Gente. This past Friday I embarked on a journey to meet my Avô (grandfather) and cousin Vera in São Paulo for my birthday/last weekend in Brazil. What I DIDN’T know was that, after hours of waiting at the airport for (to my knowledge) “Vô’s friend” … MY PAULA EMERGED FROM THE INTERNATIONAL GATES! Yes, gente, PAULA IS IN BRAZIL TAMBEM! I cried, but that shouldn’t be shocking to anyone. Best 21st birthday present ever. So now, I get to experience São Paulo and my family’s roots with my mom AND show her where I have been living once we go back to Rio. Happy, happy Lizzie!

Once Paula materialized in Brazil, we went to meet my third cousin Vera at her apartment. She is the only relative I know who still lives in Brazil because she has been visiting us in Los Angeles since I can remember. She was just…

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Santa Teresa Tour || Rio Encantos

March 8, 2015Uncategorizedjstapleberry

Eliza Stapleberry

Here is my last video for my internship *tear tear*. I cannot believe that this experience is coming to an end… but I will save the emotional bit for another post.

I did both of these tours during Rio’s 450th anniversary weekend so both were in very lively and happy spirited environments. and hope that that translated well into this video!

Wanna go on one of these tours yourself, or browse other options? Click on the RioEncantos logo below!

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Exploring Santa Teresa Part II- Morro Das Prazeres

March 6, 2015Uncategorizedjstapleberry

Eliza Stapleberry

Sunday was the city of Rio de Janeiro’s official 450th anniversary! I spent the day full of Cariocalicious activities. In the morning, I went to my last Ipanema Hippie Fair! 😦 So sad, it is the artisan fair that happens every Sunday in General Osorio Square in Ipanema. Considering it was my last Sunday in Rio and a great present and souvenir purchasing opportunity, I went hard for the money, literally. But I know it will be so worth it when I get to see all of my loved ones open their presents 🙂 (you know who you are- get ready folks!

The second half of the day, I went on my last Rio Encantos tour 😦 EXTRA SAD! This time we went to Morro das Prazeres, a region of Santa Teresa that is decked out completely in street art. To celebrate Rio’s anniversary, there was a live installation of…

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Cariocas Nights Video

March 4, 2015Uncategorizedjstapleberry

Eliza Stapleberry

Oi gente! My newest video is officially up on Rio Encantos’ website! This video is about the different Cariocas nights tours that RioEncantos offers. If you didn’t know, a ‘Carioca’ is someone who lives in Rio de Janeiro– just like someone from Los Angeles is an ‘Angelino’. Here you can see the different night life environments as a Carioca, and what I have been doing with my nights (working and sometimes not working) while in Rio.

Saude!

To see more of my videos or other tours offered by RioEncantos… click this pic!

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CARNAVAL || Rio de Janeiro

March 1, 2015Uncategorizedjstapleberry

Eliza Stapleberry

The calm before the storm…

So I made a new friend! Meet Shadee, she RioEncantos’ intern for next term from Germany! She came early to get settled and experience Carnaval before her internship starts. We became very fast friends! I spend most of my time with her now because we, considering she is starting the same job as me, have very similar schedules. It is so nice to have a little buddy around! Anyway, before Carnaval started, Shadee, Kelly and I went on a quick tour of Lapa and Centro. The emptiness was quickly filled around 8 hours after we were there, when Carnaval hit.

Lapa Arches, with the famous cone shaped Metropolitan Cathedral behind.

Teatro Municipal

Ironic pre/post technological long distance relationships… Get it?

I have a soft spot for love letters ❤

Woman made this art from her father’s day planners that he never threw away… sounds like…

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Playing Tourist

February 15, 2015Uncategorizedjstapleberry

Eliza Stapleberry

So finally I did some standard touristy things! Here’s a post about my second hike up Dois Irmãos, first trip to Christo Redentor and Salgueiro Samba School practice!

This time, I went on the Dois Irmãos hike with some study abroad students. So it was really fun to be able to show them the way up and experience this beautiful view with some other Americans. Also, we took the moto taxi’s up (Sorry again, mom and dad) and had to do our best to hide our gringa-ness. In a group of Americans that is almost impossible. They tried to charge a few of us extra for the trip up but from my prior knowledge and after asking the police men at the bottom, I stuck with the R$3 charge even though my motorcyclist was annoyed… sorry dude, not this gringa!

first and foremost– #GODUCKS

*falling into Ipanema!!!*

The descent– facing…

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Historic Downtown Tour || RioEncantos

February 15, 2015Uncategorizedjstapleberry

Eliza Stapleberry

Here is the final video for RioEncantos’ Historic Downtown Tour! This place is so full of history that it was hard to all fit into two minutes, but I tried my best. Enjoy!

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Favela Experience

February 13, 2015Uncategorizedjstapleberry

Eliza Stapleberry

Here is the video I produced for RioEncantos about the group Favela Experience that my company works in close ties with. I was so excited to experience life in these favelas and hope you enjoy the video about this amazing group of guys and their work to integrate these communities with those unfamiliar to the lifestyle. And worry not- I am working on a more informative video from my tour through Favela da Rocinha that will show even more of the life in these cities within the city!

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Favela da Rocinha || Rio de Janeiro

February 12, 2015Uncategorizedjstapleberry

Eliza Stapleberry

So.. Where do I even begin about this tour. Sunday, the company I intern for, Rio Encantos, arranged a tour of Favela Rocinha right here in Rio de Janeiro. Our tour guide, Erik (far right in the picture below) lives in Rocinha, and could not have been a more perfect person to lead the tour and give us real insight from a local’s perspective. Rocinha is one of the largest favelas in all of Latin America ad really is its own city within a city. So far, if there is one tour that you need to do in Rio, and is worth the R$50 to go with Rio Encantos, I really believe this is the one you need to pay to do. Sunday was one is the most life changing experiences I have encountered and you have to live it for yourself to understand why. If you don’t have that…

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Foz do Iguaçu || Argentina

February 8, 2015Uncategorizedjstapleberry

Eliza Stapleberry

As promised in my previous post about Iguaçu, here is the video I put together of our journey through the amazing waterfalls.

beijos gente!

<p><a href=”http://vimeo.com/119013974″>Iguazu</a> from <a href=”http://vimeo.com/user35801732″>Elizabeth Stapleton</a> on <a href=”https://vimeo.com”>Vimeo</a>.</p>

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