Ii didn't bother going to Copacabana today, on advice from a travel agent. The agent said the Samba School parade is too touristy and fake, she said better to walk the streets around where I am, Copacabana, and Ipanema during the three days of carnival. The street scene is far more vibrant and natural in her opinion.

I've seen a few sporadic outbursts of partying in the last twenty-four hours. The first I noticed was a group of young adults who were drowned in various colour paints, head to toe in the stuff, and having tug-of-war contests in the street. Every victory resulted in mass celebration and an impromptu samba. Great.

Most businesses are closing this afternoon and will reopen next Thursday. I can see the street bars, of which there are many, filling up around me. The supermarkets are busting at the seams and there's that air of anticipation everywhere.

I hear the main action starts Sunday and finishes on Tuesday ( Ash Tuesday of course ). I've extended my stay in Rio until next Friday - I'm delighted with my hotel and the area I'm staying. It's not a tourist location per se, it's a bit down-at-heel but I like that. It feels real.

Cost - large bottled beers ( 600 ml ) tend to be around 90 baht. Heineken a little more, 120 baht. Pizzas around 400 baht for large, hamburgers around £2.50. I haven't had either so don't know the quality. Fruit and veg tends to be around 50 baht a kilo for each variety.

My original hotel is excellent value, great room, brand new, large and with an excellent hot shower. Around 1500 baht a night. Hotel rates have spiked due to carnival so I'm paying more tonight for a place which is easily the worst "hotel," I've stayed in since Penang in 2010.

I haven't been clubbing. I understand entry to clubs and pricing is expensive. I think that's to keep out the riff-raff, another observation, this is the most casually racially mixed country I have ever seen. There are tons of interracial people walking around. I've only noticed two Asians, one looked Japanese, the other Thai. While the people mix well, I can see a racial structure to the country. The street dwellers are predominantly black. There's a smattering of Hispanics on the streets, every one of them I've seen has clear mental health issues.

The blacks are always on the prowl collecting cans etc - recycling is one of the few ways they earn. I see street cafe's encouraging the recyclers. Too me if looks like a fair wee partnership, one gets the cash for recycling, the other doesn't get their customers harassed. There's a few low-key vendors around, the same as you see in bars in Thailand. Pleasant to deal with, they don't harass customers.

If they could sort the crime rate out, this would be a prime holiday destination,

Show us some oiled up girls from Ipanema please, there's plenty of sand and water on the local golf UK courses

It was noticed and yes she's pretty hot

How does the personal safety aspect feel compared to Thailand or Mexico?

Rio - meh. The locals told me they don't like the carnival. I was amazed to hear that. I can see why now. The big parade is overpriced and too stage-managed. The street parties are mobbed with virtually zero toilet facilities. The stench of urine is appalling. I think the Carnival is a victim of it's own success. Copacabana beach is top class, but they have you terrified about safety on the beach. Sugar Loaf mountain is the Godfather 3 of tourist attractions. All hype, then you're kept waiting for ages in the stifling heat, packed into a cable car ( two different cars to be exact ) to then get a mundane view that you would get from local hotel windows. The best bit in Godfather 3 was when the daughter got shot ( for crimes against acting - they should have shot her at the start of the film ). There are times in the queue for Sugar Loaf you wish someone would put you out of your misery.

To be fair, I haven't felt unsafe while here. Maybe cos I'm a big guy - and I've made a point of avoiding dodgy situs. I've enjoyed Rio more on non-carnival days. Today was enjoyable walking around a great park and shopping area. The main centre is interesting, and there's some cracking museums and buildings. Santa Teresa suburb is very Bohemian and lovely. The street bar culture is decent too, while the nightclubs and Samba dance halls are way too expensive. I met Brazilians who live in London that could not believe the nightclubs here were so expensive.

The hotel I'm in just now is good, and good value. Some of yiu may have read my review of the shambolic hotel I was in at the weekend - I won't hold that against Rio, that's an example of dire places being booked because of Carnival demand. The food I've been served in Brazil has not been great, with a couple of exceptions. There's a lot if people sleeping on the streets here, and I wonder how they survive as food prices, even in supermarkets, tend to be pricey. Brazil could be doing with Lidl or Aldi. Be thankful for what you have. The Brazilians I mentioned earlier also said they don't know how the poor survive due to the prices.

If you get the choice, Thailand is far better. Songkran ( that's Thai New Year ) is better than the carnival. And both places are rioughly the same direct flight time. I wouldn't say don't come here - but there are far better places to visit, cheaper, safer, and closer to home. Rio? 5/10 -should be a lot better.

I'm heading to Uruguay tomorrow night. 

I agree with the beautiful women comment - some of the women you see here are jaw-dropping.  I stood at the airport the other day and was joined in the queue with a woman who would shame Angelina Jolie. Tall, elegant, stunning - seeing is believing. I'd agree that the best here would rival the best in the world. 

However - 

This is a sorry place.  Yes, spend the money and get away from the riff-raff and poor, and you'll have an outstanding experience. The thing is, you can do that anywhere. They're ain't that many ugly women on the yachts in Marbella, or on the ski slopes of Verbier. Money attracts beautiful women.

Walking the streets here is a sad experience - here's the review I put on my FB account 

Rio - meh. The locals told me they don't like the carnival. I was amazed to hear that. I can see why now. The big parade is overpriced and too stage-managed. The street parties are mobbed with virtually zero toilet facilities. The stench of urine is appalling. I think the Carnival is a victim of it's own success. Copacabana beach is top class, but they have you terrified about safety on the beach. Sugar Loaf mountain is the Godfather 3 of tourist attractions. All hype, then you're kept waiting for ages in the stifling heat, packed into a cable car ( two different cars to be exact ) to then get a mundane view that you would get from local hotel windows. The best bit in Godfather 3 was when the daughter got shot ( for crimes against acting - they should have shot her at the start of the film ). There are times in the queue for Sugar Loaf you wish someone would put you out of your misery.



To be fair, I haven't felt unsafe while here. Maybe cos I'm a big guy - and I've made a point of avoiding dodgy situs. I've enjoyed Rio more on non-carnival days. Today was enjoyable walking around a great park and shopping area. The main centre is interesting, and there's some cracking museums and buildings. Santa Teresa suburb is very Bohemian and lovely. The street bar culture is decent too, while the nightclubs and Samba dance halls are way too expensive. I met Brazilians who live in London that could not believe the nightclubs here were so expensive.



The hotel I'm in just now is good, and good value. Some of you may have read my review of the shambolic hotel I was in at the weekend -  I won't hold that against Rio, that's an example of dire places being booked because of Carnival demand. The food I've been served in Brazil has not been great, with a couple of exceptions. There's a lot if people sleeping on the streets here, and I wonder how they survive as food prices, even in supermarkets, tend to be pricey. Brazil could be doing with Lidl or Aldi. Be thankful for what you have. The Brazilians I mentioned earlier also said they don't know how the poor survive due to the prices.



If you get the choice, Thailand is far better. Songkran ( that's Thai New Year ) is better than the carnival. And both places are roughly the same direct flight time. I wouldn't say don't come here - but there are far better places to visit, cheaper, safer, and closer to home. Rio? 5/10 -should be a lot better.