Well what a day. Amazingly, it was sunny again so it was the usual journey down to Ipanema. This time via the 'hippy market' which is on every Sunday. After hearing and reading good things about it, it turned out to be nothing special. Just another tourist market full of stuff that looks ok in Rio but would look completely out of place anywhere else. Bit of a shame really.
So we made the usual trip and headed on to the beach. Everything was going swimmimgly for the first few hours, wall to wall sunshine and nice dips in the sea but after a few hours we had an incident that would remind us again of where we are. While Kat was buying a new bikini top, the seller warned us about 2 guys that had just set up camp next to our spot. He said for us to look after our stuff which initially we thought was maybe a bit paranoid. However as soon as we sat down we saw that these guys were blatantly and openely going through the bag of the people next to us looking for something to take. We couldn't believe it, and worse we just physically couldn't do anything about it. After not finding anything in their bag they quickly took a chance and made away with the bag of another chap who had gone for a dip in the sea. We just couldn't believe it. The worst thing is is that everybody around saw this happen but didn't want to do anything about it or say something to them, including us. Unfortunately, the worry that they might pull a knife or worse on anyone who confronted them got the better of everyone. We were helpless and just had to watch as they took and quickly dissapeared with this guys's bag. I have never in my life seen such blatant stealing. They were obviously banking on the fact that everyone was too scared to confront them. It was a big reality check after spending 2 previous days on the beach being completely carefree. We'd already decided when we first came that we wouldn't take out camera about but seeing this today has made us even more aware. From now on I'll be carrying our cash in my pocket.
In the midst of all of this though we met a really nice guy on the beach who went to share a few too many beers with after the clouds inevitably came over around 4pm. He is absolutely desperate to get a British or European passport and leave Brasil, which we find both hard and easy to understand. Being gay he'd be willing to marry either a man or woman to get the passport and made us think a bit of how, despite the weather and relaxed lifestyle here, all is not well with a lot of people.
So tomorrow we're hoping to head up Sugar loaf mountain for a nice view of Rio before heading back to the beach. An even bigger reality check awaits us in 5 days though!
-- Posted from my iPhone
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