rio de janeiro

[retardy4thaparty]

Has anyone been? Things you loved? Things you hated? What would you do differently?

Please help! I'm looking to go in March 2013. Your help is greatly appreciated.

[emilyinchile]

Posts on my most recent trip here: www.emilyinchile.com/tag/rio-de-janeiro/

In terms of safety, I feel like Rio (as with many places in the world, specifically Latin America) is somewhere where "an ounce of prevention..." really rings true. I have relaxed a bit on each of my trips as I get more familiar with warning signs. Last time, I took my point & shoot camera to the beach with no problems, but I still wouldn't take my big DSLR just because it would be too easy for someone to take advantage of me closing my eyes for a minute in the sun. A friend who lives there doesn't wear any fancy jewelry wandering around town, but I wore my engagement ring and felt fine.

Do be careful with your cards - mine got skimmed in one of the ATMs at the airport, and after I got back there were withdrawals for thousands of dollars. Just make sure your bank will protect you if something like that happens (mine did), and keep an eye on your accounts.

[MommaK]

Loved Sugarloaf Mountain
Hated Sugarloaf Mountain (it is really high)

Loved the food, the Hippie Market (Sunday?), and one of my favorite things was Jardim Botanico. People watching is also lots of fun in Rio.

Saftey in Rio is an issue but not so much if you're smart, as PP said.

[GilliC]

Loved:
- at least one of the boys, obviously
- standing in one of the local sections for the parade at the Sambadrome during Carnaval
- sunset on a clear night at Sugar Loaf
- empadas, feijoada, and picanha
- having caipirinhas near Copacabana Fort with an evening view back to the beach
- coconut water from a beachside kiosk and eating the coconut after the water was gone
- going out dancing in Lapa
- finding a few brands of cachaça that I really like
- Fogo de Chão. I thought it was so much better than Porcão (see below), and I liked it a lot more than the ones I've been to outside of Brazil.

Hated:
- the traffic. It takes ages to get back from the office in the afternoon, and the drivers are horrible!
- having to catch the company bus to work at 6:30 in the morning to get there while the roads are clear and cut down on the risk of robberies and stray bullets as we pass through the bad neighborhood.
- being paranoid every time we drove through a tunnel
- heat rash. When did I start getting heat rash?!
- unsweetened caiprinhas
- Porcão. Everyone raves about Porcão, but I thought the meat was way too salty and barely ate anything.
- staying in Flamengo. There's nothing there!
- expanding on that, I hate how far in advance the hotels fill up!
- the water temperature! It's too cold to swim comfortably. The longest I've stayed in was about 5-10 minutes, and that was on my way back from Antarctica. I kept telling myself, "You swam in 34° water in Antarctica. This is nothing!" It didn't work. I had to get out.

Things I'd do differently:
- Go to Corcovado on a weekday. The wait for the train up was long and boring, and waiting in line to come back down took ages.
- Find out precisely where/when the major bands will be during Carnaval. We wasted a lot of time standing around waiting for where we thought they were supposed to come by, and missed the best parts of the street parties.
- I still haven't been over to Niteroi to have lunch at the fish market.
- I also haven't really explored Santa Teresa or visited the Escadaria Selarón.


Regarding the crime, I agree with the ounce of prevention. Don't wear any flashy jewelry, and don't be an ass, but you can carry stuff around (as long as you realize that there is a chance it can be stolen). DBF looks like a foreigner (seriously, people have given him flyers for Portuguese lessons even when I'm not around), and he carries his DSLR around fairly often. However, when we go to the beach, he insists that someone has to stay with the stuff at all times. Even if we don't really have anything too important with us, it still means that someone stays with it at all times.

[Deleted]

I had my purse which was strapped across my body in from of me stolen. I was VERY careful and practicing more than an ounce of precaution. (hell im a NY'r so I grew up bewing aware and cautious of my surroundings)I didnt have much in there or anything that important BUT it still pissed me off.
I must also add we were with natives(my H has family there)

I have traveled all over the world and have never had any issues before or after Rio.

Would I go back a big fat no...I would definitely go back to Brazil, but not to Rio, I didnt think it was great enough to justify that.

sugarloaf was amazing and so was the food!

[GilliC]

Oct 18, 2012 5:41:08 GMT -5 mags said:

I had my purse which was strapped across my body in from of me stolen. I was VERY careful and practicing more than an ounce of precaution. (hell im a NY'r so I grew up bewing aware and cautious of my surroundings)I didnt have much in there or anything that important BUT it still pissed me off.

That sucks. What happened? If you don't mind my asking.

