禁漫天堂

@superjr137

Nice you will have alot of fun

My wife and I will be in Rio for Carnival on a TGW tour.

No thanks...

1.Overpriced beverages and food

2.Dealing with inebriated and drug intoxicated.

3.Rude types all over

4.Flooded with prostitutes openly soliciting their wares.

5.Over hyped for tourists.聽

6.Soaring petty crime occurences ( muggings, burglars, petty theft. ).

7.If your wife is good looking, you are fair game to get into fights, and lewd behavior.

There is as reason why the Carioca middle class leaves town around the holiday.聽 They head out to Angra, Parati, Ilhabela, Cabo Frio, and deal with the same inflated prices.聽

Rio's Carnival is as a tourist trap as New Orleans and Cabo are聽 to Spring Breakers

Criminals live for it to cash it in big

A lot of Brazilians leave town. Some even rent out their apartments. Others are fanatical about it. l have been a couple of times in Rio and Recife/Olinda.

It鈥檚 an experience for sure, but l doubt l will ever go again.

@sprealestatebroker - Joining a group tour with private select parties.聽 No plans for wild overnight parties as I know that those events are mainly attended by tourists.

Mainly going for the arts and the food...聽 Yes, this is a tourist trap but it helps the local economy.

Any suggestions on how to keep safe during carnival?

聽 聽 @sprealestatebroker - Joining a group tour with private select parties.聽 No plans for wild overnight parties as I know that those events are mainly attended by tourists.
Mainly going for the arts and the food...聽 Yes, this is a tourist trap but it helps the local economy.

Any suggestions on how to keep safe during carnival?
聽 聽

聽 聽 -@Pablo888

1-Dress spartan at all times when on public places.聽

2-Do no carry expensive cameras.

3-Do no gaze at your smart phone while in a public place. If you must call or message, seek for a private place. A coffee place or lunch counter.

4-Beware of overly friendly locals

5-Outside Confeitaria Colombo ( it's a traditional聽 Coffee and Pastry Place, a must for visitors )

6-Leave expensive Jewelry at home

7-Beware of Uber

8-If you contract a cab ride, make sure to get or negotiate a flat rate. Most in city rides are vmetered, and so out of town. Get a fair estimate before you haul.

9-Keep your valuables concealed.

10-Copacabana Beach is infested with tourists. Rather go to Sao Conrado, Barra. Copacabana beachfront is decent enough for a nightall stride, as it fills with folks going out

12-Skip fancy restaurants unless you want something local and specific.聽 Most edible fare can be goten at your neighborhood lunch counter.聽 Unless you are not in for some speficific hankering, ask for the Daily's Specials or your Comercial ( Hungry Man Dailies, mostly meat, rice, beans, salad, french fries )

13-Cariocas do not overindulge on breakfast. Outside of the Hotel's free breakfast bar in the morning, most bakeries serve up your traditional Brazilian Breakfast, a Fruit mixed drink, bread and butter, coffee and milk.

14-If you are to endure the Carnival Parade ( Desfile das Escolas de Samba,, ) which takes you through the night and morning, be prepared to pay through your nose for your beverages ( draft beer, fountain soda ). And food.聽 Not sure if they allow you bring your own past the ticket gates.聽

15..Do nbt buy tickets from scalpers. You can be sold forget tickets.聽 Get it pre booked.聽

16.IThe parade is a marathon

17.If you are out to see the Christ Redeemer, there are stopovers on the way up. The Chinese Deck can be enticing, but there are reports of hold ups there.聽 Only go there if well escorted.

18.There are neighborhoods outside the coastline worth visiting: Historic Downtown, Lapa, Santa Thereza, Botanic Gardens by Leblon,

19.If you are into Arts and Crafts and semi precious gems, skip the City and trek out to Parati, on the coastline, further south.聽 It's an artisan quaint town.聽 聽

16.Those waste pouches are a dead give away. Find ways to conceal your wallet. Buy one of those metail enclosures for your credit cards.聽 You can carry a back pack, but make sure to keep it in front of you on public transportation.聽

17.Avoid Favelas at all costs. If you want to see proletariat, take the train to the exurbs.聽 A good one is to visit Marechal Hermes. Right by the train station there is a renowed fast food place that serves french fries by the kilo with tucket pieces of fried chiicken.聽 Some people move accross town for those fries...

