Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 28oC, hot and sunny.
It’s the 19th of the month, almost spring, but with a summer flavour.
The temperature has been in the high 30s for the last week. Today, it’s a little cooler, but not by much. Our behaviour is linked to the weather, which heavily influences the way we feel. When it’s warm and sunny, more people are in the streets and seem happier. It’s like everyone comes out of the woodwork.
When the sun appears, everyone is out in the street doing some activity. Especially in England, where summer seems to be so short nowadays. As soon as summer arrives, there are lovely days, everyone is out and about, and there are events for everyone. There are always events in Brazil, especially in Rio, where it’s hot for ten months of the year.
The weather makes it easy for us to go out and do something; there’s always something to do. I work out in the park at least four or five times a week. I don’t have to pay a gym fee; I can do it in the park. It’s not typical or expected, but it happens, and I prefer it because the weather in Rio is perfect for this.
When it is cold, overcast, and rainy, people tend to become shut off, depressive, and sad. There is a theory that in cold climates, people are more aggressive. I don’t know if it’s true, but it’s supposedly a tendency. The colder it is, the more aggressive people are. I want to think that it’s not necessarily true, but it is a fact. It isn’t easy when the weather is not conducive to bringing people together regularly.
Rio has many problems, more than the average large capital city in Brazil and the world. These include overpopulation, public safety, heavy traffic pollution, economic and social issues, and a rising homeless population. Despite all these problems, it is a happy city where the people are happy, and it is contagious.
I know people who live in Rio but are from other states in Brazil where they were not as happy as living in Rio. They found the meaning of happiness when coming to live in Rio. It is a place where you can meet people, go out, and, with a bit of money, have a good time. And it’s not just the beach; there are many cultural activities, museums, galleries, etc.
When I had dogs, I used to love taking long walks with them, often with a beer in hand. I don’t drink beer anymore, but back then, it was enjoyable to walk with them while listening to music through a good pair of headphones. I would discreetly enjoy a beer while walking, especially since the weather in Rio is perfect for it all year round.
Happiness lies in simple things. I understand that walking on the street with a beer in hand may seem tacky or even silly, but at that time, I loved it. It reminded me of England, with its summer beer gardens and everyone outside, drinking, chatting, and having a good time.
Rocha in the North zone of Rio is another example of how Rio is a happy city or propagates happiness. I lived in Rocha, which means ‘Mountain’ in Portuguese, for over a year. Slums surround it, and probably for me, I consider it to be one of the poorest places in Rio. Even though it is not a slum, it is an impoverished place and very ugly.
I had the opportunity to get to know the locals there, and before long, they accepted me as one of them. In many ways, they are incredibly generous, always willing to share what they have with you. It’s quite an experience for me, a foreigner, to live at the end of the world in Rio, wearing a Panama hat on a sunny day. When Petra, my dog, was alive, I was living there. She was my last boxer, a pedigree dog among the street dogs.
Despite being an outsider, I was never threatened in any way or excluded from their community. I may have been different, but many didn’t even know where England was. I was a foreigner with a heavy accent who looked strange but seemed nice.
The truth, however, was the opposite. I showed that I wanted to learn their ways and was willing to accept their reality without judgment. This experience taught me that one should never judge because you don’t know another person’s war. In return, they brought me into their way of life.
I am always open to new situations, realities, and circumstances. What is the point of complaining or feeling sorry for oneself? The art is making the most of what we have—just getting on with our lives. Life is full of ups and downs, and who are we to complain? When we’re going through a tough time, I’ve found that I often come out in a better situation than before.
It’s just a matter of continuing, moving on, and not giving up. It’s about accepting the situation and knowing that with belief, work, and doing the right things, there will be better days, or we’re getting closer to better days. Everything we do affects the final result. We have to be accountable for our actions, and the more positive actions we take for ourselves, the better we will be in the future.
In the afternoon, I went to Copacabana to give a class to Dona Vera, who is 82 years old and still recovering from a fall she had a couple of months ago. Falls can be hazardous for elderly people. My grandmother fell and was never the same again, and shortly after, she passed away. This is one of the main reasons I’m going to England; my mother is getting old and has already fallen once or twice.
I haven’t drunk a bottle of wine in almost a month, and I don’t miss it at all.
In bed by 9.30 pm.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading this blog post. Please explore my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments section.
Richard
