Is a bodyguard in Rio necessary?

[robbguy]

Hi, guys,

I am planning a trip to Rio in September and all I keep hearing from friends who have been there is I need to hire a bodyguard. Is Rio really that unsafe? One friend got robbed in a cab and another got mugged on Copacabana beach. I realize that the average income is very low and there is considerable poverty in the city but is it unsafe to walk down the stret or go to the beach alone? I would hate to visit a city where I would be afraid to leave the hotel in fear of being mugged or worse. And there is no way I could blend in and have people think I am a Brazilian. As far as the language goes, I speak French and a little Spanish but no Portuguese. I have been dying to visit Rio for a very long time and every time I read Trilingual's posts (thanks Tri for the great info.)I want to go even more. Is it possible to hire the guys at the saunas as bodyguards? Am wondering. Take care, guys. Robbguy

[Traveller]

They are absolutely essential and I hire them by the hour at Roger's. Seriously, if you weren't picked last for dodgeball in grade school, you shouldn't have any problem.

 

Later.

 

PS. But please promise that you'll remember to pack a pistol whenever you leave your hotel. A .38 Special should do just fine and is standard issue at the concierge desk of most of the finer hotels.

[Big Daddy]

I have been fantasizing about going to Rio for a long time. Last September I finally went to Montreal, which was also very high on my list of places to see. I did not have any problem getting friends up for going to Montreal, but they all seem literally terrified about the thought of walking the streets of Rio. As for me, I feel that all you need is common sense in almost any situation. There are web sites listed in several threads that give very good information on Rio, and how to handle yourself. Rather than a bodyguard, think about getting a guide who will show you around, and hopefully steer you away from any dangerous spots.

 

I think that I have someone lined up who is not afraid of Rio; she is a veteran of the LA street scene. We are thinking about going in December, but Sept, Oct or Nov would probably also be OK. In a former life I was a social worker at a very large homeless shelter, and often had to deal with scary people. I suspect that all in all, with common sense, Rio can be as tame as Phoenix is on a hot summer afternoon.

 

All I know is that I cannot wait to get there. If you really want a bodyguard, take me with you (LOL).

 

Big Daddy

[CT Dick]

I'm going to Rio for the first time this July. I'm traveling alone for five days and then joining a tour with a friend. I, too, am hoping it is safe.

 

I've gotten lots of information from this website:

 

http://www.ipanema.com/

 

Dick

[trilingual]

Oh, please. WHERE does this stuff get started? The only bodyguard you'd need is one who's also shtupping you. :9 I've never heard of anyone needing a bodyguard in Brazil except maybe for some rock/movie star. As other posters on the thread have pointed out, just use the same street sense you'd use in any other large city, and avoid going to places that are obviously dangerous (if you can't figure out what those are, your hotel can help you with that). This isn't to say that people never get mugged, but often they've brought it on themselves by taking all their belongings to the beach, like expensive watches, videocams, wallets, etc. where they become irresistibly tempting, or flashing big wads of cash in front of people who are lucky to be earning $100/mo.

 

I've lost track of the number of times I've been in Brazil since 1983, and the only time I've had a problem (and not much of one) was in São Paulo this last trip, when some idiot tried picking my pocket on a very crowded downtown sidewalk on Av. Ipiranga near the Praça da República. He might have seen me and the person I was with leaving a nearby Citibank ATM. Fortunately he wasn't very good: suddenly I felt a hand groping my butt (but obviously inside an empty pocket) and yours truly starts screaming in Portuguese "Whose hand is that? Get that hand out of my pocket!!!" Of course, everybody started looking, a crowd formed, the culprit started stammering and swearing it wasn't him, with me screaming "If it wasn't you, who was it?" and the culprit claiming it was somebody else running down the street (there wasn't any such person). The whole little scene and aria was actually quite satisfying since the guy, who was nicely dressed in a business suit, didn't get a thing! Probably I wouldn't feel the same if he'd actually gotten away with my cash/credit cards. But something like this could just as easily have happened on the Paris metro, and I wouldn't have had as much fun with it because I can't carry on in French like I can in Portuguese! :-)

 

If you absolutely feel the need for a bodyguard, go to the MarcoStudios site by going first to http://www.netgay.com.br. A number of those guys seem to offer their services as bodyguards. I imagine you get more than just security for what they're likely to charge! :9

[robbguy]

How did your friends know people were calling them "rich Americans?"