I know a lot of people who've experienced a lot of crime in Rio, but all of my colleagues claim that it's improved hugely in the last five years. However, I'm still a bit disturbed by the fact that our office has bullet-proof glass in the windows (complete with partial bullet hole; at least we know it works)!

[emilyinchile]

Gilli. WTF is an unsweetened caipirinha?! Powdered sugar is a key ingredient!

[retardy4thaparty]

All of this information is great to know! This would be my first out of the US travel experience. I think I should look for a different travel location, at least for the first time.

[emilyinchile]

I don't necessarily think that's the case, OP. Just depends on how much adventure you're up for. If you're from the middle of nowhere where people don't lock their houses, and you can leave your laptop sitting on the sidewalk all day without someone taking it, and you've never experienced anything else, Rio will be a bit of a culture shock. If you already are used to big cities in the US, it won't be such a change.

[iammalcolmx]

Oct 18, 2012 10:19:33 GMT -5 retardy4thaparty said:

All of this information is great to know! This would be my first out of the US travel experience. I think I should look for a different travel location, at least for the first time.

I go twice a year because my Dad lives there. I do leave my engagement ring a home, don't wear yellow gold, change money at the hotel( the ATM issue isn't good) and don't use an designer purses. Other than that it's just like any big city except with one of the most amazing landscapes out there. If you think it will be a bit too much maybe try another place? Remeber also you need a Visa to visit Brasil.

[lo]

Love Rio and would go back in a heartbeat! I practiced common sense and felt safe the entire time, even at night walking around with just my girlfriend. However, for 90% of the trip we stayed in the touristy/wealthy areas. I'm sure it is more dangerous if you venture to other less well known neighborhoods. We even took buses and the subway. Everything was great! Use common sense always be aware of your surroundings and chances are everything will be fine. Crime can and does happen in every major city. It was a risk I was willing to take.

[GilliC]

Btw, for those of you who've been, which are must-sees? Santa Teresa, Escalada Selarón, Niteroi?

We planned to visit the Escalada on Sunday but ended up having a lazy day in. I'm not feeling so motivated for sightseeing with a full week of work, but if there's something I really should see, maybe I should make the effort while I'm here?

[emilyinchile]

I've been several times and never been to Niteroi or seen much of Santa Teresa, so obviously I do not think those are essential On my last trip, I finally made it to the Escadaria, and it is pretty cool. It doesn't take that much time though, and if you're interested you can see the Arcos da Lapa and the crazy cone-shaped cathedral too, since they're right there. www.emilyinchile.com/2011/07/escadaria-selaron-and-arcos-d-lapa/

[scout8]

--fresh juices from the corner juice stands
--exploring Santa Teresa
--walking tour we did on our own of historical sights
--beach
--watching the sunset from the rocky area where the beaches meet (can't remember what it is called now)
--having traditional feijoada at our friends' parents' house

OP: I agree with others that if you are used to big cities, you will be fine. We also went to Buenos Aires on the same trip and I liked it better. I felt safer there and thought it was more manageable. So, you might want to check into BA too.

[anna7602]

Oct 22, 2012 19:17:31 GMT -5 GilliC said:

Btw, for those of you who've been, which are must-sees? Santa Teresa, Escalada Selarón, Niteroi?

I love Santa Teresa, especially the food options there. I don't know if it has gotten a lot more touristy since the last time I was in Rio, but when I went it was really just locals who went out to eat there and the feijoada I had was truly the best I had ever had anywhere in Brazil or at Brazilian restaurants outside of Brazil.

I have a good friend from Niteroi and she claims it is awesome because of the view you have of Rio from there. I never made it there, though.

To OP, I agree with being vigilant and cautious. I even took my diamond stud nosering out while I was there and replaced it with something cheaper, per a Brazilian friend's recommendation.

But it's a truly wonderful city, one that is amazing on so many levels. PPs have some great recommendations for things to do and see.

[MommaK]

Oct 22, 2012 19:17:31 GMT -5 GilliC said:

Btw, for those of you who've been, which are must-sees?quote]
H Stern

Also RE: all of my colleagues claim that it's improved hugely in the last five years. However, I'm still a bit disturbed by the fact that our office has bullet-proof glass in the windows (complete with partial bullet hole; at least we know it works)!

My husband has been running a lab in Brasil for about 20 years. One of the first times he went there, he was escorted from the bus, into the Copacabana Palace by armed guards wearing Flak Jackets!

And yes, pray tell, what is an unsweetened caipirinha??

[iammalcolmx]

My Dad lives in Copacabana its tons better.