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Sunday, January 30, 2011

THE BOM DIA TOUR

What does come to your mind when you read "NITEROI"??? Maybe nothing because your trip is to Rio...but when your guide is Rafa (lol lol lol ME!) or any of his friends...NITEROI will be a real surprise in your plans.

And one of the places is for sure this wonderful scenery of PARQUE DA CIDADE... it is more than a viewpoint. It is a place where you will understand that Rio is for sure one of the best trips in your life!!!

My friends Christine and Johnny came from England and they had a great time in Niteroi.


People say that the best sunset in Rio is the Sugar Loaf; well, the best sunset in Rio is not in Rio, it is in another city...you will find it in NITEROI. Again Parque da Cidade will impress you!!!

Such a wonderful place where you will see the magnificent city of Rio right in front of your eyes! Anytime of the day you should include Parque da Cidade! Not so famous in the travel books, but completely NOT TO MISS place in my tours.

I am always happy to welcome you, I am always in the mood to make Rio so simple and so fantastic for you. I am a Tour Guide for 11 years now. One more year of great happiness in my life to promote my homeland and my wonderful country to you.
These years of experience I dedicate to all of you, my wonderful guests and real friends from all over the World.

Everytime we go to Parque da Cidade, where people jump from the cliffs with colourful paraglyders, it is a chance for PHOTOGRAPHY LOVERS like myself! And surely writing here in my blog is also an opportunity to show my photos.

A visit to the city of Rio also gives us some cool surprises...we find waterfalls in the way to Canoas Road and a meeting with the scenic Ocean Forest of VISTA CHINESA will make you fall in love with RIO.



One more alternative spot in Rio is the fishing village of Jurujuba where you can experience the slow and lazy pace of life of a Brazil that stopped in time, it will be also a visit to some poor communities where you will see that richness also lives in the heart of the people!!!
We walk through narrow streets where the most common word is a kind BOM DIA!!!
Good Morning in Portuguese.
All the best for you,
Rafael TORRES Lopes
Tour Guide and Travel Planner

Saturday, January 22, 2011

PARATY - THE ISLANDS TOUR

I think I have commented about this issue here, but before I start you should know that RIO is also a name of a State, and it is capital is the city of Rio.

So Rio de Janeiro is the name of a State that belongs to a Region called REGIÃO SUDESTE and the capital is the vibrant city of Rio de Janeiro.

Easy to understand, it is just like New York State and New York City...

All this to start talking about a possibility of a tour in one of the most interesting destination of our State...PARATY!!!!

Paraty is located in the south of Rio State, it takes four hours to get there by car and most of my guests from the Cruise Ships stop there, AND YES ---WE CAN GO TO PARATY and provide you such a remarkable tour in this soooooo charming colonial town.

And we have three different ways to explore PARATY with you...by boat, visiting the mountains and also visiting the wild and unique beaches in the surroundings of Trindade and Ubatuba.

Paraty has various islands that you can reach by boat where you can visit hidden fishing villages with paradisiacal beaches. We can also have lunch in private islands, all this with a fishing boat in our disposal!!! :)

That day with Carole and Joe from California was simply fantastic, they really could understand that getting to know the non touristic places of Paraty such as Cunha will be something that will reimain forever in their minds and heart.
It is great to know that your guide will always be there when you arrive in the city! I will write much more about our days in Paraty!!!



Our day with Edwina and David were also spectacular, we visited so many islands such as Paraty Mirim and we had lunch in a typical fishing village in a remote area in the coast. We always use very simple but safe fishing boats captained by an experience "SEA WOLF" Orlando.
Master of the Seas and very experienced fishing man!


Many cruise line ships have Paraty in the itinerary and you can spend one day there with a lot of activities and different adventures!!! If you contact me in advance you can be sure that I can drive to Paraty and meet you in the pier.
Of course we will find some tiome to explore and walk around the old and cobbled stones narrow streets of the HISTORICAL TOWN which in portuguese we say CIDADE HISTORICA!
Marcone and I had a glorious afternoon exploring the islands of Paraty with our cool friends from California (yes we are quite popular in Cali) Nancy and Phill, we hired a fishing boat together and we had a blast!!!
Our tours in Paraty are very informal, you can be sure that you will have lots of fun!
We are always ready to welcome you in Paraty and some other stops where many Cruise Ships do such as Ilha Grande and also Buzios. We will make you experience the local culture with a lot of fun and beautiful places for you to enjoy life while you are in Brazil!
Me and Marcone are also part of a very cheerful team which is always here to take care of you and your dear ones!
Come and enjoy unique places that only you will visit. You know that we are very keen on off the beaten path places, we will always organize something special for you!!!
Please do use a lot of advance, going to Paraty requires very complete plans and we want you to fall in love with Brazil.
Rafael Torres Lopes
Tour Guide and Travel Planner

HOMELY RAFA - GETTING READY TO WELCOME THE QUEEN - KIKINHA!!!!

