A DIFFICULT GOOD BYE TO MY VANCOUVER FRIENDS

They are fans of Brazil, they came here and they really noticed that it was love at first sight, in Michael's case, it is a confirmation of love, because it was LOVE AT SECOND SIGHT. Leanne got to Rio for the first time and Michael really wanted her to experience the wonderful vibe of our city.

We met each other thanks to Marta, again Marta...she is responsable of so many remarkable people that I have been meeting recently....I picked up this cool couple in our airport and brought them to Rio Guest House, a lovely penthouse in our famous Copacabana Beach, and after some incredible days in Rio which they really know properly, I had to take them back to the airport.

Sad because it is not easy to say good bye to great friends, but very happy moment because I knew that they will return to Rio again.

We did not have the chance to explore Rio together, but I am sure they had lots of fun and they could visit all over with great knowledge.

RIO IS NOT ONLY A TRAVEL DESTINATION, RIO IS A CASE OF LOVE.

I am so honored to have real friends in Vancouver!

Thank you, Michael and Leanne for your big love for my country which I am sure it will always be a home for both of you!!!!

Meeting these great people would never be possible without the generous help hand of my brilliant friend Marta who owns RioguestHouse and I am very proud to take their guests to know the best of Rio.

Visit Marta's website and find out how you can stay in Rio with style!

www.rioguesthouse.com

HAPPY FAMILY FROM TEXAS WITH A COSTA RICAN TASTE

I am sure Maria got to their lives to put some AZUCAR taste to this already "sweet" family from McAllen,Texas - USA. A little southern town in the Great River Valley, famous for the Quinta Mazatlan, but also a very close stop point to many birding parks in South Padre Island, fantastic variety of birds in that coastal area.

So they came to Rio, Maria, her husband Jason and Jason's parents, my sweet friend Priscilla and the King and Almighty friend Will, they stayed at Marta's place, such a magnificent guests house on the beach of Copacabana, you can see more of her website at http://www.rioguesthouse.com/ - And I was in charge to show all of Rio in just one single day, and we did it, and I also made them "glyde" in the skies of Niteroi.

We started our day heading the Forest of Tijuca with a quick stop in my PLAN B...the Mirante Dona Marta where you can see the Christ Mountain and all over Rio but with no crowd, very few people know about this place but it is one of the options that you have to see the whole city and the access there is free, after that we finally reached the Christ, our famous and most important attraction, we had a ball there!!! but we headed to the Forest until the waterfall of Cascatinha but before that we had a baptism, Jason was baptized as Jason Brasileiro, hahahaha :) They have the pictures! When we finally reached the Falls they realized that Rio was much more than expected, but we had to continue because we had to see more of the city, and I took the to the gated community of Joa where the Atlantic Ocean with all its fury make a real surfing festival for the locals. We completed our visit to Rio and then we cross the Bay and visited Niteroi.

In Niteroi, we did the classical tour of MAC, our Modern Art Museum. From this point you have very unique vistas of our Bayside, we can clearly see the island of Boa Viagem and the beach of Icaraí, them we had lunch in a very brazilian resturant with yummy food, A MINEIRA, and as a grand finale...

WE WENT TO PARQUE DA CIDADE, a privileged viewpoint that is a real highlight to any trip to Rio, and from there, thanks to my friends and paraglyding instructors, Jason and Maria jumped.

We had a perfect day and for sure they will come back for more! I had 4 interesting guests and I ended up with marvelous 4 Great friends!!!!

I am sure that everywhere they go and everyone they meet that will recommend Rio as a great destination to discover!!!!

Thank you my friends for a wonderful day!!!

Rafa

IS IT GORGEOUS OR NOT????

For fun, to work or just a simple day in the beach...where do I go???? NITEROI!!!!!!

Well, It is always a great reason to visit Niteroi when friends decide to take one day and have fun.

This time, Marcone and I took the day to spend the day with our great friends Marta, who owns a very trendy PENTHOUSE in Copacabana, the traditional RIOGUESTHOUSE. (http://www.rioguesthouse.com/) and her husband John Muller, the most brazilian aussie fellow that I know! And we visit the most beautiful ocean beach of Niteroi, ITACOATIARA, and we also went to the indian tribe of Guaranis in Camboinhas and end in our great finale, PARQUE DA CIDADE!!!!

