Tag Archives: brazil
Street Food in Rocinha Favela Rio de Janeiro Brazil

Rio de Janeiro Street Food

Hundreds of thousands of visitors will soon be traveling to Brazil for the World Cup. Brazil has had a LOT of bad publicity because of their horrendously delayed preparations. A stadium has no roof. Workers are on strike. Protesters have been teargassed. Brazilians are pissed off that their government has poured millions into hosting the […]

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Iguazu Falls with Viewing Platforms Brazil

How to Visit Iguazu Falls From Brazil & Argentina

I visited Niagara Falls as a kid (and a few times recently, too!), so I thought I knew what to expect from a waterfall. I did not. Niagara is nice, but comparing Niagara to Iguazu Falls is like comparing a 4th grade kickball game to the World Cup. I’m sorry, Niagara, but Iguazu has you […]

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Happy in Santiago, Chile after paying only 1 reciprocity fee.

Countries That Are Screwing Over Americans (Because We Screwed Them Over First)

So you have your passport. If you’re American, you have the benefit of being able to travel to a number of countries without a visa.* Congrats! Unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly expensive to be a US passport holder while traveling abroad. Wait, what? Why Are They Charging Americans? The reality is that many non-US citizens […]

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Colonia Ambiance 9 - Car

A Day Trip to Colonia del Sacramento, Uruguay

I love side-trips.  Sometimes a good side-trip can be even better than the main trip.  Since we’re all about maximizing our time traveling we try to pack a lot in.  This means that when I discovered Colonia del Sacramento (just “Colonia” to locals) while planning a trip to Buenos Aires, I knew we had to […]

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Rocinha favela - the largest in Rio

Visiting the Favelas of Rio de Janeiro

Favelas are supposed to be what we would call ghettos, slums or townships. They are a large part of what Rio is known, and often feared for.  Visiting the favelas of Rio, especially the largest favela, Rocinha, is a very special experience.  Rocinha is built on a steep hillside overlooking Rio, and is located about […]

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Hang Gliding rio de janeiro brazil pepino beach

Hang Gliding in Rio

Hang gliding is a must do in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, so even though I had no real drive to run full speed ahead and throw myself off of a cliff, there I was: strapped into a harness, hooked onto a hang glider with my instructor asking me 100 times “you will keep running, yes?”.  […]

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Friendship bridge going to Ciudad de Este in Paraguay

An Illegal Border Crossing into Paraguay

“It wasn’t intentional.  I always learn about learning the entry requirements for every country I visit.  I always mail away my passport or wait in line for hours at the Consulate to get the required visa.  So I am sorry, Paraguay, that I snuck into your country and blatantly disobeyed your border patrol officers.  Sorry.  […]

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View of Rio from Corcovado Christ the Redeemer

Is Rio de Janeiro Dangerous for Tourists?

Aside from the cost and hassle associated with obtaining a tourist visa to visit Brazil, another barrier for tourism is the perception that Brazil (and Rio de Janeiro in particular) is very dangerous.  Over 700 favelas, a.k.a. “slums” or “ghettos”, exist in Rio and the majority of these are run by gangsters.  But is Rio […]

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