pagode

santa teresa, rio de janeiro

nested in the hills above the business district, santa teresa seemed like a perfect fit with its cobblestone streets, trolley cars, and bohemian roots. while guide book-fueled aspirations and reality are usually different beasts, i must say that tonight, the latter exceeded the former to the greatest extent i`ve ever experienced.

it was a simple walk up a hill. a hill that would lead to some sort of food, some sort of ambiance. maybe there`d be a candle, maybe some cool new type of tree. who would know? halfway up that hill we discovered an intersection that was hosting the kind of spontaneous backyard samba party straight out of central casting. picture a politically correct mcdonalds or coca-cola commericial featuring people too cool to ever patronize either globalized entity. there were white bearded guys (my people!), black people with `fros (with you in spirit!), and just about everyone in between. all ages were present, and if they were too young to groove they were sent to that universal place that means i-don`t-care-what-you-do-just-don`t-interrumpt-me-while-i`m-groovin.

there was an eight-piece band, nearly everyone sitting, and a crowd that seemed to sway with every subtle note. the guide book says that we stumbled upon pagode, a mellow version of samba that was derived in the 70s. picture elevator music from africa. it was the kind of music that you rotate your shoulders to, maybe your hips on the faster numbers. nearly everyone sang along in a gentle yet passionate hum to the majority of the songs. basically, it was the kind of neighborhood barbecue or family reunion where even the teenagers are dying to be present.

rioisms:

if rio were a person without arms, it would wear a tank top.

rio takes the last bite of your food, then tells you how good it tasted.

if rio were a woman, it would be a very tan helen of troy.....with a 3-inch scar from a knife fight on her left cheek.

if your sister or daughter brought rio home, you would never approve. but he`d make a pretty cool uncle.

rio sings (and dances) in line at the bank.

rio smokes a joint at the company picnic.

rio swerves his motorcycle through the 30-car pileup, without batting an eye.

rio spikes the punch at parent-teacher night.

if rio were an eighth-grader, it would steal your lunch money and then share the doritos it bought with you.

rio wears a tubetop to court and walks away with only a fine.

rio is the loudest person in the room without saying a word.

if rio were in the u.s. it would be........brooklyn (fort greene)!