PARA MEXICOOOOOOO CON MUCHO CARIÑO!!!

I always say that the THREE AMERICAS are just ONE AMERICA. And this continent is also part of me. From Tijuana (where I have great friends) to Tierra del Fuego we are AMERICA LATINA...but my heart reaches Alert in the very up north canadian island Ellesmere to the last very south territory of Tierra del Fuego...THIS IS OUR CONTINENT...this is America and the real meaning of being AMERICAN....so this humble blogger that writes to you is a VERY PROUD AMERICAN PERSON....

And one of our cousins are very dear guests of mine...THE MEXICANS CARAJOOOOOOOOOOO.....

VIVA MEXICO!!!! And VIVA all the friends that I made from everywhere in Mexico...so dear country....And somehow I have lots of guests from Mexico that experience my tours here in Rio de Janeiro!!!

Mexico is so wonderful that people express their passion in music, paintings, literature and food...uhmmmmm LAS TORTILLAS .... I am sure Raquel knows exactly what I am talking about!!!

Music gaves us the incredible boleros specially songs written by Alberto Dominguez such as Perfidia (which means betreyal or faithless or simply Perfidy as the english versions says) that in one of the sentences it asks: PARA QUE QUIERO OTROS BESOS SI TUS LABIOS NO ME QUIEREN YA BESAR....which more or less means: "why do I need other kisses if your kisses refuse to kiss me???" Deep, eh????

ARTS...well, names like the very famous FRIDA which I am not a big fan but it gives Mexico its contribuition to the World of Paintings giving some names to the World, but Mexico also has Diego Rivera and the less famous painter which for me they are the best like ERNESTO HERNANDEZ OLMOS (he is also an actor and a great musician) from Oaxaca which portraits tell us alot about mexican myths like THE MOTHER EARTH and some others aztec Gods; also the amazing paintings of CARLOS HERRERA from Durango which also paints legends of Mexico; it is amazing the presence of the Day of the Dead in all his paitings; and least but not last, RAUL DEL RIO with his amazing ANIMALS and Nature paintings and murals that I am happy to share hiw webpage: http://www.delrioproductions.com/index.html

LITERATURE...well...Latin America is rich with ours writers and poets...so many Literature Nobel Prizes that gave to the World names such as the colombian Gabriel Garcia Marques and the peruvian Mario Vargas Llosa. Mexico gave to the World great writers such Octavio Paz who also got a Nobel Prize in 1990, no doubts of the the greatest intelectuals of Mexico in the early years...he was great to discuss about the modern political mexican scenerio...Well, but the literature tradition of Mexico comes from the very beggining of mexican history, they had a king which was also a poet named Nezahualcóyotl, do not ask me how to pronounce his name, all I know that he had some incredible participation in the mexican culture.

AND FOOD....My goodness, I am sure that my friend Raquel and also my friend Mari can write pages of pages of Mexican delights...Mexican Cuisine is known all over the World and I would say this is the most complete gastronomy in our planet!!! Tortillas of all types, Enchiladas (uhhhh I love rice with chicken), Tacos...The quesadillas....burritos, fajitas...it is a whole universe of fantastic food (I do not like spiceys but I can eat with NO SPICY AT ALL). Apomg the name of so incredible World's Chefs, I think that Patricia Quintana is one of them...she combines sofistication with the most traditional Grandma's ( MUST BE A WONDERFUL ABUELA MEXICANA) cuisine tradition...

Just like Brazil, when you go to Mexico and you research about Nature and Culture, you will find out a marvelous land full of incredible emotions that will live forever in your heart and thoughts!!!

I am very fortunate to have Mexico's Friends and being so much considered in Mexico that keep on sending incredible people that make my work even more important.

GRACIAS MEXICO!!!

Salo and Raquel decided to trust their first visit to Rio in my hands....And they had very short time to explore everything...so I decided to show them the best of Rio and they became one more mexican family that I have in Mexico. Their knowledge about Latin American and their love for South America made my work very easy.

We mostly saw Rio by day and by night, they experienced many local places...from the most famous attractions like the Christ and the Sugar Loaf to very off the beaten path places like my so dear fishing village Jurujuba and the indigenous tribe in Camboinhas.

Gracias mis amigos por tanto cariño, tanta risa y tanta amistad. Todo el tiempo que pasamos aqui fué de increible alegria y me hicieron conocer gente tan hermosa y de mucho valor como vosotros.

Les llevo siempre en el alma, en el corazon y en mis pensamientos!!!

Sepan que yo amo a la gente mexicana y ustedes solo me comproban que estoy en el mejor camino!!!

Aqui ustedes siempre tendrán amigos...Marcone y yo os queremos mucho!!!

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner