the spirit of assimilation and integration of elements from other cultures into rio's own, is among the most significant and characteristic aspects of life in the city. this can be seen in rio's visual arts, culinary offerings, and very notably in the rhythms of samba, pagode, and bossa nova - bossa nova, the rhythm of the famous song 'girl from ipanema' was born from the spontaneous incorporation of jazz elements into samba melodies.

the special christmas dish of roasted turkey is a simple but telling example of how a north-american thanksgiving tradition was quickly incorporated into a carioca habit.    rio's most typical foods are meat, rice, beans, feijoada, and pão de queijo, while rio's most popular drinks are fruit juices, coconut water, beer, and the caipirinha - brazil's national drink made up of cachaça, sugar and lime.