MY MEXICAN FRIENDS - EVERLASTING FANS OF RIO - EDUARDO AND MARIBEL

I can sense that our tour will be full of energy and fun much before it starts...some times by the great joy of our messages...yes, people write me with a lot of advance when they request for tours; sometimes by the way we meet in the city...my guests come and stay in hotels, renting apartments, B&Bs, hostels, ships and they even come for one day like a long stopover in the airport and we stroll around all the city....

With Eduardo and Maribel....who we just met and we became great friends and I knew exactly what they wanted...They wanted to see a different Rio, a Rio away from the classical tourism industry...something personal and taylored just for them!!!

By the way, Eduardo is such a lover of Rio that he has Rio in his name!!!!! :))))))))

And we spoke SPANISH during the whole day...I LOVE WHEN I HAVE MEXICAN PEOPLE, they really help me to improve my spanish, Mexico has very special and unique words!!!

And they are from Tijuana...ummmmmm I will love to have some tacos and tequilas there and make my way to the Pacific Beaches...

When they decided to visit Rio, I took them to see also another city...Niteroi, a place where you can see the city of Rio from the other side of Guanabara Bay...as you can see we were very INFORMAL since the very beggining!!! :)

If you are used with a lot of protocols and formalities...please forgive me...I studied to be a diplomat but I want to myself and you to be yourselves...if I have the best of you, I can give you the best of Rio!!! :))))))


Maribel had a blast in our super lunch in Niteroi, we chose to go to A MINEIRA...a big restaurant where few tourists know with local brazilian food, such a big variety of food that bring us back to the GRANDMA'S time when all the folks get together in her house, and every family member prepares the best dish in the house...A World of Meat, a World with vegetables and spices...a wonderful way to TASTE the divine mix of races translated in the rich BRAZILIAN CUISINE. In A MINEIRA, you can taste a little of Europe, a little of Africa and a little of our INDIGENOUS PEOPLE.

As we are LATINOS, a good conversation always starts or ends in a typical bar...And we stopped in one very old bar in Santa Tereza that put together all the best brains in the city where they use to sit down, chat and nibble delicious snacks!!!

Tradition, fun, views and freedom...these are the things that my tours offer!!!

And I am so grateful to have Eduardo and Maribel as members of my enormous great friends all over the World!!!

Missing you badly folks and really wait for A SECOND EXPEDITION IN RIO!!!

CARNAVAL???? WORLD CUP???? OLYMPICS????? I will be here with the best of my smile and the best of my strengh to give you a TIGHT HUG when I see you again!!!

LOTS OF LOVE

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

A FRIEND OF MEXICO - ARRIBAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!

A DISCOVERY IN A SINGLE DAY OFF - GUAJAMUM ISLAND

We started our day in front of our great landmark, the Sugar Loaf on Guanabara Bay, this ios where I stop for a introduction photo when we start to explore Rio de Janeiro. But our day promissed a lot of fun and some good rest for me!!!



Rio de Janeiro gives me endless options for you to be in love with Brazil and for me to get all the inspiration to make my work even better...



The funny thing is that I live so close to Copacabana beach and when I decide to go to the beach I go to an isolated island in the South of the State...Well I love my privacy when I have my days off!!!



Me, Aline, Marcone and Leticia, our friends from Maranhão State...our bonds with this land is very strong and we are always very happy to welcome our friends from there. They are sisters and always come to Rio to see us and also their relatives. It was a cool opportunity to take them to one place that they never dreamt about visiting!!!

Everything start with a boat! It can be all kind of boats...in this case we took a speed boat which is safe and really fast, it takes you to the island you need in few minutes, and in our case we got there in the afternoon so our time was limited!!!

As you know I am always looking for places, recently, Marcone and I took our friends Aline and Leticia for a great afternoon in one of the islands in the South of Rio.

It is really a fabulous "day off" destination not so far from Rio, my way to give me a break from my busy life in Rio. Many people think it is pleasant my work, it is indeed but it demands a lot of responsability, a lot of time and a lot of dedication, so even me have to find a way to relax and have some fun moments with my dear ones! A TOUR GUIDE LIKE MYSELF ALWAYS HAVE A BUSY AND COMITTED LIFE!!!

