Illustrated Guide

Leer en español    |  Ler em português      Someone once told me, pointing the distance on the other side of the road while we enjoyed drinks and seafood snacks in a group table at one of a rustic line of restaurant and bars at Barra da Tijuca , in the West Zone (do not mistake by the neighbourhood of Tijuca in the North Zone , where what was left of Rio's native Atlantic Forest remains): "By the time I was young, that and these bars were all that existed in Barra ".     It was night, but one could distinguish sleepover motels in the line of modest buildings. She went on: " Barra was a remote place by then. If a young couple decided to have sex, those were the only motels available within the whole city and almost nobody owned a car by this time".     Of course, those were not her exact words, but that's what I recall from this enjoyable evening out in my early teens. By this time, Barra was still a bit remote, but two tall buildings at the shore differ

Leer en español    |  Ler em português     Carnival offically starts tomorrow, but the street parties ( blocos de rua ) always start a bit earlier, widespread by many neighbourhoods of the city.     It's been a long time since I have last taken part in Rio street Carnival; Downtown there were Cordão do Boitatá , Orquestra Voadora and the traditional, but impossibly crowded Cordão do Bola Preta , among others, while Carmelitas roamed up and down the slopes of Santa Teresa .     In the South Zone , there were Imprensa Que Eu Gamo in Laranjeiras , Barbas in Botafogo , Simpatia É Quase Amor and the tradicional Banda de Ipanema in Ipanema , and many more.     New parties are created almost every year, thus you must visit the official city guide for updates of parties, dates and places.      In the neighbourhood of Estacio , at Marquês de Sapucaí , happens the famous parade of Samba Schools, with tickets bought in advance.