First, what is a Carioca? A Carioca is a person born in Rio de Janeiro. I, of course, was not, but my wife was, and I’m kind of an adopted Brazilian Carioca. From what I understand, the dialect in Rio is a bit different from that in other areas. In my feeble attempts to even try Portuguese, they get a chuckle since I did not use the proper “Sh” sound in parts of words. It is also a specific vibe of a slower, less hectic lifestyle, closeness to people, and a sense of being in touch with the culture. It is also big on relaxing, family, closeness in greeting, and the beach. The beach is really the topic here, as my Carioca experience.

The beach is where people gather for the day, family and friends, and it is not like anything I experienced in the US. Vendors come by while sitting there, and you can get fresh coconut juice; they tap the coconut right there. Here is the best part of the two things that are so good you will lose your mind: cheese on a stick. A vendor comes by with a little grill, cooks the cheese on the stick, and you get it hot with little grill marks on the cheese. The other is corn. A vendo comes by with a big cart of corn on the cob, strips it off the cob, and you get a bowl of perfectly cooked, buttered, salted corn. You could sit here all day and eat just these two dishes.

The beaches are big and covered with people, and along the sidewalk, there are small outdoor restaurants where you can get beer, coconut water, soda, and other assorted foods.

I have been in Brazil for almost a year and have experienced quite a bit. I have been on the beach before, but this was my first time as kind of a family and friends gathering, doing the food-on-the-beach thing. It was a great experience. Keep an eye out for a series of Brazil pieces on restaurants, places, and the different street foods. You will enjoy the trip.

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