São Paulo is a city of contrasts, particularly when the billion-dollar spectacle of Formula 1 visits once a year. Adjacent to the Autódromo José Carlos Pace circuit lies the Interlagos favela, one of the dozens of slums in the city. On one side of the fence, drivers race around the Brazilian asphalt for substantial salaries, while on the other side, electricity and running water are not a given.
This disparity is also evident in the city center, home to over 22 million people, more than three million of whom live in favelas or worse. The social contrast is almost palpable at every street corner.
En route to establishments, you witness the dehumanizing living conditions of the homeless at intersections and roundabouts. They live in cardboard boxes or small tents, and each day is a struggle for survival. If you have visited the city before, you know this is the reality, but the sight of such extreme poverty never becomes familiar. And perhaps, in a certain sense, that’s a good thing.View from the taxi…
Surviving in the Verge
Upon arriving at Song Qi – a definite recommendation, by the way – host Felipe Massa proudly shows off his restaurant before we sit down for a delicious lunch with exclusive Chinese dishes. The restaurant clearly caters to the upper class. Let’s just say, Nasi Goreng is not on the menu.
Two hours and a candid interview later, I step into the taxi with a sense of satisfaction. The mission is accomplished. But as you drive to the circuit afterwards, you pass by the homeless people surviving in the verges on either side. I’d rather not know what they have on their menu tonight.