I just want to take them to my favorite places in the city, my so dear hidden secrets...

ITACOATIARA WAS OUR FIRST STOP....UNIQUE BEACH - A REAL SURFER'S PARADISE IN BRAZIL.

Rafael Torres Lopes

donrafainrio@yahoo.es

FIFTY YEARS OF EXTREME LOVE - NELLY AND RUBEN

Sometimes I really think that my work is a real blessing!!! People look for me to celebrate very important moment of their lifes!

Some weeks ago I had the honor to welcome Nelly and Ruben, a very charming and sooooo dearest couple from the coastal city of Mar del Plata in Argentina (country where I also organize tours). They come to Rio a lot but this time it was special!!!!

THE CAME HERE TO CELEBRATE THEIR 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!

AND ONCE AGAIN...I WAS THE CAKE, HAHAHAHAHAHA :))))))))))

Yes, Norma, a very sweety lady who happened to be my "grandma" gave them as a WEDDING ANNIVERSARY GIFT a very complete tour in NITEROI, a full day seeing the best of the greatest surprise in Rio, the city of Niteroi!!!!

Nelly and Ruben still keeps love shining...She takes good care of him and he simply worships her!!! They talk alot, they really want to spend the best moments of life together and they really know how to enjoy it!!!!!

They are the real inspiration for those who believe that LOVE EXISTS!!!!

And I dedicate MY DAY for this incredible couple!!!

We had a blast visiting the Bay Side of Niteroi and we had lunch in a very scenic and sophisticated restaurant OLIMPO.

NOW IN SPANISH:

Cariños de mi vida!!!!

Con mucho honor y con mucha dicha que llevaré siempre grabado en la memoria el fantastico dia que desfrutamos juntos. Si el dia que pasamos juntos fué un regalo de 50 años de tu matrimonio, para mi fué el dia en que GAÑE 50 AÑOS DE AMOR y me sentí seguro que estoy en el mejor camino que es vivir la vida con amor y con pasion!!!

Les agradezco muchisimo la oportunidad de haber conocido una pareja tan increible como ustedes!!!

Y DEJO REGISTRADO QUE MI AMOR Y CARIÑO A LA ARGENTINA Y A TODOS LOS ARGENTINOS ES ETERNO!!!!!!!

Os quiero mucho,

Rafa

THE SPIRIT OF ONE SPECIAL PEOPLE

Jurujuba, well, the name is weird and for sure you have never read anything about it before planning a trip to Rio. Now it is time for you to learn more about this special place. It is not a touristy place, it is just part of a wonderful city called Niteroi where you can really experience the real local taste of a simple fishing village. Though it is the most important fishing centre in the State.

In Jurujuba you can stop and watch the life goes by...seagulls flying everywhere, children playing in the sand with hand made soccer balls, boats coming and going packed with fish, many difference voices crying for lower prices and such an spectacular scenery, views of Rio, views of the green mountains.

A real playground for photography lovers like me!!!

And of course if you go there you will have the chance to have incredible shots, this is also a place where I take my guests and this is also a place where I love going!!!

Again, I strongly recommend to everyone: DO NOT IGNORE NITEROI IN ANY TRIP TO RIO DE JANEIRO.

I am sure that we will always find reasons to be convinced that RIO WILL ALWAYS LIVE IN YOUR HEART!!!

I am a passionate lover of Rio, don't be afraid to feel this way!!!!

Rafael Torres Lopes

donrafainrio@yahoo.es

RIO YOU WILL HAVE GOD'S ART WHICH IS OUR ENDLESS NATURE BUT YOU CAN SEE THE ART OF MEN AS WELL

Fabulous work of gold and interesting barroc afrescos

MOSTEIRO DE SÃO BENTO...

This is a jewel of our Barroc Era, this church was built between 1576 and 1590 when Rio was just a very rich colony of Portugal, and they finished the construction quite late, around 1671, but the whole great gold work was made before 1630 by great portuguese artists and brazilians as well. This is a place where everything started in Rio.

