Carnival 2019

[asdsrfr]

I am here in Rio now and Carnival is over tonight. As a USA friend who lives here said--Carnival is the best and worst of Rio--and I tend to agree having been here for four Carnivals.

On the good side the city is generally in a festive mood with street parties everywhere and many people wearing costumes that are amazing or some just simple and fun. There are lots of hot guys in gender bending costumes that adds to the eye candy. The saunas have been full of guys and the party is full on there! The Sambadrome where the floats that make Carnival so famous is really an incredible spectacle that I never get tired of. There is a gay party on Friday night of Carnival that gives you front row seats and open bar with admission called Candybox. You can buy tickets online a few months before. There were heavy rains earlier in Carnival this year but it didn't stop the party. One final good note---city services and trash collection seemed to be pretty organized and cleaned up effeciently after the big events--unlike a previous year I attended when they chose Carnival to go on strike.

On the bad side crime and yes violence is rampant. First day of Carnival I saw tear gas fired by police at Ipanema to break up crowds causing people to panic. Another night I was walking on Farme de Amoedo and someone attempted to rob me--but since I had nothing with me they got nothing(this was an aggressive grab in my pocket while I was distracted by three twinks whom I suspect were working with the guy. My cell and most of my money were locked away in my apartment). Two other well traveled friends had their cell phones taken within hours of arriving( one wall pulling it out to call an Uber). Tonight several local guys told me that 5 people were shot in a fight between "gangsters" and police at the beach in Ipanema just down from the gay beach toward the Arpoador--and again more tear gas fired. Since I did not see this incident I cannot confirm it. What i did see tonight was a big fight on Farme de Amoedo that spilled into Gallitos Grill despite metal barriers with several staff joining in and customers fleeing. Police eventually arrived and occupied the restaurant with about 20 officers standing guard. Well for me that was the end of the party.

I still have a lot of fun at carnival but it is a crazy time in the city and I really feel it is not the best time for someone's first trip to Rio. Anyway I thought I would share my observations.

Edited March 6, 2019 by asdsrfr

[Badboy81]

Thanks for the report....Way too many people and too much shit going on...

I prefer enjoying Carnival before or after the festivities when there is less of a crowd and I can actually enjoy myself...

[asdsrfr]

20 hours ago, Badboy81 said:

Thanks for the report....Way too many people and too much shit going on...

I prefer enjoying Carnival before or after the festivities when there is less of a crowd and I can actually enjoy myself...

Already a day after carnival things are much calmer and returning to normal. You still need to be careful but it feels much more relaxed.

[sfcastro]

Thanks for the report.  Carnival is always a festive event and interesting to see at least once.  However, I tend to find the crime higher in Rio during Carnival and New Year's (Reveillon) and while I like events during  both times, I would agree that newcomers should consider avoiding Rio during these times.  A brazilian I was with one night during Carnival had a gold chain ripped right off his neck by a younger guy who approached us and was talking with us, who then ran.  Rio has many good qualities and I love coming here, but always remain conscience of safety, even if you've been to Rio many times. 

Tomcal's Top Ten Safety Tips for Brazil in the pinned posts continue to be relevant.  The only two things I would add would be to leave your cell phone in the hotel or put it in the front of your pants like the brazilians do and to watch for any unusual activity on your ATM cards after using them in Brazil.

Edited March 7, 2019 by sfcastro

[mvan1]

3 hours ago, sfcastro said:

Thanks for the report.  Carnival is always a festive event and interesting to see at least once.  However, I tend to find the crime higher in Rio during Carnival and New Year's (Reveillon) and while I like events during  both times, I would agree that newcomers should consider avoiding Rio during these times.  A brazilian I was with one night during Carnival had a gold chain ripped right off his neck by a younger guy who approached us and was talking with us, who then ran.  Rio has many good qualities and I love coming here, but always remain conscience of safety, even if you've been to Rio many times. 

Tomcal's Top Ten Safety Tips for Brazil in the pinned posts continue to be relevant.  The only two things I would add would be to leave your cell phone in the hotel or put it in the front of your pants like the brazilians do and to watch for any unusual activity on your ATM cards after using them in Brazil.

5

With respect to ATM machines, try to use ATM machines that are only inside a bank where a security officer is on duty. 

Incredibly, it is easy to buy an ATM skimmer and install it on top of a genuine card reader in the area where an ATM card is inserted into the machine in order to withdraw cash or any other bank transaction (see photo in the link below).  

Skimmers (machines that capture credit card numbers and passwords) are frequent in Brazil at banks and at gas stations.  

Incredibly, it is easy to buy a skimmer.  In fact, you can buy them on the internet.  A fancy skimmer costs nearly one thousand dollars and a less fancy skimmer that only captures credit card numbers and passwords can be purchased for about one hundred dollars. 

A thief that buys a skimmer can easily make many times the purchase price of a skimmer on a weekend if not caught by bank security or a customer seeing unusual activity and calling into the bank.   

For those not familiar with a skimmer, here is a link that will show you a photo (so you might recognize the skimmer and avoid it) or just out of curiosity.   

Scroll down the ad, you will see various type skimmers - remember what they look like and if you see one on an ATM machine, don't use the machine.

One has to wonder why these things are readily available via purchase on the internet.

In the same ad one can purchase an anti skimmer. 

https://www.ebay.com/i/233143612065?chn=ps

And this cheep one:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hyosung-ATM-Card-Reader-P-N-7030000019/123443343570?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3Db220ad1730d846fe9478373545aaf2cb%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D223237198416%26itm%3D123443343570&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

Then here is a video that will help you spot a skimmer:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Hyosung-ATM-Card-Reader-P-N-7030000019/123443343570?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3Db220ad1730d846fe9478373545aaf2cb%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D223237198416%26itm%3D123443343570&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

And this one - 

 

 

Edited March 7, 2019 by mvan1

[asdsrfr]

Here is the story about the shooting in Ipanema during Carnival--just down from the gay beach. https://riotimesonline.com/brazil-news/rio-politics/rio-de-janeiro-registers-seventy-shootings-during-carnival/