But even in my days off, I am always have tasks to do, we picked up one island where very few visitors go when they come to Rio, and we chose Mangaratiba, the first city in the South of Rio de Janeiro state. Marcone and I are always aware to find places where you can have a fantastic time!!!

We reached a district called Itacuruça, actually very popular destination for people who live in the east side of Rio, a region we name ZONA OESTE, from this point you can take boats to reach several islands, as our time was short, we decided to spend our time in just one island, the name is Guajamum and we stayed in Pitangueiras Beach.

We had a lovely reception by the owner of the main restaurant, Antonio, a portuguese man that even after 40 years of Brazil never lost his funny and interesting portuguese accent! :) His food are plenty, the sea food is marvelous and his wife Teresa is a master in her own cuisine!

Blue Sky, emerald water, clean white sand and gorgeous rock formations and lush forest everywhere, No cars, no city buzz, no noisy environment...just fresh air, quietness and nature!!! The sound of the waves, pleasant water temperature and amazing food!!! (not expensive at all!!!)

What else should we ask for???? With the company of two marvelous girls, our wonderful friends from the State of Maranhão, Aline and Leticia. They come to Rio very often to see us and their relatives.

IMPORTANT: As for the tours, going to the Tropical Islands can be a great ONE DAY TOUR OPTION when you already know Rio properly but still need to find new places. Just spending the whole day there you will have a complete incredible day seeing a lot of local places, wilderness, fun and relax.

It takes just one hour to go there, it is also located in the way to the other famous spots such as Ilha Grande, Angra dos Reis and Paraty.

We can arrange boat tours of all sizes and types, and prices of course. From a single speed boat to a big, comfortable and full of music schooner. Our trip can be arrange exactly in the way you want, all very personal and private.

Contact me in my email address and LET'S PLAN OUR DAY!!! My email address is donrafainrio@yahoo.es

Going to ITACURUÇA will make your trip very special and it is also a nice idea when you just have few days in Rio, a cool option when you cannot go to Buzios or Paraty because your time is short and going there will provide a tropical experience in some of the unknown beaches in the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro. SPECIAL TREAT FOR YOU!!!!

And now you know one of the places that I go when I have my days off!!!

Come and enjoy Rio with a lot of local experiences!!! That is why I am here, that is why I am a tour guide!!!

RAFAEL TORRES LOPES

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

A friend of Nature

SELARON AND MY GUESTS - THANK YOU VERY MUCH, MUCHAS GRACIAS, MUITO OBRIGADO!!!

Selaron started that extraordinary work 22 years ago and I remember sitting in one of the steps drinking a cool beer with my college friends!!! In that time I was thinking about being a diplomat! Now I am not working in any brazilian embassy in the World, I was sure if I continued my career they would send me to Nigeria, this is what happened with fresh new diplomats...

But life gave me a degree of INFORMAL DIPLOMACY and I represent Brazil quite well with my guests. I keep on convincing the World that Brazil is a reliable source of happiness and pleasure!!! For sure one of the features of such awesome tours is no doubt the Stairs of Selaron.

It is a everlasting part of my tours...If you ever heard about Santa Tereza or Lapa, be sure that you are going down the stairs and you will be impressed by every step you make!!!

Each little step has its history and every step you make will take you to a trip...a trip to the places you have been, a trip to your fondest memories...because the tyles that Selaron put there has to do with a place, any place that you were born, that you had something important, a place that has to do with you life!!

When JoAnn and Jim came as part of their World Trip, we had a wonderful time!!!

Not only he is the inventor of these fantastic stairs but also Selaron is a painter...in his own style...his portraits are hilarious and his imagination with all PREGNANT WOMEN is ramarkable. By the way, when you visit the Stairs, I will make sure you will visit his art work shop where he sells his paintings. It is the only way we have to keep his lovely work!! He has no official help. Sadly our Government does not really care about this City's treasure!

