🌈 The City of Colors and Rhythm: Rio Ah, my beautiful Rio… a city whose energy I can never get enough of! Rio de Janeiro is the capital of its state and Brazil’s second-largest city after São Paulo. It captivates visitors with both its vibrant culture and breathtaking nature. Its full name is “São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro”, but let’s keep it simple and call it Rio. The iconic Christ the Redeemer statue is located here, and the world-famous Rio Carnival also takes place in this magnificent city. But like every city, Rio has its challenges too — the biggest being the striking gap between rich and poor. Although considered a major metropolis, a large portion of the population lives in favelas, the city’s shantytowns. Interestingly, the front of the Christ statue faces the wealthy areas, while its back is turned to the favelas. Locals even joke, “Christ opens his arms to the rich while turning his back on the poor.” It’s also fun to know that Rio is often called “Cidade Maravilhosa” — ...