European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 30, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Brazilians and tour hit mingle on the lamed Ipa Nema Bench in Rio re Laneiro. Brazil wants tourists treated with respect by Iames t. Yenckel Post pcs Cilc f Jumila respect the tourist. That s the message on signs posted throughout Brazil. The signs in perhaps to most obvious evidence the the huge and wonderfully varied country is very so Riipus about a larger number of american travellers and More . Tourist Dolors in Kio de Janeiro alone More than 2fl.finn tank now have i i colourful signs pasted on a Side window. 1 hey depict 3 stereotypical Louril presumably , dressed in flowered shirt plaid shorts and floppy ,1 camera dangles Iron nil his neck. 1 Hough the image is funny the in enl is to provide a reminder the it thu risks ire important. Pc think in is i creative Way it involve people i Jii a Ria jr., who just stepped Down As in Sidell of die brazilian tourist authority in Rio. We , be kind to foreign lieu risks because Pilicy help new jobs we began with taxi Drivers because they have almost the first Contact and the 1,1st i with in is Efful to draw More visitors the City of Rio has taken Steps to police patrols along its him hts id pm Vilic trash receptacles on he a Temchus ,1111 1 in Spruce up ils Parks and squares. Only about 1110,000 americans a year Visil Brazil .1 Small number for South America s largest and in Nii Iny ways most inviting country. True there Are drawbacks to a Bra Ilian trip. It s not easy to reach a flight from Miami to Rio the first destination for most tourists lakes eight hours. And Brazil s two principal cities Kio and Sao Paulo share an unfortunate reputation for Slrei-1 crime directed at tourists. On the other hand ils Beauty sophistication up to Dale tourist facilities diverse cultures and inexpensive prices Combine to make Brazil a trawl bargain. A full dinner for two in one of Rio s Best restaurants including wine and lip is about $60, but generally you will pay about half that. Travellers interested in natural spectacles can Fly to the Foz do Iguacu one of the world s largest waterfalls on Brazil s Southern Border with Argentina and Paraguay. The adventurer or nature enthusiast can venture into Amazonia. The country s vast tropical rain Forest and Home to the greatest variety of Plant and animal species on Earth. The old Gold and Diamond mining town of ouro Pieto about 250 Miles North of Rio is Rich in the architecture of the portuguese colonial Era. Narrow winding streets Laid out in the 16th Century Lead past ornate churches and onetime palaces. Brazil claims to have More than 4,000 Miles of Beach. One of the country s most charming Beach res urls is Little Budzios a now cosmopolitan uhling Village about a three hour drive North of Rio. And of course there s Rio itself South America s liveliest cily and a place for Good food and Good times. Getting around. On a two or three week vacation you can t expect to see ill of Brazil. But the country s Domestic airlines offer two types of air pass that help you along if you want to try. The Brazil air pass i which Sells for $330, is Good for 21 Days of travel to any City served by Vang Cruzeiro Vamp or trans Brasil jetliner. Tor s250, the Brazil air pass ii permits you to make a Circle tour of the country with four stops within 14 Days. Check with your travel agent about the passe when you buy your ticket to Brazil. Travellers with More Lime less Money and an adventurous spirit might consider the country extensive bus service. As in any country in Good Way to see the local people up close. Many of the cities Are linked by comfortable first class buses Al minimal Cost. For example the 250-mile trip from Rio South to Sao Paulo lakes about so hours Over in excellent Highway and cos Isabul $10, where to stay. Brazil s cities offer a wide Range of accommodations from deluxe to budget. In the highest category ire the five Star hotels on Rio s beaches which charge about $130 to $150 a night for two people including a Large Continental breakfast. If you stay in a three Star hotel a Beach View bul fewer amenities the Price is about $70 a night. Outside Rio and Sao Paulo the prices drop sharply for clean comfortable tourist Quality hotels. Al the very Lovely hotel Das , a resort hotel that faces the Foz do Iguacu the Price of a double is about $60 a night with breakfast. The cheapest Rale for acceptable accommodation in Brazil is about $3 to &7 a night in one of the country s network of 65 youth hostels. Money mailers. Brazil has both an official Exchange Rale with the . Dollar and a parallel Rale. Vou got from 10 percent to As much As so percent More for your Dollar with the parallel rate depending on what s happening in the currency markets at the time you make your Exchange. The parallel rate a euphemism for Black Market is not Legal a government official says. Bul it s not properly illegal. It s Banks Exchange dollars for Cruzado at the official Rale. You can get the parallel Rale from the cashier at your hotel or perhaps even a bit better Rale Al one of the Exchange houses in major tourist areas. In uly the official Exchange Rale was Aboul 100 Cruz ads for $1. Al a major Rio hotel the Rale on three successive Days was 240, 250 and 255 Cruz per $1. A Large retail shop offered 270. Cautious travellers probably will want to Exchange dollars at their hotel where they will do much better than no Banks bul not quite As Well As they might at parallel Market Exchange houses. Exchange Only enough dollars to carry you for a Day or two As the Cruzado has been declining steadily against the Dollar. In rect no weeks the official Exchange Fale a been quoted at 240 Cruzado to $1 and the parallel Rale at Al least 280 to $1, if not More. Avoid using credit cards because the official Exchange rate is used when the charge slip it processed. For example a recent visitor to Brazil put dinner on a credit card. If he had paid in Cash Cruzado Al the parallel Rale the Price for a meal for two people would have been Aboul $33. The credit card company billed him for $41, the official rate. Surret crime brazilian officials Are Well aware that Rio and Sao Paulo have an image problem bul they contend thai both cities Are no More unsafe than new York Washington or los Angeles As in any of them visitors Are urged to use common sense crime against tourists generally is non violent. However tourists do have to be Alert to the possibility of pickpockets and purse and camera snatchers especially in crowds and on Public transportation. Tourists arc natural targets. The brazilian tourist Industry has placed warning leaflets in hotel rooms advising visitors to avoid carrying Large amounts of Cash or displaying expensive jewelry and cameras because they draw the at cation of thieves. You should not take valuables to the Beach or leave items unattended and should not speak to Street vendors or beggars 22 stripes Mizii pfc a 30
