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Thursday, May 17, 2012

RAFA IS IN RIO :) I AM ALWAYS IN RIO DE JANEIRO


Good Morning Dear Readers...I need to tell you something...this blog does not tell you exactly where I am. Sometimes I write about my tours, sometimes I write about Rio, sometimes I write about my travels. This week I am dedicating part of my words to my wonderful home away from home, Buenos Aires.

BUT I AM CURRENT IN RIO!!! :) So you can always writing to me requesting tours and I will be very happy to reply! :)

My email is donrafainrio@yahoo.es

And I have lots of secrets and surprises to show you in my Rio de Janeiro!!!


I know IT IS NOT CARNAVAL YET, but this photo translate the joy and the endless happiness to make you sure that I am in Rio de Janeiro waiting for you; with the energy of my people and with open arms!!!

Come any time and this joy of life will be also with you!!!

RAFAEL TORRES LOPES
Tour Guide and Travel Planner

Monday, May 14, 2012

BUENOS AIRES - MY ARGENTINEAN LIFE

Buenos Aires is more than a place that I just organize tours. The city is my great home outside Brazil. Now after some work I spend some days to rest and see the places that I love going, to visit my best and old friends and Argentina is where I meet Marcone for us to explore more of the city and more of the country!

My story with Buenos Aires comes from a long time ago. More than 20 years. Time enough to have many families that live in my heart, time enough to get to know the city as the palm of my hand!

I love the city so much that now I take my guests to see a different side of the city, I also share my argentinean secrets to all my guests and friends!



Nature...Buenos Aires is not a wild destination, it is a very big city with a huge european influence in every little corner of the town, but Baires offers very green parks and lots of Gardens but even for the traveller seeking for nature activities there are interesting places like the Tigre Delta, lots of greens and islands in the Parana and Lujan River with a vast number of bird life and all kind of animals. The nature is alive and shining over there. The people love their gardens and the city has a lot of trees.

Buenos Aires breaths TANGO...Tango is to Argentina what Samba means to Brazil...And it is more than a music, it is more than a dance. Tango is the country's religion. And I am a Tango Fan...so I can say that tango is a SENTIMENT. Every one has a TANGUERO SIDE, or in spanish, "mi lado tanguero". The dance is charming and sensual, the lyrics are STORIES OF LIFE TOLD IN 3 MINUTES...And Tango gave us important names like the "saint" CARLOS GARDEL, big name of argentinean culture; and other names like Anibal Troilo; Julio Sosa, Goyeneche, el Polaco; Piazolla...Tango is so important for this people that it became subjects in universities. And today, we have incredible voices like Raul Lavie and Adriana Varela

I LOVE TANGO, that's all!!!

And Buenos Aires has lots of monuments. very traditional neighborhoods and the city is vibrant, full of restaurants, full of things to do. Buenos Aires has life...The colorful houses of La Boca, the traditions of Santelmo, the ellegance of Patio Bullrich; the modern Puerto Madero; the cemetery La Recoleta which is a open air museum and a journey through the history of the country; the green streets of Palermo and the busy downtown with the lights of Corrientes and Diagonal...

BUENOS AIRES IS FUN, BUENOS AIRES CAN BE EXPLORED IN 4 DAYS...Soon I will tell you what to do there!!!


Avenida 9 de Julio is an impressive avenue...you cannot cross the street in just one red light, we usually stop in the middle, if you do not run...but there you feel the vibe of the city. There you find the famous Opera House Teatro Colon...This is where Buenos Aires impose its charm and its incredible presence!!!


The homely sensation of our trips to Buenos Aires is always present. In the city we have friends that we deeply love, like Alejandra Escudero, a dear friend, so much friend that she is like a wise sister for me. She is also a very efficient travel agent, she always send me incredible argentinean guests to my tours in Rio!!! Marcone loves her and we always have a fantastic time when we meet.




El CONSEJO...with these folks we discuss about LIFE in Buenos Aires...they are the ones we adore to stay with and all the chances we have to get together, we take it. This dinner at IL GATTO at Corrientes Avenue is part of our life history. Mariano and Andrea; Javier and Alejandra, they are our REAL FAMILY in the city. Beloved friends, people who live in my heart. And of course, Marcone always present to give even more bright in every meeting I have!


El Obrero...very few people know this place...it is part of the local's city gastronomy, right in the heart of La Boca..this is a delicious spot where we meet our friends, and Vero, my incredible PORTEÑA FRIEND, granted me the honor to have lunch with her. Veronica is my favorite tour guide in Buenos Aires, she will be the one who will take you to many unique places in the city. Veronica is one of the people that I enterily trust in all over Argentina.