But I care!!! I am always happy when my folks have fun with Selaron...a sweet extravagant bloke from Chile that adopted Brazil as his only homeland. He says he is Brazilian by heart and by soul. Brazil really welcomed him in the time he really needed!!!! My guest Robert from California and his family had heaps of fun there. Thanks to the help of my aussie friend Jane Bell that always send me some good work.

I had a fabulous time with my swedish group. I always have groups from Sweden thanks to Gioreley and Wendy that is organizing an amazing work in Stockholm promoting our Carnaval and they know that Selaron is a lively part of our culture!!

Selaron knows that I am a cat person so he painted this one just for me, and you an be sure that this paiting is write hang in my living room...He knows how to please you and in his art he pictures our daily life, the life in the Favelas, the dance of Samba, the kytes in the sky and the landmarks of Rio. The Sugar Loaf, the Christ, the Favelas and the old corners of Santa Tereza are always present in his art.

My argentinean great friend Veronica Lampon is a tour leader of various operators in the UK, and we always take our english guests to visit the stairs and loud laughings are guaranteed in every visit.

The Stairs of Selaron is really one of the best treasures of Rio, and certainly this is the place that you should never miss.

It is not only a tourist attraction, visiting the Stairs is always a personal journey...it is a revival of so many personal memories. It is a crazy dream of a mad man just like Salaron usually says.

So now you know...ONCE IN RIO...GO TO SELARON STAIRS.

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

A Selaron's friend

TONGUES OUT!!! - VISITING SELARON

No one has a tongue as a TRADEMARK....Selaron does!!! My dream is seeing Selaron and Mick Jagger with their tongues out....THE MOST FAMOUS TONGUE OF ENGLAND AND THE MOST FAMOUS TONGUE OF BRAZIL!!!

Rio has many symbols...The Christ, Carmen Miranda, The Girl From Ipanema, Bossa Nova, Pelé, Ayrton Senna, Sonia Braga, Gisele Bundshen...and....Selaron...

When you think about the colors of Lapa...Selaron comes to your mind...he is a character, such a personality that gained the amazing prestige to say what he wants without concerning about consequences. He complains and critizice about everyone and we still love him!!!

He gave us colors and put all people from all Nations united in just one stair...Escadaria Selaron...he had decorated piece by piece of red tyles and some tyles from different countries...people who live there adopted the idea and start bring old tyles they had at home; then people from other countries started to bring tyles and Selaron pleasantly placed the tyles there!!!

Selaron is a friend of Rio, that is why he is a great friend of mine!!!

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

A Madly in Love Friend of Rio

BACK TO RIO - SELARON ON FACEBOOK WITH RAFA

Well, we finally convinced Selaron to have a Facebook page...It is official now...SELARON, THE ONE WHO MADE THE FUNNIEST AND CRAZIEST STAIRS IN RIO HAS A FACEBOOK PROFILE. No, he hardly sit in front of a computer, so Cesar hbis assistant and myself, we take care of his page and he will know everything that people write to him through his page!!!

YOU CAN FRIEND HIM - http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/profile.php?id=100002466374139

There's been years that I keep on visiting the stairs...First because I am a big fan of Santa Tereza and I am crazy for Lapa. And suddenly I noticed a different stairs and some one placing the tyles there...I could never imagine it would become one of the Rio's attractions. Then of course I met Selaron and I told him that I am a big admirer of his work and wow, I am a Tour Guide, I am supposed to show what's going on in Rio...so I started taking my guests to see this MASTERPIECE - A ESCADARIA DO SELARON!!!

I am almost sure that the stairs is for Selaron an intelectual orgasm!!! He lives for this stair and he lives for his art and his art is priceless!!! He changed the whole neighborhood...everyone in Santa Tereza knows him, everyone in Lapa knows him and now...no doubt about it...The Whole World knows him.

He is a simple man with enormous heart!!! He is a friend of everyone and I am his friend!!!

