10 Rio Commandements

1) Leave Jewelry And Your Bling Bling At Home!
This is a major one. Rio and Brazil in general are not a place to show off! Leave all your bling bling such as necklaces, bracelets, expensive watches, ipods or iphones back at home. The only exception being when you're off to a swanky event or a posh club. Other than that, keep a low profile. As low as you possibly can! (I will dedicate an entire full post on the safety/precautions issue in an up-coming post as this is a crucial one in Rio/Brazil).

2) Stay In Zona Sul/South Zone.
This is the best part of town to stay where most things of interest to you are located. Specially around Ipanema, Leblon and some parts of Copacabana in that order. You might also consider Barra da Tijuca, further west, but you'd be a bit far away from everything, albeit in a very safe and America feel like area of Rio.

3) Stay Away From The Cops.
Things work differently down there. Cops are no exception to that. They take action first, then think. Even if you know you're right. If they feel like arresting you, don't sweat it. Let them take you to the police station and once there, call your consulate. If they feel like fining you for whatever reason, such as for example for a driving offense (another big reason not to drive in Rio), then make good use of your slickness to talk your way out of them giving you a ticket. But under no circumstances, be the first to offer them a bribe. If you do, that will only escalate the problem and may turn into your worst ever nightmare. Again, do not ever under any circumstances in Brazil be first to offer or propose a bribe to a cop, whether a a municipal or federal one or even worst, to a PF (Federal Police) or a PM (Military Police). However, if they sugggest that perhaps a solution can be reached by giving them a "tip"/gorjetinha", then by all means, but again, use all your game/slickness/negotiation skills to lower it as much as possible.
 
4) Always Have Small Change On You.
Do not go around with a R$50 or worst, with a R$100 bill and thinking that cab driver, the bus driver or the beer guy at the beach has change for a R$50 bill. Small changes will be your best friend and will make your life so much easier, while in Rio/Brazil.
 
5) Don't Stay In Another Area Of Town Because It's Cheaper.
If it is your first time in Rio/Brazil and you have limited to non-existant Portuguese, then stick to the Zona Sul (South Zone) of Ipanema, Leblon or Copacabana, in that order. This is where most places of interest will be located anyways, plus these are the safest areas in town to stay, specially for a first timer. If you're on a budget, what you may save by staying in areas like Centro, Botafogo, Catete or Flamengo, you would waste more on cab fares. Not to mention you'd be staying in areas where very few if any at all speak any English, plus at night, these areas can be a bit edgey. Not that it's dangerous, it's just that for someone that doesn't speak fluent Portuguese and with limited Rio and Brazil experience, it's not recommended. 
 
6) Don't Drive In Rio.
Now this is a BIG one. Don't even think of renting a car and driving in Rio. Specially if you're a docile driver from North America or Western Europe. The only rule in Rio is that there is no rule when it comes to traffic rules and road signs. Everyone drives as if they own the road and believing they are Felipe Massa or the re-incarnation of Ayrton Senna. I am not kidding. Even if you're a lucky expat with all an expense paid account, stick to taxis. To make things even more complicated to drive in Rio, it's truly a maze-like city and one wrong turn could take you to a favela/slum or being fined by the kind cops  (see item #5) or get stuck in traffic jam for hours. Thanks God this is not São Paulo, but still, stay away from driving in Rio. So better to play it safe and cab it or take the metro/subway, which is very efficient and ultra rapid.
 
7) Some Tips On Food.
I will post a more detailed entry about the delicious Brazilian food and another one about the out of this world fruit juices that this land is truly blessed with. However, just some basic tips in here that could mean the difference between the time of your life or an horrible one. First of all, don't try the peppers. Peppers in Brazil are a total different ball game to what you may be used. Trust me on this!Your stomach will be eternally gratful to you for following that one little tip. ;) Next, take it easy on the heavenly caipirinhas. These little drinks are so tasty that they barely taste like alcholic beverages, but after 2 or 3, they get get to work BIG TIME. So keep that in mind. Another point to remember, is stay away from the shrimps or oysters' sold on the beach or on the street for obvious reasons. Other than these 3 things, enjoy to your heart's desire all the succulent food and delicious drinks Brazil has to offer.
 
8) Avoid the Favelas/Slums.
The majority of favelas are on the hills with the exception of Santa Teresa, Cosme Velho and Joatinga. Other than these, hills and mountains are to be avoided at all cost. Venture there only at your own risk. The only time you would ever go there (if you're adventurous/brave enough) is either with a local you REALLY know and trust who lives in the hill or with an organized Favela Tour Group.(Yes, there are organized tours inside Favelas, mainly the Rocinha favela, which is the largest in Rio and those tours are very safe and highly recommended. More on those Favela Tours on a separate post, so stay tuned...). If you go outside of any of these rare exceptions, going to a favela is like playing Russian Roulette but with only a 50% chance of making it back alive and in one piece. Don't say you were not warned!
 
9) Copacabana Beach at Night.
Stay away from the beach alltogether after sunset as thats' where the majority of muggings occur. Keep also in mind that Avenida Atlantica, the main beach road in Copacabana, gets filled with hookers, trannies and the likes after dark (and sometimes during the day too). Oh and Club Help, is not a place to take your date or a place to look for a date. It's strictly a pick up joint for prostitutes as is the case for quite a few clubs and bars along Avenida Atlantica at night, unfortunately. So when it gets dark, do as I and most others in the know inlcuding the locals do, that is to leave Copacabana and venture into more classy, relax, fun and safe parts of town such as Ipanema or Leblon or on Fridays, Lapa is a must. Most of the best places to go out at night are located there anyways. On an upcoming post, I'll cover more in details the various options for the nightlife and the best clubs to go each night of the week.
 
10) Keep it cool.
In Rio, relax, keep it cool and be ready to have fun. You have to be on your guards all time, specially at night, but don't be too parano neither. Find a good balance. The toughest part is the first day or so as you don't know what to expect specially if you've searched a bit about Rio and read about its reputation of a rather violent city. But don't let that scare you. Keep your cool, be on your guards and follow basic common sense safety precautions (which I will cover in more depth in a future post), and take cabs, specially at night and you'll be ok. Or rather, you'll have the time of your life and will not want to leave this magical place and you'll undoubtedly and truly understand the reason why Rio is referred to as a Cidade Maravilhosa or the Marvelous City. :)
 
Welcome to Rio de Janeiro, the most addictive place on Earth!:)