General Info

[Spidy]

BOPE is much more trustworthy than the average UPP PM. Most bandits are easy to spot as they carry weapons and radios.
When UPP police are more interested in eating aa than to take care of heavily armed bandits standing 30 metres away, then there is a serious problem. Police who doesn't get their salaries payed are happy to accept bribes from the bandits.

Things are very rarely that simple on the ground and the problem I'm sure has many sides to it. But you also need to ask why don't BOPE heavily target the police who except bribes or the corrupt politicians and officials that run the country into the ground.

[Pipe Layer99]

snip ... Regarding the bus ride So Paulo-Rio, it's "only" a 6 hour ride in a very comfortable bus with a very scenic ride passing by beautiful mountains. I recommend it.

I got lucky the other day and found a RT ticket Rio-SP for only $100 USD. So I snagged it. I was set to fly out of Rio this coming week, but I extended a week so I can go back to SP: the. Figured I would just fly out of SP GRU (1. 5 hour bus ride from Moema). Then I called my airline and the change fee to fly out of SP was going to cost me $150 (even though I'm on miles) plus a one way ticket to SP was $120. So $270. Instead of doing that I got the RT Rio-SP. Saved $170. And flying right out of CGH which is just 15 minutes the apartment.

[Sperto]

Nowadays national flight tickets in Brazil can often be cheaper than the bus. If it's a long ride and the flight ticket is cheaper than the bus then I choose to fly without doubt. In the early nineties the cheap flight tickets were very rare. Back then I mostly travelled by bus. Sometimes up to 60 hours journeys. It's something I never regret. Very fascinating seeing the sertão, jungles, mountains, meeting nice people, having sex on buses and also experience 40 bandits attacking a large bus convoy in the middle of the night.

Regarding the bus ride São Paulo-Rio, it's "only" a 6 hour ride in a very comfortable bus with a very scenic ride passing by beautiful mountains. I recommend it.

[Just Incognito]

I live on Aruba. I have a US Passport.

How can I get a visa so I can visit Brazil?

It seems ridiculously difficult.

WTF?

[ChicoBarca]

I am retired and I spend 3-4 months a year in SA. Most of my trips have been to Argentina. I am not a high roller but my intentions are to spend all of my kids inheritance. It took three tries but I have my Brazil visa. I'm thinking of ten days in SP then a bus to Rio for a few weeks. I have been studying the last 50 posts and I feel up to date but I have a few questions. . When I travel to Argentina or other SA countries I take a lot of USA cash Is this necessary in Brazil or is collecting Brazil currency from ATM the same.

Just for information regarding ATM's in Brazil, according to international statistics Brazil is one of the worst countries regarding skimming of credit cards. So when you use ATM's make sure you use the one that minimize the chance for skimming. Such as guarded ones or closed during night etc.

Chico.

[Nordico]

I am retired and I spend 3-4 months a year in SA. Most of my trips have been to Argentina. I am not a high roller but my intentions are to spend all of my kids inheritance. It took three tries but I have my Brazil visa. I'm thinking of ten days in SP then a bus to Rio for a few weeks. I have been studying the last 50 posts and I feel up to date but I have a few questions. . When I travel to Argentina or other SA countries I take a lot of USA cash Is this necessary in Brazil or is collecting Brazil currency from ATM the same.

I don't know what is the right way, there always seems to be someone who knows better, but I use ATM. I just have a few hundreds for emergencies.

Taking a bus is a great way to see the country. I took once a bus from Rio - SP, SP - Corumba, Puerto Suarez - Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Bolivia and it was well worth the trouble, even if not cheaper than a plane. Airplanes are like the subway in the city. It takes you fast from point A to point B, but you will not learn how the city looks like. I always try to take a bus, when I'm not in a hurry.

[The Cane]

Why would you want to take a 6 to 8 hour bus when you can get a 45 minute plane ride for probably the same cost?

Sometimes people want to take their time and enjoy visiting and seeing a country in a way that you can't from an airplane.

[The Cane]

When I travel to Argentina or other SA countries I take a lot of USA cash. Is this necessary in Brazil or is collecting Brazil currency from ATM the same.

When I travel to Brazil, I always take plenty of dollars and get local currency from a good cambio. I've never used an ATM in Brazil, and I don't plan to anytime soon. Too many guys have been ripped off by thieves getting into their accounts. Even from using ATMs at the airport! So, for me in Brazil it's cash all the way.

[Mr Enternational]

I'm thinking of ten days in SP then a bus to Rio for a few weeks.

Why would you want to take a 6 to 8 hour bus when you can get a 45 minute plane ride for probably the same cost?

[Sperto]

Yeah Right! Like we can trust BOPE (just like the police in the US) to tell the REAL bandits from hard working innocent civilians. Wanna double down on that Amen!

