Brazil Blog

Brazil Talk!

Advices for my trip to Rio

Filed under: Ask Us - March 27th, 2006

Your Question:
When in Rio i will be staying at Plaza Copacabana Hotel. Does the hotel normally arrange excursions to the statue of Christ, Sugar Loaf, the Maracana stadium to see football matches and the Jockey Club? Is it better to see a travel agent or make our own way by taxi/bus/subway? Do hotels exchange travellers cheques? Is there much night life (live music) in the vicinity of the Plaza Copacabana Hotel? How can we see samba dancing?

Our Reply:
Does Plaza Copacabana Hotel normally arrange excursions to the statue of Christ, Sugar Loaf, the Maracana stadium to see football matches and the Jockey Club?
Yes, the Concierge at the Plaza Copacabana Hotel can help you with that. You just need to tell them where you would like to go and they will arrange that for you.

Is it better to see a travel agent or make our own way by taxi/bus/subway?
If you are going to Rio by yourself or just one or 2 friends, and you don´t speak Portuguese, it is better for you to go see a travel agent. They normally get good discounts for bigger groups. Another advantage of going in big groups is that you don’t have to worry about transportation or safety. It is not safe to ride buses during the night in Rio, so if you do decide to do these things on your own be aware of that.

Do hotels exchange travellers cheques?
From what I am aware of, cash and traveler checks, can be exchanged at most major hotels throughout Brazil. If you have already booked your room at Plaza Copacabana Hotel, you should email them and ask if their offer this service. If you have a bank card with 4 pin numbers, it will work in Brazil, and it is way easier to deal with them than exchanging your travellers cheques. Also, major international credit cards, such as Visa and American Express, are also accepted in hotels, banks and restaurants.

Is there much night life (live music) in the vicinity of the Plaza Copacabana Hotel?
The Plaza Copacabana Hotel is surrounded by Copacabana’s exciting nightlife. You will be able to walk to many different bars and restaurants that offer live music. Once you get to Rio, ask the concierge that they will tell you the best places to go according to your tastes. People in Brazil are very friendly, and normally people who work at hotels are used to this kind of situation, so they will advise you well. Rio is a tourist city, so there is always something you like to do within a walking distance, especially in Copacabana.

How can we see samba dancing?
The best way to see samba dancing is to go visit a Samba School. Rio has many Samba Schools and there are normally rehearsal days due to the annual Carnival Celebration. A travel agent can also help you with this one. They normally know when and where these rehearsals will occur. It is worth seeing samba dancing performed by professional dancers. You will enjoy it!

English Speakers in Rio de Janeiro

Filed under: Ask Us - March 24th, 2006

Your Question:
I only speak English. Will this be a problem getting around in Rio or are there many people who speak English?

Our Answer:
Rio is Brazil’s most famous city; for that reason, the city is prepared to welcome tourists, especially people who work at tourist’s attractions places. Normally in Rio everyone is able to speak some English. It will not be perfect but you will be able to understand them. Even though you will find a lot of English speakers in Brazil, I think it is important for you to learn some of the common phrases in Portuguese just to be safe. Taxi drivers normally know how to speak English, but as soon as they see you are not from here, they will charge you more for the ride. In general, Brazilians are really friendly, and they will go out of their way to try to help you to get any information you are asking for, but as in everywhere in the world, there will always be people trying to take advantage of you. If you are going to buy souvenirs at feirinhas for example, try to get a brazilian to ask how much it costs for you. Feirinhas are the most commom place where people will charge you way more for their products due to the fact that they know you are a foreign. So, knowing a little bit of Portuguese could save you in some situations, but you will definitely find English speakers almost everywhere in Rio. We hope you have a great time in Rio! Enjoy

Where is Novo Hamburgo located?

Filed under: Ask Us - March 24th, 2006

Your question:
Where is a city with name Hamburgo?

Our Answer:
In Brazil we have a city called Novo Hamburgo. This city is located in Rio Grande do Sul, close to Sinos River, only 40 km from Porto Alegre, which is the capital of Rio Grande do Sul.

Prices in Rio de Janeiro - Brazil

Filed under: Ask Us - March 21st, 2006

Your Question:
I am coming to Rio de Janeiro for 2 weeks holiday . I have never been to Brazil before and as i am on a budget i would like to know some approximate prices. How much does it cost to travel the cable cars to Sugar loaf, go up on the train to the statue of Christ, a beer on the Copacabana beach, a snack on the copacabana beach, a meal at a normal copacabana churrascarias, and to go to Maracana to see soccer.

