Great Guide for Rio

[BrazilFan]

I just returned from another wonderful trip to Rio. I had contacted Eduardo again to be my Guide. He is just so great; he absolutely knows the city and is fun to be around with.

He knows were to go, what to avoid and certainly is well liked.

His rate is very very reasonable and he is flexible and I truely recommend Eduardo to anyone who would be new to Rio and like to get to know the City as well as the Sauna Scene.

Here is how to contact Eduardo:

eduardocopa202@hotmail.com

eduardocopa202@yahoo.com.br

[marc anthony]

It's good to have multiple options. I got to meet Eduardo in one of the saunas when he was working as a guide, and he seemed like a great guide. However, he was not available for our group when we were going, so we had to hire another.

 

Danilo is 18 and based in SP, but he will travel to Rio. We hired him for both SP and Rio, and he did a great job.

 

His contact info (that I posted in another thread) is dv.hortenci@uol.com.br

 

Now there are two guides that you can choose from!

[BARR1965]

I am planning to be in Rio for the first time next month and I have tried to contact Eduardo and Danilo via e-mail and either one of them responded. I first tried to contact Carlo, he responded and gave me some information about hotel accommodations, tours and places to go. When I finally reserved my flight two weeks ago, I e-mailed him again cause I want to use his services and yet he has not respond. Am I doing something wrong? I am having second thoughts about this trip now. I have printed most information from Rio Travel Group in regards to directions from the airport, places to go and eat but I would really like someone to guide or escort me around since this will be my first trip to Rio. And Tomcal has been a big help too in regards to giving me information.

[Guest dreynsol]

How can I say this politely... :9 But, you're just the kind of tourist that Brazil will bite back and swallow you whole! :-)

 

Never visit a foreign country and not have done your homework. Get to know their culture and never assume it's remotely similar to yours.

 

If you had read the numerous posts on this board about the Brazilian lifestyle, you would know that there's not one Brazilian that will tolerate a demanding first-time Gringo that's not willing to respect their culture. I doubt that you'll make it through customs. :-)

 

They live in a paradise that you have yet to achieve, and that is a great deal of the attraction for many of us. And trust me, they are not sitting by their computers waiting for your e-mail offering them American dollars -- especially these days! :-)

 

I'm sure that Carlo and Eduardo will respond back to you in their own Brazilian time frame with excellent service if you show them due respect.

 

But, in the meantime maybe you should consider cancelling your trip and booking a trip to Winnemucca. I hear it's nice this time of year.

 

- Drey :-)

[Guest Conway]

There's a book available called "Culture Shock Brazil: A Guide to Customs and Etiquette" by Volker Poelzel. The author is an Austrian born US Citizen who spent time livuing in Brazil.

 

I bought it in preparation for my first visit there. And, there appears to be a lot to learn. The publisher is Graphic Arts Publishing Company.

[trilingual]

BARR, I understand feeling anxious when you don't hear back immediately from Brazilian travel agents or guides or hotels. I'm the kind of person who also likes to meticulously plan out a trip ahead of time to avoid as many unpleasant "surprises" as possible (although there's no way to eliminate them entirely). But the sense of urgency in Brazil isn't exactly what it is in the world's more tightass countries, as Drey and Conway have noted, and Carlo and Eduardo are also often swamped with other visitors and clients. In spite of the weaker dollar, Brazil is still cheap, and tourism has been booming (yours truly will humbly take credit for contributing a small stream to the increasing flood). But in almost every case, Carlo and Eduardo have gotten back to the people who e-mail them in time to make arrangements, or set up alternatives. So just have a bit of patience.

 

If you're really concerned, you can always phone Carlo, at the phone numbers shown in his web-site. If you get the voice-mail, just wait until the announcement in Portuguese ends and you hear the beep before leaving a message (in English) that includes your name and phone number spoken clearly and slowly! But I'm sure that you'll hear from both of them by e-mail before long. And you'll have a wonderful trip!

[BARR1965]

Thanks, Tri, Drey, and Conway for the suggestions and advice. Since it is almost June and time is running out, I think I may have to postpone this trip (Patience is a virture and good things cums for those who wait ). Since this is my first trip to South America, would it be advisable to use a local travel agency and then just contact Carlo or Eduardo when I get there? When I first went to Europe few years ago, I did contact a local travel agent and he arranged everything for me. Now everytime I go there which is twice a year, I do my own booking.

 

Or maybe just follow drey's advice, take a trip to WINNEMUCCA

[+ Axiom2001]

I've used guides through Carlo's agency as well as Tom who still graces the rentboy.com site. He's knowledgeable, astute, and quite personable. He doesn't go to saunas, though. I think, from his slight retorts, that he abhors them. But that did not deter my going on my own and enjoying immensely and his guiding me all over Rio to places of my choosing that I did not want to enjoy alone.

 

The only thing with Tom as well as with the other independent guides is: if you want to bok them, please keep the date/s, for they depend on the money that you give them for their services. Tom mentioned to me that he had been "burnt" (my words) last October by a client who made arrangements and failed to cancel which put him in a bind. He also intimated not to recommend him if I did not know the individual personally; yet he thanked me for the business that I did send his way.

 

I wrote him a week ago and patiently await his response; he might be out of town, for he has been working to seek something more stable and slightly more lucrative...

[Guest Conway]

For what its worth, I received an email from Carlo today apologizing for his delay in replying to me as he had been going through some changes in his business that have kept him quite busy. I had to defer on his services as I had already booked my trip through another agent. He seemed very sincere and professional.