My blog was created for you to get to know me as person, as a tour guide, as a traveller, as a joker, as a bon vivant. this blog is the place I have to express my thoughts and also to register the best moments of my life!

Sharing with you my private life and my personal side is a real pleasure and I am announcing to the World the ARRIVAL of the FUTURE QUEEN OF OUR LITTLE HOME....

KIKINHA TORRES LIMA I (THE FIRST)

She is being nursed at my wonderful cousin and best friend's house Gleice Luz, she is also a PERSIAN CAT BREEDER and DEVOTED MOTHER of so many cats and her real son, the INFANT MIGUEL LUZ, and with the great help of her husband, André Luz, great friend of mine too.


Ladies and Gentlemen - I have the honor to introduce the Queen of Copacabana KIKINHA...Very soon you will see funny pictures of this MAGNICENT PANTHER in this blog! :)))))))


The OWNERS...Sir Rafael and Sir Marcone will be the Tutors and devoted Parents of such a royal animal. The photo of Marcone was taken when Kikinha just turned one month old and the photo with myself she was a little bit bigger..but still always showing her grace and charming presence!!!
Lady Gleice, you might have seen her in my blog because she is one of the most important people in my life. If you always consult TRIP ADVISOR for your travels, I always make use of "GLEICEADVISOR" for some essential decisions of my life. She knows me since I was a little baby, actually we spent our childhood together so it is more than 38 years of partnership in everything in life!!! She is actually my best friend and TOP NUMBER ONE COUSIN!!!

That is the King...Kikinha's Father.. a very caring father that helps the Queen Mother the difficult task of bringing up the infants...the little little Prince is Merlin II, one of the very beautiful Kikinha's brothers!
And finally, the Queen Mother - Jabulani - She is the Queen of the Rio Comprido Fields, she just had her first bunch of kittens which gave to us our future cat.
Well, for those who do not know me yet, I am a cat lover...My love ranges from the cheetah in Namibia to the grace of Kikinha in Copacabana. I already have other two cats at my Mother's House, Ferrugem and Fefeia which I dearly love.
But finally KIKINHA will be part of my daily life.
YOU MAJESTY - BE WELCOME TO THE BUSY, CRAZY AND PLEASANT LIFE OF RAFA AND MARCONE!!!!
Rafael Torres Lopes
Tour Guide and Travel Planner

Friday, January 21, 2011

NEW BRITISH FRIENDS - WE HAD A VERY CULTURAL DAY

Well, England always sends me wonderful people that conquer a house in my heart. This time thanks to the contact of Mike Cardiff, I had the privilege to take more british people to a cultural journey in Rio de Janeiro and Niteroi.

Rio everybody knows, it is the gateway of every trip to Brazil, but Niteroi....WHAT IS NITEROI???? It is a big surprise!!!! So culturally speaking when you come to visit Rio, actually with my guidance, you do EXPERIENCE Rio de Janeiro!!!

Mike and his wife Jackie; Clive and Muriel and Joan...sweet Joan, she is the mother of a very dear guest I had, Glenn.

We started where everything started, in one of the first constructions in Rio and also our most genuine sample of the port-brazilian Barroc which is more detailed that the originals architecture styles in Portugal.

WE VISITED MOSTEIRO DE SÃO BENTO...


It is an impressive 1590's construction (Rio was founded in 1565) which shows you the wealphyness and magic of portuguese faith. For years and years this Monastery has been one of the jewels of our National Culture. With beautiful afrescos, statues, barroc angels and misterious ambience...this place is for sure one of our stops in a cultural tours around Rio de Janeiro. I love taking pictures there everytime I visit the church.
Interesting services are held every sunday at 10:00 am.


In your journey through Rio's daily life you might come across with THIS CHARACTER...he is the one who changed the history of a traditional neighborhood in the city. When you go to Santa Tereza i will take you to see a staircase...and visiting a simple stairway??? SURE!!! Santa Tereza is a hilly ditricts and these historical stairs are very old shortcuts, and one man from Chile once came here 20 years ago and decided to place red and blue tyles in the steps of this stair...suddenly the stairs had lots of different colors, the City Hall did not see this idea with good eyes but the people there loved it...
Now the Prefeitura loves it...the people of Rio are proud of it and Selaron is part of Rio's life!!!
Selaron is also a painter and I am happy to be his friend!!! And for sure you will take good pictures with him, but please, go to his workshop and buy some of his paitings, there are little ones and big ones, and then you can ask for a picture!!!
Just like every exotic painter Selaron can be quite moody....
And Niteroi...the city itself deserve a tour just for Niteroi, just like Rio, Niteroi has a Bay and an Ocean Side. But we can have fun in Niteroi with short time. We visit the CONTEMPORARY ART MUSEUM - tha famous MAC - one of the last project of our famous architect Oscar Niemeyer. the attraction is the building and the gorgeous location, and this is where I love doing MODERN ART PHOTOGRAPHY!!!



