin Man. Others had a painting of flowers or some sort of pattern/design. There were vendors selling a variety of items such as bracelets, magnets, even some drinks and snacks as I kept going up.
Even though it was gloomy and raining, this was my favorite part of the tour. All the different colored tiles really lightened up the atmosphere.
After visiting the famous stairs, we were taken to the Royal Portuguese Library. Our tour guide explained how in the beginning, this library was considered the “smart boys club” and was private to the rich people who control the city. The library was built in September of 1887 and it took 7 years to build. It was a place for people to unite and study about politics as well as talk about the city’s growth and development. The library was used to improve the knowledge and help the emperor of Brazil to enlighten the spirits. There are over 10,000 books in the librarywith the oldest being dated back to 1572. Right in the middle of the ceiling, there is a beautiful red and blue glass mural with a chandelier hanging. It really lightened up the entire room. All the books were blocked off by a fence, but I believe our tour guide told us that people are allowed to check out a book. There were 3 floors full of books. It was really amazing to see.
Overall, I enjoyed the tour and getting to learn more about the city. Before heading to Brazil, I would always see picture of the stairs on the internet so it was a highlight being able to see them in person. Everything in Brazil is beautiful and I really am grateful for the opportunity to visit and learn about the culture.
