Her Name is RIO

The flight from Santiago to Rio was quite bouncy. I believe the thick clouds in the sky had something to do with it. When the sky cleared up and the commander announced 15 minutes to land I decided to go by the window and just glance outside.
Luckily we approached Rio through the south side, therefore the breathtaking view of the green forest and blue sea were an espectacle. It could not have been a better welcome committe. I recognized part. It was the Restinga da Marambaia. I can´t think of any city in the world, at least from the ones I have visited so far, with such gorgeous view. I teared.
Soon the plane started crossing inland and then it wasn´t as pretty as before.
Somehow seeing Rio from above after 6 years away made me very emotional.
When we had landed and parked some of the passengers, the ones that rush to get their carry-on luggage could see my swollen eyes. I rememeber some of them staring at me.

Going through customs had never been so easy. The whole way through security and luggage didn´t take me more than 10 minutes. As soon as I crossed the sliding doors I saw my mother and my cousin holding this silly sign `Bem Vindo Gustavo`. My mother, as always, wanted me stop right there to take pictures. We all hugged and We all teared together.

We drove by the Yellow Line, a express way in Rio relatively new. On the first section there is a place called Joâo´s Villa. It is considered the most dangerous spot in Rio nowadays, described by my cousin. On one side of the freeway they have drug traffic run by a group and in the other side run by another group. These two groups hate each other. Sometimes they have shooting in the area and bullets fly over the freeway. And sometimes they block the traffic and steal from people inside the cars.

Many things have changed in the landscape of Rio. Many new buildings have appeared. One of the best surprises for me with regards to buidlings were the ones being constructed for the Pan American Games 2007. They look gigantic Stadiums. Rio really needs modern sport facilities. I was very happy to see that. Lots of people here think the Games will be a fiasco because they belive Rio is not ready to receive all these people. I agree in part. I think a lot of things will have to change and lots of improvements to be made, specially when it comes to signage.

In front of my house when it used to be only grass and trees growing wild, a supermarket and a big shopping mall were built.

The first person I saw when I got home was my grandmother, She was laying down on the living room couch watching TV. I just came in and said HI. She almost had a heart attack. She was so happy to see me. Everybody knows I am her favourite. hehehe
She kept saying that was the best day of her life!

Afterwards we drove to my other cousin´s. Both Chris (the one who came to receive me at the aiport) and Dani are like sisters to me. We all grew up together and, therefore, are very attached to each other.
Chris and my mom used the intercom and they out to the balcony to greet them, just like they had antecipated, but I waited inside the car waiting for the right time to go. They finally went inside to open the door and I rushed inside the building.
My mom and Chris went inside the apartment firts and I waited outside, knocking at the door afterwards.
When my cousin Dani opened the door, she couldn´t contain herself. She was screaming and jumping at the same time. It was so funny and emotional. There I met her two kids, my adorable niece and nephew, with who I bonded right away, even though they didn´t really know me.

That night we still went to my aunt´s and came up with different surprises for each person that came in. For my aunt I hid behind the curtains and for my brother I hid under a white blanket pretending to be Dani´s kids.
It was all too funny and emotional!