And avoid the ball rooms.聽 No fun being groped by drunk and lewd men who might think you are fair game.

Before the festivities, you can see more authentic street action, by learning where the neighborhood "Bloco dos Sujos" will revel..聽 聽Lot's of men dressed like drag in an authentic act of debauchery.聽

It beats the parade or the ball rooms.聽 It's free, spontaneous, irreverent.聽

Here's the ones that you can locate, with dates and starting locations.聽

And if ever a carioca host takes you聽 out to dinner, do not be surprised if they stick you with the check.聽 It's very common in Rio.聽 Make sure the arrangement calls for Dutch.聽 OR negotiate with the waitstaff to get your bill in separate.聽 聽

The beaches on Rio are open sea.聽 Beware the pull out shore which can drown the unaware.聽 If you see surfers, at least you might have a life guard. They do not keep life guard stations by the beaches.聽 Ask the locals聽 if " O mar esta puxando"聽 .聽 聽If so, stray far.聽 You can end up drowned. The sea currents can drag you offshore real fast before you realize.聽

This is also valid for small coastal locales such as Buzios, Angra dos Reis, Cabo Frio.聽

If you are to travel between Rio and Sao Paulo and have time to spare, and are driving, then opt to travel by Rio-Santos Road.聽 Great little gems out there.聽

If you are through Dutra, then there are good stopovers worth drop by:

Some of these towns are if you were to step back in time.

Most of the small coastal towns you can buy fresh seafood straight from the boat, or sample local restaurant fare.聽 聽

Penedos

Paraty

Resende ( Military Town on Rio-Sao Paulo border聽 )

Lorena ( sleepy and quaint )

Angra dos Reis

Taubate聽 ( Brazilian Children's Books Capital due to its illustrious son, Monteiro Lobato, great writing for smart and thoughtful children ). Its the largest of the featured sample.聽 Modern, but provincial.

Aparecida ( It's like Meca for Catholics, if that is your cup of tea )

7-Beware of Uber

8-If you contract a cab ride, make sure to get or negotiate a flat rate. Most in city rides are vmetered, and so out of town. Get a fair estimate before you haul.

聽 聽 -@sprealestatebroker

Uber vs cab - which one is preferred?聽 I have long considered ride-share as being safer than cabs because of the Uber route planning safeguards and the emergency features built in the app.聽 I was told that Uber is also slightly more expensive than cabs.聽 How to decide whether any ride (Uber or cab) is trust-worthy?

聽 聽 7-Beware of Uber 8-If you contract a cab ride, make sure to get or negotiate a flat rate. Most in city rides are vmetered, and so out of town. Get a fair estimate before you haul.聽 聽 聽-@sprealestatebroker

Uber vs cab - which one is preferred?聽 I have long considered ride-share as being safer than cabs because of the Uber route planning safeguards and the emergency features built in the app.聽 I was told that Uber is also slightly more expensive than cabs.聽 How to decide whether any ride (Uber or cab) is trust-worthy?
聽 聽

聽 聽 -@Pablo888

If you need an English speaking local driver in Rio, I can recommend a guy who does a very good job, but you hire him for the day and he takes you wherever you want to go, and keeps you safe... Plus lots of good recommendations, etc

聽 聽 7-Beware of Uber 8-If you contract a cab ride, make sure to get or negotiate a flat rate. Most in city rides are vmetered, and so out of town. Get a fair estimate before you haul.聽 聽 聽-@sprealestatebroker

Uber vs cab - which one is preferred?聽 I have long considered ride-share as being safer than cabs because of the Uber route planning safeguards and the emergency features built in the app.聽 I was told that Uber is also slightly more expensive than cabs.聽 How to decide whether any ride (Uber or cab) is trust-worthy?
聽 聽

聽 聽 -@Pablo888

The metered fare difference isn't any substantial if none at all. At times, Uber is actually charging more.

One thing people don't seem to grasp is,, as in the US, taxicab are licensed operations.聽 Fully insured.聽

The equivalent of the US Medallion in Brazil is the Ponto. On both cases, these licenses, owned by the municipality, are bought and sold by taxicab owner/operators.聽 And the right to these concessions is quite expensive.