Our Reply:

Sugar Loaf Mountain - Cable Cars Rides:
Adults over 12 years old: R$ 35,00
Children from 06 to 12 : Half-Price - R$ 17,50
Children under 06:free
Sugar Loaf Mountain

Corcovado Train
Ticket Price
R$ 36,00
(round trip, plus 50% discount bonnus on Naif Museum of Art ticket)
children to 5 years old free and 5 up to 12 years old only R$ 18,00.
Corcovado Train

Beer (Copacabana Beach)
R$2.00

Snack (Copacabana Beach)
From R$2.00 up to R$10.00(big shrimp sticks)

Meal at Churrascarias (BBQ Restaurants)
From R$30.00 up to R$60.00 (depending on drinks and desserts you may consume)

Maracana Soccer Game
From R$15.00 (general bleachers) up to R$ 50.00 (chair sits away from the crowd)

Soccer Games at Maracanã in October 2006

Filed under: Ask Us - March 16th, 2006

Your question:
I will be in Rio from October 25th to November 8th. How many premier(serie A) football matches will i be able to see while i am there.What teams play in Rio? Is the Maracana Stadium open for football some one told me it was closed for refurbishment for the Pan American games

Our Reply:

The most popular soccer teams that play in Rio are: Flamengo, Vasco, Fluminense and Botafogo. These are the teams where many “soccer stars” will be playing. While in Brazil, you will be able to watch a few soccer games at the Maracanã Stadium if you want. Besides hosting soccer games, the stadium will also be open for visitors. Here is a list with some of the games:

Oct 27 Fuminense X Grêmio at 4:00 pm
Oct 28 Vasco X Flamengo at 4:00 pm (good game!)

Nov 01 Botafogo X Internacional 8:30 pm
Nov 02 Flamengo X Santa Cruz 8:30 pm

Nov 04 Botafogo X Fluminense 4:00 pm ( Also, a good game!)
Nov 05 Flamengo X Atlético 4:00 pm

To find more information about soccer matches in Brazil, just visit Brazilian Soccer Confederation. Once you are logged into the page, click on the phrase Calendário 2006, and then after click on the word SérieA.

Enjoy your stay in Brazil! You will have a good experience at the soccer games. Just be careful and try to seat far away from the “organized cheer leaders”, they are a little bit too crazy about their team

Cities in Brazil thanks you for your question.

Champions of Carnaval

Filed under: Ask Us - March 8th, 2006

Your Question:

Please tell me, what Samba School won this year?

Our Reply:

All cities in Brazil celebrate Carnaval, but each in their own special ways. There are two cities, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro that celebrate carnaval with parades in the Sambodoromo where various Samba Schools compete to become the champions.

In Sao Paulo, Imperio da Casa Verde got the most points and has received the title of the champion Samba Shcool of the year. In Rio de Janeiro the championship was given to Vila Isabel.

Vacation in Rio de Janeiro

Filed under: Ask Us - February 23rd, 2006

Your Question:

Hello,
We are attempting to plan a vacation. There is a movie out there called ‘Blame it on Rio’, about 1982, it stars Michael Cain…
Well, in the movie, they were staying in Rio, in what amounted to a private home, it came with a house lady, beautiful gardens, great view of the island from where they ate breakfast…
I know it’s silly, but I don’t want to stay in a hotel, I want the set up they had in the movie. How do you get one of those for a week.
Thanks for your help.

Our Reply:

I would love to help you find a place like that in rio de Janeiro. I have also seen the movie, and it is a very beautiful set up they have. I tried to find out a bit more about where the movie was filmed in order to see if it was available for rent, but I have not found it as of yet.

I was wondering what it is that you want, if that house is not available. There are many places to rent in Rio that are not hotels. If you tell me what it is you are looking for I will be able to see what else there might be available for you. For example, would you like a view of the city/beach? would you like to be close to the beach? how many rooms would you like in the place you stay? would you like to stay in an appartment, or a house? If you can send me more information about what exactly you want, I will try to find some links for you, to help you have your dream vacation in Rio de Janeiro.

Thanks
Cities in Brazil.

Rio de Janeiro tourist info

Filed under: Ask Us - February 20th, 2006

Your Question:

I am looking for information on the Lapa area in Rio de Janeiro. I am looking for hotel lists and pictures, night life, shopping, distance from other areas, safety, best deals as well as a list of bars, clubs and restaurants. Whre are the best places to meet the local people. Thank you.

I was at the Hotel Alantico in 20 January, 2006 until 24 January, 2006. I plan on coming back to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in March and I need to start planning my trip.

Our Reply:

Well, since you may already be aware of some of the things Rio has to offer, I will do my best to inform you of some of the things you may not already know. Lapa is a very popular place to go out during the night. It has many pubs and clubs located in a condensed area which makes it easy to see a few different places at once. Lapa during the day is also very beautiful. There are many historical buildings, including Argos da Lapa as well as Largo da Lapa.
As for hotels in Rio, there is an unlimited supply. Rio is a very popular tourist destination, making hotels easy to find. Price is always different depending on where you want to be, as well as how clean you want the sheets;). Just kidding. We have links to some of the best hotels in Rio on our website which you can check out, but there are also many other ways of finding hotels in Rio. Simply typing it into google you will find a variety. Hotels in Rio de Janeiro.

