Our host at the Pousada in Paraty had sufficiently terrified us with stories of recent shootings and stabbings to make us feel at total ease for our stay in Rio. Apparently there was a shooting between two rival favela druglords only a few days before. Nice!!!!
Anyway our first taste of Rio was that our bags had been opened en-route. Luckily my dirty laundry was the first thing the would-be thieves would have come across......it must have scared them off!!!
Got to Rio Bus Terminal late evening in the middle of a rain storm. It wasn´t the best place to be in the dark, so to be on the safe side got a cab to the Best Western hotel at Copacabana. The area of Copacabana at night wasn´t great and not wanting to stray far in a strange area renowned for being unsafe at night, decided not venture out.