Actually all the time I visit the stairs I found something new...my favorite tyles are the owl from Mexico and the tyle from Iraq. I love seeing people's reaction when they come across with this huge place. I really love to go there and take lots of pictures!

One of the advantages of being Selaron's friend and a photographer (amateur of course!) is that you can photograph this lovely character in such a weird and nonsense positions!!! And this is a privilege for few people!!! :)))))

So I will continue visiting the Stairs, I will continue taking all my guests to this wonderful man's creation...YES ONE MAN CREATION...Selaron made it...Rio has to keep this God's Gift. Rio has Copacabana, Rio has one huge and magnificent forest, Rio has the Christ, the Sugar Loaf. Rio HAS RAFA...But the city also has a treasure...ESCADARIA DE SELARON.

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

A Selaron's Friend

REMINDER: BUYING SELARON'S ART WILL BE A WAY TO HELP THE CONSERVATION OF THE STAIRS...FORGET ABOUT GOVERNMENT'S HELP...WE, SELARON'S SUPPORTERS MUST HELP HIM TO CONTINUE HIS INCREDIBLE WORK!!!

IT IS NOT RIO DE JANEIRO, IT IS NOT MARANHÃO AND THIS IS NOT BRAZIL - I AM TALKING ABOUT ALBANIA!!!!!!!

No, no, no, no...you are not in the wrong blog!!! :) This is Rafa writing about a place that is not Brazil but it is a place that no one never think about travelling and it is one of the most beautiful countries in the so called Eastern Europe.

ALBANIA, in my opinion a fantastic PEARL in the Adriatic and Ionian Sea, right in the Mediterranean...

While people think about Greece...or exploring the beautiful italian coast...right there there is a tiny country full of culture, full of music and incredible natural beauties!!!

ALBANIA HAS ALL CHANCES TO BE ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR DESTINATIONS IN EUROPE.

Why staying in Nice, Cannes or Montecarlo full of old and luxurious buildings when you still can enjoy a long coast line exactly like the first roman conquerors visited THOUSAND OF YEARS AGO!!!???? You can specially enjoy this paradise in Vlore, more precisely in Dhermi.

In Albania you can still have it...

Visiting ancient greet cities and villages in Buprint part of the UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE...butrint, ancient Buthrotum, a port from Hellenistic to Ottoman times, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in south-west Albania. Situated on the Straits of Corfu, and surrounded by a picturesque lagoon, it is one of the most remarkable archaeological sites in the Adriatic Sea region. The Port of Saranda is the nearest place where you can reach this impressive site. The region is full of hills, river valleys and lovely nature landscapes where we can have incredible hikes!


Trekking in the surroundings of beautiful Korab Mountain, the waterfall in the middle of the mountain is absolutely gorgeous as you can see on you tube in this link - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkMu41K284k - the fauna and flora in this regiuon is plenty, a great opportunity for hikers and bird watchers.

Well, one of my missions here will be promoting Albania for brazilian travellers and also using my contacts in all Americas in order to open their eyes for this promissing european destinations. Also with some contacts that I have in the country, trying to bring albanians to visit Rio de Janeiro, land of incredible beaches, football and super parties like New Year's Eve and Carnaval....

BRAZILIANS IN ALBANIA AND ALBANIANS IN BRAZIL!!!

I think it is very possible!!!

The photos were kindly provided by my Facebook friends Pravllo Vreto and Discover Albania

You can join them in the following profiles: Pravllo (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.194231723933764.49604.181474138542856#!/profile.php?id=100002303259465) and Discover Albania (http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.194231723933764.49604.181474138542856#!/profile.php?id=1549647157)

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

A friend of Albania

A HARD WORKING MAN AND GREAT FRIEND CESAR - A FRIEND OF SELARON STAIRS

I would say he is the person number two in one of the most famous place in Rio de Janeiro, behind the stage he is also the one who travels the World searching for tyles from places where people hardly hear about...He is a friend of Lapa, he is a wonderful companior and he is a very hard working man.

The stairs' name is Selaron but we should consider another name as well...CESAR GOMEZ...

