The asphalts come visiting
For many years Vidigal was a closed community - ruled by drug gangs and dangerous for visitors.
In 2012 the heavily armed UPP (the Pacifying Police Units) seized control of the favela, and in the last few years 'The Asphalts' (the common expression for the people living in the more formal parts of Rio) have been venturing into the favela on some Friday and Saturday nights.
On these nights party goers are lining up outside the few clubs that are arranging midnight raves on their rooftop terraces.
We (perhaps now almost considered as fellow favelians - or perhaps just considered so strange, we're thought of as a kind of local mascots!), were invited to one of these parties, and we were even offered free VIP tickets to be picked up at the entrance.
Yeah! What's not to like about THAT!
When we arrived, we jumped the lines of the waiting cariocan playboys and their scantily clad girlfriends and climbed up the stairs to the roof top, where we were met by deafening hip-hop blasting from gigantic loudspeakers.
Beneath us, we had the most fantastic view of the favela, where the lights from the thousands of homes, clinging to the hillside, looked like twinkling galaxies.
The beams from two giant searchlights glided over the darkened mountain. At the terrace railings - with their backs towards the fantastic view - young men and women were almost forgetting each other in their pursuit of the perfect selfie.
These party goers were definitely not residents of the favela. Most locals could never afford the hefty entrance fees. They just had to endure some sleep deprivation caused by the loud music playing almost until dawn.
We, fortunately, live in a part of the favela, which is far from the venue. The rooftop party sounded only as a distant rumbling, when we finally hit the bed.
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