I'm flying to Rio tomorrow!

[JW]

It finally started to hit me a few days ago [img]smile.gif[/img] Has anyone been? From there I'm going to Bahia. Looking forward to experiencing the music, art, culture and [img]biggrinangel.gif[/img] [img]biggrinangel.gif[/img] [img]biggrinangel.gif[/img] . If you have been, can you recommend somewhere or something I just got to see or do?

[DeesKo]

Are you spending any time in Rio ?


Peace

[liL Ray]

if you are a man, Bring the large box of condoms...if you are a woman, bring the large box of condoms also.

enjoy.

[JW]

Originally posted by DeesKo:
Are you spending any time in Rio ? About 3 days then I'm off to Bahia!


Peace

[JW]

Originally posted by liL Ray:
if you are a man, Bring the large box of condoms...

enjoy.

That's what my boys keep telling me
:D

[liL Ray]

Originally posted by JW:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by liL Ray:
if you are a man, Bring the large box of condoms...

enjoy.

That's what my boys keep telling me
:D </font>[/QUOTE]matter of fact pack 2 boxes...leave the suntan lotion, you won't be on the beach long enough for a tan.

[DeesKo]

I'm assuming you have all of your hotel arrangements made already ?

Some suggestions :

Go to the lagoon in the middle of Rio, over near Ipanema and take the helicopter tour of Rio that lifts off from there. 15 minutes for about $100 US and its definitely worth it.

Go to Copacabana Beach during the day and soak in some sun, have one of their local special drinks and relax, its going to be early summer there so it expect it too be quite warm.

Be very very very careful if you're in Copacabana at night. Be very cautious walking the streets, even the main streets as Copacabana is still touristy, which makes it a good target for theives... or at least it was pretty bad the last time I was there about a year ago.

Check out Rio Sul Mall near Copacabana... its nothing special, a mall, but go hit the food court area, get a beer and just take in the sights as they stroll by... plus you can pick up Cubans if you're into Cigars for a decent price in the smoke shop there, as well as pick up gifts souveniers if you're doing that.

The restaraunts around Copacabana aren't as good as the ones in the Ipanema area, and are similiar priced. You can take a taxi to Impanema Beach, walk in towards the city a couple of blocks and find a lot of interesting places to eat.

You HAVE to have some good Churassco while you are there, unless of course you're a vegetarian. If you are, hit one of the all you can eat pasta places downtown.

Go downtown after work (around 6pm), especially on Friday, especially if you have Brasilian hosts and just walk around hang out at some of the sidewalk bars or what have you... there are a lot of little places that are open and hopping with people downtown, especially during happy hour.

Go check out Corcovado if possible

Exchange money at the airport because taxi's etc don't take credit. Make sure you have a good idea of the exchange rate. Be super-careful with how much money you carry at once and how obvious you are with it... the economy there was in real bad shape and it was getting a little rough in Rio last time I was there.

If you arrive in the daytime, take a good, long, hard look and take in the situation in the flavelas (ghettos). You will drive right through large sections on the highway between Rio and the airport.... not to make any judgements or decisions but just to take it all in...

Enjoy!

Peace

[liL Ray]

Originally posted by DeesKo:
I'm assuming you have all of your hotel arrangements made already ?

Some suggestions :

Go to the lagoon in the middle of Rio, over near Ipanema and take the helicopter tour of Rio that lifts off from there. 15 minutes for about $100 US and its definitely worth it.

Go to Copacabana Beach during the day and soak in some sun, have one of their local special drinks and relax, its going to be early summer there so it expect it too be quite warm.

Be very very very careful if you're in Copacabana at night. Be very cautious walking the streets, even the main streets as Copacabana is still touristy, which makes it a good target for theives... or at least it was pretty bad the last time I was there about a year ago.

Check out Rio Sul Mall near Copacabana... its nothing special, a mall, but go hit the food court area, get a beer and just take in the sights as they stroll by... plus you can pick up Cubans if you're into Cigars for a decent price in the smoke shop there, as well as pick up gifts souveniers if you're doing that.

The restaraunts around Copacabana aren't as good as the ones in the Ipanema area, and are similiar priced. You can take a taxi to Impanema Beach, walk in towards the city a couple of blocks and find a lot of interesting places to eat.