Any misconduct from the driver/operator, the city will suspend the license.聽 Sexual overtures and hold ups are serious offenses., Complaints to be taken the longer route, not as severe.聽 聽Yet, most taxicab drivers in Sao Paulo are reliable, courteous and honest, despite tourists perception.

Also, at least in Sao Paulo, Taxicabs are granted to travel the Bus Lanes under no risk of a moving violation, which Uber Drivers can't do.聽

The only count against Taxicab Drivers is that often times, if not a fleet driver, you can't find them at late night hours.聽 So it is advised to secure a night and day driver on your dial.

The taxicab driver has a vested interest in keeping its records clean. The Licensing board, run by the City, can suspend the licensee ( through the vehicle or personal driver's license ).

There were several聽 documented cases of Uber Drivers comiting hold ups and rapes.聽 聽

Also, taxicabs have a shelf life. Only taxicab drivers are qualified for a steep discount on new Vehicles MSRP ,m which can amount to about 20-25%. So as consequence, they trade their vehicles as often as every two years.

Plus there is the insurance, mandatory for taxicabs for license renewal's sake.聽 聽Your driver gets into a collision, and you have no coverage or legal recourse.

Get yourself a beck in call Taxicab Driver, keep his/her number.聽 In Sao Paulo, the standard color is white, in Rio, Yellow and Dark Blue.聽 聽

Seasoned Cabbies tend to master the City better than clueless Uber Drivers.聽 As often as you can score a decent Uber Driver, they are the exception.聽

Penny wise, dollar foolish

There is one more important factor for those savvy travelers.....

Prices for food, beverage, outings, lodging fall considerably a day after the Carnaval Holiday dates. From Thursday on, whether you are in Rio, or any coastal city, you pay a whole lot less and won't sit on lines.

These locales then tend to be sought after retirees.聽 聽

The City still pleasant to visit, the rift raft is gone,聽 and you have enjoyed a whole lot better travevling experience.

We just got back from Rio and used Uber for everything. A word of warning, book it through聽 the phone app. Do not get in a car with someone just because they have an Uber sign in the window.

Some are fake. One of our drivers told us that they are now required by Uber to submit a criminal background check every 90 days.

And as for samba and the street parade....

Every parade is a competition amongst Escolas de Samba.聽 This is an year long endeavor.聽 Every participating Escola de Sampa holds its rehersals on their own gathering places, often some open air warehouse where they rehearse, hold meetings, promote the sale of food & beverage.

Attending a rehearse is just as same as attending the parade, only up and closer, at your leisure and time, with less inconveniences.聽

Here's their trade group, where ytou can locate them

Here's one of the many participans from the top tier.....

G.R.E.S Beija-Flor de Nil贸polis

Founded b y 聽 聽 25/12/1948

Colors Blue & White

Honorary President 聽 聽 Aniz Abrah茫o David

Executive Presidente 聽 聽 Almir Reis

Rehersals 聽 聽 Rua Pracinha Wallace Paes Leme, 1025 - Nil贸polis - RJ. Cep: 26.050-032

Booking Rehersals聽 聽 聽(21) 2791-2866

Warehouse 聽 聽 Cidade do Samba (Barrac茫o n潞 11) - Rua Rivad谩via Correa, n潞 60 - Gamboa. Cep: 20.220-290

Warehouse Phone 聽 聽 (21) 2233-5889

Website 聽 聽

Public Press Relations聽 聽 聽 Philipe Reis - Elloo Comunica莽茫o

Tel.: (21) 97283-5791

Parade them by聽 2024 聽 聽 "Um del铆rio de Carnaval na Macei贸 de R谩s Gonguila"

Artistic Director 聽 聽 Jo茫o Vitor Ara煤jo

Parade Director 聽 聽 Dudu Azevedo

On staff Musician 聽 聽 Neguinho da Beija-Flor

Drum Leader 聽 聽 Rodney e Pl铆nio

Drum Queen聽 聽 聽 Lorena Raissa

Master of front ceremonies (Mestre-Sala e Porta-Bandeira) 聽 聽 Claudinho e Selminha Sorriso

Front Honorary Leader 聽 聽 Jorge Teixeira e Saulo Finelon

Thank you @sprealestatebroker.聽 Will use cabs.

