Is Rio Really Less Safe than Detroit, Manila, Bangkok, Santo Domingo, Madrid, Phnom Penh? Posted: Sun February 26, 2006 06:11 AM UTC
I have read all through the forums here in preparation for a visit to Brazil (Sao Paulo, Rio, Salvador, Manaus, Brazilia) and I am beginning to wonder just how safe Rio really is. I have travelled in many large cities both for pleasure and for business. I spend a good deal of time every year on the road, maybe 30% or more. I have seen the gypsies at work in Europe, visited burned out shells of neighborhoods in Detroit, the thugs on the beaches of the Domincan Republic, the desparation of poverty in The Philippines, the chaos of Patpong at night in Bangkok to mention a few experiences that may put people on edge.
I am always aware of my surrounding. I have the advantage, at 51, of having a very good sense of danger and avoid conflict from a distance when I see it. I never dress flashy, try to fit into the local scene, even as an American, and generally avoid well know plces of trouble at nighttime.
So, what gives about Rio? It seems like a beautiful city, full of energy and zest. Are the comments here merely to reinforce what most seasoned travelers know by heart, or is Rio really a dangerous place? I have heards tales of the glue & paint-huffing kids, crazed to blazenly steal from anyone, the hardened beach thugs, the pickpockets, etc. Is the place out of control? Do the police not have a presence or command of the situation? Should I spend more time in Salvador or Sao Paulo or smaller places still to get a better sense of Brazil that is not fear-ridden? Or is crime the unfortunate experience that most visitors return home with?
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