[BARR1965]

Thanks Conway for Brazil Nut Travel Tourism and Tours. I have sent them an e-mail and will call them, too. Since I can be flexible with my travel dates, I will do more research and reading about the South America. And btw, I also received an e-mail from Eduardo and told me what services he provides and the daily rate is $100.

[trilingual]

Barr, my suggestion is to book your air travel yourself, or through an agent in the U.S. If you want to stay at the Atlântico, the Royal Rio, or one of the popular hotels in SP, send Carlo an explicit e-mail telling him which hotel you want (with 2d choice) and for exactly which dates, and ask him to confirm your reservations. You'll do better reserving these hotels through Carlo because he sends them a lot of business and has worked out favorable discount rates. He can also get you a room at times when the hotel is already "sold out" (hotels usually hold back a few rooms for emergencies or to take care of very special clients, etc.) If anything goes wrong while you're there, Carlo can also go to bat for you, which is helpful because he speaks the language AND he has leverage from all the business he sends them.

 

As for guides, if you can set them up in advance, great, but if you can't don't worry about it. Getting from the airport to your hotel in Rio is easy (just take a pre-paid taxi, as discussed in other postings) and if you stay at the Atlântico or Royal Rio, you will be within walking distance of the Copacabana saunas and the metro station if you want to go to 117. Explicit directions to those saunas are in the Brazilian Saunas review and in other postings here. Chances are good you'll run into other experienced M4Mers at the hotels, in the saunas, or Corujinha (directions also provided here), and they can give you tips and advice. You may also find some guy at one of the saunas who speaks passable English and can show you around. However, you'll be surprised at how easy it is to get around Rio. The places visitors (especially first-timers) will go are easy to get to on your own. Of course, you can also call Carlo again after your arrival to see if he has any other guides available -- sometimes other clients cancel, or he's been able to hire another guide who fits his agency's demanding specifications! :-)

 

Don't unnecessarily complicate things for yourself. As you'll see once you get there, Rio isn't a very complicated kind of place (unless you want it to be)!!! Just go and enjoy!!!

[BARR1965]

Tri, I have reserved already a plane ticket to Rio but have not purchased it yet. At the time I reserved the flight, I also e-mailed Carlo and gave him all the things you mentioned above (except for my Credit Card #). Based on Conway post above, Carlo has been busy. I also checked out Hotels.com and got some information regarding Atlantico Hotel but have not booked a room yet. It is just the anticipation and uncertainty of going to another country for the time first. I am sure that I will enjoy Brazil once I get all these things squared away :9 You guys have been very helpful informative.

[Guest dreynsol]

Hey Barr,

 

During my first trip I went with a Rio veteran that showed me the ropes so to speak. Eduardo happened to be around, and he helped tremendously with the language and helped negotiate in the saunas. I had read the posts on the board, but I have to admit, I would have been overwhelmed and confused if I were alone in a big city like Rio where even the signal lights can be confusing while crossing the street.

 

Even though Rio is one of the most friendliest cities in the world, few people on the street speak English and you might be very frustrated if you don't have a companion like Eduardo. The garotos will be very patient and accommodating, but you might also be easily taken advantage of by being a naive gringo.

 

In my opinion, it's better to plan well ahead and prepare for the wonderful experience when everything has fallen into place, especially when it's your first time. :-) Not that I'm suggesting you're doing this, but I would not recommend going to Brazil on a whim. Part of the enjoyment is the anticipation! :-)

 

It's always better to travel with a friend who's been there before. I plan to be there in August and again during Thanksgiving, and I'd be glad to show you around, translate for you, and make sure you're not taken advantage of. You'll either have the best time of your life, or the worst experience of your life, and I'd rather it be the best!

 

My only payment is that I get first dibs on the boyz! :-) But, don't worry they'll be plenty to go around.

 

Take care, and trust me Rio is much more enjoyable than Winnemucca -- under the right circumstances! :-)

 

- Drey

[trilingual]

Even though Carlo makes hotel reservations for you, in most cases he won't need your credit card number for that. The hotel will know he made the reservations, the rate, and that they owe him his commission. You'll just pay with your credit card at the hotel itself, and they'll take care of the rest.

 

If you want domestic air tickets within Brazil, Carlo would need your credit card number to pay for the reservations.

 

And yes, even though it would be best if you spoke Portuguese before you go, it's hardly an absolute essential if you stick to the well-trodden "tourist trail." There are enough people around who speak some English that you can get by. As you'll see when you get there, Rio isn't a difficult city to get around. Copacabana is kind of like Waikiki, if you've ever been there: a narrow strip of land between beach and mountains with a few long main avenues parallel to the beach cut by shorter side streets. It's essentially a grid plan, and it's fairly hard to get lost. Grab some of the free maps they hand out in the arrivals area at the airport; they're not always the greatest but they're more than enough to get you to all the basic spots and help you understand the street pattern. Downtown is also laid out on a grid. If you stay at the Atlantico, you will be within 2 - 3 blocks of Estação, Roger's and Point 202, directly across the street from the metro station (for trips to 117 and downtown) and about 4 blocks from Corujinha and the beach. You can hardly get easier than that!

[jivau3930]

If you're going to travel within Brasil, consider a Brasilian airpass. You can save a small fortune. Last year (and this year), I used http://www.brol.com, located in Miami. They were very helpful. You must have your itinerary and the airpass must be purchased BEFORE you leave the US. Also, the airpass is for foreigners only - Brasilian citizens cannot purchase airpasses. You purchase the airpass by segments. Last year, I flew from Rio to Sao Paulo to Manaus and back to Rio for net charge of $461.00! My contact at brol was Simon Perez - extremely helpful.