At around 8.30 this morning on the way to our Rio volunteering job, Marju and I were treated to a bit of excitement in the form of a fire at Cantagalo Metro station in Copacabana.
Thick brown smoke was pouring up the escalator at the main entrance to Cantagalo on Xavier da Silver. Several dopey Brazilians were still using the escalator, which brought back memories of watching the Kings Cross fire on TV when I was young. Rather pensive to enter the metro at all, Marju and I walked around to the other entrance which is conveniently located opposite a fire station. A gaggle of Rio’s finest were hanging around the entrance, so I went over to do my
Continue reading Fire at Copacabana metro station
If you are considering sending a parcel from England to Brazil I have some advice for you. Don’t expect it to arrive any time soon!
My mother kindly sent me a package of random things you can’t buy in Rio, thanks to Brazil’s crazy high import taxes, (which are around 60% when you add the import duty, import sales tax and maritime transport duty together) on 5th May 2010. The parcel was sent via airmail at a cost of £59. It’s not particularly big, nor does it weigh much, but air mail isn’t cheap.
Today is June 2nd and the package still hasn’t arrived…
But…thanks to the new (or at least new to me) international package tracking service and reference number,
Continue reading Sending a parcel from England to Brazil
This week I will have to renew my Brazilian tourist visa, as i’m approaching the 90 day limit but still have another month to go in Rio. We’re not sure how to do it – or even if it’s possible – as we’ve heard conflicting stories on the process and success. Some people in Marju’s volunteer house said that visas can be extended at the Federal Police office in the International airport by paying a little cash for an extention. One website says it can be done in Rio centro, again at a Policia Federal office, however we’ve not heard of anyone actually being successful with either method. Also, this website states that you may be able to
Continue reading Extending my UK-Brazilian visa
We returned from our rainforest retreat last Thursday and, after a hectic bus ride back, picked up the keys to our new sea front pad on Copacabana, Rio.
I’ve had the weekend now to gather my thoughts on the last two months living in Lapa, and decided that, overall, the experience was fantastic. I learnt a lot about the real Rio, and not just the bits that tourists see. It’s not all beaches and favelas in Rio; clearly there is a third side. Whilst the wealthy live in Copacabana, Ipanema, Botafogo and Barra, and the poor live in the Cidade de Deus, Vila Canoas and Rocinha favelas (amongst 500 others!), there is this ex-glamorous yet dangerous semi-wealth living in
Continue reading Reflecting on my time in Lapa
Last week we decided that, after all the shooting, robbing, noise and chaos of life in Lapa, enough was enough. It was time we found a flat in Copacabana.
We began our usual net search and contacted countless landlords in Ipanema, Botafogo and Copacabana, mostly using Google translate and Alugal Temporada. All we received in response were owners of small over-priced studios; most at around BR$3000 (£1100) per month, which we can’t justify whilst out here volunteering. As luck would have it however, whilst visiting a ‘cambio’ money exchange place called ‘Blame it on Rio’ to change some money, I got chatting to the owner Bobby, who is super friendly chap from New York. I mentioned I was looking
Continue reading Finding a flat to rent in Copacabana
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