@Pablo888 DON'T GO !!! I don't always agree with my buddy @sprealestatebroker, but whatever he says go with it. My brazilian 2nd. mother is from Niteroi (other side of the bridge in the Fast Five, Fast X movies). I started to go over to Rio 30 - 40 years ago. I had an apartment in Rio, went to the infamous HELP nightclub and hung out at the Cafe on Copacabana beach with Expats.聽 It was much safer back then, but even so I had my good time without going to a Carnival. Now unless I had a Deathwish I would not even think about going.

Roddie in Retirement

@roddiesho Yeah I鈥檓 not going. I came here in January with my wife to recon for a place to live. We stayed in a hotel on Capocobana for two days. We left the day carnival started and that was all i needed to see. That and the fact I don鈥檛 do well in crowds that big.

聽 聽 @Pablo888 DON'T GO !!!
聽 聽 -@roddiesho

Carnival in Rio is on my bucket list.聽 I suspect that this is FOMO.

This should be a common feeling among expats.聽 Why uproot and move halfway around the world?聽 Why feel the urge to see the Parthenon, Carnival in Venice, or Hobitton?

Would be nice to meet local expats and exchange shared positive experiences.....

@Pablo888 Ok, I admit I am old enough that I had to look up "FOMO", fortunately I have lived a good life and have not MO. Only two things left on my bucket list:

• Starting my You Tube Channel
• Helping my only daughter on a path to FIRE

Have Fun At the 2024 Carnival!!!

Roddie in Retirement

@roddiesho My wife clued me in on "FOMO". They use that on the shopping websites like "Forever 21" and "Crocs". Very trendy. Of which I am not.

a path to FIRE
聽 聽 -@roddiesho

That's an interesting discussion to have.聽 How much is enough to retire and what to do in retirement....聽

Is retirement a time to relax / slowdown or another phase of activities?聽

How did you decide to retire in Brazil vs other countries?聽 Is there something in Brazil that is more advantageous as a retirement location?

@Pablo888

Climate and cost of owning property and living here have to be a couple of reasons...?

The ability to live on the beach (literally) without huge investment...?

Then you can choose what to do - if anything...

if it is a must see on your bucket list then, the only earnest advice I can give any visitor, is....

Skip the Gala Ballrooms unless you are young and daring, just for as long as you are prepared to get into fights. Women at these ballrooms are fair game for a one night stand, but you might end up dealing with her boy/friend/husband/pimp/posse.聽 聽This is a place where people are highly intoxicated, and prone to violence outbursts. Outside ballrooms, petty criminals pray for victms.

The Improv Street Blocks ( blocos de Rua )聽 are, IMHO, the best way to enjoy the spirit of Rio's Carnaval. There is no charge to be a bystander observer, you might even participate. It's all about dancing fools. They usually precede the Carnaval by a week, and through the holiday.聽 聽 If you do mind the debauchery and men dressed as women, go for it.聽

The parade, well, it's ok, but it is a tourist trap.聽 It can be tiresome after a couple Escolas de Sampa, it is a marathon, tickets are pricey, and every drinking and eating concession gouges on prices.聽 Lot of petty crimes commited at the Sambodromo.聽 Not to mention, whether you drive, or take public transportation, at any time, day or night, you are going to endure a long haul to get home.聽

This is not like attending the Master's at Augusta,, where patrons are treated to...

Fair concession prices

Plenty parking and shuttle buses. to meet demand adequately

Unless you were chasing Tiger Woods, or the one by the top of the leaderboard, you are going to have enough private space to pace yourself on the concourse.聽

The ability to live on the beach (literally) without huge investment...?
聽 聽 -@Peter Itamaraca

I grew up on white warm sandy beaches bounded by coral reefs and I would really like to get back to that one day.聽

Are beachfront property leasehold or can be freehold?聽 I read somewhere that 100 ft of the beach from the sea is owned by the government and cannot be privately owned.聽 Is this correct?聽 I suspect that @sprealestatebroker will have something to say about that idea.

@Pablo888

You are broadly correct, and it all depends on where the high tide mark was in 1833! Any property located close to the high tide mark in that year has to pay an extra tax to pay to occupy that land, plus another on purchase (called laudemio). Note that this only applies to the land itself, not any house built on it. This high tide mark also affects cosatal rivers as well as the coast itself, and the beach may now be a long way away, but if, in 1833 the tide came close, you will be included.