You HAVE to have some good Churassco while you are there, unless of course you're a vegetarian. If you are, hit one of the all you can eat pasta places downtown.

Go downtown after work (around 6pm), especially on Friday, especially if you have Brasilian hosts and just walk around hang out at some of the sidewalk bars or what have you... there are a lot of little places that are open and hopping with people downtown, especially during happy hour.

Go check out Corcovado if possible

Exchange money at the airport because taxi's etc don't take credit. Make sure you have a good idea of the exchange rate. Be super-careful with how much money you carry at once and how obvious you are with it... the economy there was in real bad shape and it was getting a little rough in Rio last time I was there.

If you arrive in the daytime, take a good, long, hard look and take in the situation in the flavelas (ghettos). You will drive right through large sections on the highway between Rio and the airport.... not to make any judgements or decisions but just to take it all in...

Enjoy!

Peace

wow...this made me wanna pack and be out!

[DeesKo]

Originally posted by liL Ray:
wow...this made me wanna pack and be out!

Corcovado overlooking Copacaban/Ipanema


Copacabana



Lagoon w/ Copacabana in the background


Ipanema


Peace

[DeesKo]

oh yeah, a word of warning...

from what I remember Rio is in the top 5 or 10 in the WORLD for AIDS so I'd be very very very cautious in response to the condom comment.

Peace

[JW]

Originally posted by DeesKo:
I'm assuming you have all of your hotel arrangements made already ?

Some suggestions :

Go to the lagoon in the middle of Rio, over near Ipanema and take the helicopter tour of Rio that lifts off from there. 15 minutes for about $100 US and its definitely worth it.

Go to Copacabana Beach during the day and soak in some sun, have one of their local special drinks and relax, its going to be early summer there so it expect it too be quite warm.

Be very very very careful if you're in Copacabana at night. Be very cautious walking the streets, even the main streets as Copacabana is still touristy, which makes it a good target for theives... or at least it was pretty bad the last time I was there about a year ago.

Check out Rio Sul Mall near Copacabana... its nothing special, a mall, but go hit the food court area, get a beer and just take in the sights as they stroll by... plus you can pick up Cubans if you're into Cigars for a decent price in the smoke shop there, as well as pick up gifts souveniers if you're doing that.

The restaraunts around Copacabana aren't as good as the ones in the Ipanema area, and are similiar priced. You can take a taxi to Impanema Beach, walk in towards the city a couple of blocks and find a lot of interesting places to eat.

You HAVE to have some good Churassco while you are there, unless of course you're a vegetarian. If you are, hit one of the all you can eat pasta places downtown.

Go downtown after work (around 6pm), especially on Friday, especially if you have Brasilian hosts and just walk around hang out at some of the sidewalk bars or what have you... there are a lot of little places that are open and hopping with people downtown, especially during happy hour.

Go check out Corcovado if possible

Exchange money at the airport because taxi's etc don't take credit. Make sure you have a good idea of the exchange rate. Be super-careful with how much money you carry at once and how obvious you are with it... the economy there was in real bad shape and it was getting a little rough in Rio last time I was there.

If you arrive in the daytime, take a good, long, hard look and take in the situation in the flavelas (ghettos). You will drive right through large sections on the highway between Rio and the airport.... not to make any judgements or decisions but just to take it all in...

Enjoy!

Peace

Thanks, everything you've said is very similar to what I've heard. Didn't know about the cigars though [img]graemlins/acclaim.gif[/img] I want to check out the Sambodromo (samba stadium), Sugar Loaf Mountain and of course Corcovado. I'm not vegatarian so that's not an issue. I know the place is going to blow my freaking mind. I just found out that one of my boys was going (he flew out today). I haven't seen him in a few months and he only lives a few miles away from me.

[Andrew Osborne]

It's only 31 degrees (fahrenheit) here so where are WE staying? :D

[The Crazy Life That Is Alarick T]

I am thinking about going next year! After seeing those pictures, it reinforced my convictions. I hope you have a great time. If you take some pictures, please post them and tell us some of your stories. Be safe!