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I guess there is a lot of overreaction
about crimes in Brazil that really hurts
that beautiful country. There is just
too much exaggeration.
Blame it on vitriolic press reports and
the movies. The controversial film City
of God which earned a nomination for the
best foreign film in the Oscars three
years ago depicted the slums of Rio and
the crimes perpetrated by the drug
lords. Was it ever that scary!
It sent a wave of alarm to many tourists
and quashed a multimillion dollar
tourism campaign by the government of
Rio to project it as a vital tourist
destination.
Who are the victims? The poor people of
Rio. In reality the level of crimes is
nowhere different from the Bronx in New
York, the underbelly of downtown LA and
the ubiquitous Medellin cartel etc..
Crime is everywhere in this world and no
nation should be pinpointed as the
cradle of poverty and crime. Every
nation, every city has its own share.
In my own experience, one day last year
when my youngest sister came to my house
and learned that I already booked my
ticket for the Brazilian Carnival this
year, she seemed to worry a lot and
asked me if I can drop the plans for this trip. At her work, an engineering firm, they
assigned one of her colleagues in her
department to go to Brazil for many
months this coming summer and he was very
worried with all the reports he either
heard or searched for himself from the
internet.
Then at my work, I met one of our office
neighbours who use to come to our office
cafeteria almost every day to buy his
coffee. He learned that I'll be in
Brazil, but to my dismay his face
projected a sense of surprise. "You are
joking, you gotta be careful because you
could get kidnapped for your organs!"
Alarming isn't it?
My trip pushed through after ignoring
all of them.
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Walking the beach in the early
morning in Copacabana |
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Then time came for me for the trip. Time
flies when you are having a good time.
Indeed it was a pleasant experience at
Rio for two weeks. No hassles, no
disappointments and wow the warmth of
the people is so affectuous. Explore,
sunbathe, shop, dance, barhop, dine and
you will get the time of your life. The
music and dance is life in this
pulsating city. You don't wanna miss
this. The warmth of the local people is
everywhere. Now I am back safe and
sound. All my organs intact and less
lines on my face as the stress from work
diminished.
The weekend following my return when I
was standing in front of the self-served
Digital Kodak touch-screen machine to
order my prints at Wal-Mart, there were
two ladies in line behind me waiting for
their turn, when one of them saw my
Carnival pictures displayed on the
screen. She asked me where was it? I
answered Rio de Janeiro, Brazillllll!
Her first reaction was Wow! than guess
what was her second question? Is it safe
to travel there? Did something happen to
you when you were there? I responded to
her by giving her my card with this web
site address on it and invited both of
them to come to visit this web site with
all my answers.
I truly don't know where those pre-judgment
about crimes in Rio came from. It pays
to be careful when you travel but if you
heed all those alarms about crimes
happening all over the world, you will
end up in the confines of your own
bedroom afraid of leaving your home
because of the danger that lurks ahead
as reported by the press.
I had been brainwashed by the press with
all these sorts of rumours and isolated
incidents. The Western Press can be very
nasty and imbalance in their reporting
as well.
I did not limit myself to the press
reports. The virtualtourist.com gave a
lot of interviews and on the spot
experiences from those who traveled in
Brazil. Most of them recall a splendid
visit. There is not a perfect place in
this world where everything you want is
in that place. Utopia simply does not
exist. For God gave each country a charm
of their own, his wonder to perform.
Now I am back home. My observation? It
is safe in Rio. Be at the places where
you are expected to be. Do what the
Romans do in Rome. In Rio people are
friendly! They want to engage in
conversation or join your photography.
The Brazilian government have put in
place a lot of police contingents to
safeguard the main streets of the city
during the Carnival. There are usually
two police men or women in every corner
street in Copacabana and I had a chance
to stay one week after the carnival but
until the day I left I noticed the
police forces are still present.
I have that impression that tourist
sections are safeguarded by the police
even during non-Carnival days.
When I met our neighbour in the office,
the first time after my vacation, he was
asking me always his funny question:
"wow, glad to see you back, so Nicky,
nothing missing?"
My youngest sister when she saw my photo
album asked me if I can put all my
pictures in 1 CD so she can show it to
her colleagues who will be assigned to
work in Brazil. Maybe he is gonna change
his mind.
So if you are planning for a trip to
Brazil. Prepare yourself for many
wonderful times over there. Just be
careful like in any big cities and enjoy
your trip.
Most tourists are influenced by too many
alcohol drinks that they became the
victims themselves of thieves and rape.
And blame the locals for these attitudes
? Give me a break.
The danger that I find persistent in Rio
is perhaps being hit by a car than being
a victim of robbery. One evening during
the carnival night I was in Ipanema at a
street corner in a curve. I had my
green pedestrian light when I put my
foot on the pavement to cross the
street, a cab just went by in front of
me followed by a bus. It was just about
2 feet from me. I was confused and
really found out that it was green for
me and red for the passing cars.
