Living in Rio de Janeiro, the beach is undoubtedly the most
popular place to be. And whenever there are a lot of people, there are a hell
of a lot of other people trying to make a few reais... hopefully by selling you
things. This post is going to take a quick look at these guys and talk about
the variety of popular snacks other items that are sold in this sandy landscape.
I have to admit I am a big fan of the beach vendors in Rio.
They do not force themselves into your personal space or ask you direct
questions. They simply walk up and down the beach shouting out the various
snacks and wares that they sell. It's a much better system as there are enough of them to be useful but not so many that it is imposing or annoying. These guys are very friendly and just trying to scrape together a living like the rest of us.
These guys and girls are walking vans (vandors if you will) carrying a lot of product over the hot sand; no easy task.
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A lot of people have the smart idea of selling clothes on
the beach, usually hats, sarongs and weirdly, bikinis. Who needs to buy a bikini when they are already on the beach?! Well, maybe the Cariocas, as they don't quite seem to know what a bikini is...they seem to think a few thin straps held together with smoke are enough to adequately cover their...Sugarloafs.
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| He even has a mirror on the top so you can check yourself out in your new cool hat. |
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These strong fellas lumped a heavy box of sandwiches... and a trumpet with them. They were the most intrusive vendors we came across as occasionally one of them would stop and play the trumpet with some skill but at an almighty volume. Interesting technique but didn't seem to be the most successful.
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Please excuse the low quality of this image, but can you see the contraption this ice cream seller is using to drag his delicious product about? He has made his own beach kart. It would probably have taken me 10 years of vending on the beach to figure something like this out. I am not even joking.
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| Tasty ice lollies are tucked away in this man's box. Delightful! There's also a dude who sells fresh fruit salad (smothered in condensed milk so as not to be too healthy!) |
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| A man selling pies on a beach! He had a strong arm too! |
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| Men walk along selling meats and cheeses on sticks and the smell of their portable BBQs is very enticing. The cheese is like halloumi and is coated in oregano - delicious! |
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| This guy trudges along all day, sloshing liquid around with him. He is selling Mate, a popular ice tea although I imagine his is more like sun-warmed tea. He was also wearing a big black beard (not as though you can tell with the photo), and I couldn't help but wonder if it was a disguise...? |
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| The lifeguards are offering safety to the beach-goers. And never forget it, because the undercurrents of the bocas are very strong! The biggest threat on the beach however, are the umbrellas, which get uprooted by high the winds and like to fly at you with great force! |
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| Kids beach toys. He knows a good customer is one who isn't worried about being ripped off, and that's a child. Get one of them involved and their parents will be forced to buy a toy just to shut them up. |
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| Tucked away in this man's box were, believe it or not, crabs. I kid you not. The Crab Man! |
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This is a very common beach snack in Brazil called Globos. Similar to a wotsit or quaver in texture, with a satisfying crunch, they are very greasy with a strong taste of oil and really not our cup of tea.
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| This man was selling cuzcuz - a very popular beach dessert of tapioca grains, condensed milk and coconut. Very sweet and a weird thing to eat on the beach but it seems to be a consistent winner with the sunbathers! |
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| A family selling corn on the cob, wrapped in the husk. A delicious healthy snack, although the worst possible thing to be offered when you have just had wisdom teeth surgery! |
