Alphabe Thursday R is for Rio de Janeiro

I haven’t come to Brazil to enjoy the glitz and razamataz that us Europeans have experienced over the decades via the media, travel brochures and geography books and exploited by the rich and famous. Those fools in my opinion who believe that Rio is the only place in the world with such splendour, beauty and diversity;  thinking that the carnival way of life continues beyond the few days of the New Year!

I come because my daughter lives here ( I am here at the moment) indeed from my limited experience ad my untrained eye, Rio does have these wonderful attributes and many more beside that go unnoticed

That is not to say I am an authority on all things good and bad; my view also is somewhat rosy and as we go into yet another day of torrential rain my images of ‘R is for Rio’ are somewhat wet.

We hear much in the UK about Brazil and its booming economy and its deserved upward trend.  However there is still poverty, greed, degradation and quick fix solutions. Also mismanagement on all levels that is causing disrepair continually to the poor and even to those who are struggling to make their way up the career path that seems to be straddled  with bureaucratic obstacles.

Meanwhile a sample of images that give a WOW factor, but note they are purely superficial.  Keep in mind the struggle of the workers who hurry past caring little for the orchid as it hang precariously  in the trees above the busy street, or the freshly painted sign saying ‘I Love Rio’!