The reason is now just about collecting taxes (and everybody hates it), but back in the day Brazil wanted to retain ownership of this land so it could defend the country from seaborne attack. You will own the freehold of your house, but (effectively) lease the land from the government.

In the bigger picture the taxes are really not that high, millions of people pay them, and if the government really did want it back it would have to compulsory purchase your house at market value and pay you compensation. I have never known this happen, and I think a sea-based assault on Brazil is extraordinarily unlikely any time soon... But the government wants its taxes - and that is the price you have to pay for this top location.

So you can buy on the beach as you mention with 100% confidence, as many of us have done on the small tropical island where I live in Ne Brazil.

@Pablo888 Sorry, I must have missed this one before.

I am in Brazil now and for most of my life because my very accomplished natural mother who was a PHD graduate with a Fellowship named after her at Brown University passed at 45. My father married a 2nd. time to a Brazilian native from Niteroi (across the bridge from Rio - see the movie Fast 5 or Fast 10 - we are on the other side of the bridge). I went to Rio a lot, lived in an apartment in Rio, went to a concert on Sugar Loaf mountain, attended a massive event Coca-Cola staged on Copacabana Beach with Soccer, Tennis, Tae Kwon Do etc. games and accidently missed my boat back to Niteroi and had to spend the night at a Military Base.聽 After all this I still avoided Carnival. Even 30 years ago. The downside of crime still out numbered the upside.

As far as retiring here, this has always been my dream since I was 10 and my 2nd. mother joined our family My very wise father took us on a trip from Panama to Peru to Argentina to Sao Paulo to Rio when I was 10 and my younger brother was 6. I live here with my 97 year old mother, my wife, her special needs uncle and our live-in caretaker (actually both her and I have separate houses on the property).

As far as FIRE. It is the discipline, not the money. I have a nice nest egg, but I have trained myself to live off of my $1,400 a month Social Security money. This is the part of FIRE that i am working to pass on to her.聽 Commit to a Debt-Free Life style, avoid credit cards, save for purchases and live a very frugal life-style no matter how many $0's are in your bank account. Also no matter how close you are with your special one put the condo, house in your name and make you the owner. Buy a condo as a couple, a house as a family and keep your 3-6months emergency fund, especially if your special one goes out for the milk and doesn't come back, you will have enough "emergency money" to cover the bills until you re-group.

That is really my only concern when it comes to her FIRE or retirement. My wife and I are almost 40 years older than she is. I just want to make sure she can take care of herself. We will definitely leave her a lot of money, (in fact my late 99 year old father left her a $20k 529), but she needs to get out of Lifestyle Creep (get a new job, buy a car; get an incredibly big promotion at 22, get a new apartment etc.) to manage it, because it will only come once and after that we can't help her.

She does love to travel.

Roddie in Retirement

@roddiesho

I must have missed your response.聽 Thank you for sharing.聽 I will tell you my story when we meet in person.

Re:聽 Carnival - here is another funny factoid - this year, the Chinese New Year is on Saturday February 10, 2024 and there is a festival overlap.聽 The Year of the (Wood) Dragon starts on Feb 10, 2024 and ends on Jan 28, 2025.

Re:聽 FIRE for kids - I am not sure what to say about this strategy when applied to kids.聽 I just learnt from studying psychology with my son that the human brain is not fully grown until age 25.聽 I think that my sons still have some more growing to do...

Re:聽 FIRE for me - I only learnt about that concept recently.聽 I have no problem with FI but I will find RE difficult as I need to stay active.聽 I would definitely entertain non-profit activities at our next expat F2F meeting.

@roddiesho, all things considered, you have done a wonderful job with your daughter.聽 Great work!!!

@roddiesho

Reading your post brought back memories of Niteroi. In the early 2000s I made many trips via the old slow ferry between Niteroi and downtown RJ. I always took the slow ferry as it was cheaper and I wasn鈥檛 in a hurry. I liked the landing port area of Niteroi. Lots of hustle and bustle and it was close to the bus terminal. Of course I also took the infamous Bus-vans between Niteroi and Ipanema/Copa area if time was an issue. Over the LONG bridge it was very common to see breakdowns and accidents which could cause delays.

• My good friend still lives in 鈥淏arreto鈥� neighborhood there. I actually applied for my CPF in downtown Niteroi (via the Post Office and RF there). Thanks for the memories!