This monastery belongs to the St. Benedictus Order, actually the monks who settled here came from the MontSerrat Monastery in Spain (actually from the spanish province of Catalunya)

Today is one of the places in Rio that we are very proud of...It tells you a lot of History of our Land!

And makes you think that Rio is way more than just a summer destination!!! We do have a rich culture that we are all happy to show you!!!!

IMAGES THAT STICK IN YOUR HEART - THE GREAT SURPRISE: NITEROI

Explosion of happiness in Niteroi - Parque da Cidade

An incredible overview of everything you visited

We know how to get there....

Words are useless to describe how much I love this city!!!!

Niteroi is part of my golden teenager times!!! And it is a very intense part of my own present!!!

Niteroi holds many surprises that a normal traveller will never reach....

There is a place in the Bay Side that very few people know, but all locals go there and I am going there since I was 10 or 12 in my way more adventurous times...Now I am just a simple adventurous tour guide...hehehehehe, in that time I was just a "daring kid"

PARQUE DA CIDADE is a place where every visitor fall in love, but how can't you????

True...best sunset in the State, I can tell you, this is one of the best places!!!

I can teach you the CAMINHO DAS PEDRAS to go there!!!

You must be asking yourself WHAT A HEC is caminho das pedras, right???

Caminho das Pedras is a way we have when we want to tell you a secret so badly....

But this is for sure the best way to spot all over Rio de Janeiro in a very privileged way...

AND IT IS MY PHOTOGRAPH PLAYGROUND.

Marcone and I usually go there in our tours and also in our free time, and I have to go there much more to continue a "certain course"...

Enjoy the images and let me know if you like it!!!!

Rafael Torres Lopes

donrafainrio@yahoo.es

THE MALTA AND BRAZIL CONEXION

We are more than a team, we are real friends!!! WE ARE SO ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT OUR COUNTRIES THAT WE DECIDED TO MAKE THE DISTANCE SHORTER!!!!

THOUGH WE ARE NEVER FAR AWAY...In our thoughts, in our personal history, in our heart we are closer than never!!!!

MALTESES and BRAZILIANS are very sentimental, our hearts burns more than the Sahara Desert!!!! And we have common plans...we want to be a easier gate to the tropics for our maltese people and I am here to welcome a huge maltese family every time they wish to come to Brazil, and not only in Rio, but also in Salvador, in Recife, in São Luis, in the Amazon and the Pantanal...ohhhh and of course, my dear Iguazu Falls!

Marie Stell, JOHN PAUL - the famous JP, Marcone and Rafa (me!!!) just want to make Brazil and Malta in just one country...(the airlines companies should also understand it, hahahaha) because we have so many in common!!!!

These pictures are here to show to all the World that our two friends in Malta are more than special, they live in my heart and they are my family!!!!

A PIECE OF ME IN MALTA

My Father, JP, Marie, My mother and I in our apartment in Copacabana

Needless to say how much I love this family, needless to say that I have a wonderful family in Malta. JP and Marie, the most beautiful couple in the whole Mediterranean!!!! To be precise they are in Valetta and they live in an island but their real home is the WHOLE WORLD!!!!

Life is so busy here that just today we are back in full communication via email and we have to...we have to keep our bond and commitment to make Brazil the most wanted destination not only in Malta but in the whole Europe (despite of our cruel time of World Crisis...but you know...we will always travel because when you are a TRAVEL LOVER you will always be a TRAVEL LOVER). And me, as a guide and friend, and my other tour guides will be always here to serve this wonderful brave people from a little island which is ENORMOUS in love, life and hope!!!!

When my maltese family was in Rio I gave part of my photography work to JP and Marie, and I asked them to place it in a very special corner of the house in Malta, and now we all can see A PIECE OF ME in this island that from the deepest side of my heart I have always dream to visit!!!

MY LOVE TO MALTA

MY LOVE TO MY MALTESE FAMILY ....AND WHAT A FAMILY!!!!

Rafael Torres Lopes

THE REASON OF MY RIO'S WETLAND TOUR - MARAJO ISLAND AND YOUR "HARD CORE" GUIDE

I always focus my tours in something related with Nature and Wild Life and I am very happy because I found many places in Rio that we can explore and have the best of Rio just like the portuguese experienced right in the beggining of our History!!!!

