RAFA WITH BRAZILIAN GUESTS TOO - HUUUUUGE GROUP

Well...Rio is also a very famous destination in Brazil, we also have domestic travellers who dream about visiting the famous CIDADE MARAVILHOSA. I think it is important to allow other brazilians to get to know Rio, one of the main cities in Brazil and trully one of the cultural doors of the country!

I had the pleasure to welcome architecture students from Londrina, a big city in the east of Paraná State, so no doubt our tour focused the old Rio where we have many different style, from the Colonial Barroc, from recent Art Noveau and Art Decó that are very present in the city center.

We made a stop in a very old café in DownTown Rio...the famous Café Colombo, since the 1800 this place has been the meeting point of many brazilian personalities, and as all my guests are personalities, once in a while I take them to try one of the delicious snacks with strong portuguese influence.

The National Library constructed by the portuguese king DOM JOÃO VI in another place in 1813, only in 1858 the books were transfered to a bigger building which is our National Library nowadays. This beautiful beauting holds our most important books and also a lot of books brought from Lisbon, booked that people could save during the terrible Earthquake in Portugal; the portuguese brought important books to Rio de Janeiro which used to be the capital of the Nation during this time.

Of course, all my tours I have to include Niteroi, and the group went to my favorite fishing village Jurujuba where photographers like me and specially architecture students find a real playground. Jujuruba is one of the most interesting places in Niteroi where you cand really feel a slow pace of life and get to know wondeful humble people who will be happy to see you.

We spent 3 days together and we always had a party in the end of each tour...We spend great moments together, full of laughings and full of fun. You know, when I am working, I do my job with a lot of passion!!!

One of the highlights were a visit to our majestic City Music Hall, Teatro Municipal do Rio de Janeiro...a real lesson of music when we go there.

Also, a must do thing in my tours has to be a place where NATURE RULES. And I chose Burle Marx House in the West of Rio. His house in my opinion is the second BOTANICAL GARDENS . You learn a lot about our eco system and we learn a lot the importance to preserve our resources.

SO BIG KISSES TO ALL MY FRIENDS IN LONDRINA and I am honored to have you all in my blog, you were people that made my tours complete!!!

Thank you very much,

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner