2008 General Reports

[Piper1]

Hi Piper,

good to hear that you are comming to Rio. I followed some of your recommendations in Dubai - Thank you for this.

Actually I can not return this service as Buba, Sperto etc. already gave a very extensive guide to Rio.

Do not be distracted by the "crime-threat". If you act reasonably and keep a low profile, nothing happens.

I agree with you - Dubai - Sao Paolo - with Emirates is a very long journey - but if you fly business or first at least you can sleep on the way.

Have fun!


Carlos

Glad you enjoyed Dubai. It's a great place to visit (and a great place to live).

I wish I were flying business class, but my company is paying, and they only pay economy tix. I found a better itinerary with Air France. About 7 hours to Paris, a layover, then 8 hours to Rio. Might stop over in Paris for a night or two to rekindle an old romance.

[Prosal]

Cool site provided by MPB FM (Rio de janeiro).

Lots of videos of Musica Popular Brasileira videos.

http://www.mpbtube.com.br/

[Poucolouco]

i plan to be taking lots of curry powder with me to brasil as i am going to stay there 3 months and can not do without curries made by me, if my bagage is checked does anyone know what might happen.

thanks for any advice given.

regards magic

the worst thing that will happen is they might confirep001e it. don't worry about it. every trip i bring my lots of my favorite food products which are not sold in brasil and have never had a problem.

[Magic2000]

I plan to be taking lots of curry powder with me to Brasil as I am going to stay there 3 months and can not do without curries made by me, if my bagage is checked does anyone know what might happen.

Thanks for any advice given.

Regards Magic

[Up and Cummer]

Although I am a very street wise/well-versed mongerer. The Biggest obstacle in Rio will be that I don't speak Portuguese. I am fluent in Spanish. My brother will be coming with me and he can't speak neither one and is would never attempt to go to any Latin American country without me.

We are going to be there for 2-3 weeks and in that time hope to see all that Rio has to offer. Under the radar places are my favorites. When I get the exact date we arrive I would like to meet with a Veteran Rio Ex-Pat from this forum to join us. All the Drinks and Taxis on me. We are both early 30's Professionals from Texas.

[Jan 156]

This is still true. I agree with the vast majority of mongers on this board that Rio is the best place to practice our hobby for a gringo or an apprentice monger. As the GDP are accostumed to meet foreigners, they have developed a special habit to understand men even if there's a language barrier.For personal reasons, I don't hobby anymore in Rio. I prefer São Paulo because there's more things to do besides hobbying. But I would never advice a newbie to go there.

There's a funny beer commercial that depicts the difference between Rio and São Paulo. Two cariocas meet two beautiful girls in a bar. As it happens, the girls are from São Paulo. The two guys imagine themselves living in São Paulo : pollution, elevators full of people, traffic jam, heavy rain, motoboys...and the worst: no Polar beer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRAMHY364Is

ROFL. When a girl tells me she's from SP, I usually treat her differently - as if she's more sophisticated, intelligent etc than a carioca. It might be rubbish of course, but that's how many of them like to think of themselves IMO so I let them.

[Carlos Primeros]

Hi Piper,

good to hear that you are comming to Rio. I followed some of your recommendations in Dubai - Thank you for this.

Actually I can not return this service as Buba, Sperto etc. already gave a very extensive guide to Rio.

Do not be distracted by the "crime-threat". If you act reasonably and keep a low profile, nothing happens.

I agree with you - Dubai - Sao Paolo - with Emirates is a very long journey - but if you fly business or first at least you can sleep on the way.

Have fun!


Carlos

[Prosal]

I'm sure there are worse places to visit than Rio.

You're right. That's why I deleted my post.

[Piper1]

Prosal - what happened? I read your reply to my post earlier today, and I was going to comment, but now you've deleted your post.

From memory, the gist of your post was: "Rio is #$@%!! , and Rio girls are %$#@!!!"

Sounds like you're jaded about Rio. I think I'll manage to have a good time despite the negatives (which I'm well aware of). Keep in mind my visit will be a first visit there, and it will be a short one (seven days). In other words, short ansd sweet. I'll also have some work commitments, so there won't be a lot of time for working on freebies. I plan to take it easy and go with the flow. If I get the chance, I'll check out a smaller nearby city, and probably SP for a night or two.

I'm sure there are worse places to visit than Rio.

[Piper1]

Good replies to Up and Cummer. I had a choice of a week in Rio or a week in London in July. Believe it or not, I almost chose London after much reading of ISG. Why?

1. Seems like so many Rio girls are hardened professionals. I prefer the GFE (which I'm used to in Dubai).

2. Very long and expensive flights from Dubai (London is 6 hours direct, and cheap)

3. Mongering and hotels not cheap anymore in Rio.

4. Rio crime stories. I can usually look after myself, but a gun in the face is difficult to argue with; as is a couple of corrupt cops shaking you down for cash.

5. That damn "screaming and smashing glass and calling cops" scam that many of the WGs try on, to intimidate guys for more money. (I'll make sure I only have plastic cups and paper plates in the hotel. ).