Titina Rinaldi is one of the golden personalities that I know in Argentina. She belongs to my fantastic friends Mariano and Andrea. Brazil has Kikinha and Argentina has Titina, our mascotas. We always have animals that are part of our lives and I had the honor to share the CHICHE with her!!! We had loads of fun in Vicente Lopez where we love staying when we are in town.



ARGENTINA - Ohhhhhhh this simple name can be a reason of a war between ou countries but I love going against the flow, once in a while...Football is a big thing here, specially when it refers to Brazil and Argentina, our dream is to have a final in the World Cup!

Argentina is one of my favorite countries...so many places in the coutry that I love going such as Iguazu Falls, Patagonia and the north of the country like Salta, La Rioja and Tucuman...not forgetting the gaucho farms of the Province, Corrientes and Santa Fé...The country gives me work and I am everlasting grateful.

You can count on me if you are planning a trip to Buenos Aires and also with Marcone, another guide really prepared to make you feel a local in the city, but when we are not in town, I will have great guides to give you all the assistance you need in the city.

RAFAEL TORRES LOPES
Tour Guide and Travel Planner

EXPLANATION TO ENGLISH READERS - ABOUT MY WORK IN BUENOS AIRES, IGUAZU FALLS AND RIO DE JANEIRO


Dear Reader, few words to say that once in a while I will have to write in spanish, the previous post was to make sure about how much I love Argentina, about how grateful I am for all the important friends that I have in Buenos Aires and also how much I am mad about the city and all the time that I go there, I do have heaps of fun!!!

For the days ahead I will write more about my adventures and facts in Buenos Aires, I love to introduce you all the people I know, the places I visit and at the same time you have some unique hints about exploring so many different spots not only in Brazil but all over South America....

It is my chance to say now that...NO....THIS IS ALSO A BLOG THAT HELPS YOU TO KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT RIO, but you will also know that I organize tours in Buenos Aires. Very soon I will post our itineraries in the city, you can also count on me in Iguazu Falls, both sides in Brazil and Argentina (specially in Misiones - ARGENTINEAN AREA) and Brazil - specially in Rio de Janeiro but all over the country you can have my assistance.


I am sure you have heard about Niagara Falls, you might think about spending your honeymoon there and I can tell you that the canadian side is awesome. Certainly you know that Victoria Falls is a dream for every good traveller antd if you are into radical adventures, reaching the falls from South Africa is way more thrilling...But no where in the World you will have the incredible emotion of seeing IGUAZU FALLS for the first time and then you will be convinced that you need another visit, and one more visit, and another visit...YOU WILL ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO DO IN THE FALLS AREA. Misiones is one of the most complete jungle destination in South America. 

All the places that will take you to the spanish explorers period...the meeting with indigenous communities, jungle trekking, activities in the river, great gastronomy journey and incredible relaxing places to stay.

Well, I am a guide in the area too and I have my colleagues!!!

AND START PLANNING AT LEAST 3 NIGHTS THERE!!!!




Rio de Janeiro...well, everything can start here or you can end your trip in South America in my nesting paradise!!! RIO IS THE GATEWAY TO BRAZIL and here you will meet me for various adventures!

I am a tour guide for 13 years now and I have all these years of experience to make you feel at home in this metropolitan tropical paradise!

RIO IS FUN, RIO IS PARTY, RIO IS PEACE, RIO IS WATER DELIGHTS...RIO HAS ALSO GREEN SPOTS THAT WILL IMPRESS YOU.

AND RIO HAS RAFA, AND YOU HAVE RAFA

What more should you ask?????

Rafael Torres Lopes
Tour Guide and Travel Planner

Sunday, May 13, 2012

BUENOS AIRES - TIERRA QUERIDA DONDE MI VIDA TERMINARÉ..."SERÁ"???

Como NO AMAR un lugar donde tengo tantas historias increibles en mi vida????? Como NO QUERER una ciudad que me ha dado los momentos mas inolvidables??? Como NO VOLVER al nido donde la MADRE BUENOS AIRES siempre me ha dado los mejores alimentos.

