Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/303828
cameron spencer/getty images s u m m e r 2 0 1 4 | w e s t w o r l d 33 tropical glory – for Pelourinho contains the most colourful examples of colonial architec- ture in the Americas. Hundreds of buildings, most dating to the 17th and 18th centuries, are painted in sherbet-toned pinks, char- treuse, salmon and turquoise. The rococo façade of the slave-built Catholic church to my left is mauve. But the cobblestones underfoot are the exact place where the blood of genera- tions of black Africans ran, for it is here that healthy slaves were auctioned, and the rebel- lious were pilloried and whipped. Halfway up the slope to the his- toric centre of Salvador, I hear from behind me the sound of drums, marimbas, rattles and whistles, and turn to see an impromptu street band approaching. Loud, infectious and fiercely danceable, the rhythms of Africa move through the Pelourinho neighbourhood like a breeze off the nearby Bay of All Saints. Samba, bossa nova, reggae, the blues, rock 'n' roll and all their modern hyphenated offspring fill the district's narrow lanes and pla- zas at night in assaults of visceral sen- suality. e strolling band passes, its drumming diminishing, and I hear • Rio: hot! hot! hot! Global attention turns to Brazil over the next two years as, first, the FIFA 2014 World Cup of soccer opens its month-long run. Kicking off June 12 in Sao Paulo, the games will wrap in Rio de Janeiro's historic Maracanã Stadium. Then in 2016, Rio hosts the 31st Summer Olympics. While millions will be drawn to Rio's sports facilities, travellers will also want to explore the city's myriad other attractions. A great base is the tree-lined district of Ipanema, located adjacent to what is often called the "world's sexiest beach." Why? Speedo-clad footvolley players; toned, tanned and tattooed surfers; and thousands of bronzed women wearing microscopic tangas. Away from the city's beaches and the inevitable 710-metre-cable-car ascent to the famed mountaintop Christ the Redeemer statue, here are a few lesser-known Rio delights: • The new Teleférico aerial gondola links a series of Rio's hilltop favelas. Now safe for tourists, these fascinating working-class neighbourhoods are home to many of the samba schools that parade during Rio's annual Carnival. • Helisight offers thrilling tours over the city's favelas, peaks and beaches. • Rio's 138-hectare Botanical Garden provides a quiet escape into a green Eden. visitbrasil.com –D.W. p30-35_Brazil.indd 33 14-04-11 2:45 PM