A WORK OF HEART - TERRY YOU ARE MORE THAN WELCOME!!!!

Just as usual, I had a guest, and I ended up with a great friend!!!! :)))))) Mr. Brayboy!!! :) Terry for good friends!!!! Talking about friend, Terry is a friend of Brazil. He comes here very often and now he has Rio as his main destination in Brazil.

We had a tour yesterday, sunday afternoon, october 25th...

More than a tour we had such a great day, Marcone came with us, so Terry had TWO GUIDES...and we had a challenge:

Showing him in a half day what he could have seen in two days!!!!! Good, we love changes, and as you all know, Marcone is also one of the best tour guides that I have...

We met him in a apartment Terry rented in Copacabana and we took him to Niteroi.

Very few people know that Niteroi is one of the most hidden surprises in any tour to Rio, I was born and raised there, and humbling speaking I know the city as the palm of my hand, and I know exactly what people expect to see, places where locals love having fun, wild beaches and many view points that offers a very unique view of Rio from the opposite side of the Bay, the Guanabara Bay.

Not only we explored all over the Bay Side, visiting the CONTEMPORARY MUSEUM, the so famous "spaceship" (I am sorry OSCAR, but it is an UFO!!!!), we drove along the bay passing in Icarai beach, entering in Froes Road to finally reach the inlet of São Francisco; we decided to reach the famous viewpoint of Parque da Cidade, the weather was not likely to have a cool sunset, then we decided to show our friend Terry the oceanside of Niteroi which normally demands one more different full day.

Then we drove to the ocean beaches of Piratininga, and we stopped in Camboinhas Beach to see the GUARANI indian tribe by the Canal de Itaipu and we finished our day DANCING IN THE RAIN AT ITACOATIARA BEACH!!!!

In a half day (which was a full day indeed) we did both sides, the Bay and the Ocean, we had lots of laughs giving Terry two more arms, and we danced with our umbrellas on the impressive rock of Itacoatiara, we also showed how lovely Rio can be seen from the other side of the Bay!!!!

Marcone and I we have lots of passion for our activity, and when we work with our guests, we give them our souls!!!!

That is why Rio is so dear for real travellers who always write to me requesting for more tours and tours!!!!

That is why we enormously thank Terry, from the lovely mountainous state of North Carolina for such a precious confidence and friendship and we are very sure that he will always be back!!!!

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

donrafainrio@yahoo.es

HAPPY FAMILY FROM TEXAS WITH A COSTA RICAN TASTE

I am sure Maria got to their lives to put some AZUCAR taste to this already "sweet" family from McAllen,Texas - USA. A little southern town in the Great River Valley, famous for the Quinta Mazatlan, but also a very close stop point to many birding parks in South Padre Island, fantastic variety of birds in that coastal area.

So they came to Rio, Maria, her husband Jason and Jason's parents, my sweet friend Priscilla and the King and Almighty friend Will, they stayed at Marta's place, such a magnificent guests house on the beach of Copacabana, you can see more of her website at http://www.rioguesthouse.com/ - And I was in charge to show all of Rio in just one single day, and we did it, and I also made them "glyde" in the skies of Niteroi.

We started our day heading the Forest of Tijuca with a quick stop in my PLAN B...the Mirante Dona Marta where you can see the Christ Mountain and all over Rio but with no crowd, very few people know about this place but it is one of the options that you have to see the whole city and the access there is free, after that we finally reached the Christ, our famous and most important attraction, we had a ball there!!! but we headed to the Forest until the waterfall of Cascatinha but before that we had a baptism, Jason was baptized as Jason Brasileiro, hahahaha :) They have the pictures! When we finally reached the Falls they realized that Rio was much more than expected, but we had to continue because we had to see more of the city, and I took the to the gated community of Joa where the Atlantic Ocean with all its fury make a real surfing festival for the locals. We completed our visit to Rio and then we cross the Bay and visited Niteroi.

In Niteroi, we did the classical tour of MAC, our Modern Art Museum. From this point you have very unique vistas of our Bayside, we can clearly see the island of Boa Viagem and the beach of Icaraí, them we had lunch in a very brazilian resturant with yummy food, A MINEIRA, and as a grand finale...

WE WENT TO PARQUE DA CIDADE, a privileged viewpoint that is a real highlight to any trip to Rio, and from there, thanks to my friends and paraglyding instructors, Jason and Maria jumped.

We had a perfect day and for sure they will come back for more! I had 4 interesting guests and I ended up with marvelous 4 Great friends!!!!

I am sure that everywhere they go and everyone they meet that will recommend Rio as a great destination to discover!!!!

Thank you my friends for a wonderful day!!!

Rafa

FIFTY YEARS OF EXTREME LOVE - NELLY AND RUBEN

Sometimes I really think that my work is a real blessing!!! People look for me to celebrate very important moment of their lifes!

Some weeks ago I had the honor to welcome Nelly and Ruben, a very charming and sooooo dearest couple from the coastal city of Mar del Plata in Argentina (country where I also organize tours). They come to Rio a lot but this time it was special!!!!

THE CAME HERE TO CELEBRATE THEIR 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY!!!!!!

AND ONCE AGAIN...I WAS THE CAKE, HAHAHAHAHAHA :))))))))))

Yes, Norma, a very sweety lady who happened to be my "grandma" gave them as a WEDDING ANNIVERSARY GIFT a very complete tour in NITEROI, a full day seeing the best of the greatest surprise in Rio, the city of Niteroi!!!!