He is Selaron's assistant and he is the one who welcomes everyone there!


I admire Cesar's effort to take care of the stairs and make sure that Selaron will always have new tyles, together with the help of many friends from all over the World that donates tyles from their homes. Something THAT YOU SHOULD DO WHEN YOU COME TO RIO DE JANEIRO.

The work continues, they will never stop but the stairs will be always perfect thanks to the great energy of Cesar and the endless imagination of Selaron!!!

My guests can really meet the people responsable to take good care of our biggest human master piece. A whole and long stairs decorated by millions of tyles piece and entire tyles from many different countries. You will never find in the World such a creation.

Politically and geographically speaking this "union" between Chile and Argentina is difficult to happen, but the magic vibe that you only find in Rio make these two great fellow work together for something that the whole city is proud of!!! Cesar was born in the outskirts of Buenos Aires, once he came here for holidays but fell in love with the city and did not go back home. And Selaron as everyone knows, is from Chile, near Valparaiso.

Two foreigners that addopted Brazil as their HOMES and gave to the city a priceless treasure!

Wondering in Lapa he saw Selaron's amazing work and with so many things in common, Cesar naturally started to help and now he is a very special assistant.

Cesar also has a guest house in the heart of our biggest bohemian district Lapa, you can contact him on his Facebook page - http://www.facebook.com/donrafainrio#!/profile.php?id=713912236 and his email is cesaragustin22@hotmail.com

Well, I have the happiness to be their friends and you can be sure that the stairs is present in all my tours!

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

THE PLEASANT KOALA AND KIWI TOUR IN RIO DE JANEIRO

Never in my career I had people from New Zealand and Australia together!!! Thanks for the Kiwi Craig Family and thanks to Ania, my aus-polish dear friend who came to Brazil with her heart and spirit open to learn more about Brazilian Culture and also to get to know all the secrets of Brazil, starting with Rio of course!!!!

This people found me...my NZ FOLKS at Trip Advisor and Ania...BELIEVE ME...she found me in the street!!!!! I was guiding my sweet californian group and she asked me whether I could give her some ideas about Rio, I gave her my email address and BINGO...she was writing to me and quickly I added her in a very cool and adventurous KIWI EXPEDITION in Brazil!!!! :)

At the very first minute they got along so well that we became a FUN GROUP OF OLD FRIENDS!!! And we shared two days of total adventure in Rio, covering the famous places and also the hidden secret of a surprising city!!!

One of the great highlights of our days was a last stop in a distant fishing village called BARRA DE GUARATIBA...such a small village full of incredible people that welcomed us with warm and open heart. We could talk to the people and they were very interested about the "wierd language" we were speaking...GUESS WHAT??? English!!!

Very seldon people from other countries visit this side of Rio that seems to be a lost very countryside spot of our Coast...But it gives you great views to the Ocean and the wild peninsula of Sepetiba Bay, in the limits of Rio and the city of Itaguai. almost reaching the Green Coast of Angra dos Reis in the way to my darling historical city of Paraty!

My great four heroes in beaches which are not commonly present in travel books but always give to the visitor the real taste of exploring a new foundland just like the Navigators once visited!!! A coast of Rio where Nature is the RULER...Grumari is one of these places, today no sands, the water invaded everything because of the high tide.

Copacabana is awesome and Ipanema is really charming but the wilderness of Grumari is impossible to miss. And this is what I want my guests to experience!

A Brazilian Crocodile meeting a KIWI Crocodile...salt water crocodiles in Recreio Beach, hahahahaha : ) OR MAYBE A SORT OF "BRAZILIAN HAKA" AGAIN!!! Sam is used to explode his belly of soooooo much laughing. Our tour is full of joy, energy and good humour. Rafa is very informal, you should know that!!!

The hidden and private beach of Joá...a great way to see the best of our Coast Line...we always have fun there after driving the green road of Canoas. Happy to be together with shining people like little Sam, Princess Bella and the IRON MAN David and the incredibly smart Ania made my day such a spectacular event!!!!

