Rio de Janeiro Gay Pride 2006 – THE DAY
Rio de Janeiro, July 31, 2006 – Sunday started cloudy, breezy and rainy. Oh, oh. I didn’t think people would show up… But, here in Brazil, if there is a party waiting to happen, we’ll be there. The “trio eletricos†(trucks with floaters and huge sound systems combined) lined up on Avenida Atlantica early on, and started getting ready for the parade. There were 20 or so of them, starting at Posto 5 and going all the way to the Forte de Copacabana. By noon, they were blasting music all over Copacabana Beach, and people slowly started showing up. By 3:00 PM the place was packed with colorful people dancing and cheering, despite the rain that was coming down here and there.
The parade started at 4:15 PM, after a few speeches from non-profit organizations engaged in the gay rights movement. 
With election coming up in Brazil, one of the speakers reminded gay people to find out the views of the candidates on gay rights issues before they vote. Well-reminded, since a law for domestic partnership is waiting since 1995 to pass through Brazilian Congress. Human rights, equal rights, non-violence and peace were other topics of the speeches. But the day was not meant for speeches only, so, the party moved on, slowly, on Avenida Atlantica, and ended around 9:00 PM at Posto 2. Police estimated 500,000 people attended the event. Not bad for a rainy day… You can check out all the fun, umbrellas and all, in these photos.
Rio de Janeiro, July 30, 2006 – Rainy Rio. Saturday morning came in bringing a cold front and some sprinkles. Forecast for Sunday is not much better either… After breakfast, we decided to take a walk along Copacabana Beach, and then visit the Copacabana Palace, one of the best and most expensive hotels in Rio. With daily rates ranging from approximately $400 to $2500 US dollars, the Copacabana Palace is the hotel of choice for many celebrities visiting Brazil. We enjoyed fresh squeezed orange juice and a cup of cappuccino in the patio overlooking the pool, for just about $12 dollars (for two persons). 
If you are staying in a gay friendly vacation rental in Rio, and want to visit the hotel, you can always go for breakfast, brunch or the famous Brazilian national dish, Feijoada. But you can expect to pay between $30 to $90 dollars per person for such gastronomic adventure. From the Copacabana Palace we took a cab ride to the MAM (Museum of Modern Arte). The museum is located at the Parque do Flamengo, a beautiful park overlooking the Guanabara Bay, in a modern building projected by late Brazilian architect, Affonso Eduardo Reidy, in 1948. We saw an exhibit of José Pedro Croft, a contemporary Portuguse artist and a wonderful collection of works from the 30s through the 60s, by Brazilian and foreign artists living in Brazil. 
For the evening, we decided to check out the duo La Girl and Le Boy, both in the same building in Copabacana. I had a wonderful time at Le Boy years ago, but with many places to choose from in Rio, these two will be off the list in the future due to its poor management. In short, we were treated very rudely by the front desk person, and because of that they won’t be seeing the color of my money anytime again… Besides, we had gone there to watch a good drag show – which in the end, did not happen. This was the only disappointment in Rio, so far. We gay people need to be conscious where we spend our money, so, I’ll be spending my money someplace else… Let’s see what happens tomorrow…
Rio de Janeiro, July 29, 2006 – Another beautiful day in Rio. We started the day taking a walk from Copacabana to Ipanema Beach, via Arpoador. We walked through residential and commercial streets, but mostly on the beach bordwalk. The beaches were crowded, with people of all ages in skimpy bikinis. We stopped by the gay section of Ipanema Beach known as “Praia Gay” for fresh, deliciously refreshing coconut water. This section starts at Rua Farme de Amoedo, in Ipanema. From there, we headed to Leblon, a very nice neighborhood doted by nice stores and elegant restaurants, for lunch at Fellini’s. This is a family owned restaurant that serves buffet meals based on food weight. 
The buffet offered a variety of Brazilian and International salads, massas, rice dishes, meats and vegetables. The owner, a very friendly lady, offered us complimentary “Creme Brulee” for dessert. Fantastic meal for less than $6 dollars. We could not reach the Museum of Modern Arte due to bad traffic conditions, so, we decided to try to do that later. There were lots of options for the evening, including a party at the Clube Hipico, but we decided to stay in to save energy for Saturday Evening. We’ll keep you posted…
Rio de Janeiro, July 28, 2006 – We arrived in Rio to cover the XI Gay Pride Parade yesterday, July 27. The weather has been incredible, with temperatures around 30 degrees Celsus. Not bad for winter time in the southern hemisphere. The beaches are full of gorgeous people on the sand, running, bike riding… Everyone seems relaxed and people are very friendly towards tourists in general.
After getting settled, we headed to Praia Vermelha, at Urca, to board the tram to Sugar Loaf Mountain around 4:00 PM so that we could enjoy the view from there during day time, sunset and evening. This is a must see attraction for anyone coming to Rio. This day trip cost approximately $15 dollars for the entrance fee and ride (cash only), plus another $20 dollars in cab rides to and from Copacabana Beach, where we have been staying. The views from Sugar Loaf mountains are breathtaking and one should allow at least 2-3 hours for this outing to enjoy it leisurely. 
We skipped dinner for time on the boardwalk at Copacabana Beach, where we drank fresh coconut water (about $1 each) and some local appetizers (fried chicken bites, french fries and grilled shrimp – about $25 dollars for 3 people). The Zona Sul, part of town where we are staying, is comprised mostly of middle and upper class communities (Copacabana, Ipanema, Botafogo and Leblon, among others). These are vibrant neighborhoods where you will find art, culture, gastronomy, nightlife and shopping. With many places to choose from, we decided to check out the gay scene at the “Galeria Cafe”, at Rua Teixeira de Melo, 31 in Ipanema. Excellent choice: great “back to back” music with the best of the last decades; beautiful people and a cozy lounge ambiance (plus dance floor). We arrived around 1:00 AM, when the place was just getting busy and left it around 4:30 AM, when it was still pumping. Mostly guys, mostly very hot and good looking guys, and a few, but very good looking girls. Here you can expect to spend about $10 dollars to get in, and about $5 dollars per drink, average. Well worth the cost: fun, fun , fun!
