Olhares Olímpicos

Although the carioca would rather not admit it, the sun doesn’t always shine in the Cidade Maravilhosa. To the locals, this climatic phenomenon is referred to as a cold front, no matter if the street thermometers are registering a steamy 35 degrees Celsius (95F) or a teeth-chattering frosty 20 degrees Celsius (69F).

Regardless of the temperature, cariocas embrace a cold front as that long-awaited opportunity to wear all those sweaters, leather jackets, woolen scarves, and boots that have been sitting in moth balls since the previous cold front. Bundle up as if you’re ready to hit the slopes, and you’ll fit right in.

Finding yourself at the Rio 2016 games on one of those rare rainy days and you don’t have tickets to indoor Olympic venues, don’t despair. The following are just a few of the many activities that you can indulge in to pass the time until the sun breaks through, and you can get back to basking in the excitement of the many outdoor events:

1. Belly up to the counter at a nearby pé-sujo [peh ‘soo joo] (little corner bars that are not the most hygienic of establishments) and have a few chopps and a mortadela sandwich while watching the indoor Olympic venues on your tablet or smartphone.

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2. Spend four hours with your friends at a local botequim [booh tchee ‘keen] (carioca fast-food joint) drinking caipirinhas and eating soggy pizza (don’t forget the ketchup!) while watching the indoor Olympic venues on a 20 inch TV hanging precariously above the bar.

3. Spend four hours with your friends at a churrascaria [shoo ‘hah skah ‘rree yuh] (an eat-until-you-say-uncle steak house) drinking chopps and eating a rodízio [ho ‘gee zee yoo] while watching the indoor Olympic venues on a humongous screen TV.

4. Stay at your hotel or apartment and watch the people in the neighboring buildings through binoculars from your window. (A carioca would.)