After a King's Lunch at A MINEIRA, a wonderful restaurant where you can really taste the real brazilian food, we visit a very humble, simple and magnificent fishing village in Jurujuba where we get in touch with locals and can observe in a very closer way, the genuine brazilian life!
A visit to Rio de Janeiro is much more than a visit to the Christ or to the Sugar Loaf....You've got to meet the soul of Rio and I am here for that.
Rafael Torres Lopes
Tour Guide and Travel Planner

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

ONE MORE INTRODUCTION OF A BUBBLY SISTER!!!! :) FRANÇOISE RULEEEEEEEEEEZ

Well, I am sure that when you see those pictures you will think that we ARE NOT SERIOUS PEOPLE!!! Yes, we are serious but we are very passionate about our work and we are life lovers!!! Combining work and pleasure is our specialty!!! :)

Françoise is the Tour Guide that works with me and you will always have a "giggle tour" with her!!!


It is always a great joy when we meet in our tours. Françoise is always there together with my group of 4 warriors. Marcone, Diana, Suzy and Neyla. My wonderful friends that I trust deeeeeply!!!
I am always glad to introduce to all my guests the people I am honored to work with.
And Françoise is fun!!!!

We always discuss what is best for you to do all over Rio. We are very keen about OFF THE BEATEN PATH PLACES. We are always giving you the best local places and the best genuine things to do in the city and out of the city!!! We always research new places together and we use a lot of incredible improvisations that we can include in our tours!!!
You can see Françoise in action in the following you tube videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42h8BKLAiwc - This is a typical funny day with Françoise in the wilderness of Rio, places that only residents of Rio know!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U66sGvPoDI4 - Here I introduce her to my guests and we made this video in one of our hottests attractions - a real indigenous tribe in the coast of Rio. Niteroi is a wonderful suprise in our tours!!!


We are here to make Rio simple and fascinating for you. We are here to show you that we are great guides but we are much more special when you feel that you are strolling around Rio with old friends, that is all about our passion for Rio.

One of the reasons I chose Françoise is that SHE IS NOT NORMAL!!!! :) hahahahaha
And I love NOT NORMAL PEOPLE...she is modern, up to date...she is simply one of my best friends in town. I know that she is here for anything I need...It is fantastic to work with people I do love and trust, so anytime I recommend her, you can be sure that you will be in hands of one of the best Tour Guides not only for Rio, but all over Brazil!!!
All my love to you who read my blog, all my love to Françoise, dear and adored friend,
Rafael Torres Lopes
Tour Guide and Travel Planner

Saturday, January 15, 2011

AT SAMBA IN THE FIELDS OF THE LORD - VANESSA 3RD EXPEDITION IN RIO DE JANEIRO - THE SAMBA CHALLENGE

We have a very famous and prized film director called Hector Babenco that made a very interesting movie called At Play in the Fields of the Lord, a story of missionaires in the Amazon Jungle....I know that Brazil is a HOLYLAND for my dear and adored friend (I have her as my sister) and here she came...We had the honor to welcome her in her BRAZILIAN HOME...RIO DE JANEIRO. She was born in another blessed country which I also have it in my heart...Vanessa is from Canada and she brings with her the easy and generous smile of such a wonderful people.



Well, no doubt that Brazil loves her...she is a musician and always come to Brazil in search of inspirations for her brilliant work in Montreal. And this year will be special because she will make one of her most important dreams come true...



Vanessa once took part of the bateria of Viradouro, our Samba School from Niteroi, now after so many contacts and patience, she met people from another community, this time in Rio, and she got a chance to be part of the PERCUSSIONISTAS in a real SAMBA SCHOOL bateria (the drummers) and she will be part of the huge and very famous Samba Parade representing the community of Rocinha. In one of the nights in Sambodromo.


We know how important is for her to be part of a Samba School and the community welcomed her with arms opened. Just like the Christ that holds everybody that comes to Rio.


For the Record, Rocinha is the name of a famous "slum" or "favela in the west side of Rio, around São Conrado Area.


The violence situation has changed a lot and now thanks to the strong security of Rio, the place is calm and full of joy and energy. As we know, the real Samba comes from the Favelas and outskirts of Rio, regions that we call SUBURBIOS.