Carnival madness? Maybe, but watching
your steps prior to crossing streets are
your best shots.
Most pedestrians do what they feel when
they are in a rush and so many motorists
do feel the same way oblivious of any
traffic violations.
You
can browse my 'Rio de Janeiro tips'
under the Index page and
'Miscellaneous' link for additional
information.
Written - March 2005
Last_name: W....
First_name: Pamela
Email: wp....@mail.com
Category: Other
Date: 24-03-2006
Time: 08:51 PM
Comments:
I just read your report on danger in Rio
and I am utterly outraged. Robberies
occur with high incidence in Rio and the
surrounding area. I have travelled
extensively and have never experienced
such danger in my life. We were robbed
at knife point on the beach with no less
than 100 people in the general
vicinity. All of the people there
ignored us as we were dragged to the
ground and literally attacked for our
wallets. There were soccer games on the
beach and a fisherman about 5 meters
away. The next night there was an
assassination two blocks from our hotel
and on our last night, we were held at
gun point a the end of Ipanema Beach.
To claim that there is nothing to worry
about in Rio is wreckless. I feel sure
that people have good experiences there
however caution IS necessary in an area
so prone to violence. I am highly upset
about your article.
Dear
Pamela,
When I posted the Rio Carnival I had in
mind to focus on the tourism side of
this major festival considered the
biggest in the world. The poverty, the
ubiquitous crime in Rio’s underbelly,
are another matter we can deal with.
How can we be safe as tourists in
another land? It is a universal
question people face when we do travel
outside. So how many news did I get
about the pickpockets in Rome before my
visit? Will it be reckless for me to
say, do visit the VATICAN and the
Colosseum, enjoy the Glory that was
Greece and the Grandeur that was Rome if
I don’t mention the pickpockets and
petty thieves at the hotels and shops?
My website is not a LONELY PLANET page
neither a travelogue for a newspaper. It
is a hobby. My focus is the parade
and the sights of the city. I do
sympathize with those like you who had
this experience. It is unforgivable
that tourists like us are victimized
when we are the ones pouring in dollars
for their economy.
Headlines in the internet during the
recent Rio Carnival was headlined in
Japan as “Carnival in Rio a Festival for
Thieves”. Guess what, despite the
press’ sham and drudgery, it is still a
beautiful festival every citizen who
attended have good stories to say, but
oh my, oh my, there will always be some
unfortunate incidents, this size of the
festival.
I was planning to devote a page in my
Rio Carnival to cover some observations
and comments such as yours, but I have
to be cautious. Security issues, crimes,
terrorism are heavy sensitive stuff, I
just don’t want to deal with it for now.
I could bring everyone heavily boxed in
a four cornered wall if I start
mentioning from A-Z every crime lurking
every step we make. I'm deeply sorry to hear
you had such an unpleasant experience on
Brazilian ground.
I made
friend with one American fellow during
my stay in Rio in Feb 2005. He
enjoyed thoroughly his stay for six
months which is the tourist visa
requirement and guess what- he had a
blast with no unfortunate incidents.
He did join a swimming competition in
Rio and even came back to attend this
year’s 2006 Carnival again.
Fortunately, he did not have any
untoward incidents such as meeting
pickpockets, petty thieves and so on.
Sheer luck ?
Another fellow contacted me about his
visit to Rio. Prior to his trip he made
research on how to ward off possible
dangers at Rio, what to bring, what to
wear and where to go with so much
security. He was safe and unscraped
thanks to all these precautions. The
press in Canada had advise visitors
going to Rio to stay in the mainstream
areas of Copacabana and Ipanema only and
be escorted any places outside of these
two principal venues for tourists.
I really sympathize with you on that
incident at the end of Ipanema beach. I
have been to that place, and it is an
easy spot for possible muggers with the
rock wall dividing Ipanema and
Copacabana easily concealing this
heinous crime. Please visit my
guestbook to get the pulse and reactions
of people who had been in Rio. The
only way to get rid of fear is fear
itself, so they say. Good luck on
your future travel plans. Stay
safe.
Let’s be cautious. Take out those
expensive watches and jewelry, leave a
little bit of money in our pockets while
the rest is in safety lock and dress
splendidly like the locals. In Rio,
when it rains, it pours !
Yours truly
Nicky
Index •
Rio Carnival •
Rio Helicopter Sightseeing •
Botanical Garden
Sugar Loaf •
Corcovado •
Niteroi •
Ipanema •
Safety in Rio •
Danger in Rio
Fly to Rio •
Intl. Tel. Card, Internet •
Foods & Restaurants •
Busses transportation
Make friends •
Apartment/Flat •
Miscellaneous •
Join the parade •
Distance Chart
Fond memories •
Rio Carnival 2008 •
Venice Carnival 2009 •
Guestbook
Penthouse vacation
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