Get a feel for the real Rio

Posted by coininfifa on May 29th, 2014

FIFA 14 Coins PC could come to Rio de Janeiro armed with Lonely Planet and do the Top 5 list – climb to the statue of Christ the Redeemer, drink caipirinhas in Copacabana, ride the waves at Ipanema. And the record numbers of Canadians bound for Brazil for the FIFA World Cup, which kicks off June 12, will do just that – and likely be aghast at the price of things, irritated by the snarled mess of the transit and traffic systems, and hard-pressed to find a desk clerk or a cab driver who speaks a word of English. But they will nevertheless have a smashing time and leave raving about the beaches and the mountains and the lovely people.

But here’s the thing: With just a bit more effort, and some insider tips, you can plunge into the real Rio, the city where its denizens work a bit and play a lot. This is not a city that gives up its secrets reluctantly.

Best! Safe place to Buy FIFA 14 PC Coins | FIFA Ultimate Team Coins heart-stopping viewFor the past six years Rio has been undertaking a bold experiment called “pacification,” trying to reclaim the favela territory occupied by drug gangs whose criminal reign once terrorized the city and gave it among world’s highest rates of violent crime. Many favelas are now under (sometimes shaky) state control and a few are now visitor destinations. Head to Vidigal, which rises up from the seafront next to the posh neighbourhood of Leblon. At the entry to the favela, catch a kombi – a shared van taxi – that for $1 will take you up near the top. Ask for the trilha (pronounced treel-ya), the trail: although anyone who spots you will kindly point the way.

The first few minutes are odd – you seem to be walking through someone’s yard, and over a wall, but yes, this is the trail. Follow it up to the top of Dois Irmaos, the green-cloaked mountain that frames one end of Rio’s famous beaches. There is a heart-stopping view of Rio’s unique topography, but also a rare window into the inner life of a favela. Don’t bring your life savings with you, but you can feel safe and comfortable here; on the way back you can stroll down through the neighbourhood, and Vidigal now has an array of small bars and even galleries welcoming tourists. You don’t need a guide, but you can get one from Trilha Dos Irmaos.