Walking & Healthy living, Lu's House in Portao Vermelho

I walk everywhere 

I notice that here in Rocinha, My living habits are quite diferent, for the better. I walk so much more everywhere. I have yet to get on a bus. Last night I walked from the bottom of Rocinha to the middle of the hill where I live. It took me 30 minutes but it was all up hill. Once to where I wanted to be close to the Bob’s Burgers, I stopped to sit relax and talk with some guys I met previously in the day about music. I love walking this place because everyday I find a new becos to explore. You can live here your whole life and never see all this place. One of my friends Carlie told me that she has never been up to Rua 1, which is close to the top of the hill. Only Laboriaux is higher up. She is 21 and never see all of Rocinha. This is true of many people who live here. I can say that I probably know or have been in 80% of Rocinha.. 

Much has changed here. There is so much new development here from the last time I was here. Now that people have land rights, this place is always changing and constructions going on everywheres. 

I am eating so much more healthier and eating less. I overall just feel cleaner and better. The first 3 days here were hell with me having the digestion problem but that has now passed. 

Sleeping is something that in the US, I always had problems with...good sleep.. here I sleep well and comfortable. I am happy to be back here! Thursday 18 dez ... 

Party, Party, Party Churrasco, Lu

 So Paulo and I went to this get together, small party very high up the hill in Portao Vermelho (Big Red Door). This house would make many people of middle class envois. The living room was huge with 2 large tables with 8 chairs each, equal to a large dining area. The floors are covered in white tile as are much of Brazilian homes. Other than the odd rug, I have never seen carpet, both inside and outside of homes. Tiling is much easier to clean and with the hot weather the floors seem to stay cool. The laundry area is on the roof and is huge as well. She has many parties here and I can see why, as the view is amazing! I could very easily live here, no problem! 

Lu is the owner of this huge house with a large bathroom, 3 bedrooms and nice size kitchen, yet here in the favela, she lives alone. To live alone in a favela, is very very rare. But the story goes that she was dating (married) to one of the first drug dealers in Rocinha. 

Speaking of trafickers, before the 1980’s, favelas were lawless places with crime almost everywhere. It was not safe to go out after dark and pety thefts and break in were common. Dennis, was the main inluence in Rocinha to clean it up and rid the favela of crime. This is why now in Rocinha, everybody gets along for the most part. 

Friday 19 dez, 

So, I have caught a bit of a cold which is normal considering my travels. I was supposed to go to a Baile Funk party last night in the Largo do Boiadeiro area of Rocinha but I was just way to tired and with my cold, hard to want to party..There is a funk party tonight though, in the Curva do S, and I plan on going. 

If you are standing on the pasarella and look to you right you see the tunnel but a little left to the tunnel are the areas of Raiz and the Valao. The Valao is the area that has an open sewer system running through it. There is not formal underground sewer system like in developing countries. So for outsiders this can be shocking to see this. 

Went to the Valao with Paulo to buy a cake for his daughters birthday party. In the Valao there is a “boca de fumo” (drug dealing patch) which openily sells drugs. I was introduced to some traficantes although not much conversation took place. I just kind of stood back and observed without saying much, while Paulo chatted with them. Where I lived in the USA, is much more hidden or you need to know somebody to get drugs. Here it is comon seeing traficantes right out in the open selling their drugs, without fear of police. Police are paid to stay out of the favela. All of them were to be no older than say 23. Dressed nicely with the typical brand clothes and gold jewlery. Across the way from the “boca” you could clearly see two guys with machine guns just sitting there watching everything. I have walked by traficantes several times and they do not mess with anybody. In the past when the CV (Comando Vermelho) was in control, you had to be careful because most of them were crazy of drugged out. Nobody in Rocinha liked the CV, the ADA seems to be a older group of guys and much more organized. And you can talk with them about anything. The CV I never liked even seeing them becase they put more fear in people. 

The traficantes were nice and friendly although, I do not want to be their best friends yet understand what they are all about and the position they play inside of the favela. One guy some time before when I was making my way to my school, offered me some weed, but the weed here stinks! I would never smoke it as it is dry brown and smells like something other than the weed. Plus getting caught here with weed you can do 5 years in prison. I prefer my own drug, which is music! 

Sat. 20 dez, 

Lu House Still have this bad cold in the throat now, yesterday it was in my nose now today it has moved in my throat. I physically feel well but my throat feels like it is burning little. I know eventually this will turn in to a cough, like my usual cold. Purchased some stuff for it and Paulo gave me some stuff too.. We will see if the medications he gave me work? 

So I finally was able to take some fotos of Lu’s house both inside and on the roof. This house has amazing views and I would live here in a minute! We waited but Lu who is very popular in the comunity and works for the Associacao dos Moradores (Residents Association in Rocinha). I have no idea what exactly she does, but she is an important member. She was suppose to meet us but was at a Funeral and burial for somebody who had died in Roupa Suja. RS is one of the poorest areas of Rocinha with still existing wooded shacks on the right side of the hill. 

Tomorrow we go to hang out with Cacau, who is the president of the Rocinha Corrida Equipe which is a competitive running team in Rocinha. They also have people like Paulo who run marathons and do triathlons. Suppposedly this will be a bit of a party of some sorts and they want me to take some fotos..no prob, but for now I am getting ready for a Baile Funk party in the “Curva do S” area with Dj NEW, who lives in the Valao.

I am NOT professional fotographer but I will take some good fotos for them.. 

For the foreigner I would think that it would be dificult to get used to is seeing all these young guys walking around with machine guns. Another thing which I find strange is that as a youth, I do not remember is the constant explosions of fireworks here in the favela..you here them all the time and there is diferent way the “fogueteiros” use theirs to signal that the cops are coming in the hood. The fireworks signals of the traficantes sound like a quick pop pop pop in order, where the kids for fun are more uneven in their release in sound..Ok now off to the Baile Funk!! But then again it is around christmas and new years there is always firecrackers going on here