Radio Show: Rio de Janeiro + Its Travel Myths

I'm always amazed to hear how people avoid traveling to Rio de Janeiro because they think it's just ridden with crime. It's certainly curious, for example, that the flight attendants I spoke with on the way down told me to remove every last piece of jewelry I had on -- and I wasn't wearing gold or diamonds, that's for sure -- because well, it's Rio. They also told me to now go bicycling or jogging alone. Oh, and be careful of the traffic, especially at night when you'll encounter drunk drivers. It's a good thing I didn't listen to any of this advice.



You can listen (below) to my recent interview with Pat Boyle on the Travel Show at KPAM 860 radio in Portland, Oregon where I dispel these and other myths associated with this vibrant and welcoming city.

To listen to the show, simply click on the audio player below:

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Things You Didn't Know About Rio

How well do you think you know Rio de Janeiro? Do you believe that the city's golden sands are places where you could go topless or au natural? What about all that drinking -- must be plenty of drunk drivers on the roads, especially on Friday and Saturday nights, huh? And, should you want to wake up from your hotel and walk down the street to some of the city's renowned beaches, such as Ipanema and Copacabana, that's going to really cost you several hundred dollars a night, right? Wrong on all accounts.


I came up with eight myths about Rio de Janeiro based on what I've overheard many a traveler discuss. This piece that I wrote for the Huffington Post sorts out fact from fiction.

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Green, Eco-Conscious Rio

Visitors have so many misconceptions about Rio de Janeiro: that it's so unsafe you shouldn't leave your hotel to roam the streets and certainly you shouldn't go bicycling, jogging or walking on any of the trails; and that it's a car-choked city crammed with slums. The list goes on. But this isn't what I found. In fact, surprisingly, Rio is a verdant city coated with green spaces and it's also a bike-friendly city. Who knew?

This is an piece I just did for National Geographic Traveler's Intelligent Travel blog on the Rio you never knew.

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