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Monday, July 14, 2008

OFF TO ILHA GRANDE


It is really hard to convince anyone saying that you are going to a real paradise for working...and that's the case. I am going to Ilha Grande, one of the most beautiful islands in Brazil, with more than a 100 beaches, lots of forests and spetacular mountains!

It is part of my tours and this time I am going to take my guests Olga and Mike, a very nice couple from Chicago!

Mike hardly speak but do not think he is a bad guy...he is just someone very shy...but when he finally speaks he a a person with unbelieveble sense of humor. A very nice guy which I can call him a friend, his wife Olga, wow, she is an "adorable parrot". Two great friends and also my guests.

We will be staying at OVERNATIVA, a little and pleasant cottage in the village of Abraão. The starting point of visiting this paradise!

Once you go to Ilha Grande, you will really be convinced that Paradise is here!

To go to Ilha Grande all you have to do is driving south in the COAST ROAD of Costa Verde, heading São Paulo. You have two options, once you stop in Mangaratiba and get the ferry boat which leaves at 8 am, very few options and poor in time schedules, but it is close to Rio because it takes less than two hours to get there! Other option is heading to Angra dos Reis, the next town, there you can choose more than 4 possibilities to cross.

ILHA GRANDE CAN BE AN UNIQUE OPTION WHEN VISITING RIO, it is a chance to see exactly how Rio used to be more than a 100 years ago!!

I will be back to Rio this wednesday with more news about this fantastic destination!

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

RAFA'S TOUGH LIFE


I have seven years working as a tour guide and believe me I really do that for a living. Most of my friends call me to invite for their parties, for a short holiday trip in a nearby place and I always say I am busy, and they do not believe me because every time I answer...

"WELL, I CAN'T BECAUSE I AM IN BUZIOS"
"OHHH CALL ME LATER BECAUSE I AM AT THE SUGAR LOAF"

"NOT NOW, I AM IN ILHA GRANDE ISLAND"
"OH DEAR, I CANNOT GO WITH YOU BECAUSE NEXT WEEK I HAVE TO GO TO VENEZUELA"

"UNFORTUNATELY I AM VERY BUSY RIGHT NOW, I AM IN A BOAT IN BUZIOS"

Not everyone has the most interesting places in South America as Working Offices, hehehe :)))))

I admit it is hard to say you are busy and not available when they find out you are in such grat places while when they are busy and not available that are stuck on tight four walls in front of a computer and all surrounded with papers...

THAT'S IS LIFE!!! WHAT CAN I DO?????

Most of my guests when I take them to the Christ, on the top of Corcovado Mountain, they ask me, how many times I go there...with sa smile in my face I usually say: COUNTLESS!!!

They might think I am tired to go there and it is hard to believe when I say "no", all the time I go there I am going with different people with incredible life stories to tell, all the time I go there I see also different people (int he main stairs of the Christ is my highlight, because I am sure you can see in many pictures of this Planet! hahahahha and also, when you reach the top of that mountain everyone realizes (inclusing me!) how magic Rio de Janeiro is.

And I am starting to get popular in that Rio's most famous landmark because all the time I go there I HAVE TO LIE ON THE FLOOR, but you should see the result of this specific picture!!! YES IT IS HARD TO BE A TOUR GUIDE, HAHAHAHAHA

Thanks for all the confidence that people have in me, I have been getting busier, and I always get desparate when I do not reply my emails so quickly...

One of my guests from USA, Maxine, that I am organizing their tours once wrote:

"
The fact that you are so busy and you are so responsive is a clear indication that you are a sensational guide!"

It means alot to me that her simple words really shows me I am in the right way. I will always put a lot of passion in my work! I will always show to everyone I welcome here that I am more than a guide, they have to be sure that they are with a friend getting to know the real soul of my land!

Rafael Torres Lopes (DONRAFA)
Tour Guide

donrafainrio@yahoo.es

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

THE BRAZILIAN EMBASSY IN COPACABANA - MARTA - MY GREAT FRIEND IN RIO!


