For our Rio Rio & Live on Thursday we visited the Santa Marta Favela near Botofogo. The favela was made famous by Michael Jackson as the setting for his film clip for They Don`t Care About Us. We took the fernicular with the locals to the top of the favela where we enjoyed awesome views of the favela as well as Christ the Redeemer and Lagoa. We then walked through the favela where we got an insight into the lives of the residents.
At the top of Dona Marta. That was our RioLIVE! at this time, one of the most different activities that we have here in our Portuguese School. We met one of the most touristic favelas in Rio de Janeiro, Morro Dona Marta.
Our students from Norway, Italy, Switzerland, Australia and Holland had the opportunity to know this very and interesting place. Just when we started our RioLIVE! at the bottom of the favela, we could have a nice view of the Christ Redeemer (Cristo Redentor) and also get more information about the history of Dona Marta seeing a nice photos’ exhibition. We talked in Portuguese a lot about the improvement that the place has been receiving and also about Michael Jackson’s visit because he recorded the a video for the song They don’t care about us in 1996 at Dona Marta. This RioLIVE! was different and special, because our students could see a different reality of some cariocas. Small and really simple houses formed the favela’s architecture. Along with this fact, some colorful houses give a special view to a special part of the place called, Praça do Cantão.