 

A couple of my friends speak continental Portuguese.

[robbguy]

Thanks, Trilingual, for the info. You seem to be the best source of info about Rio. I would read the book if you wrote one. I really can't wait to go to Rio. Have been all over the world but I have never heard as many words of caution about a city like I have about Rio, and that's why I started this topic. Some of my friends who visited Rio recently, said, as they walked down the street, they heard some of the locals say, "rich Americans", evey though they were dressed in shorts, t-shirts, and sandals. They were not flashing money or jewelry. And, compared to people who earn $100/month, we are rich. And I believe that has to be kept in mind. Other friends, who were staying at the Copacabana Palace, decided to save a few bucks and took a gypsy cab instead of a cab provided by the Palace (why stay at a hotel that charges $350-$400 per night if you're gonna count pennies?) and got robbed while they were caught in traffic, Everybody got robbed. Well, everybody but the driver. Hmmmm. And another friend, at midnight, decided he would stick his feet in the water at Copacabana. He walked to the water's edge, wet his feet, and as he walked back to the sidewalk, was surrounded by a mob of 8, 9, 10-year old kids, who grabbed at him from every directions. When he finally broke free and ran to the sidewalk, he realized he had nothing left in his pockets. They had taken everything he had on him. When I was told these stories, my reply was "if you put yourself in harm's way, shit happens.". A little common sense goes a long way. I have another friend who's brother-in-law is from Brazil and his advise to me was to hire a bodyguard as soon as I arrived. I am not an alarmist, I just wondered how you felt on the subject. I have never had a problem travelling and I have been to many large cities. Rio, to me, seems like a city where, like any other place, you have to be aware of people and surroundings but not to the point of fearing to venture out and explore. Isn't that the point of visiting foreign places? BTW, after lots of research, I have found four hotels which are close to Copababana beach and are in the vicinity of Roger Thermas. They are: Oceana Copacabana on Rua Hilario de Gouveia, and the Olinda Othon, California Othon, and the Trocadero Othon, all on Avenue Atlantica. Do you have any knowledge of these hotels? Seems like they have great rates and are centrally located. I would love to hear what you think of them. Thanks. Have a good one. Robbguy

P.S. The hottest guy I have checked out on the Brazilian websites has to be Wilson, on the Thermas Lagoa site. Here's the address: http://www.tlagoa.com.br/ Unbelievable. :9

[trilingual]

> Some of my friends who visited Rio

>recently, said, as they walked down the street, they heard

>some of the locals say, "rich Americans", evey though they

>were dressed in shorts, t-shirts, and sandals.

 

How did your friends know people were calling them "rich Americans?"

 

> Other friends, who were staying at the

>Copacabana Palace, decided to save a few bucks and took a

>gypsy cab instead of a cab provided by the Palace (why stay

>at a hotel that charges $350-$400 per night if you're gonna

>count pennies?) and got robbed while they were caught in

>traffic, Everybody got robbed. Well, everybody but the

>driver. Hmmmm.

 

You're right. If somebody spotted them coming out of the Copacabana Palace, they might have been marked. It's a good idea to use the cabs at the hotels. Often they don't cost any more, if they're the regular yellow cabs, but the hotels know the drivers and they're reliable. You can also use the more expensive radio-taxis. In this case the driver may not have been in cahoots. The robbers may just have figured your friends deserved to get ripped off, instead of some working stiff.

 

>And another friend, at midnight, decided he

>would stick his feet in the water at Copacabana. He walked

>to the water's edge, wet his feet, and as he walked back to

>the sidewalk, was surrounded by a mob of 8, 9, 10-year old

>kids, who grabbed at him from every directions. When he

>finally broke free and ran to the sidewalk, he realized he

>had nothing left in his pockets. They had taken everything

>he had on him. When I was told these stories, my reply was

>"if you put yourself in harm's way, shit happens.". A little

>common sense goes a long way.

