This is a rebuttal from someone who lives here part of the year, has been travelling to Rio since 2000, done over 58 trips now. Just got back from 5 weeks in Rio last month, Rafka, sorry I couldn't hook up with you again bud. Next time.

1-You don't need a wallet. Keep 1 or 2 cards with you in a pocket, a copy of your passport and entry stamp, and cash. I always have usually R$1,000 on me at any time......FWIW.....that is $300 CAD dollars. A bonus to a thief, but nothing to me. Never been robbed, or felt in danger yet.

2-Drink bottled beer or mixed drinks from the bar, or your server without concern. Like when in any club or city IN THE ENTIRE WORLD, don't let the drink out of your sight.

3-Lapa......KKKKKKKKKK.......there are far worse places in Rio than Lapa to worry about.

4-Everyone in Rio wears a watch on the street. No expensive easily identifiable watch is the correct advice.

5-Necklaces are fine. Just don't use big gaudy expensive gold ones. They belong in Palm Beach anyways.

6-Valuable will be defined your preference. I only wear a wedding ring regardless.

7-Cabs are fine. Make sure they have a red licence plate though, and that the driver has his license prominently displayed. There are two meter settings (1 or 2), just make sure he's using the correct one for the time. The best practice in Rio is to have a lot of small bills on you to preclude someone having to give you change, as everyone will try to get out of doing so, in order to keep it as a tip.

A word on Uber. I use it there a lot as well. But, unless the river has a few thousand trips under their belt on their profile, I will cancel the trip and get someone who does. Most of the Uber driver's are guys who are part timers, or lost their jobs. They know how to go from A-B in their day to day lives, but they do not know the inner workings of the city in which they live like an experienced taxista does. Following the blue line aimlessly on the Uber app will get you killed if they don't know where they are going, and many of them do not have a clue.

8-Condoms are always a good idea anywhere.

9-Always go to Rio. How on earth are you going to experience the city and it's culture ?