I was in Rio in Nov. 2006. On Nov. 2 a friend and I went into downtown from Copa and did not realize it was a holiday until we were in the downtown area on the bus (All Souls Day) The guide books said not to go downtown on Holidays but they did not say Nov. 2 was a Holiday!!!???

We wre mugged on a Pedestrian area, by a group of teens. Most did not have shoes or even shirts. I lost about $20.00
Not injured but shaken up.

I am going back to South America this Sept. but not going to Brazil!