Journalled on Thursday, 27th of April 2023 | Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro: 29 degrees, warm, sunny and slightly overcast.
Right now, Thursday is one of only two days each week when I can do a full two-hour workout in the morning.
Now that we are in autumn, almost winter, it is very chilly early in the morning by Carioca standards, but not by English standards.
Having lived in Brazil for more than half my life, I am now more accustomed to the tropical climate than to northern European temperatures. The last time I visited England was around twenty-two years ago, in December, to spend Christmas and New Year there. I recall visiting my uncle Mick, who was volunteering at a steam railway.
The railway had a tourist line that ran through several small towns in the area. I also remember that the weather was freezing during that time. I remember, like yesterday, being in the main train yard, where the trains were serviced and repaired; the cold cut through us with no pity, like a sharp blade. It was too much for me. I think it gave me some trauma regarding going back to live in England.
There is always a comparison and debate among Cariocas that, because we are so accustomed to warm tropical weather, living in a country with a lower-temperature climate would be at least complicated, if not impossible.
I am teaching a Brazilian judge who is Carioca and currently living in Cambridge, England, pursuing a doctorate at Trinity College. His doctorate is based on an education project that he and his team are implementing in public schools in Rio de Janeiro.
I have often asked him if he has gotten used to the weather in England, and his complaint is the rain. For him and his family, the rain is: “It rains too much!” Felipe has said this numerous times.
When the temperature is low and it’s raining, dampness can seep through every layer of your clothes, reaching your bones and soul.
As mentioned, it was too cold when I visited my uncle, but walking outside in the mean, wet, rainy streets affects the soul, too. Nowadays, probably all homes in England have central heating, but even when you go out, it’s hard to stay warm with several layers of clothes.
I remember living in São Paulo for the second time. In winter, São Paulo is cold by Brazilian standards, and homes don’t have any central heating. You are obliged to wear a coat inside your home because it is too cold and there is no heating. For me, it is neither logical nor remotely sane to wear a coat inside your home; it is meant to be worn outside, not inside.
However, after writing all this, I find an early chilly morning in Rio perfect.
I love the middle seasons: spring and autumn in Rio de Janeiro. In these seasons, during the day, it is warm and cool in the shade, cold at night and in the early morning.
Rio is generally not a windy city, but when it is the middle of the season, there is considerably more wind than usual, which makes it even more pleasant. I know I am repeating myself, but I love this time of the year in Rio.
So, after a good workout, classes, some things to do in the street and about twenty pages of my book to read, I was in bed at half past nine.
Thank you.
Thanks for reading my blog. Check out my other posts and share your thoughts in the comments.
Richard