5. London has some great parties (both 'professional' and private parties).

In the end I decided on Rio (I like an adventure, plus I have a work commitment there), but like Up and Cummer, I also researched the idea of getting out of Rio to a less touristy city for some GFE mongering. However, I don't speak Portugese, and I'm not going to learn it for a one-week trip.

Despite all this, I'm sure I'll have a great time in Rio, and I'm counting the days (52 days left ).

[Sui Generis]

I know Rio is great and has it all. I assume most firt timers in brazil go to Rio first.

This is still true. I agree with the vast majority of mongers on this board that Rio is the best place to practice our hobby for a gringo or an apprentice monger. As the GDP are accostumed to meet foreigners, they have developed a special habit to understand men even if there's a language barrier.For personal reasons, I don't hobby anymore in Rio. I prefer São Paulo because there's more things to do besides hobbying. But I would never advice a newbie to go there.

There's a funny beer commercial that depicts the difference between Rio and São Paulo. Two cariocas meet two beautiful girls in a bar. As it happens, the girls are from São Paulo. The two guys imagine themselves living in São Paulo : pollution, elevators full of people, traffic jam, heavy rain, motoboys...and the worst: no Polar beer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRAMHY364Is

[Looking For Eden]

My first trip to Brazil will be in August. I was wondering if any Brazil vets could give me some advice on where to go. I know Rio is great and has it all. I assume most firt timers in brazil go to Rio first. But if you had it to do all over again. Would you go somewhere else first? I prefer places less touristy that the non-pros would be more open to. Also, maybe less crime. I have mongered / travelled in mexico many times by myself. Walked dark streets in cities there in supposedly the murder capitals of MX. Never had any major problems.( ie:Nuevo Laredo). But media makes Rio seem even worse. For those of you that live in Rio. What do you think?

Personally I prefer the northeast. Recife, Natal and Fortaleza. In Rio the women are too mercenary for me. I don't speak porto well enough to deal with non pros effectively. Recife is the murder capital of Brazil they say but like you in Mexico I have never had a problem there. The beaches are nice too.

[Jan 156]

My first trip to Brazil will be in August. I was wondering if any Brazil vets could give me some advice on where to go. I know Rio is great and has it all. I assume most firt timers in brazil go to Rio first. But if you had it to do all over again. Would you go somewhere else first? I prefer places less touristy that the non-pros would be more open to. Also, maybe less crime. I have mongered/travelled in mexico many times by myself. Walked dark streets in cities there in supposedly the murder capitals of MX. Never had any major problems.( ie:Nuevo Laredo). But media makes Rio seem even worse. For those of you that live in Rio. What do you think?

Personally I'd say do Rio. You don't sound like a newbie as far as being sensible in dodgy places goes. Media hype is a pain. If you want to enjoy the less-touristy areas, avoid Copacabana except for a bit of fun (take extra - ie usual - precautions there). You can have a quick swig of it then concentrate more on upmarket/downmarket centro termas according to your fancy. I would forget about scoring with non-pros until you can speak good Porto and know Rio well enough to feel at home. But you can have a good time with non-pros in Lapa and Centro and elsewhere if you do your homework.

[Up and Cummer]

My first trip to Brazil will be in August. I was wondering if any Brazil vets could give me some advice on where to go. I know Rio is great and has it all. I assume most firt timers in brazil go to Rio first. But if you had it to do all over again. Would you go somewhere else first? I prefer places less touristy that the non-pros would be more open to. Also, maybe less crime. I have mongered/travelled in mexico many times by myself. Walked dark streets in cities there in supposedly the murder capitals of MX. Never had any major problems.( ie:Nuevo Laredo). But media makes Rio seem even worse. For those of you that live in Rio. What do you think?

[Brazil Specialist]

It makes no sense that Brazil went from 5 years on tourist visas to 90 days. I know the Brazil economy is one of the fastest growing in the world and the dollar is down. But the last time I checked the US is still a bigger tourist destination than Brazil. Why would Brazil do anything to make it "more" difficult to come to their country.

Brazilian immigration law has "reciprocity" built into it.

In other words: Brazil does unto thee as your contry does unto Brazil

or
an eye for an eye .........

That means if your country requires a Visa for Brazilians to enter, then they will require a Visa from you

So if your country starts giving 90 day visas, so will Brazil

Of course it makes no sense, as there are no 3 million US citizens trying to escape poverty in the US working illegally in Brazil

But that is how it is.

And Brazilians don't need visa to enter the European Community. So EC citizens don't need visa to enter the US.


I don't know if you are aware: Brazilians with US visas occasionally get sent back right at the US entry port. And Brazilians get sent back in the next flight in Europe, frequently.

So Spain sent back about 20 Brazilians per day (or week?). Brazil complained, because a few cases that were refused entry were really ridiculous (people changing planes in Spain to visit a scientific conference in Portugal to present their master's thesis)

Of course, some others deserved it: illegal workers returning from vacation in their home land Brazil.


Spain did not react. So Brazil started turning back Spanish citizens at their border, using the same technical reasons ("no proof of sufficient cash for the trip" , for example). Now Spain reacted and negotiated.