S... HAPPENS....LITERALLY

I have to thank all my guests who kindly wrote reviews about my work and my team at Trip Advisor. It is really a result of 10 years of total passion for RIO DE JANEIRO!!! :)

I am also happy to notice that I am a "thing to do Rio" so please folks...KEEP ON "DOING" ME!!!

Rafa is all yours....

But nothing in life are just roses...we have some thorns as well...

Very recently I was criticized about a bad recommendation I suggest...As I say in the title: S.... HAPPENS, right....

Literally I would say, the dear costumer who wrote such a review did forget to mention that one of them spend the whole day with a huge and brown diarrea that colored my Guide's Back seat, also forgot to mention that everything was done to relief THE BROWN ATTACK of our guest...

And it was not mentioned that my guide got extremely sick and in the last time she arranged someone at least to drive them to the places that she planned to be covered...

I agree that I have to be very careful with the folks I recommend but we have to think that problems will exist in everything in life and we do our best to fix it...

But we know that we cannot please greeks and troyans at the same time, correct???

Again...I ENORMOUSLY TRUST IN MY GUIDES, WE ARE A VERY STRONG TEAM ABSOLUTELY COMMITTED WITH OUR GUESTS AND WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE RIO YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME!

Rafael Torres Lopes

PARATY AND ILHA GRANDE - MY PRIVATE SHELTERS

Not a long while ago I was asked which of these places I prefer...Paraty or Ilha Grande....uhmmmm I don't know!!!!Each place has its treasures!!! And I feel very rich to have two treasures not so far from me. In my very rare free time I get my car and I stopped in one of these places!!! Some of the best emails that you got were written in Paraty or Ilha Grande, hahahaha I always bring my notebook and start writing endless messages, endless texts. Maybe I am a write and I do not know about it.

Anyway...your trip to Rio de Janeiro can be even more special if you take at least 3 nights to get to know some places which for me are ones of so many beautiful places not only in Brazil but also in the World.

So what do you prefer???? Cats or dogs??? (remember that you love both!!!)

So one of my dear guests asked me...Paraty or Ilha Grande.

It is like asking me if I prefer Lasagna rather than Gnocchis...I love both!!! :)

Paraty combines culture, adventure, history, nature and ocean and the quietness of my favorite Pousada which I love.

It is a simple place in the heart of the historical centre called Pousada do Ramiro!!! The owner treats me like a grandson...

And I love walking in the old streets of Paraty late at night, not even a soul, it is the chance I have to think about my life!

Paraty also has a mountain region which I love to be hidden, if you know what I mean...I love hiking there because I always find a different specie of bird and I can swim in a breathtaking waterfalls

Ilha Grande wakes up my adventurous spirit...so every visit to Ilha Grande is a challenge because I was explore a different side of the island and it is also a rhythm of life that I do appreciate.

Sitting on a píer and watching the starry sky is something I always do when I am in Ilha Grande and I always notice a tear dropping....

Both places tell me that my passion for Brazil is soooooooo grand.

Paraty also has an extraordinary range of mountains called Bocaina which is a very well preserved National Park that covers 3 States of Brazil - São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais. One neighborhood very close to the historical center is called CUNHA. And every visit to Paraty, you have to go to Cunha to know more about our very old coffe and sugar cane farms. If you love birds, wow, everywhere you go you find colorful tanagers and incredible toucans. it is a chance you have to commute with the nature and you can relax in the various natural pools. CUNHA IS SIMPLY AMAZING.

Ilha Grande as the name says, it is an island!!! And I love the sensation of being all surrounded by water...AND HOW FANTASTIC WATERS!!! Once you are there you do not hear a boring noisy of cars or trucks...you just hear birds, dogs barking of the scary sound of the BUGIOS...a very shy monkey who love to scare people with their streaming. When you are hiking and the BUGIOS notes your presence, surely you will think that you are going to be attacked by a GORILLA!!!

CHECK THIS VIDEO ON YOUTUBE - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GF4W9NY7uI&feature=related

Maybe Paraty has more things to do for me and I am always enthusiastic when I go to Paraty...So I think in a way I prefer Paraty!!!

Paraty and Ilha Grande is a plce for two and I had very very special moments in both places!!!

And worse...Brazil is a continent and I am happy to tell you that I know alot about my country, I have been to so many states of Brazil. And the places you find in this countries are to die for!!!!!

But I am really complete in these two simple places...Paraty and Ilha Grande.

I love Brazil...this country gives me everything I need, this country even gives me YOURSELF!!!

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

INTRODUCING MY DRIVER - THE SMILEY ALEXANDRE - MORE THAN A DRIVER - A GREAT FRIEND

All this work is not possible without the help of so many great friends. I am here to make everything simple and easier for you in Brazil, mainly in Rio de Janeiro. So I need great people around me and I am very lucky to have wonderful drivers and brilliant tour guides. Now I noticed that I cannot work alone. And I think you should know all the people who work with me and provide you such a quality tour and great trip when you choose my services!!!