Every city has great characters..Every place has someone who's famous for something great in life!!! I would say that Rio de Janeiro has a fantastic friend!!! I want to register that I am very proud to have such a friend too. MARTA MILLER Yes folks, she is my friend and actually the biggest reference in Rio that I have. Just like me, she belongs to the tourism business and all she is a great and luxury helping hand for all visitors that come to Rio de Janeiro! Marta and her husband John has a guesthouse in the most famous beach of Rio, COPACABANA, I would say she has a guest house, better saying she has a PALACE GUEST HOUSE overlooking the ocean. Just imagining being in Rio like you were in a brazilian house and this house is a lovely penthouse located in the best part of Copacabana Beach.

If you visit Marta's webpage you will know exactly what I am talking about: http://www.rioguesthouse.com/ I know Marta for more than five years and we usually work together to keep our hospitality tradition for all visitors and guests. If you stay with Marta, oh gosh, you will be in best hands!

If you have Marta's joy of life and great smile in the face.
If you have Marta's friendship If you have Marta's assistance while you are in Rio
If you share a table with Marta
If you simply have Marta as a friend in Brazil.... DEAR ONE, YOU CAN BE REALLY SELF ASSURED THAT YOU ARE REALLY FORTUNATE IN LIFE!

ONE OF MY FAVE RESTAURANTS IN RIO - CHIQUITA


I am pretty sure you will not find even a single trace of this restaurant in any travel book you find about Rio de Janeiro. To find these curious places in the city, you really have to know the city quite well and you really need to go deep inside into Rio's daily life!!! Being curious is a great quality that you need to find out unique places when you are in Rio. CHIQUITA is one of the nicest restaurant I know and it is located in a very very very local area called São Cristovão!!! The restaurant is not in the street but it is inside of a huge market where just CARIOCAS and other brazilians usually go. But they not only go there for eating out, there they find lots of music in two big stages, they also find some nice and funny stores where you can find everything regarding food, regarding crafts, typical meals, music and curious forms of art. THE PLACE IS A GREAT ATTRACTION, A REAL PLACE TO BE IN RIO. Close to the stage in the left side of the "Stadium"..yes the place really reminds a STADIUM...You will find CHIQUITA..a very cozy place with thick wood furniture with great ambience. The place is a little bit noisy but Chiquita provides a sort of LOUNGE where we can sit with friends and chat for hours!!! THE OWNER, a very nice lady named Chiquita will welcome you in person and her manager which is her brother, LEONEL will also give you the honors. They are typical northern people which are known for their incredible hospitality!!! I always take friends and guests there, we have a great time in every visit, there you can taste the best of our meat and also exotic amazon fish. Prices are more than friendly and the experience of being there is unique! I brought my friends Marta and her husband John, a nice australian couple and my american hero, the most brazilian american bloke I know, Ryan and his brazilian girlfriend, Elis...And wow that was an amazing afternoon!!!

Very special and essencial for me to be with great friends all the time!

Thanks folks for being so fantastic!!!
Rafael Torres Lopes

THE SOURCE OF FOOD IN RIO



When you deal with people you have to know everything in the city. As I always take my guests to unique places to eat, restaurants where mostly brazilians go. Being a tour guide is not being a "worker" with technical information. You need to know where the best places are, you need sometimes to forget your personal life and being an "ADVISOR" and always being a "FRIEND". so I went to a very special place located in the very far outskirts of the city where all the AGRICULTURE products come, and all over the buyers go there and buy big quantity of fruits and vegetables. It is a huge market!!! This place is called CEASA, a big distribuitor centre of food in Rio, located in a neighborhood called IRAJÁ. No tourists go there, of course, but me as a tour guide, I would also suggest you a visit if you are interested about local custuns, and see the city working even though you will not find beautiful views, but it is amazing to see lots of people bargaining and seeing a loads of fresh natural products coming to our city from many different farms spreaded all over the Country! Actually it is nice to get "LOST" in there and you really find the best deals. I can tell you that after a visit to CEASA the house is full of fruits... Brazilians are real freak regarding natural food, and in every brazilian home you will always find someone to offer you a very fresh fruit juice..SPECIALLY MANGOES, ORANGE, MANDARINE, CASHUE, PASSION FRUIT..or the famous ACEROLA (great source of Vitamin C) and the natural energetic juice of AÇAI. Rafael Torres Lopes Tour Guide donrafainrio@yahoo.es