brazil ! help please!! 4y and 10m!!

[lory]

My husband will be working for three weeks in July in Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, at Barra more precisely, and I am following with the kids, DS1 4y and DS2 10mo. Never been in Brazil and I would really really appreciate any piece of advise, tip or suggestions! I will be alone with the kids during the day.
So first, safety: in the streets and at the beach. Is it ok to walk around? Is the sea dangerous?
And then of course, food and water! What about fruits and vegs?
I guess you can find lots of baby products (pampers!!!! But also books, toys, sunscreen?) in the shops but is there something I should definitely bring along?
Activities, other than the beach? Parks, zoo ,museums?

Many thanks for all your replies, I am starting to get a little bit nervous!!

Albert lives in Brazil - she may be able to help...

I hope you are travelling in Business class. Its a long way to go! Its somewhere I always wanted to go to and though I am so glad to have had the opportunity I wasn't that impressed, probably as was in Buenos Aires at the same time and preferred it. It seemed safe enough during the day but it had a very sleazy side to it at night. We encountered lots of begging and I handed over my dinner to a little boy who came over to my table in a restaurant. There is a huge difference between the haves and have nots. Sorry didn't have kids then so not sure whats available!

We were mainly in the touristy areas so probably very different in other parts.

yes, we are flying bus.class. I have discovered it can really make the difference between a normal flight and a nightmare!!

I'll try to catch Albert, thank you

I just remembered one of my good friends is Brazilian and she is there at the mo - I'll try to get her to help with this when she gets back. She's gone for another week or two though .

Lory, are you still around? Can't believe someone is actually coming to my neck of the woods. I'm really excited. I won't actually meet you because I live and work in Brasilia which is a 2 hour flight from Rio.
First off, don't worry!
Safety, well not as safe as the UK obviously and I wouldn't be too flashy with what you wear clothes and jewlry wise. This is a flip flops and tee shirt country! It is fine to walk around but stick to the more touristy parts. The beaches are fine but take a minimum of possesions with you. The sea is great.Nothing scary lurking in the water although I don't know about the currents.
Water is drinkable but most people buy bottled regardless. Food is cheap and fabulous and fruits...well there are hundreds of different types most of which are yummy if you know how to eat them.
Baby products are available but much lower standard, even nappies. Baby food has a high salt or sugar content. Books, not much in English, at least not in Brasilia, Rio is more touristy so you might be luckier, here there are no English language newspapers or magazines. Toys cheap price, rubbish quality, bring from home if you can. Sunscreen is available but I would bring a tube with you just to start you off.
Bring any medicines you might need with you.
I will check out more info at work tomorrow and see what we (I'm at the British Embassy) suggest. Can't reply tomorrow as it's the Queen's Birthday Party - biggest social event in the Embassy calendar, God knows when I'll be home!
Fire away with your Qs, I'm happy to help.

Wow, lucky me!! Albert, I am really pleased to hear from you!! Good to hear from a ?local? that it is a pretty normal town as long as you are wise. Had a quite frightening experience in Caracas years ago.

Can?t stay long neither today , I just wanted to reply to you. So thanks again, and I?ll write to you very soon!

Lory, if you are an avid tea drinker bring it with you because it's not good here. However, if you like coffee, well, as they say, there's an awful lot of coffee in Brazil.

Hello Albert!
How exciting for you that you won't be the only MNer on the continent for 3 weeks!

I live in Brazil too. Don't know Rio that well (only been there 1x) but have a good friend who's from Niteroi (sister city over the bridge - calmer and safer than Rio). I could ask him for suggestions if you like...

I do know that the botanical gardens are really pretty, the beach near a big rock (sorry, can't remember the name - near copacabana and ipanema but just a bit further along the beach) is more family friendly and has calmer waters so best for kids. I was preggers when I went so don't know much about activities but will drop my friend and email to see what he says.

Sooo jealous of business class. I just traveled alone in coach with dd (17mo) the other month and it was... interesting.

Hi mezzer, thanks for joining! We will stay a little further than ipanema, in a place called Barra da Tijuca, so I hope to find a children-friendly beach nearby, as I understood it can take ages to go from one place to another. A coach with a 17m?! you?re very brave

Tea ! I really didn?t think about it!! I am not a totally addicted tea drinker, but we all really enjoy a nice cup of Darjeeling every afternoon (by the way is 10 mo too early? DS2 loves it!). Albert, you told me to fire Qs, so here am I!