BOPE is much more trustworthy than the average UPP PM. Most bandits are easy to spot as they carry weapons and radios.
When UPP police are more interested in eating açaí than to take care of heavily armed bandits standing 30 metres away, then there is a serious problem. Police who doesn't get their salaries payed are happy to accept bribes from the bandits.

[Hotrod10]

I am retired and I spend 3-4 months a year in SA. Most of my trips have been to Argentina. I am not a high roller but my intentions are to spend all of my kids inheritance. It took three tries but I have my Brazil visa. I'm thinking of ten days in SP then a bus to Rio for a few weeks. I have been studying the last 50 posts and I feel up to date but I have a few questions. . When I travel to Argentina or other SA countries I take a lot of USA cash Is this necessary in Brazil or is collecting Brazil currency from ATM the same.

[Spidy]

...IMO, the only way to get order in the favelas is to stop the corruption of the police and send BOPE into the favelas and kill of all the bandits. Amen!

Yeah Right! Like we can trust BOPE (just like the police in the US) to tell the REAL bandits from hard working innocent civilians. Wanna double down on that Amen!

[Exec Talent]

Some of you guys who come to Rio occasionally and take the time to contribute should know if you need anything, just send a quick PM. Where to stay, places to eat, where to meet non-pros, etc.

Not talking about the guys who make post after post of basically unintelligible nonsense. But, normal guys who act like grownups not the 50 year-old still living in his mother's basement who gets to go out and play once or twice a year.

[Nordico]

IMO, the only way to get order in the favelas is to stop the corruption of the police and send BOPE into the favelas and kill of all the bandits. Amen!

Well, not going to happen in our lifetime.

A friend of mine said, when I kept asking about favelas, "Let it be. People in favelas live their lives and we live ours". Must be Brazilian fatalism.

[Sperto]

Back in the Help-era I always used to stay one block from Help, in Copacabana. Not because I was a Help-fan, but because of my connections that gave me nice apartments to half the price what others payed. About 10 years ago I started to stay in one of the favelas in Zona Sul, because of a GF I met.

Staying in a favela in Zona Sul is great. The rent is cheap, the people living there are nice, you have great bars, excellent botecos (that won lots of prices), bailes do funk and there are tons of the hottest girls you can imagine. Not to forget, you get a lot of exercize going up and down those hills. About the girl part which probably sounds fine, there are shitloads of girls from XX to YY years flirting with you. There are not many blue-eyed blond gringos on the favelas, btw not many colored gringos neither, so you get a lot of attention. If I would try to f*ck around in the favela my GF would know it in no time. Also, you never know if the flirty girl is the GF of an armed bandit. Meaning, in the favela you have to behave.

Many gringos might have the idea that the people living in the favelas are scum, thieves and muggers. They do exist, but the large majority are normal workers. Hardworking families living their lifes. I've been to the majority of the Zona Sul favelas and everywhere it's the same thing. Communities on the hills. People works, party, have churrascos and dance on the rooftops. Everything is cool.

I've never had any ideas of a romantic life in the favela, "living close to the poor people". I stayed their because of practical reasons.

Most Zona Sul faves are invaded by the UPP police. This might sound great. The police moves in, build police stations, Light starts to organize (and chargingh) the electricity and everythings become tidy and cozy. Ordem e progresso, my ass. The police normally chase away the bandits from the lower parts of the favela, but they still stay in the favelas hiding in the woods. The bandits might be CV, PCP, TCP, ADA etc etc. In general the bandits control the favela. They sell their drugs (BTW I don't use drugs and I do despise people who use drugs) and keep order in the favela. With the UPP police present things becomes more complicated. Normally they find a balance where the police do some routines just to keep the image of control and let the bandits continue their business.

Things becomes more complicated when there are two gangs of bandits involved in the same favela. E.g Comando vermelho and Terceiro Comando Puro wanting to take control of the same favela with the UPP in the middle. What happens is that the gangs stake out their territories. The police are heavily armed, but they are payed to stay away from the gang wars. Meaning that one gang invade the other gangs territory to kill some people. This is very annoying! Lots of heavily armed young guys who don't know how to use arms starts to shoot and use grenades. I've spent countless nights where the shootings started and I had to grab my GF and roll down in cover on the floor. Not pleasant at all. The brick walls are like swiss cheese.

Furthermore it's very annoying to everyday have to pass a bunch of very young armed cocky bandits standing watch in the alleys. They know you and normally behave properly, but many times you get to urge to beat up some those low-lifes even though they might only half of your size. Also, it's not very nice stepping out of the doorway and have a nervous police patrol pointing a dozen of guns at your head.

IMO, the only way to get order in the favelas is to stop the corruption of the police and send BOPE into the favelas and kill of all the bandits. Amen!