MALBA - el Encuentro del Arte
Viejo Tortoni donde sentimos la ciudad
Caminito que el tiempo ha borrado

SOY DE BUENOS AIRES, no nací en suelo porteño, al contrario, vengo de las tierras sambistas de Rio de Janeiro y tengo mucho honor. PERO HAY  MUCHO DE BUENOS AIRES EN MI...la nostalgia tanguera, los sentimientos profundos y el placer de caminar solo por las callecitas de Buenos Aires...que sé yo....

SOY DE BUENOS AIRES, VISTE???? Porque cuando vuelvo a la ciudad...yo vuelvo a mi casa...vuelvo a un rincon que sé que pasa el tiempo pero es fuerte el amor y las ganas de volver a ver...Hago parte de los hijos que vuelven siempre y que nunca se olvidan de sus pagos.

Marcone es otro HIJO DE BUENOS AIRES...que tiene la exuberancia alegre de Amazonia pero comparte conmigo siempre este sentimiento de Arrabal....


Iglesia de San Francisco
Con el Mestre
La pija de Buenos Aires
Las tardecitas de Buenos Aires tienen ese que se yo, viste?
Salgo de casa por Arenales, lo de siempre en la calle y en mi...
Cuándo, de repente, detras de un árbol, aparezco yo.
Mezcla rara de penultimo linyera
y de primer polizonte en el viaje a Venus.
Medio melón en la cabeza,
las rayas de la camisa pintadas en la piel,
dos medias suelas clavadas en los pies
y una banderita de taxi libre levantada en cada mano.
Parece que solo yo lo veo,
Porque él pasa entre la gente y los maniquíes le guiñan,
los semáforos le dan tres luces celestes
y las naranjas del frutero de la esquina
le tiran azahares.
Y así, medio bailando y medio volando,
se saca el melón, me saluda,


ESTA ES LA LOCURA DE BUENOS AIRES QUE HAY EN MI. Amo la locura de Buenos Aires, adoro este bicho porteño que se desarrolla en mi vida y me hace conocer aun mas de esta ciudad que me fascina a cada visita.

Una vez caminando en una tardecita de Buenos Aires (las tardecitas son sagradas) con Andrea y Marcone, no me aguanté y tuve que llorar, porque es una fuerza de muchos sentimientos, de tantos recuerdos y de tantas otras cosas!!!

ODIAMOS PARAPAZZI EN CORRIENTES

Con Veronica, Buenos Aires es mas acida, mas comica y mas facil...Con Vero Buenos Aires se hace fascinante y uno no quiere nunca salir de la ciudad. Esta hermana picara vive en mi corazon, esta hermana tan increible es la que conmigo enseña la ciudad a todos los visitantes del mundo. Se uno quiere conocer lo que hay por detras de todo lo que pasa en la capital porteña...hay que tener una Veronica en la vida.

Vero, cariño, te amamos...siempre tendrás casa, comida y ropa lavada en nuestras vidas, siempre estarás en nuestro camino tanto en Brasil como en Argentina. 

Gracias por ser tan unica, gracias por ser tan tu misma...

Con el mejor hermano del mundo

Este es un periodista serio que lleva todas las novedades del escenario politico de Argentina y nos da la vision de la realidad de Latino America; y el otro es un guia de turismo y planeador de viajes que lleva toda la gente del mundo a conocer los secretos de Sudamerica...Personas muy serias y muy conocidas....PERO SE PIERDEN CUANDO SE JUNTAN, SE CAGAN DE LA RISA CUANDO HAY UN ENCUENTRO Y SOBRETODO SON VIEJOS HERMANOS....Mariano Rinaldi, es dueño de muchas historias publicables y IMPUBLICABLES de muchos capitulos de mi puta vida. 

La cosa es asi...No solo veo Buenos Aires en él...veo Argentina dentro de este ser muy querido; veo el amor por el pais y las tradiciones; y veo tambien un entusiasmo BRAZUCA en su corazon.. 

Esta noche, Mariano sabe el nombre de este sitio...comimos la mejor pizza del mundo en pleno Olivos...

Las razones de mi vida porteña

Que increible pareja...y que agradecido estoy por esta mujer haber regalado a mi hermano la verdadera y sensilla fuerza del amor. Lo veo feliz, lo veo suelto y asi será mi hermano Mariano por toda la vida. Sin embargo, Mariano tambien le regala a esta gran amiga, de polenta, de pura energia, de cabeza brillante, el amor mas puro, las ganas de vivir y la magica de vivir a dos que solo ellos saben tener.

Mariano y Andrea, muchas gracias por todo...Mariano muchas gracias por todos los muchos años de alegria que me ha dado Argentina; Andrea, muchas gracias por hacer de tu Pais una Tierra aun mas querida, aun mas especial y que alimenta todo el amor que yo tengo en mi vida!

