Rio de Janeiro: Spray paint dreams and 96% humidity (a street artist's haze)
i've been in rio for three days and my sketchbook is already sweating more than i am. that's saying something because the humidity's sitting at a juicy 96% and the temp hovers around 24°c but feels like someone wrapped you in a plastic bag filled with warm soup. i just checked and it's... yeah, that's the forecast for the next week, hope you like that kind of thing.
i'm crashing at a hostel in centro that's basically a converted warehouse with bathrooms that flood when it rains (which is always). the owner, a dude named carlos who claims he used to skate with the guys who designed the lenient coat, gave me a tip: 'if you get bored, niterói's just a ferry hop away, or you can chase some mountain air in petrópolis.' i haven't left the city yet; there's too much wall to cover.
speaking of walls, i found this insane spot near lapa where the graffiti is so layered it looks like a secret language. someone told me that the local crew 'os gêmeos' started there but that might be drunk advice from a guy in a bar who also swore he saw a dolphin in the guanabara bay (possible? maybe). i'd love to paint something, but with this humidity, my caps keep clogging. spray paint hates water, and rio's basically a water park.
anyway, here's my exact location (as of this morning, before i got lost again):
i've been hitting up a few spots and the locals are... intense. not in a bad way, just that everyone's got an opinion about your art. i posted a photo of my tag on instagram and some older lady commented, 'this is not paris, we don't need more scribbles.' ouch. but then i got this message from a gal at a gallery in santa teresa who said she'd like to see my stuff 'in real life' so maybe there's hope.
for food, i've been living on pastéis from that little kiosk by the beach. someone warned me that the ones with 'camarão' can be risky if they're not fresh, but i'm a rebel. if you're hungry, check out the recommendations on tripadvisor: best street food in rio (they have a list that's actually decent). and for coffee, there's this tiny spot called 'café do solo' that'll make your espresso taste like it's from an italian dream (according to yelp: café do solo reviews). i'm not a coffee snob but i appreciate a good brew before a night session.
the weather's been a rollercoaster. yesterday it was all sun and then suddenly a downpour that lasted ten minutes and left everything glistening. i love how the city looks after rain - the colors pop. the humidity though, it's like walking through pea soup. my sketchbook pages are sticking together. i've started carrying a mini dehumidifier (good thing i'm a pro at overpacking). oh, and the pressure is 1010 hpa, which apparently is 'normal' but i'm no meteorologist.
i've also heard rumors about a secret graffiti spot under theæ¡¥... er, that's 'ponte' in portuguese. a local told me that at low tide you can see some old-school pieces from the 90s. i'm gonna check it out tonight, maybe get some photos. if you're into urban exploration, check out the local board here: riourbex.com - they have a forum with some legit info (and some crazy theories).
before i forget, here's a couple of shots from my phone:
anyway, i should probably go find some spray caps that actually work in this soup-like air. if you're in rio and see a sleep-deprived gringo with paint fumes coming out his ears, say hey. or just point me to the nearest pastel stand.
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