Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-10-09
Rio De JaneirO,
The Magnificent

The Magnlflcent
Not many years ago it was a
standing bit of pleasantly that the
only way to go from New York to
Rio de Janeiro comfortably was to
cross the Atlantic twice. AS for
time, if there was close steamship
connection you made the two shorter
sides of the ocean triangle in about
the same number of days that the
long side required. But that is all
in the past now. New York to Rio
is matter of eleven days at the
present time and new inter Ameri-
can era has begun. 1t is a most
fortunate circumstance, j n d e g d.
North America and South America
need to know each other better-a
great deal better-and such short
eninS of the time between two great
cities is the most admira BILE means OF
bringing this about. Incidentally,
believe that these eleven days are the
shortest transition in the world be-
tween opposite seasons, for although
ii is summer in New York, it is win
ter in Rio de Janeiro.
Three and one half centuries, and
five years more, have rolled by since
Estacio de Sa founded Rio de jan
GIRO. but it is a much later event
which is uppermost in the minds of
the citizens of this municipality just
noW-the independence of Brazil
from the sovereignty of Portugal. And
i. is in celebration of the completion
of one hundred years Of this indie
pendence that the chief city of the
country is to have a great universal
exposition, to open on the sixth of
the coming September and continue
to the end of March-thus carrying
it through the Brazilian winter. The
United States has appropriated one
million dollars for its participation,
and it will be money well spent if
il opens the eyes of Il goodly num-
Ler Of its people TO the altogether
TOO little known glories of Rio de
Janciro. the agnificent-let alone
the possibility of seeing other Braz-
ilian cities on the same trip and per-
Euenos Aires, crossing the Andes to
Valparaiso and returning by the eX-
oecdingly interesting West Coast
route.
Rio de Janeiro would we'll deserve
10 be called magnificent if ONLY be-
C,uSc of It's scenic surroundings.
which are superb beyond description.
To paruphrase the familiar straw
berry saying, doubtless God might
l,., lnn,1fifIl c1Ir
ings for q city, but doubtless He
never did. From the moment of
landfall the eye of the traveller hy
sea is keyed to expectation, but with
the unfolding of the scenic panorama
there is revelation upon revelation,
until the fulness of The splendor OF
the bay-dotted with one hundred or
more islands-and the city, doInln-
atcd by the two peaks, CorcoVada
ana Tijuca, is disclosed. To north
ward the Organ Mountains, some SIX
thousand feet in height, close in up
on the bay one is in an inland sea,
with an amrhi-thcatre Of thousand
Llls Eut the first great single I'M
preston is Pao de Assucal-knoWn
the world over as Sugar Loaf-Wh!ch
points skyward nearly fourteen hun
dred feet. 1t is Il marvellous intro
duction TO 4 great city.
Rio de Janeiro in general is q city
q gardens with forest background.
life there is Very gay and 70 the
stranger within its gates extremely
picturesque. what with the various
vendors upon the streets and the
striking part which the windows of
the dwellings play III the daily rou-
tine. If on" wishes Il mountain re-
spite from its gaiety, there is Pctro-
polis-the diplomatic suburb. two
thousand feet above the sea and only
thirty nefIe miles distant. Here it is
cool when il is warm in the streets
of the great city down below and
here life is lived in the midst of a
wonderful profusion of flowers, for
Peuopol!s is fairly ablaZe With the
colorful blossoms of tropical and
subtropical growth IN all against Il
luXuriant background If Verdure
which seems to 30 on and on until
ii meets the masses Of mountain YER
dure. The motor drive up to Petro-
polls and back is one long panorama
Of scenic beauty, with one indcscrib-
ably picturesque vista opening upon
another until the journeys end Is
reached.
And the trip to Petropolis is only
n single taste of the motoring joys of
sojourn in Rio de Janeiro. There
are fine roads into the mountains
III various directions and to try one is
to he tempted irrcsistibly to try therl
all in order that the utmost possibili-
tics Of the city'S surroundings may
be experienced. one may drive from
peak to peak until the infinite vari
ETY. Of the views afforded is nothing
short OF bewilderin.. 1t Is mountain
and sea, sea and mountain, in COM
binations which shift as rapidly as
those Of 4 Kaleidoscope.
OF course. every visitor to Rio dc
Janeiro makes the trip to the top of
Sugar Loaf by the aerial cable Car
al least once. Time and space ap-
pear to be eliminated in this speedy
journey through the air and the
eventual reward in the way of the
broad view unfolded at the summit
;e too much for words. One has
about as little to say as when one
looks into the yawning gap of the
Grand Canyon of the Colorado for
the first time. After all, Rio de
Janeiro is not seen until one has
seen from such a height this truly
magnificent city Of the world below