But way before that, or much more than that in my tours in the Amazon I really get through the wilderness, just like in this puzzle of root in a huge mangrove region in the biggest island in the Amazon River and also the "biggest river island" in the World, the Marajó Island.

If you see in the map of Brazil, Marajó is that impressive piece of land in the north of Brazil...It is one of my favorite tour destination among all my tours. Marajó and the whole State of Maranhão.

I am a passionate brazilian and I like to be in the most remote part of the country, and I am sooo happy that at least I could find in Rio a place where me and my guests can experience at least a little sample of pure nature always present in our daily life!!!

THIS PHOTO WAS TAKEN IN MARAJÓ ISLAND!!!

GREAT TALKS AT HOME

Great tours are planned at home, Diana, an excellent tour guide came to our house to discuss about new spot to be exploited and we talked about new plans for the next high season!!!

The last one was a great success and we want more!!!

Now that many guests trust in my tours and also the tour guides I work with, we have to be organized and also do our best to make Rio de Janeiro and also all over Brazil more than a travel destination, we want to make BRAZIL your HOUSE outside of your country!!!

Marcone and I are working together and we have at our disposal fantastic names that can take you to a Rio that no one knows..Unique places, local villages, wildlife. All this with a very informal treatment.

So we invited Diana for a little meal in our apartment and we had such a wonderful wine which I do recommend, EMILIANA, from our southern vineyards. By the way, Brazilian Wine can be a very good surprise if you are a winer lover...

Anyway...the news are that you will have even more quality in the next tour...we caount with comfortable cars and great experienced guides with very good english like Marcone, Diana, Cedric and Manu!!!

ALSO, GREAT PROFESSIONAL IN THE TOURISM BUSINESS ARE WORKING WITH US!!! Now I can help you to find suitable accomodation for all budget for my future guests, very soon I will give you complete details!!!!

You will be able to make reservations via my blog!!!! :)))))))))) And the big variety of tours will increase even more, only tours with wonderful things to offer!!!!

JUST WAIT AND I WILL KEEP YOU INFORMED!!!!

So, you see, a simple home meeting to decide the best for you when you come to Rio de Janeiro

MORE GUESTS FROM ARGENTINA AND A GOOD FRIEND I MADE IN BUENOS AIRES

As you can see, we live on the edge!!!! :) hahahahahahhaa :))))))))

My guests need ACTION...so all the time in my tours they "suffer"...but if it is a "pleasant torture" where the punishment is seeing the most beautiful spots of Niteroi, like the view point of Parque da Cidade and the very old fort of Santa Cruz constructed in 1565.

Leo is from Buenos Aires and he came here to spend some days in Rio, one day with me when I usually provide a wide introduction of Rio and the rest he was alone in the town discovering new places and making new friends!!!

Buenos Aires is not so far and we always have our argentinean brothers!

And his city I love and I often visit for many reasons, my friends and my work!!!

ONCE AGAIN LEO IS ONE OF OUR VISITORS WHO PROVES THAT NITEROI IS INDEED ONE OF THE BEST SECRETS OF ANY TRIP IN RIO!!!!!

Now some spanish: LEO...que gusto muy grande fué tenerte en Rio y enseñar lo que tenemos de mejor, asi que Rio siempre será tu hogar fuera de Baires!!!

Aqui tenés un amigo y una familia, siempre que venir!!!

SALUDOS FUERTES Y UN SUPER ABRAZO,

Rafa

ALWAYS FINDING SOMETHING NEW

People always ask me if they can find monkeys in my tours...indeed I am very "focus" (is that right??) on wildlife. But I am also into people and local community...but I should tell to all my readers what we can do in Rio and what makes any trip to Rio special.

Once you decided to come to Rio and be part of my tours, you should think that you will see many unique places...and this is one of my tours...

When I say that WE HAVE TO GO TO NITEROI....I am very serious!!!!

AND YES...WE STILL HAVE SOME INDIGINOUS TRIBES REMAINED IN RIO!!!!

The progress and the local real state are absolutely against their presence, but for me it is a honor to see them exactly where they always belonged!!!

A tribe called GUARANI wonder around with no destiny...they moved from Paraty because of local farmers and now they found this piece of land in the beach of Camboinhas where in fact there is a old cemetery held there way before the portuguese came.

