Tall, and Tan, and Young, and Lovely, The Girl From Ipanema Goes Walking

Hello, fellow bloggers!  

B and I 

I am officially back in Virginia and kind of sad. However, I have stories to share and reviews to give.

Where did I stay?

I stayed in the Brothers Hostel located in Botafogo, Brazil.

Review of the hostel:

Brothers Hostel

The hostel was not very big, but it is charming in its own way. The design is similar to a townhouse and consists of three levels with a fabulous spiral staircase. A few rooms do have air conditioning and others depend on the window and cool breeze of the Rio nights. Did I mention that there are no private rooms available? The rooms are strictly dorm style, which means they consist of bunk beds. Unfortunately, the dorm style rooms do not have their own bathroom. The bathroom is a bit small and is on the first floor. The bathroom is cramped, but the water in the showers is hot! 

What I loved most about the hostel was how wonderful the employees were. Each employee knew our names and was very friendly. The owner was very charismatic and friendly. If you don't speak Portuguese, don't worry because the employees speak English too. 

The pros of the hostel are: 

• walking distance to the metro
• drugstores and supermarkets are located around the corner (about a 5 minute walk)
• lots of little restaurants within walking distance
• two bars located directly across the street from the hostel (they get busy at night, but you can stand and drink)
• common area in the hostel with a computer and free Internet
• bar in the hostel
• free breakfast until 10 a.m.

The cons of the hostel are:

Rainforest of Brazil

• cramped spaces (bathroom and common area)
• bathrooms are on the bottom floor
• no kitchen for guests to make their own meals
• no private rooms

What did I do in Rio?

• Visited the beaches of Copacabana, Ipanema, and Leblon
• Visited the Rainforests
• Checked out the famous statue of Cristo Redentor
• Shopped in all the little boutiques around the beaches
• Visited street vendors (who sell amazing artwork)
• Indulged in desserts!
• Celebrated New Years on the beach with an amazing firework display

Cristo Redentor

Was safety ever an issue?

If you have been following me, then you know that I suggest blending-in when traveling. Only bring the money you need for the day and never wear flashy jewelry. I always suggest that you stay aware of your surroundings. Pretend like you belong there and know what you are doing (even if you don't). Use common sense when walking around during the day or at night. Follow my simple guidelines and you will survive Brazil. 

A bum that B and I bought lunch for.

As for the bums and children that wonder the streets...Well, they just want food. On occasion, it is okay to be generous and give the bums some "street meat," but if you do it too much then you will run out of money...fast. Unlike major U.S. cities like D.C. and Georgetown, homeless people in Brazil want food not money. 

Traveling to countries like this will make you appreciate what you have in life.

For more information on Rio visit Lonely Planet.

Check out how the beach of Ipanema became famous: