The Olympics have begun, and the party's started at Copacabana Beach
RIO DE JANEIRO — The national cocktail of Brazil is the caipirinha, which is a little bit sweet, a lot a bit refreshing and mostly enjoyable. It’s a cold reprieve in a generally hot and humid nation. People have been knocking them back down here for about a century, with individual recipes adding a measure of mystery to what you are about to consume.
Eventually the harshness of the active alcoholic ingredient, cachaca, a spirit distilled directly from sugar cane, will hit you upside the head like a two-by-four. Until then, though, it’s heaven on earth in South America.
On a sun-splashed Saturday here along Copacabana Beach, the Rio Olympics began in earnest, which is to say waterfront bars and boardwalk stands are struggling to meet demand – to mix up caipirinhas, split open coconuts for fresh water, grill up churrasco on sticks and snap the tops off ice cold Brahmas. One enterprising capitalist walked around with a bong, selling hits for a small fee.
There was a cycling event that began and ended here, crowds lining the streets. Beach volleyball ran the rest of the day and night (final start time was midnight locally) producing lively, rowdy crowds. Meanwhile Copacabana was full of life, teeming with people and peddlers, locals and tourists, all to a soundtrack mixed with crashing waves and samba music from street musicians.
Maybe coming here for the Olympics was a mistake, a big mistake.
It was economically foolish, what with so many other pressing needs in this huge, developing country. The politicians are all corrupt. The water in certain venues is dangerous and polluted. The possibility of terrorism is never out of thought (though that’s true everywhere). Schools and roads and sewers and hospitals are all more necessary than a pack of opulent stadiums off in distant Olympic Park.
[Related: Severe strain from Summer Games starting to show on people of Rio de Janeiro]
There’s no denying any of that. There is the chance, however, to ignore it, at least for the time being. The Games are happening and it can’t all be terrible.
The party is now in full swing, and if there is one thing Brazil knows how to do, it’s party. Some will spend the Olympics concerned about the inevitable hangover, but on the first day, thousands chose to sip the cocktail of the event. They strolled the boardwalk of Copacabana. They filled the volleyball stadium and did the wave while overlooking waves. They pulled up stools at makeshift bars staring out at the surf – which, here on the open ocean, is considered perfectly safe to swim in, offering dramatic views of all Rio has to offer.
“I was out there swimming while watching beach volleyball on a big screen and I could see Christ the Redeemer,” said Alex Greisen of Dallas, who is here with his family, of the water off Copacabana. “You just can’t beat that.”
Pick-up soccer games dotted the sand, kids juggling back and forth or taking part in intergenerational 3-on-3 games. Flags and kites flipped in the wind. People danced, for no reason other than they could. They represented all creeds and colors and continents. This was the world on holiday.
Sprawled out on towels were men and women who closely enough resembled Giselle or that Tongan flag bearer. Here at Copa, the prevailing fashion could best be described as “scantily clad.” There were no complaints overheard.
“It’s a world-class destination,” said Troy Greisen, Alex’s father. “It’s amazing here. They did it right. The water is fine. The beach is fine.”
That isn’t to say these Olympics still don’t face enormous challenges, most notably with some water venues filled with dangerous bacteria and pollutants and garbage and even an occasional body part. Open sewage still flows. Budget concerns limited the grandeur of the Opening Ceremony, though the show remained enjoyable. The interim president, who replaced the impeached president, who replaced the indicted president, was booed. There are protests from workers and citizens all over the city, and likely will be throughout the Games.
[Related: Why history will remember the Rio Games for the Russian mess]
IOC arrogance is unmovable and unsolvable and the entire idea that they gave South America a shot here is likely rooted in bribes and kickbacks. The Wall Street Journal reported that the IOC has vowed not to try something like this again. We’ll see.
This isn’t to minimize the madness, but it is to take a breath and look around and then exhale. The mountains are spectacular. The sun is bright. Everything in Rio is always about your vantage point – the best and the worst, side by side.
And the people, the people who didn’t create the problems, the people who didn’t ask for the world’s scorn, the people who want their city and their country to be seen positively around the globe, the people who know how to work through challenges, are smiling and laughing and being as hospitable and happy as possible. At least down here at the famous beach.
If anything, there is disappointment that more tourists from America and Europe didn’t come, likely scared off by bad pre-Olympics publicity. The Greisen family, who because they were wearing USA garb were stopped by locals for photos, said they got tickets cheap because of plunging prices. And local merchants lamented that Brazilians don’t have the same level of disposable income as foreigners.
“It’s 90 percent Brazilians, 10 percent Europe and America,” said Ednaldo, who was hawking license plates along the boardwalk. “It’s very expensive here [for Brazilians] for drink and holiday, double the prices.
“It’s beautiful,” he continued, sweeping his hand at the tableau in front of him, saying the world should have come. “Very good and beautiful.”
It was. It is. It should remain so. Have some grilled meat. Have a stroll through the sand. Listen to the music. This is Rio, ugly and beautiful all at once. This is the Olympics, the fun and ridiculous.
On this perfect Copacabana day, the caipirinhas getting sipped looked smooth and stimulating. Maybe the two-by-four will come later. For today, later could wait.
More Olympic coverage from Yahoo Sports:
