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AskUs Summary, January to March 2006

Filed under: Ask Us - March 31st, 2006

Every three months we like to summarize all the AskUs questions we receive so you can find them all in one place. Below you will find all the AskUs questions we have received between January & March 2006.

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• River of January
• Island of Marimarituba
• Ships from Brazil to Africa
• Cost of Food in Rio de Janeiro
• Horse Racing and Maracana Stadium
• Rio de Janeiro Cruise Ship Terminal
• Purchasing a Statue of Christ
• Beaches and Shopping in Brazil
• Brazilian Currency Exchange Rate
• Teaching English in Brazil
• Brazil Carnival School Project
• Where to stay in Rio de Janeiro during Carnaval
• Metro/Onibus Pass
• Rio de Janeiro Philharmonic Orchestra
• Mosquitos in Brazil
• Not to Miss Activities in Rio for Carnival
• Rio de Janeiro tourist info
• Vacation in Rio de Janeiro
• Champions of Carnaval
• Soccer Games at Maracanã in October 2006
• Prices in Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
• Where is Novo Hamburgo located?
• English Speakers in Rio de Janeiro
• Advices for my trip to Rio

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.

Carnaval 2006 - Champions

Filed under: Brazil General - March 1st, 2006

After enjoying 5 days of intense carnival celebration, it is now time to reveal the 2 samba schools that have won the Carnival competitions in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro this year.

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.

Carnival is now officially over, but for one more night, the fans of these 2 samba schools will be partying all night to celebrate their victory.

To check the latest information on Carnival 2006, and also see pictures, videos e listen to songs, Click Here