Una familia super amada
 Que carajo puedo decir de esta gente tan amada y tan especial???? El fruto de este amor tan poderosamente bello, Morita, que con su alegria y inocencia hace de mis visitas a Buenos Aires siempre tan esperada, siempre tan increible. Alejandra, super presente, super imponente con su presencia de oro, y super influeyente en todo lo que tengo en mi vida argentina. La que me ayuda, la que apoya y la que me dá super profundas y graciosas charlas en todos los momentos en que encontramos tiempo para hablar de la vida. Y Javi, un constructor de la felicidad; Javier, tan compañero, tan especialmente inteligente y super amigo. Los quiero mucho y les tengo muy presente en mi vida. GRACIAS!!! MUCHAS GRACIAS!!! :)))))


En Barracas - Magica Calle Junin
 LOS SECRETOS DE VERONICA....No hay una vez que me vaya a Buenos Aires que no encuentro un sitio nuevo...Y Vero es la que me presenta una ciudad de color...del tipo "ME CONTARON BAJO EL ASFALTO EXISTE UN MUNDO DESTINTO CON GENTE QUE NUNCA VIÓ SOL..." jajajajajaja En La calle Junin, nos encontramos con la creacion de un artista que es casi un SELARON de Buenos Aires...

Nos divertimos como locos!!! :) 

Pacifico en Florida
 Pacifico...puerto seguros de mis temblores intestinales pero puerto seguro de increible cafés...No hay vez que yo no la visite! :)


Feria de Frutos de Santelmo
 Hay secretos en los lugares mas obvios, en Santelmo, me encanta ver todo el ritmo de la vida de un mercadito que la gente del barrio vá a comprar sus cositas, el olor a fruta fresca, el ruido de los mercados y la vida que se quedó en el tiempo en la locura de Buenos Aires. 

Cafe Tortoni
Marcone y yo somos amantes de Buenos Aires...sentimos la ciudad en nuestras almas...es la comida de nuestro amor por viajar. Es la ciudad que tenemos como nuestro hogar. BUENOS AIRES es nuestro lugar...

MI BUENOS AIRES, TIERRA QUERIDA, DONDE MI VIDA TERMINARÉ...
BAJO TU AMPARO NO HAY DESENGAÑO - VUELAN LOS AÑOS, SE OLVIDA EL DOLOR....

Asi tengo mi CIUDAD PORTEÑA en mi vida!

RAFAEL TORRES LOPES
Apasionado por Baires

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

A TOUR WITH GREAT FRIENDS

The great joy of my work is making friend from all over the World, and I have more two friends in Ohio right now. They are from Canada but they live in Columbus and came to Rio to see the wonders and the secret of our amazing Coastal City.

In Rio I want my guests to feel at home and you can see in this slide part of our adventures in Rio de Janeiro.

http://smilebox.com/play/4d7a45304d544d784d54633d0d0a&blogview=true&campaign=blog_playback_link





RAFAEL TORRES LOPES
TOUR GUIDE AND TRAVEL PLANNER

SONIA CHAGAS - THE TOUR GUIDE - THE DRIVER AND THE WONDERFUL FRIEND

Marcone and I are very happy to have Sonia in our team, and we do have great guides as you can read about all of them in this blog. But I want to oficially introduce to you someone really bright that I am honored to have in my work and also in my personal life. She is very professional but much more important than being such a very complete tour guide, she is one of my best friends, someone very present, someone very helpful that had supported me in so many moments in life!

Sonia Chagas is another person that I trust to take care of you if I am busy during the days that you are coming to Rio de Janeiro!!!

Ohhh and she might be the one who will meet you at the airport!!! :))))))



The wetlands of Marapendi is one of the most interesting places in my tour, we always have our boatman Laerte to take us to the wildest corners of the Lagoon's Complex and not so rare we meet our guests in the same boat and it is always a party when we meet and our guests really get very happy and excited, we simply start a FLOATING PARTY IN THE WETLANDS! :))))



I love taking Sonia to my favorite restaurant in Niteroi, the asian (mongolian, to be precise) Tantra. We always have a great time there with the delicious mix of Mongolian, Mauritian, Maldives and Pacific Food...it is a journey to the Asian and South Pacific Gastronomy right in the other side of the Bay.

Sonia shares my friendship and my total confidence to stay with you.


