Zackbr1952

One more lost cell phone tale if you don't all mind:
My sister was visiting me in Rio and I took her to Pão de Açúcar. She set her phone down when we were buying some drinks. 15 minutes later, no phone! We returned to the kiosk. The manager called a security officer ( muscular dude packing a very substantial pistol...sigh). Together they reviewed about half hour of security camera footage. They identified a lady quietly sliding my sister's phone into her purse. The security Adonis radioed all points with a screen shot. We went on with our tour, my sister very sad. While later we came down from the upper tram and he was waiting for us at the station. They had caught the culprit at the summit and were on the way down with my sister's phone. Happy ending.
When we got back to the apartment,  a friend of mine (a Carioca); commented: this just does not happen! This is Brasil!
Wh

One more lost cell phone tale if you don't all mind:
My sister was visiting me in Rio and I took her to Pão de Açúcar. She set her phone down when we were buying some drinks. 15 minutes later, no phone! We returned to the kiosk. The manager called a security officer ( muscular dude packing a very substantial pistol...sigh). Together they reviewed about half hour of security camera footage. They identified a lady quietly sliding my sister's phone into her purse. The security Adonis radioed all points with a screen shot. We went on with our tour, my sister very sad. While later we came down from the upper tram and he was waiting for us at the station. They had caught the culprit at the summit and were on the way down with my sister's phone. Happy ending.
When we got back to the apartment,  a friend of mine (a Carioca); commented: this just does not happen! This is Brasil!
Wh

One more lost cell phone tale if you don't all mind:
My sister was visiting me in Rio and I took her to Pão de Açúcar. She set her phone down when we were buying some drinks. 15 minutes later, no phone! We returned to the kiosk. The manager called a security officer ( muscular dude packing a very substantial pistol...sigh). Together they reviewed about half hour of security camera footage. They identified a lady quietly sliding my sister's phone into her purse. The security Adonis radioed all points with a screen shot. We went on with our tour, my sister very sad. While later we came down from the upper tram and he was waiting for us at the station. They had caught the culprit at the summit and were on the way down with my sister's phone. Happy ending.
When we got back to the apartment,  a friend of mine (a Carioca); commented: this just does not happen! This is Brasil!
Wh

One more lost cell phone tale if you don't all mind:
My sister was visiting me in Rio and I took her to Pão de Açúcar. She set her phone down when we were buying some drinks. 15 minutes later, no phone! We returned to the kiosk. The manager called a security officer ( muscular dude packing a very substantial pistol...sigh). Together they reviewed about half hour of security camera footage. They identified a lady quietly sliding my sister's phone into her purse. The security Adonis radioed all points with a screen shot. We went on with our tour, my sister very sad. While later we came down from the upper tram and he was waiting for us at the station. They had caught the culprit at the summit and were on the way down with my sister's phone. Happy ending.
When we got back to the apartment,  a friend of mine (a Carioca); commented: this just does not happen! This is Brasil!
Wh

One more lost cell phone tale if you don't all mind:
My sister was visiting me in Rio and I took her to Pão de Açúcar. She set her phone down when we were buying some drinks. 15 minutes later, no phone! We returned to the kiosk. The manager called a security officer ( muscular dude packing a very substantial pistol...sigh). Together they reviewed about half hour of security camera footage. They identified a lady quietly sliding my sister's phone into her purse. The security Adonis radioed all points with a screen shot. We went on with our tour, my sister very sad. While later we came down from the upper tram and he was waiting for us at the station. They had caught the culprit at the summit and were on the way down with my sister's phone. Happy ending.
When we got back to the apartment,  a friend of mine (a Carioca); commented: this just does not happen! This is Brasil!
Wh

Nice you visited Barraca Miriam, the best barraca on the beach. I have been using Miriam for 18 years, run by Gracie (Miriam has been gone for many years). Last few years it has been the meeting place for the bear crowd, some very rotund boys. Gracie runs a very reputable place and , for any new gringo visitors, you will not be ripped off. 

I have been there several times, with Brazilin friends. My impression was the club was very much a local spot with a local crowd . 

Peter, cannot comment on SP, however, my apartment is in Bairro Peixoto. This is a small neighborhood 5 minutes from Point. It is a little gem in the middle of ugly Copa. Very quiet because there are no through streets. Older apartments surrounding a park that is used by the locals, with playground and the feira livre that travels around the city is there Wednesdays.  If you can find a place in Peixoto I don't think you will be disappointed.  (And, close to Siqueira Campos metro station so you can easily get to 117 or the better beaches of Ipanema.

