PLAYING AND HAVING FUN IN RIO - MY TOUR GUIDE JOB

Looking for a guide??? :)))) Well, if you are expecting someone very formal or someone normal...uhmmm maybe this is not me...hahahahaha Think that you will meet an old friend who is really madly in love with Rio, so this will be myself!!! You will meet someone who loves having fun, like the old blues says: LET THE GOOD LIFE ROLL NO MATTER IF YOU'RE YOUNG OR OLD!!! :))))))

And my friend Selaron appears right in my first photo, but this character simply made one of the major master pieces of Rio...THE SELARON STAIRS in Lapa!

Personally I am not that insane, I am just a little bit "less shy", I simply do not want to be so formal, and also follow the regular tourism industry...well, it happens because I do not belong to the industry, I do not belong to any agency and I will not be wearing an uniform and tell you...to the right you see the Sugar Loaf and left you can see Copacabana....NO....I AM RAFA and I want to be the one who will make Rio in your mind and in your heart a home, a place where you will be always thinking about a second time, a third time, a forth time....

Visiting the old centre of Rio is full of history but this should be told with happiness, patience and humour. Our history is very interesting and it is wonderfujl to go to places where HISTORY happens! And I love taking my guests to experience daily life.

Being a tour guide is more than a "simple work" for me. It is a mission to provide total joy for you. Taking you to the secrets of Rio is a real pleasure for me and make Brazil an easy country to explore is my big task in life.

When you look for more information about Rio....you will see that visit the Christ on the top of Corcovado Mountains, every single person does...probably I will take you there as well...but set yourself free to visit places that only locals enjoy like the city of Niteroi with the amazing viewpoint of Parque da Cidade which I am sure you have never heard in your life and I BET YOU WILL BE FASCINATED!!!! 

When you come to Rio you will hear about stroll around Copacabana Beach and also about the well built bodies of Ipanema beach and visit for sure our impressive landmark Sugar Loaf which in portuguese we say PÃO DE AÇUCAR; probably the regular tourist industry will recommend you to go to Plataforma to see REAL SAMBA – rubbish – or to eat great steaks at Porcão – good, but tourist trap – and so many obvious places pretty much easy to find. They forget to make you see more of local life and genuine places, this people forget that you need to experience Rio, it is not only a matter of a simple “visit” this visit has to be special…you are the traveler not a tourist; you spent a lot of time and worked very hard to make this trip to Rio happen.

So I will face the great opportunity that you gave me by trusting me your visit to Rio as my mission to make this trip one of the most memorable trips of your life!

Dear Reader, no doubt that you will recognize me when we meet in the airport right!??? :))))

When you come to Rio you can be sure that you will find a friend…I am a tour guide because I need to finish a course, then I need to be registered and of course this is my living. I need this work to survive and I need this work to carry on my plans which has to do with making other’s people travel plans even better. It is a work, I am paid to be a tour guide and a tour planner but you can be sure that you will meet my bleeding passion for this task; the moment when I first meet you is really important for me.

My only concern, Dear Reader, is that a lot of people complain that I take too long to reply all the requests, well, I am just one person and I spend most of my time touring with a lot of people and I also have to take care of other activities and believe it or not, I DO HAVE A PRIVATE LIFE. So if by chance I take one day, two days or even three days, please do not give up. I might be working like crazy going everywhere in this state, I should be in the jungle where internet will be impossible to access or I should be somewhere in the ocean, in a remote island, all this to make Brazil always fascinating for you!!!

This is only a little bit of myself, my true words for you to know that I am super committed with your  fun in Rio, that I will be busy providing an unique experience in Brazil for all travelers and visitors. Also, this is high season for me…but I am doing my best to provide a cool time in Rio.

Rafael Torres Lopes

Tour Guide and Travel Planner

donrafainrio@yahoo.es