 

Amen! Walking on the beach after dark, even with the new stadium-style lighting, is dumb. So is taking a midnight stroll through a favela.

 

>I have another friend who's

>brother-in-law is from Brazil and his advise to me was to

>hire a bodyguard as soon as I arrived.

 

He's exaggerating, to say the least. If it were necessary, they'd have rent-a-bodyguard stands at all the airports! And they don't. :-) Now you know how I feel about that!

 

>BTW, after

>lots of research, I have found four hotels which are close

>to Copababana beach and are in the vicinity of Roger

>Thermas. They are: Oceana Copacabana on Rua Hilario de

>Gouveia, and the Olinda Othon, California Othon, and the

>Trocadero Othon, all on Avenue Atlantica. Do you have any

>knowledge of these hotels? Seems like they have great rates

>and are centrally located. I would love to hear what you

>think of them.

 

I stayed at the Olinda the first time I went to Brazil. Othon is a chain that's been in business a long time, and they should all be fine. The Oceana I think is the closest to Roger's/Estação/metro/gay beach.

 

Have fun!

[CT Dick]

Tri, is the Copa Astoria still your recommendation?

 

Dick

[vers7]

The reputation for danger in Brazil started, I think, as a result of some reports about the increase of crime which occurred after the end of the military dictatorships. I'm not sure how accurate it was, but the reputation started. Supposedly, Rio and Sao Paulo reacted with better street, police coverage. As to the reality, I never felt intimidated anywhere I went alone during the day in Rio when I visited it last November. At night, I stayed in Copacabana and Ipanema. There were plenty of police and condo night watchman everywhere. But let's be real, street crime exists everywhere. However, I think that it's fair to say that street crime is a significantly greater problem in any large US city than in Brazil. If you think you need a body guard in San Francisco, LA, New York,Seattle, Houston, Chicago or Miami, then you need one in Rio. If you don't here, then you don't there. The crime rate in any US urban area is enormously higher than in Brazil -- including tourist related crime.

[trilingual]

>Tri, is the Copa Astoria still your recommendation?

>

>Dick

 

The Astoria Copacabana is fine for travelers looking for decent budget accommodations. However, there are plenty of other perfectly good hotels. More than a bias towards the Astoria Copacabana is my bias for its location. Personally, I like being just a few blocks walk from the beach/baths/metro. However, there are a number of hotels in the same area, in various price ranges, running from the Copacabana Palace to the Apa. So it's really up to you, depending on how much luxury and services you want and are willing to pay for. I personally prefer to stay at less expensive hotels and spend my money elsewhere, like the baths. The Astoria Copacabana fills the bill for me; the location is good, it's clean, and the rates are reasonable. However, I also liked staying at the apartment also discussed in this thread. As you can see, there are lots of choices!

:-)

[CT Dick]

Thanks. I've taken your advice and booked at the Copa Astoria (I, too, agree that I'd rather have a cheap, good hotel and spend my savings on other things}> .)

 

What a treat!! A hotel near the beach, metro, the baths, etc. for US$58 per night.

 

Dick

[trilingual]

And you also get a big breakfast buffet included in your hotel rate! (Customary in Brazil.) Such a deal! :9

[Traveller]

>And you also get a big breakfast buffet included in your

>hotel rate! (Customary in Brazil.) Such a deal! :9

 

You got up before noon any day while you were in Rio? To quote the BF, I don't believe.

 

Later.

 

PS. Nevermind Rio, could you please explain exactly what "breakfast" is. Thanks so much for your help.

[Traveller]

I'm guessing that breakfast might also be related to that concept of food between lunch on Friday and lunch on Monday. This may be a total stretch.

 

Later.

[Guest Tomcal_]

See current post under Rio Saunas- Update, last post addresses saftey concerns. Have Fun!!