It is winter right now, isn?t but was does it mean? Do you need a jumper during the day? Don?t trust travel guide anymore, our holiday in morocco in august was the coldest ever.
Mosquitoes and other lovely insects! Is it better to buy a repellent in Rio or any will do? And do you have to keep all open pack/jars of food in the fridge to protect them from insects?

Oh, bad news about nappies, I was hoping to bring only a tiny pack and to buy there, or maybe I could use the local brand during the day and keep the pampers for the night. Don?t use baby food, I will definitely try all the fruits and beans! Any suggestions about what to avoid?
Ds2is awake, that?s it for today.

In case you're still looking, Lory...

I use Brazilian nappies and although they aren't as good, they do the trick. You just have to make sure you put them on snugly and change a bit more often than would at home. Wipes - can prob get the better kinds (johnson's are good) in Rio but will be a bit more expensive. The run of the mill kind (come in plastic tube type containers) are crap.

I don't think the bugs, etc are all that bad in Rio. Any repellent should do the trick if it gets bad.

Prob best to avoid fruits that you don't peel and be careful where you get juice - sometimes they use tapwater which can cause the runs. Juice from nice hotels should be fine (but always good to ask), juice out and about not as safe unless its bottled in which case is fine. My dd and I eat everything without probs but if this is your first time here, need to be a bit more careful.

The beach that I was talking about is Leblon. It really is gorgeous so might be worth a visit even if not near your hotel.

Good luck

Hi Lory, sorry, couldn't get to MN for a few days. Yes, it's winter but certainly not cold, we are averaging about 28C during the day and the lowest we have got to at night is 14C. I don't think Rio will be that different. Don't worry about the mozzies, they're not a problem really and if they are get something local when you're there.
I would keep open jars etc in the fridge anyway if you can because of the heat.
Follow Mezzer's advice re the nappies since DS is well out of them and I can only base myself on what I've been told by friends.

Mezzer, where are you? Can't believe I have a closer enighbour than Califrau! I'm very excited

Hi Mezzer, Hi Albert. Sorry I am late; I was in Amsterdam for a concert and we spent 3 days there.
Thank you very much for all your tips and suggestions. Meanwhile I bought a city guide and a phrase book and whenever I have a spare minute, I go through them! I am getting really excited now.
We won?t be in an hotel, with ds2 only 10 months, I need to be able to do the cooking at least once a day. Not only for the menu ( I remember with ds1, we lost hours looking for a restaurant with a suitable menu for babies -which is not for me chicken nuggets and fries!), but I?ll be alone with the kids during the day, while dh will be working, and with 2 kids, eating out is not always relaxing!

How long have you been living there?

Just one very last question : bf in public places? I know topless is forbidden, but what about bf on the beach or in the corner in a café? Still bf ds2, mainly evenings and mornings, but occasionally during the day too? Is it accepted? Thanks again! Can?t wait to be there and visit all marvellous places!!

Hi Lory, TBH I've never seen anyone breastfeeding here, at least not in Brasilia, not sure if its taboo or that's just the way it is.
You're not coming for the Pan American games are you? I expect Rio will be packed! It starts on 13th and goes on for 2 weeks.
I arrived here in Nov 2005 but also lived in Sao Paulo in the early 90's for a couple of years. Have a fantastic time, buy lots of Havaiana flip flops for a few peanuts and then sell them for a fortune when you get back. I heard you have to pay up to £40 in London, they only cost about £4 here!

We are coming for the games indeed!! I will even try to go with the kids to the opening ceremony (my husband has provided passes for all of us); it must be something huge! But I fear it will be too noisy for ds2.

I am in the middle of my packing, but I will definitely bring as little as possible and buy everything there. You?re absolutely right about havaina, they cost a fortune, so it will make a perfect gift for everybody ! I am soooooo excited.

Oooo, you lucky thing I will have to resort to the TV to see it. What does your DH do - is he competing?
Make sure you drink a few Caipirinha whilst you are here too (hmm, not too good if you're breast feeding). It's the national drink - lime juice, sugarcane rum (pinga) lots of ice and a spot of sugar. Yum!

I'm surprised that Albert doesn't see bf in Brasilia. Where I am (Acre), and in other parts of Brazil I've been to, women bf everywhere and don't make any attempts to hide it (or even cover their breasts in many cases) but then I've mostly been in the North. That said, middle-upper class women are more likely to bottle-feed (they can afford formula) so I wonder if that's influencing things in Brasilia. I've bf everywhere without a single glance. Don't worry about it. Trying to remember, I'm pretty sure I've seen women bf in Rio.

A p.s. johnsons are the best diaper option available (at least, here in Acre, Rio might have more options). The local brands are not as reliable. They can be ok during the day but don't risk it at night.