Rio

Rio de Janeiro : A Cidade Maravilhosa (The Marvelous City).
A view of the city from the top of the Corcovado. Rio is Brazil's most well-known city. Second only to São Paulo in size, the city is scattered around a mountainous landscape, and its scenic beaches attract tourists from all over the world.

Corcovado Dad, Ruben, Hannah, and I walked up the Corcovado mountain up to the Big Jesus statue on top. It's an icon of Brazil, sorta like the Statue of Liberty in the US. We were tired when we got to the top, but the view was spectacular.

View from Corcovado

Copacabana
Copacabana Beach, one of the most well-known beaches in Brazil, where the wealthy spend their vacations along its world-class hotels and famous sidewalks. You don't have to be rich to enjoy it, though.

People on the beach


Driving by Copacabana

The other Rio : Favelas
Rio is also famous for its favelas (slums). A quarter of the people in Rio live in these slums. The favelas are controlled by rival drug gangs that are armed to the teeth. They constantly battle each other for control. The favela is a very violent place--the police don't even go in there. And if they do, they go in shooting. The people who live in there get caught in the violence.

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