Weekends in Lapa

Lapa (the neighborhood where Mads' dad lives) is the center of a vibrant bohemian scene in Rio, with dozens of music clubs, bars and restaurants scattered along its streets. On weekends the

neighborhood becomes packed, with people spilling out of samba clubs, onto the streets and plaza in fornt of the Arcos da Lapa. Kiosks in the middle of the streets sell beer for like $1. Mads and I managed to go out both Friday and Saturday nights and only spend around R$6-10 each night (equivalent to $3-5 USD). Friday night we hit up a local samaba house where Mads tore up the floor and got some unwanted attention from a sapatão (brazilian for lesbian- literally a big shoe). We then walked around what Mads affectionately calls "pee alley" a back street full of hole in the wall bars with live music playing in every spot and people hanging in the street drinking and dancing. On our walk home we stopped to listen to some samba musicians as they jammed under the arches we finally got home at 6am exhausted fro msuch a fun night.

Saturday night we decided to go out in Lapa again. It was so cheap and there is so much energy in the streets that you don't really need a plan to have a good night. We met up with Brad (a four degrees of separation connection through Anna). We went to dinner for us to get to know each other. It was pretty crazy how much Brad's life paralleled ours. Like Mads he is half American and half Brazilian and like both of us he recently quit his job and is thinking of moving down here. After some good conversation and amazing pizza we decided to hit the streets and see where the night took us. We started out at a little pe sujo (literally dirty foot) a hole in the wall bar. Mads' new found friend from the night before was playing samba there. (Sidenote: he is identical to Blair Underwood! and even though we know his real name Rafael I now only call him Blair).

While watching the band I was intrigued by this percussion instrument called the cuica. It is the weirdest instrument I've ever seen! By watching the musician play, it looks as if the man was fisting the drum. That alone makes it look very sexual/dirty- but it gets worse... The way the music is made is by rubbing a wooden rod inside the drum with a damp cloth (see video to see what I am talking about: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqh2wWIMDAA).

Sexual no?!?

Later that night we ran into the cuica player

from earlier and I asked him to show me how to play it. He then handed it to me and right off the bat I rocked! Everyone around me started laughing and jamming along with me. It was def beginner's luck though, because I stopped and tried to start again but was very unsuccessful on the second try.

After the jam sesh we were looking for something to do that didn't include cover as it was close to 4am. Blair and his friend had their instruments and suggested making our own party on the nearest street corner. So I requested the first song be Madalena, a gem that everybody knows and everyone always sings to Mads when they first meet her. I get a kick out of it every time! So they started playing and walking and ended up in front of a bar on the corner of Mem de Sa and Rua do Lavaro. The pagode started attracting more and more people it was great! Next thing we knew there were like 30 people spilling into the street around us singing and dancing. (See videos below) As time went on the restaurant had to ask us to leave so they could shut down the place as it was now 6am. We walked home as the sun was rising, it was a great end to a memorable night!