Nelly and Ruben still keeps love shining...She takes good care of him and he simply worships her!!! They talk alot, they really want to spend the best moments of life together and they really know how to enjoy it!!!!!

They are the real inspiration for those who believe that LOVE EXISTS!!!!

And I dedicate MY DAY for this incredible couple!!!

We had a blast visiting the Bay Side of Niteroi and we had lunch in a very scenic and sophisticated restaurant OLIMPO.

NOW IN SPANISH:

Cariños de mi vida!!!!

Con mucho honor y con mucha dicha que llevaré siempre grabado en la memoria el fantastico dia que desfrutamos juntos. Si el dia que pasamos juntos fué un regalo de 50 años de tu matrimonio, para mi fué el dia en que GAÑE 50 AÑOS DE AMOR y me sentí seguro que estoy en el mejor camino que es vivir la vida con amor y con pasion!!!

Les agradezco muchisimo la oportunidad de haber conocido una pareja tan increible como ustedes!!!

Y DEJO REGISTRADO QUE MI AMOR Y CARIÑO A LA ARGENTINA Y A TODOS LOS ARGENTINOS ES ETERNO!!!!!!!

Os quiero mucho,

Rafa

IMAGES THAT STICK IN YOUR HEART - THE GREAT SURPRISE: NITEROI

Explosion of happiness in Niteroi - Parque da Cidade

An incredible overview of everything you visited

We know how to get there....

Words are useless to describe how much I love this city!!!!

Niteroi is part of my golden teenager times!!! And it is a very intense part of my own present!!!

Niteroi holds many surprises that a normal traveller will never reach....

There is a place in the Bay Side that very few people know, but all locals go there and I am going there since I was 10 or 12 in my way more adventurous times...Now I am just a simple adventurous tour guide...hehehehehe, in that time I was just a "daring kid"

PARQUE DA CIDADE is a place where every visitor fall in love, but how can't you????

True...best sunset in the State, I can tell you, this is one of the best places!!!

I can teach you the CAMINHO DAS PEDRAS to go there!!!

You must be asking yourself WHAT A HEC is caminho das pedras, right???

Caminho das Pedras is a way we have when we want to tell you a secret so badly....

But this is for sure the best way to spot all over Rio de Janeiro in a very privileged way...

AND IT IS MY PHOTOGRAPH PLAYGROUND.

Marcone and I usually go there in our tours and also in our free time, and I have to go there much more to continue a "certain course"...

Enjoy the images and let me know if you like it!!!!

Rafael Torres Lopes

donrafainrio@yahoo.es

MORE GUESTS FROM ARGENTINA AND A GOOD FRIEND I MADE IN BUENOS AIRES

As you can see, we live on the edge!!!! :) hahahahahahhaa :))))))))

My guests need ACTION...so all the time in my tours they "suffer"...but if it is a "pleasant torture" where the punishment is seeing the most beautiful spots of Niteroi, like the view point of Parque da Cidade and the very old fort of Santa Cruz constructed in 1565.

Leo is from Buenos Aires and he came here to spend some days in Rio, one day with me when I usually provide a wide introduction of Rio and the rest he was alone in the town discovering new places and making new friends!!!

Buenos Aires is not so far and we always have our argentinean brothers!

And his city I love and I often visit for many reasons, my friends and my work!!!

ONCE AGAIN LEO IS ONE OF OUR VISITORS WHO PROVES THAT NITEROI IS INDEED ONE OF THE BEST SECRETS OF ANY TRIP IN RIO!!!!!

Now some spanish: LEO...que gusto muy grande fué tenerte en Rio y enseñar lo que tenemos de mejor, asi que Rio siempre será tu hogar fuera de Baires!!!

Aqui tenés un amigo y una familia, siempre que venir!!!

SALUDOS FUERTES Y UN SUPER ABRAZO,

Rafa

MY FANTASTIC FRIENDS FROM WINNIPEG

What to say when you have great people to show your own land??? When they do not know what they are going to see before meeting you??? When everything is a real surprise in each place you go????

My mission was to show them Rio, but not the touristic places..of course I had in mind to show the heart and the soul of Rio de Janeiro, and we started doing a great job...We were going to the Sugar Loaf but we haven't gone to the top of the hill. I am not saying that being to the top is a bad thing to do...but they did much more than any tourist that comes to Rio for the first time...

They did what every curious people have to do...they walked a little more and come across with Praia Vermelha and they found a trail where locals get through the gates just to walk, and they found a trail in the Atlantic Forest..the not famous at all PISTA CLAUDIO COUTINHO, where I usually take food for some friends...And these friends welcomed ED and ISABEL with great enthusiasm!!!!

I am for sure that there is a couple in Winnipeg that know alot about Rio de Janeiro!!!

In one day we made TWO CITIES...in this side of the Bay, Rio de Janeiro and the other side of the Bay...Niteroi!!!

I would like to salute Ed and Isabel for such great curiosity about Rio and my land, and I put my land in their hearts and they will always have all the special places well kept in the memory.

You just met a tour guide and left in Brazil a friend!!!

They really experienced Rio like locals and they SAW everything!!!! :)

Ed became an Angel!!! :) YOU SEE MIRACLES HAPPENS!!!

The Canadian couple got also politically involved with the brazilian student movement, supporting their request for fair distribuition of food in public schools! hahahahahaha

With many thanks for the great hoster Marta (http://www.rioguesthouse.com/) for recommend me to Ed and Isabel, without my friend Marta this lovely day would never be possible! :)