Hiring Full-Time Guides in Brazil

[Buddy2]

My comments are sparked by the good recent reviews for Danilo, who is a guide/travel companion in Rio and San Paulo. I posted in this section because Danilo is not an escort.

I have been to Rio twice, San Paulo once, Brasilia once. I understand Danilo's great value in the saunas and as a nice guy to hang out with. But, besides the saunas, the best part of the trips for me was figuring things out on my own. By doing that, I got to ask plenty of questions -- Brazilians and other tourists were always willing to help. The excellent Rio bus system allows you to see the major tourist sites cheaply and safely.

I spent hours in the various music stores in Ipanema listening to every type of Brazilian music and getting advise from everyone near by. It was a great way to meet Brazilians. It was also easy to start conversation on the beach in Ipanema, especially on weekends. Brasilia was tough at times, because of the language. Again, it was also a wonderful adventure in a very foreign city in the middle of nowhere.

Is this just a matter of personal preference? I get satisfaction from finding things out for myself and building on each day's experience. Am I missing some basic point that leads people, even seasoned travelers, to hire guides?

[KYTOP]

The issue for me in getting a guide was the language and safety issues in Brazil. Getting around there with only knowing English is very difficult. Trying to communicate with taxi drivers and such. Inside an American brand Hotel it is easy, outside it is difficult. Safety is a big issue in Brazil and even some of my friends that have been there often and love Rio will usually have a sorted story of crime to tell. From robbery at ATM machines to being drugged with chewing gun to having a knife pulled on them by a young teenager on Copacabana beach to run ins with the notoriously corrupt police. I've also had friends say they will never return to Brazil due to an unfortunate event that has happened to them there. My safety issue is compounded by not knowing where I am at and not being able to communicate to try to get directions, negotiate travel, or be able to talk to a sauna boy.

At $100 USD per day, feeling comfortable, having a sense of being safer is well worth it for me.

I am scheduled for my 3rd trip to Brazil in late November. I love the country, the culture, and most of the people I have met. But, I still won't chance a trip to Brazil without a guide.

I travel to Thailand a couple of times a year and other than a one day tour guide, I've never hired a guide there and don't feel I need one. Getting around with only English is not very hard at all and many menu's and signs are in Thai and English. Safety has also never been an issue for me in Thailand, even though I realize bad things can happen anywhere.

[marcanthony]

Buddy2:

Like you, I really enjoy going to places and discovering them for myself.

I enjoy using the place's rapid transit, reading their maps, and doing what the locals do.

And almost everywhere, that's what I do.

I don't agree that that's the thing to do in two places I have been to... Brazil is one and Russia (specifically Moscow) is the other.

The reason is that I found the language barrier significant for me, and the ease by which that can steer you into a situation that is NOT safe is also significant.

When in Brazil, I enjoyed the Saunans, the night dining, and the discos. Many of these events are night events and many border on favellas (the crime ridden neighborhoods which are not safe). Wihtout a guide, I am not sure I would have felt or been safe especially since my experience was that a huge majority of the people (except hotel staff) speak less English than is required to help you.

I don't disagree with you about trying to explore places on one's own... I also really like that. But if a first timer asked me whether he should have a guide in Brazil, my recommendation would be yes.

I think everyone has to make that decision based on his own personal comfort barometer when it comes to adventurousness. In Brazil, it is certainly not impossible to go it on your own... it's just harder. And it's a vacation. What makes you comfortable is what you should do.

[Guest fourjogran]

I agree with KT that safety and the language barrier are important considerations. Thus I have also hired Danilo during my visit last spring and had a great time. He is a mature young man who is fun to be with. He knows the good restaurants and beach areas to visit. He was great as a guide at the saunas. Really enjoyed being with him and avoiding pitfalls fof being in a place that was strange to me. Hope to see him again in April. Yet let me refer to the old adage "different strokes for different folks". :)

[Buddy2]

Marc,

I am also going to disagree with you somewhat about Russia, although my trip was to St. Petersburg not Moscow. I visited St. Petersburg for nine days during the last White Nights celebration. Perhaps having 20 plus hours of daylight per day made the city seem saver that it really is. But, I walked everywhere and visited as many clubs as possible and never had a problem. Few Russians speak English. I eventually gave up on restaurants and just ate in the hotel for the last few days. Moscow may have been more difficult.

On Brazil, I was in my late 20s during my first visit to Rio.That was so long ago that I got to see the great Brazilian singer Baden Powell in a Copa nightclub. At that age, you take chances you would not take in your 40s and 50s. Rio was safer back then, although still dangerous. Truly if I did not know the basic geography of the city very well, I might have hired a guide myself when I returned to Rio recently. Well, maybe not.

[marcanthony]

>

>Marc,

>

>I am also going to disagree with you somewhat about Russia,

>although my trip was to St. Petersburg not Moscow. I visited

>St. Petersburg for nine days during the last White Nights

>celebration. Perhaps having 20 plus hours of daylight per day

>made the city seem saver that it really is.

I agree that St. Petersburg is a far more "tourist friendly" city than Moscow. Communication would be difficult there too, but personal safety would be far less of an issue than in Moscow.

When in St. Petersburg, I had hired a guide... but he was not a pro. I had met him on Flirt4Free and he was a engineering student who was both lots of fun and very very very sexy. So regardless if it turned out i needed one or not... I was ECSTATIC that I had him! :9

[Guest Conway]

I think that it's an issue that each person has to develop his own comfort level with. I'm like you, Buddy. I like to travel very independently and immerse myself in the culture of the countries to which I travel.

I find it is easiest to do this without the aid of a guide. For me, the laguage barrier is not a huge issue, particularly in Brazil where I found that my basic Portugese nd the basic Englsih spoken by many Brazilians made it easy for us to communicate.

I practice safety there. And I've been nown to hire a particularly talented or affectionate Sauna Boy to be my guide to see sites during the day from time to time.

But, for the most part, I have no problem roughing it. Hey, maybe i pay too much in the sauna from time to time or maybe an unscrupulous laundry lady will make me pay for my laundry twice. I view those as learning experiences.