ALEXANDRE, since I met him, always have been absolutely incredible professional. He helped me in a time that I was really in trouble. My car was hitted by a crazy and nasty drunk driver (I have drunk people who put other's people life in danger) and suddenly I was without my working tool...my own car!!!!

One contact I had gave me Alexandre's number, I called him and explained my situation. He promptly said: I AM WITH YOU!!! And he was my driver for months, while my car was in the garage, I used his services a lot, and you know, I am very grateful to my people, now I ellected Alexandre to be the person to pick up my guests when they come to Rio and he is also the one I recommend for every kind of transportation work when my guests need it.

We also drove all over the states of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais touring with an english couple Edwina and David from Brighton for two weeks, and he was perfect...We took this picture above in the amazing historical town of São João del Rey.

That is his car, one new CHEVROLET SAFIRA, this model was designed for the brazilian market, it is very spacious, great for 4 to 6 people (too much luggage I use two cars), air conditioned and comfortable!!! This Alexandre's car.

I highly recommend him to be at the airport waiting for you. He will always have a sign with your name, but in advance I always send the link of a little video that I made close to where I live, and I want you to see - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgjyr_bnTBk

Yes, this driver is famous!!! :)))))))

He is always welcome to share the same table with us, he is so shy that he always says no, but we can convince him easily!!! He is such a striver...His work helps him to keep his house with his wife Patricia, another good friend of mine. And he also gives his Mother all the assistance she needs!!! HE IS A FAMILY GUY always with a big smile in the face!!! This photo was taken in Santa Tereza during my texan friend Brooke's visit.

Yes...memorize all the pictures. He will be the person who will welcome you in your first steps in Rio. He has all my confidence and enormous admiration. Alexandre is my personal friend and his work excellency makes a difference.

He does not speak english, he know how to communicate quite well, and he will always have a cell phone to talk directly with me. So language will not be a problem!!!

I am very grateful to count with Alexandre's service, he is a fantastic driver and an amazing friend!!! So when I send Alexandre to you, you can be self assured that you will be in very good hands.

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

LAPA BY DAY - ROMANTIC AND TRASHY BUT WONDERFUL!!!

It is not clean but it simply beautiful that some images will remain in your mind forever....A stroll around Lapa is a journey to the soul of a Rio that stucked on time. It is poor but the wealthy of this people are bigger than MICROSOFT. It is trashy but it keeps the grace and charming pace of life of a people who are there just to enjoy life with the simple things....

Lapa is not Copacabana...Lapa has no beaches...Lapa is so faraway from the fashionable Rio with LA CREME DE LA CREME of our high society...

Lapa is a very old district of a Rio which is nearly forgotten by some cariocas (We know Lapa by night very well) during the day. Lapa is our live and unknown Rio de Janeiro. Lapa is an endless resource of surprises.

Going to Lapa will feed all our expectation to experience a local neighborhood and will make you understand much more about our culture!

I am a frustrated photographer, I explain, I am not a professional, but I love taking people of "regular life", I like to catch the moment of a COTIDIANO...I love picturing simple people and simple scenes of life and my black and white resolution makes me very happy!


If you really like to "translate" your trip in images...I think Lapa is simply a marvelous place!!!


Lapa is also a place of "street arts" where simple people express the amadzing pride of being brazilian and people are really proud of old Samba composers like Bezerra da Silva, one of the biggest name of our Street Poetry. Now we are convincing our children and youngsters in the School to do art instead of nonsense trash grafittis.

Lapa also gives you the opportunity to see the biggest human master piece in the World...one stairway changed by a crazy, dream and lunatic painter...The Chilean and dear friend Selaron. Selaron gives to Lapa the best of his art and the most important creation of his career. He gave to us a treasure that I am very happy to show to all my guests!!!

A ESCADARIA SELARON...Everlasting part of my tours!!!

I love Lapa because Lapa explains the informal way of being a Carioca. And I am Carioca!

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

BE PATIENT!!! IT IS A TOUR GUIDE AND YOUR FRIEND IN RIO REQUEST

I know that you are anxious to have a great time in Rio and this is my most important task in life...making Rio special for you and believe me I will do it.

I also know that when you write to someone you are used to get a quick response...but for a very requested person and super over busy tour guide who is driving all over Rio, it is not easy to give you are 24 hours response....

This is high season now and my hours of resting is sooooooo essential.

I will write to you no matter when or how, every email I get is so important and I will not leave any one without an answer...I just need you to be way more patient than you are!!!

Not only you that write to me...but also, lots of people are doing the same and fortunately or unfortunately I am only one person AND I WILL NOT HAVE AN ASSISTANT TO WRITE COLD EMAILS...

I want you to read my soul when I reply to you!!!

Do not worry, you will have the best tour EVER!!!! My love and my passion for Rio will make it possible!!!

LOTS OF LOVE,

Rafa