Excellent comparison, floridarob, Asia to Brasil

Nice summary XClay.
If I may add to it for other Canadian members. Since our banks / credit card companies are essentially bandits due to the lack of competition I recommend the Koho prepaid Mastercard, with zero exchange mark up, to avoid the 2.5 to 3.5% mark up on foreign exchange banks credit cards charge.  It's a prepaid so you have to load it but it will give you pennies within the XE mid-range rate saving a lot of money. That is, with the decline conversion trick, that has been explained. I used to use the Stack card but they charge 2.5% now.
It also has the advantage of only having the funds you put on it so if your card is cloned you will lose as little or as much you put on until you discover the cloning. (Card is insured, however).
In 16 years of coming here I have cards cloned 5 times but not in recent years, not sure if cyber security is better here now or what.

Will try to post some photos if I can figure out how to do it.
202 is open tomorrow because of the parade.
By the way, for those not here, the weather has been crazy hot, mid thirties with high humidity. And, it's still spring.
I love the beaches here but just too uncomfortable for more than a few hours. You Thailand guys would feel right at home!

Will try to post some photos if I can figure out how to do it.
202 is open tomorrow because of the parade.
By the way, for those not here, the weather has been crazy hot, mid thirties with high humidity. And, it's still spring.
I love the beaches here but just too uncomfortable for more than a few hours. You Thailand guys would feel right at home!

Will try to post some photos if I can figure out how to do it.
202 is open tomorrow because of the parade.
By the way, for those not here, the weather has been crazy hot, mid thirties with high humidity. And, it's still spring.
I love the beaches here but just too uncomfortable for more than a few hours. You Thailand guys would feel right at home!

Anyone read anything lately? I know the required documentation is submitted electronically through their portal. I assume it is some sort of e-visa linked to your passport and , perhaps, no paper visa in your passport?? With my next trip planned for early November, I get a bit nervous. This is Brazil, after all, so I hope they are prepared in October.

The consulate I am required to use informs me:
 
From October 1st, 2023, the requirement for a visit visa for trips to Brazil will be resumed for nationals of the following countries: Australia, Canada, United States and Japan. The electronic visa modality that was in force before the unilateral exemption put into practice from March 2019 will be adopted. Details regarding the granting of such visas will be announced in due course.

So far, we haven't received instructions on visa applications for Canadians. We recommend checking our website for further information.


Sincerely,

Setor de Vistos | Visa Section
Consulado Geral do Brasil em Vancouver | Consulate General of Brazil in Vancouver
 
"In due course" , ya right.

Well, I don't know of such a thing as a paper application process existing anymore, Scott. As far as I know everything dealing with the Brazilian Consulates/embassies is first thru the Brazilian government portal. You need to apply (on-line) there first to obtain a protocol,  and only then do you send in your passport,  photos and payment to the Brazil consulate in your jurisdiction. And, the consulates affected by Senior Lula's decree have not received the go-ahead as of now to process visitor visas (vitims).
That's my understanding, anyway.

Well, I don't know of such a thing as a paper application process existing anymore, Scott. As far as I know everything dealing with the Brazilian Consulates/embassies is first thru the Brazilian government portal. You need to apply (on-line) there first to obtain a protocol,  and only then do you send in your passport,  photos and payment to the Brazil consulate in your jurisdiction. And, the consulates affected by Senior Lula's decree have not received the go-ahead as of now to process visitor visas (vitims).
That's my understanding, anyway.

The consulate I am required to use informs me:
 
From October 1st, 2023, the requirement for a visit visa for trips to Brazil will be resumed for nationals of the following countries: Australia, Canada, United States and Japan. The electronic visa modality that was in force before the unilateral exemption put into practice from March 2019 will be adopted. Details regarding the granting of such visas will be announced in due course.

So far, we haven't received instructions on visa applications for Canadians. We recommend checking our website for further information.


Sincerely,

Setor de Vistos | Visa Section
Consulado Geral do Brasil em Vancouver | Consulate General of Brazil in Vancouver
 
"In due course" , ya right.

Well, I don't know of such a thing as a paper application process existing anymore, Scott. As far as I know everything dealing with the Brazilian Consulates/embassies is first thru the Brazilian government portal. You need to apply (on-line) there first to obtain a protocol,  and only then do you send in your passport,  photos and payment to the Brazil consulate in your jurisdiction. And, the consulates affected by Senior Lula's decree have not received the go-ahead as of now to process visitor visas (vitims).
That's my understanding, anyway.

The simplest thing, I find, top John is to just buy a prepaid chip at a newspaper kiosk , activate with your cpf, and have a friend there top it up periodically at a pharmacy. I leave my Brazil phone with him, but that is not even necessary.  Now, I don't live in the USA and any international plan available to me sucks.

Yes, Brazilians have not had any hesitancy when it comes to vaccines and getting shots thru the public health system is free and efficient , amazing yes. Once they got the vaccine in sufficient numbers, of course. 
My Brazilian friends love getting blood tests, x-rays, anything that is free, short of hospital stays in public hospitals.

So cute, glab I wasn't in the cab, lol, but so cute