Nightlife in Brazil is never ending. In Rio de Janeiro, there are options for any night of the week. Every bar has a different style of music that they play, but if you are looking to go out, you will not have a problem in Rio. If you are looking into live concerts, or live bands there are many famous Brazilian singers that perform their shows in Rio.

Shopping is another common find in Rio. You will find many shopping malls, or ferias to attend whenever you are feeling like getting new things! One of the most famous shopping centers in Rio de Janeiro is Barra Shopping. It is located in Barra da Tijuca, which is easily accessible by bus, car or taxi. There are also beautiful beaches nearby so you can do both in the same day.

Safety is a definite concern. Always be aware of what’s going on around you, and if you notice the same people following you either stop in a busy place to see if they continue, or go talk to someone for help. I recommend not wearing jewelery, or showing off expensive things such as watches, cell phones, mp3 players, etc. I also recommend that you don’t flash money around, especially in places such as ferias. These are popular tourist destinations and there are many poor people that hang out there to see who is carrying large amounts of cash.

Best deals can be found at many locations in Rio. Unfortunately it is hard to find a lot of this information on the internet, and many of the best deals come and go. One piece of advice I will give you is that the first price you hear is usually marked up a great deal, especially if you ask in English, or with an accent. Be prepared to barter!

Restaurants, bars and clubs are located everywhere throughout the city, so I would recommend that wherever you decide to stay, you ask for assistance in a list of the nearby attractions.

Locals are everywhere! I am not sure if you are able to speak Portuguese, but if so, don’t be shy in striking up a conversation with anyone. However; if you are unable to speak Portuguese, don’t let this stop you from trying to communicate. Many people have a base understanding of English, and with the right hand gestures you might just have a great talk!

So, just to let you know, kind of a coinsidence. I was in Rio on the same days you were. I had a great time. What were you doing there? I wonder if we crossed paths, wouldn’t that be crazy!

Not to Miss Activities in Rio for Carnival

Filed under: Ask Us - February 20th, 2006

Your Question:

When is the Carnaval festival and what are the “not to miss activities” in Rio de Janeiro?

Our Reply:

Carnival will be celebrated from Feb 24th – Feb 28th. If you are going to be in Rio de Janeiro for this amazing party, you should definitely go watch the Carnival Parade at the Sambodromo. The Sambodromo is a large outdoor stadium type place that is special for the Carnival celebrations. This is the place you will see the samba schools parade through the Sambodromo. Each school has 1 hour to perform to the best of their ability and try to win the championship title as the best samba school of the year.

Another activity that you would not want to miss would be to go to a club that is performing carnival music, and dancing. Brazilians have special dances for many of the Carnival songs you will hear. Samba is the most popular of these types of dances for Carnival.

Trio Electrico is also very popular during Carnival. This is basically a large truck with speakers on each side. This truck drives very slow and there are people on top singing and dancing. Behind the trucks you will notice there are usually large crowds of people following and singing along. These people are the fans, or those who just want to have fun. This happens along the beaches. It is common to see it along the road beside Copacabana beach.

I hope this helps, and I hope you are able to make it down to Brazil for Carnival and see all of these activities we told you about!

If you are looking for more information regarding Rio de Janeiro not during Carnival, let us know, because there are many more activities that you don’t want to miss. If you join our Newsletter, you will automatically receive a list of the top 10 things to do in Rio de Janeiro. www.citiesinbrazil.com

Thanks,

Cities in Brazil

Mosquitos in Brazil

Filed under: Ask Us - February 20th, 2006

Your Question:

Hi, Can you tell me if I need to be concerned about protecting myself against malaria and typhoid in Brazil (in Sao Paulo, Ubatuba and rural Brazil - Abadiania, Goias)? Also, how bad are the bugs and mosquitos in these areas? Do I need repellant? Here in Manitoba, Canada where I live the mosquitos are REALLY bad so I can’t imagine anywhere worse!

Our Reply:

I definitely recommend getting a vaccine against typhoid, as well as consider taking the malaria pills, especially if you plan on going anywhere near the Amazon. Many doctors recommend that you take the Malaria pills just to be safe, but the doctors should have some information regarding the importance of taking them as well as some reasons you may not want to take them. I myself have never taken the Malaria pills during my travels in Brazil, but I have known of people who take them just for peace of mind because the mosquitos in many parts of Brazil are terrible. As for getting a repellant, DO IT!! If you can find one with the maximum allowance of DEET, get it! There are however repellants here that you can purchase, but many of them don’t tell the levels of DEET contained. I have never been to Manitoba so I can’t tell you if they are worse in Brazil, but I guess it’s always best to be well prepared rather than not.
Thanks for your questions.