Ania is from Poland but had chosen Adelaide, a beautiful and progressive city in the south coast of Australia. Very important city for me because in the gold times of the street formula one grand prix, our national hero AYRTON SENNA, got his second WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. We all miss him!!! :)

The tour is also very focused in NATURE and we never miss a visit to the LUNG OF RIO DE JANEIRO....wow lots of philosophy today....A visit to Cascatinha, a head wash in the Paineiras, lots of greens and great opportunities to meet some cool animals of our fauna like so many birds, monkeys and other cute creatures. Tijuca Forest is one of our National Parks in the State of Rio and it is very nice to see that in the middle of the city map there is a huge green portion, and this portion is a wild forest providing great quality to our lives in Brazil!!!

Second day, of course a special visit....NITEROI!!!! What to say about Niteroi???? It is hard for me to express any opinion about my special homeland...Going to Niteroi brings me back so fond memories, showing Niteroi to the World makes me feel proud of a very beautiful and unknown spot of Rio de Janeiro. And Niteroi feeds our FOOD DESIRES!!!!! :) A real gastronomy center in the South East of Brazil. NITEROI HAS A LOVELY AND REGIONAL RESTAURANT A MINEIRA. Judging from our faces you can see a total feeling of happiness after a local and very brazilian meal!!!!

Niteroi holds us surprise like Piratininga Beach, a wonderful corner where we can see the city of Rio way far from this other side of the Atlantic Ocean...and it gives us space to have fun, like helping my brother Sam Torres to get rid of some kiwi lices HAHAHAHAHAHA and give some extra arms to the Goddess Ania Ganesha hahahahaha :)))))))

So I do not need to write that every tour is a STORY OF LIFE for me. The tours not only provide you knowledge and information, the tour gives you a large introduction of our culture together with endless beauty.

Coming to Rio just show you the door of a magnicent HOME called Brazil.

Thank you very much my KIWI FAMILY and thank you very much my AUSSIE COUSIN ANIA....You all made my work and my life very special, you are the proof that my work is one of my wonderful missions in my existance!!!!

BRAZIL WILL BE ALWAYS WITH ALL DOORS OPENED FOR YOU!!!

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide

Travel Planner

Kiwi Friend

Kangaroo Friend

THE BRAZILIAN MAORI HAKA OR TWO KIWI AND CARIOCA MONKEYS!?????

The idea was imitating two monkeys...THE MONKEY PICTURE!!! But it turned out to be almost a HAKA DANCE...the War Dance of the Legendary Maori people. The land of my marvelous new New Zealander Friends...David, Sam and Bella....what a delicious adventure in brazilian fields!!!

Well....at the first moment when you think about having a guide in Rio, you would think about meeting a normal person. Alright, normal you can really be convinced that I AM NOT!!! :)

The Scenery was in the beautiful beach of Piratininga in my homeland NITEROI.

The Haka is a traditional dance of the Maori of New Zealand. The Rugby National Team - the famous ALL BLACKS - adopted this war dance to show to other team how powerful they are...In fact, their faces scare anyone!!! The chants they usually use is the KA MATE, The Ka Mate was originally composed by Te Rauparaha, a war leader of the Ngati Toa tribe, as a celebration of life over death.

I am always blessed to have AOTEAROA (NEW ZEALAND in Maori) people, they come in few numbers but when they come we always have a fantastic time. Since the first kiwi group coming with my super sweet friend Melissa Mc Gregor and the Stracham Crew...John (the strongest...hahaha), Rebecca and Kevin and MUM Stracham; then Katya, from Christchurch, my only kiwi in the South African Expedition in Rio, what a wonderful friend she is.and now to continue the tradition to have fantastic KIWI people in my tours, David (MY KIWI FATHER HAHAHAHA :) and the little brother Sam and little sister Bella!!!

Now my friends...BE MY AMBASSADORS in Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and every little city of this fascinating Nation called NEW ZEALAND.

Arohanui (LOTS OF LOVE)

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

A KIWI FANATIC!!! :)))))