Just like myself, she is commited with social work, we always help the Guarani's Tribe in Niteroi which is also part of our tour. We help the children with school supplies and food, and we always spend some time with them in our free time which is quite rare, but we do out best to improve their lives and tell to the World that this minorities are not and never forgottten!



We also have tour together when I need to send my car to the garage and when we have a tour together, we die of laughing, her sense of humour and her goodness simply makes you feel very confortable and just like I do, she really does her best to make you feel at home!!!

OUR GUIDANCE IS NOT A FORMAL ONE...Here we welcome friends, here we have you as part of our family, and here you will have the best experience ever! I am so grateful that James and Carissa from New Mexico joined us for such a wonderful day in Rio ending with a very happy gathering in Copacabana Beach!!!

More of Sonia you can find my my tripadvisor reviews, she has some good comments there.

LOVE TO YOU SONIA, 

RAFAEL TORRES LOPES
Tour Guide and Travel Planner

Sunday, May 6, 2012

BUENOS AIRES - BACK STAGE - MY HEART LIVES THERE

Argentina???? Wait a minute, you are reading a blog of a tour guide who will welcome you in Brazil!!!! 

Dear Reader, be patient with me please!!!

First, I have the great joy to be part of a wonderful continent called SOUTH AMERICA and I am always visiting our neighbors, and dear Reader, I also organize tours in Buenos Aires and I visit the city for years and years. Buenos Aires has my favorite spots, Buenos Aires has my dear friends. It is a place where I feel confortable and it is a place where I also like to spend some time escaping from the booze of my crazy life!

Last time I was there was in February and March after my great tour with the canadian group from Toronto.



Santelmo is marks the beggining of my trip to Buenos Aires or the end of my trip to Buenos Aires. Plaza Dorrego, it was the first place I visited in Buenos Aires in my first visit more than 25 years ago...Gosh I am old...But it is very symbolic for me to go to Santelmo for my beer and my tasty empanadas, the famous argentinean pastry. Marcone joined me in this special moment!!! :)



Titina Rinaldi is also part of our lives...She barks but she really knows how to show her wishes. She played with me almost everyday and every morning I felt a very cold nose rubbing my face...She is special and she is one of my most vivid memories in my travels to Argentina!!!



Each time that I go to Baires we have the same tradition, the farewell dinner...this time my most beloved friends in Buenos Aires...Vero, German, Andrea, la Reina; the Brother Mariano, Mi Cariño Alejandra, Morita (mas rica que las empanadas!) y mi Querido Amigo Javi. And of course, Marcone, always present! This time we went to a chinese buffet in the classy district of Belgrano...We had a ball!!!



The advantage to have a journalist friend is that you can have a little hand to allow other people to know your work!!! :) Mariano has a radio program that tells people about the city's agenda and I was interviewed about my work with tourism in Brazil telling our fellow argentinean brothers to visit our fascinating Brazil!!

A real work of mutual friendship between our Nations!


Sad when the time to say good bye comes...I can feel when the tango singers say: Y CIAO BUENOS AIRES

So hard to say good bye to a place that I love, too bad to leave so many special moments but I always come back for more special moments to come!

Buenos Aires can be fascinating when you really know how to meet the spirit of the town! And Of course, dear Reader, you can always count on me to make it happen.

Myself and my friends will be always ready to provide you also a fantastic time in our neighbor's yard!!!

RAFAEL TORRES LOPES
TOUR GUIDE AND TRAVEL PLANNER

A FRIEND TO ARGENTINA!

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

SÃO LUIS IN MY HEART

Brazil has 26 capitals and I am very fortunate to know almost all and I can say by far that after Rio de Janeiro, São Luis is my favorite capital in the country...I love the mix of races, the portuguese architecture, the parties and the beaches and of course it is a place where I have lots of friends that I love and adore!


The city was founded in 1550, one of the oldest settlements in Brazil. São Luis is a beautiful islands facing the ocean and so many rivers, one of them Anil river that forms a beautiful estuary, in one edge my favorite neighborhood Ponta da Areia. São Luis has lots of legends and traditions and the real root of the northern style which I truly love!!!



In the outskirts you find landscapes like Raposa or Panaquatira...fishing villages where you forget about time. São Luis is the capital of MARANHÃO STATE and its capital also has a lot of incredible things to do. We can think about more than 2 full days to explore this incredible magic island!!!!


In June the whole month is total party. Lots of colors, lots of music and lots of food. Maranhao has gorgeous sea food, the best fish that I eat in Brazil has to be in Maranhão. Specially in Capote Restaurant. 