This the the third time we welcome her, portuguese is not really a problem for her, she can keep great conversation in our language. Rio is her house and Brazil lives in her heart. This trip will take longer because it is not only a journey to get to visit new places or learn even more about Brazilian Culture, it is a trip to the Soul of Brazil.
Vanessa is a great fan of Brazil and she always come with even more enthusiasm and I am proud to introduce always a different perspective of our history, tradition and culture.
And she will spend enough time to help me taking my guests to a lovely walking tour in the old city. She will help me to make Rio easier and more fascinating and impress our guests with so much BRASILIDADE. You will have a real "brazilianist" to walk with you through musical and colourful Rio.

A great start as Marcone and I have such a celebraty at home was taking her to the Saturday's Samba Meeting in our OLD DISTRICT of Telles. Officialy it is called ARCO DO TELLES, where we will find the first bakery, the first branches of our Post Office and State Bank, and you will stroll around the narrow and charming streets of Rio that will tell you 300 years of History. An last but not least, we had fun watching a wonderful street performance of the Samba Singer Gabriel Cavalcante who lead the street group Samba do Ouvidor for 3 years now...Lots of people, very fine music, wonderful company and a sort of "New Orleans" Atmosphere (with a 100% brazlian touch!) made our saturday so incredible!!!
Vanessa, be sure that you give us way more joy and meanings to our lives with your visit here. We are proud to have yourself in our lives and we are always here to make your brazilian life way more interesting each day!!!
Thanks alot for being so special and dear to us and I dedicate this weekend for you!!!
When we wish lots of happiness to people, I can wish to everybody LOTS OF VANESSA in your hearts!!! (if you know what I mean...)
Rafael Torres Lopes
Tour Guide and Travel Planner

Friday, January 14, 2011

WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU HAVE ONLY ONE DAY IN RIO???? ONE FULL DAY!!!

I have post it before but it is really good if I do it again, but now with a different approach, specially because a lot of people is requesting ONE DAY WITH RAFA...(book this tour here)

Alright, something you have to know about me...I do not only do main attractions, I mostly take my guests to places which are difficult to reach. I think like a traveller, never as a regular tour guide...

Be sure that I will not be formal, I will be your friend in Rio.

Be sure that you will not only visit Rio, you will experience Rio The photos you are looking in this post are the places that we will visit!!! :)

And click on the YOUTUBE links so you will see the videos I made during many tours... I JUST WANT YOU TO BE VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS UNIQUE AND EXCLUSIVE TOUR, please read the following:

The tour will will start in Santa Tereza very traditional and bohemian neighborhood of Rio where we can see the beauty of our colonial portuguese architecture with its green and narrow cobbled stone streets and a big big human masterpiece, the famous stairs of Selaron which is a must in our tours. I have a vídeo where you can see the artist - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drsbkP6HmMo




After that we will see the Christ Area - NOTE WE ARE GOING TO THE STATUE ON THE TOP OF CORCOVADO HILL - we will explore all over the Forest of Tijuca, a road full of lush green and with some nice surprises in local areas such as natural showers, waterfalls, some incredible views of the city and a beautiful lake in the middle of the jungle; then we will visit a very unique place, our big area of wetlands with seven islands and intense bird life, this area is called Marapendi, it is a real success in my tours,




Then we will drive to the other side of the Bay, crossing the bridge, we will find Niteroi, another city very close to Rio which will give you a very different perspective of Rio, you will see all over the mountains and the interesting skyline of the city, plus different beaches with beautiful coastline, we will visit the MAC, our interesting MODERN ART MUSEUM - NOTE WE WILL NOT VISIT THE MUSEUM, WE WILL SEE JUST THE VIEW AND THE BUILDING - a project of our famous architect, Oscar Niemeyer, the same one who projected Brasilia; then we will see a wonderful fishing village that will give you an exactly idea of a real pace of life in a different Brazil.


Here you can see some vídeos that I have made during my tours in some of the places that are mentioned in this tour:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k2KXe6Jg8KQ – when we visited The Christ on the top of Corcovado Hill.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_BIicvVCno – in one of our stops in the Forest.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q13Q6JEk_i0 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdReiFc_-GE&feature=related – these vídeos were taken in one of the unusual attractions of Rio, in the wetlands of Marapendi.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUocRiZynhE – My favorite hill side in Niterói which is a real highlight in my tours.

And finally http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u0dMWU8sYP0 – the fishing village of Jurujuba.
As you could notice it is a very intense tour...you will see the heart and the soul of Rio in just one single day...maybe because of your other commitments in the city we might cut one of the places, but I will always see what is best for you in this day!!!
Be sure that you will be doing a very special and unique tour. As people say, you will meet a guide and you will say good bye to a real friend.
Rafael Torres Lopes
Tour Guide and Travel Planner