Sites+to+See

__**Cristo**__

The view at Cristo is something you certainly don't want to miss. This trip to the mountain Corcovado was arranged by the study abroad program so luckily for us it was free. We took a roof-less jeep all the way up the mountain and arrived at beautiful, old hotel that is no longer in service. If you can sweet talk the caretakers, you can venture up to the 2nd and 3rd floors. From there you take an elevator (or stairs if you prefer) to the base of Cristo. Unfortunately, he was under construction while we were visiting, but he will be unveiled by the end of 2010. After the breathtaking views, the jeep took us to the little town of Santa Teresa.


 * __Santa Teresa__**



Santa Teresa is a quaint little neighborhood of Rio. On this particular tour though it seemed like they just brought us here to see the gift shops. We made our own trip of it by venturing off on our own. We found these two women selling acai and coconuts out of their house for only R$3. They were the nicest people, and I am sure they enjoyed the business from all 15 of us. While you're here enjoy the pretty architecture, local art, and yellow trolley cars.

__**Pão de Açúcar**__

Pão de Açúcar (sugarloaf in English) is definitely a trip you want to make at sunset. This little hill certainly doesn't compare to that of Corcovado, but it certainly doesn't disappoint when it comes to the view. As the sun sets you can see Rio light up the night. The trip costs about R$44 but it is definitely worth it. You start at ground level and enter a sky car that takes to you to the first hill. Here you can step out, take photos, and grab a snack, but don't use up all of your memory card taking pictures here because you're only half way there. The second sky car takes you to the top where the city glitters with light. This must do can be reached from Ipanema, Copacabana, etc. by bus for around R$2.80.

__**Busios**__

The journey to Busios is often referred to as the Blue Coast and include the scenery of many beautiful beaches. Busios is where Brazil's most wealthiest population spends their summer and as a result, the city is quite expensive. Busios is about three hours from Rio De Janeiro and can be reached by bus or car. A round trip bus ride will typically cost around 60 Reais. Day tours are also available and usually cost around 100 to 130 Reais. You can reserve a spot through a travel agency, hotel or hostel. The day trip included a van ride to and from Busios, lunch and a boat tour. It typically last 12 hours and is well worth it.

__**Niteroi**__



Niteroi is a fascinating city very close to Rio De Janeiro. You can reach the city by car or ferry ride. The ferry ride is highly recommended as it typically cost 5 Reais round trip and offers an amazing view of both cities from the water. The ferry can be taken at Praca, which is a short bus ride from Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon and downtown.

Niteroi has very clean beaches and a large Jewish population. It has an amazing modern art museum by the water with an awesome architectural design.

__**The Lapa (Downtown Rio de Janeiro)**__



Located in the center of the city, the Lapa is famous for its many historical monuments and its vibrant nightlife. For over 50 years now, the Lapa has been a cultural center for Brazilians, packing many bars and clubs into an area where many famous musicians and artists have come to meet. The area is known as a meeting point for all lovers of nightlife and is a symbol of harmony among the incredibly diverse urban groups within the city. Some of the most famous bars in the Lapa where various forms of Brazilian music are appreciated include Asa Branca, Fundicao Progesso, and the Sala Cecilia Meirelles. Known as the "Cradle of Bohemian Rio", the Lapa is also home to astonishing architecture. In the background of this picture above is the Carioca Aqueduct, or Arcos da Lapa, built in 1723 to help solve the country's water shortage problem.

Not only are the streets filled with locals who are looking for a good time, but the many bars and clubs that are located on the street are filled to capacity. The Lapa offers one of the best ways to go out, get wild, but at the same time observe Brazilian culture. In fact, the few nights that we spent in the Lapa I believe were the "craziest", yet I feel I obtained a genuine knowledge about the people of Rio that I will never forget.

__**The Favelas

**__

The favelas of Rio de Janeiro are slums that were developed on the hills along the city, due to the fact that there was limited land within the city and an enormous number of impoverished people. These "shantytowns" are known for their irregular construction, where housing licenses are ignored and residents live illegally. Police have little or no control in these areas, which are normally controlled by drug lords. Needless to say, the average tourist should stay away from the favelas. However, if you are fortunate enough, as I was, to be close to someone with ties in the favelas, they can provide some of the best cultural experiences in the city. The difference between a Brazilian favela and an American ghetto is that the favelas are very racially mixed, whereas in America cultural groups tend to stay together.

This provides for a very unique blend of people, as we were able to experience when my house-dad took us to a party in the favela where he grew up. There, we experienced all kinds of Brazilian music (Brazilian funk, samba, and Brazilian rock), food (feijoada, polenta) and people, who were all extremely welcoming and fun. We went to a block party that looked straight out of a Snoop Dogg video, went to a dinner party with some of the most delicious food I've ever tasted, and even went to a six-year old's birthday party (the craziest party of them all). With my house-dad around, I felt safe: however I know that the favelas can essentially be a dangerous place when not among the right company. Under the right circumstances, the favelas can be an incredible cultural place to visit however.