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            Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love,
            live in or have just visited - are what make this guide.
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                <title>Visit a favela in Rio</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/24152</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[I really recommend taking a tour around one of the favelas in Rio de Janeiro - it is one of the most interesting (and exciting!) things I have done during my travels. It's a real eye-opener to wander down through the tiny streets of the favelas, seeing how so many people live in such poverty. All the people we passed seemed happy, were incredibly friendly and loved to have their photos taken (except for the drug dealers, who we were advised not to photograph!). Absolutely fascinating trip, with the added thrill of a ride on the back of a motorbike to get there. Great views of the city too.]]></description>
                
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                <title>Favela tour</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1471</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[I thought long and hard about going on the tour of Rocinha, Rio's largest favela or shanty town. The voyeristic and danger sides to it did not appeal but after speaking with others that had been on the tour I was ready to see the unique kind of city dwelling made famous in the movie 'City of God'. The tour started on the back of a motorbike, racing up one of the only streets in a huge favela, where house upon house is built, up the jungle-covered mountain. At the top we slowly walked down through the tiny passageways, stopping to visit an artists' studio, a kids' day-care centre and some friendly locals who were learning about the politics and laws of living in a place where police and rubbish-disposal removers rarely enter. <br><br>The favela was far from scary and we realized that it is truely a city within a city, home to some 300,000 of Rio's citizens most of whom are not teenage drug gangs, although we did see some members armed with gold-plated guns which was a little too close for comfort. Overall the tour company was highly sensitive and respectful to the residents' privacy. It operated what could potentially be a dangerous and non-PC tour in such a way as to show the real side to daily life in the favela, complete with internet cafes and supermarkets. The company, 'Be a Local', also takes tourists to Rio's amazing Baile Funk parties - like their own home grown grime scene but with more smiles and bass.]]></description>
                
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                <title>Favela tour</title>
                
                <link>http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/1565</link>
                
                <description><![CDATA[We recently visited Rocinha as a guest of Paulo Amendoim. Paulo was President of the Resident's Association for 8 years and currently runs various children's projects. As WillQ says, we felt a bit dubious about making the trip at first but now we are so glad we did. It was absolutely fascinating and Paulo showed us a warm, hard-working, close knit community as opposed to the stories of violence shown frequently in the media. Rocinha aside, Paulo also has a very mischevious sense of humour!]]></description>
                
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