Well, as usual, for a living they always ask something for us so we are free to visit the tribe, so a good help of buying their art crafts which I can tell you it is very genuine, or if we just leave some money with them, we can have a real indigenous experience in Rio!!!!

And we never expect to find real indiginous people in Rio BUT THEY DO EXIST!!!!

And I know how to get there, besides the scenery is simply spectacular, they are located right in the edge of Itaipu Canal in front of Camboinhas Beach!!!!

NITEROI HAS MANY SURPRISES THAT VERY FEW PEOPLE KNOW, AND I WANT YOU TO HAVE LOTS OF GREAT STORIES TO TELL WHEN YOU COME BACK HOME AFTER A UNIQUE TRIP TO RIO DE JANEIRO!!!!!

I know there is a risk that many tourist might invade this place after I publish this absolutely incredible news...but I know that my readers are always looking for someone really keen on local places and our tourism.

I am free to provide such an experience and many more experiences when you travel to Rio and I will welcome you with honor!!!

Rafael Torres Lopes

donrafainrio@yahoo.es

MY GUIDES - THE HAPPYNESS IN SHAPE OF A PERSON CEDRIC DINIZ

Not always I am available for my great guests who read about me, the people who find my blog and really want to know more about Rio under my total and passionate care!!!! Many people write to me in advance and I must apologyze for not writing back so quickly due to my tours that I am all around the city showing the REAL STUFF, a Rio without very obvious touristy places. So I decide to have other tour guides who has the same passion as me, people who really love the country and people who treat my guests with the same quality and same enthusiasm.

Cedric, he is one of my best friends and we know each other for years, and he is also a very experienced tour guide, he knows some secrets of Rio, not as many secrets that I do, but he can make Rio very personal and very enjoyable.

Just like me he is very well travelled, as you can see in the photos he has a very deep love for Italy and Bahia!!!:) He is one of the fewest people that I trust my guests, my precious people who write directly to me asking for tours in the city and in th country!!!!

Cedric can do it!!!! And if once I recommend his services you can be sure that he is very prepared, his english is very good, and he also speaks german, italian, spanish and french!!! YES, MY TOUR GUIDE IS VERY INTERNATIONAL!!!!

We have made many tours together and people never complain!!!!

His car is very comfortable and absolutely perfect to explore Rio with style!

A SIMPLE MAN WITH GREAT KNOWLEDGE

Nothing that I wrote about Marapendi Wetlands would be possible without the help of this simple man!!! NOTHING!!!! I would never be able to show you this very specific fantastic corner where we still could see real wild life so close to a big city like Rio. In a city where you cannot see THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA ANYMORE because she is already retired you can still see the same animals that the portuguese navigators saw when they set foot on this land for the very first time!!!!

Without the help and wisdon of this man...I would never have found such a wonderful place like CANAIS DE MARAPENDI.

He knows every corner and I learnt alot about this region too thanks to this man!!!

This man needs his boat for his living, he takes and bring people to the island and from the main land, every day, from sunday to sunday, until he met me some years ago when I asked him to take me to see all over the region, of course I paid him what he would earn in one day.

He has a chalana, typical boat from this region that goes everywhere...From your house you can take a boat and go to the mainland, and that is 24 hours service!!!

This man has a name...his name is Laerte, and this man became my friend, and he helps me to make Rio de Janeiro even more interesting and fantastic to my guests. Laerte has a wonderful family, with Filomena, he helps to bring up their two kids; he lives in a veru cute and simple house full of fruit trees (mangoes, jackoes, orange, avocatos and coconut palm trees)...how do I know that???

Well, when my guests need a bathroom and they do not know where to go, larte kindly offer his house and just a visit to his house is a class of nature preservation and a class of a daily life experience in Brazil.

Laerte is the person who makes my work even better!!! He is the whole responsable with the success of my tours in the wetlands of Rio that very few people go!!!

Well, he always tells me that I am the only one who bring people from other countries to see their fascinating slow and absolutely marvelous pace of life!!!!

So Laerte, this article is in your honor, may God allow you to show this piece of paradise in our paradise city called Rio de Janeiro!!!

Rafael Torres Lopes