Street Party
On a corner of Rua Barro de Torre just four doors down from Karisma Hostel in Ipanema, Rio, is a little outdoor bar. It probably offers juices and sodas, but when I went there the only thing to drink on the menu for me and my friends was beer. These little oudoor bars are everywhere in Rio and are a large part of what makes the night life unique. The one near my hostel was wild. During the day there was usually a bunch of guys hanging out who would undress you with their eyes, or, moreso, rip your clothes off with their eyes, when you walked by. The night crowd was a little more diverse and curiously less cat-cally than the day crowd. I was tempted to stop and stay a while every night, but I limited myself to only one.
I wanted to “take it easy” on my last night, so I hung out at this corner bar closer to home. Met some great guys and gals from Brazil, England, Malaysia, and the US. Brazilians love their meat (in more ways than one), and the guys that always hang at the bar, and I think work there, whip out a little grill on the sidewalk and cook up package after package of meat. That night I had chicken, different types of sausage, and steak. Mmm, bloody steak. Being the carnivore that I am, I was loving the midnight BBQ. The beer was just an added plus. I went back to Lima fat and happy the next day. And, remember that whole “maybe I’ll lose a few pounds from all the healthy food” comment when I first arrived in Lima? Well, Rio wrecked that. Ha ha.
