Tourists and Locals Take Advantage of Beach and Boulevard, but Complain About Prices
Copacabana Beach saw an atypical Saturday (6), given the heat and the number of tourists in Rio for the Olympics.
Despite the sun and a high of nearly 30ºC in the middle of winter, few tourists were seen on the sand in the morning and early evening.
Foreigners preferred the waterfront. Still impressed by the opening ceremony, they complimented the warmness of the locals and said they were surprised by the safety of the city.
Complaints centered around the difficulties faced when trying to navigate the Olympic sites. Englishman Ray Bieber, 45, and his German friend Herbert Ruegamer, 58, criticized the line at the entrance to the beach volleyball arena, where Brazil beat Canada by 2 sets to 0.
In the morning, the line was nearly 2 km long. "We were in London for the 2012 Games and didn't see these large lines", said Bieber.
Despite this grievance, the two drank beer on the sidewalk and were enthusiastic about the city. "The food is great, the service is perfect, it's hot and the beer is cold. it couldn't be better", said Ruegamer.
At the beach, vendors seemed disappointed with the light tourist activity.
Luciano Bruno, responsible for the Cabana Palace 73 stand, said the activity is atypical for a sunny Saturday.
Bruno also said tourists are not spending a lot of money and complain about the prices. "We didn't change the prices but the people are saying it's expensive. During the week, the people sit on their beach blankets and don't buy anything."
A Turkish group made up of Merve Zaman, Sergül Aklar and Gülcin Adiguzel said it was surprised by the city's safeness.
"We are impressed by the number of police in the streets. That gives us a sense of security and comfort that allows us to gain the most out of our experience. But, we are still being cautious", said Merve, while clutching her backpack.
Translated by SUGHEY RAMIREZ