A FESTA DO BOI - It is something like our Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro...Total happiness and absolutely huge fun!



Art Crafts are found all over the city and as the weather is quite hot, the whole island is bathed by incredible channels and beaches. My favorite place is for sure Raposa, interesting fishing village full of sand dunes beaches and desert islands. You can hire a handmade boat for the whole day.




Renting a boat is not so expensive with a little more of 100 USD you can have a boat for the whole day and this allows you to see the mangrove, the jungle and all the rich fauna the only in Maranhão State you can find!

Travelling in the countryside you find friendly people where you learn about simple costuns, here in Alegre River I learnt more about their loundry system!!! Not so ecologic but they have been doing this way for many generations!

São Luis has very sophisticated accomodations and lots of structure, but going to the soul of the city is a journey to a primitive Brazil as well.

The city is not famous not even for brazilians and I take my guests to find a new Brazil.

RAFAEL TORRES LOPES
Tour Guide and Travel Planner

FAMILY LIFE IN THE JUNGLE

When  we made a decision to go to Cururupu we knew that comfort was something far beyond our expectactions. We wanted the real experience and the chance came when our dear friend Carol Dias suggested us to visit a new place in the north of Maranhao, in the entrances of the Amazon River and one of them is a vast region called FLORESTA DOS GUARAS. Carol's father, Welington, incredible character very rootie, has a farm there and we were invited to spend the weekend in his island!!!

YES, WELINGTON HAS AN ISLAND...as the island is a private property for my blog I am calling his islands as WELLY ISLAND.



We were welcomed by our friends Carol and Luis that got to the island before us...they spend the whole day fishing in that small boat. We rented a bigger boat because from the main pier in the village IGARAPÉ, very complicated river corridors that lead to a bay that we had to cross, it was about two hours crossing...


Being welcome with Carol's smile was a big happiness for me, in the middle of nothing finding Carol was something impossible to forget. In that jungle's life, having a boat is a matter of survival.



As soon as we docked our boat we walked to the main house, interesting lodge in Welly's island...in that big house that is being constructed there were just us, the goats, the chickens and the whole amazon echo system. No power energy, just generators...during the day the contact with the nature is simply amazing and I was back to simple life. During the night, the night birds orchestra and the fear of being attacked by any wild animal, but we learnt that wild animals also fear us. 

Thanks to the continuing breeze, no mosquitoes and at night we had the hammocks...in such conditions, having a hammock to sleep is the same of sleeping in a five star hotel!!!


Well, I am an animal lover, even though I knew that one day I would be hugging people's lunch, I was honored to get such a truly kiss. The goats population was amazing in the island!


The search for our food had to be in the river...we had absolutely wonderful dorados, every afternoon we went to Guajerutiua island to see what we would eat...One day small fish another day enough fish for the whole week. In between us, I am not a good fish eater, so I was very happy with a plate of fresh rice which I made sure to buy before we left the continent in Cururupu.




NIGHT LIFE???? A visit to the sleeping village of Guajerutiua to feed some friends...this lovely donkey which I forgot the name was really in the mood to share my snack which costed me 30 cents. What to do at night,well, sitting in the pavement and talk with our friends. In a remote place like that, the conversations are always longer. late at night (7:00 pm!!!!!)...yes....when the darkness come, this people go to sleep...complete torture for me because I am used to go to bed always after 3:00 am....

The way back to our island was simply divine...sailing the waters of the Bay under a crowd of stars in the clear sky!!!



Sleeping time...very comfortable, at least I loved it...I had the chance to take pictures of my dear friend Shintia and her boyfriend Ervanio and our famous Marcone in his deep amazon dreams. I must tell you that though we slept in small hammocks I had the most interesting nights in my life!


Father and Daughter...Welington, the dreamer who want to build a huge eco tour resort so he can preserve such a unique ecosystem with the help of all World's Nature Lovers; and Carol, the one who trusted me that I will start taking my dear guests to this whole New World.

I truly believe in the future of Maranhão as one of the most impressive tourism destination in Brazil. I really believe that it is possible to have their resources preserve with a serious project of eco tourism.

So dear Readers, let's do it...Let's organize group of friends and be part of a journey of a real Brazil. 

We are brazilians who love to be brazilians and we are waiting for you to join us in this unique and spectacular adventure!

RAFAEL TORRES LOPES
Tour Guide and Travel Planner

AN AMAZON DREAMER