Rio de Janeiro Rolls Out Welcome Mat for Tourists by Victor Shiblie Maracan?, the worldís largest soccer stadium, and Copacabana, its most famous beach, as well as South Americaís most impressive art museum and some of its most dangerous slumsóall are parts of Rio de Janeiro, the number-one tourist attraction in Brazil and a city that must be visited at least once in a lifetime. And if youíre going to Rio, do it now while itís cheap. The recent devaluation of Brazilís realónow worth around 2.55 to the dollarómakes Brazil a truly cheap destination for those with U.S. dollars in their pockets. Contrary to what most people think, Rio is not Brazilís biggest city. That distinction belongs to S?o Paulo, a metropolis of 20 million thatís often compared to New York. But Rioís 10 million inhabitants, nicknamed cariocas, certainly think their city is the most beautiful in Brazil, and most tourists would agree. Rioís charm starts the moment you land at Tom Jobim International Airport, known until recently as Gale?o. An exhibit inside the airportís gleaming new passenger terminal tells the story of the man who composed ìGirl from Ipanemaî and put Brazilís unique bossa nova sound on the world music map.< br> Perhaps Rioís best-known icon is the statue of Jesus Christ atop Corcovado (which is also the name of one of Jobimís most popular songs). Visible from just about everywhere in the city and illuminated by powerful beams at night, this 100-foot-tall concrete statueóknown in Portuguese as Cristo Redentoróattracts thousands of tourists every day who make the ascent by train through Tijuca National Park, which in 1999 was declared a ìbiosphere reserveî by UNESCO. The Christ monument was planned for the centenary of Brazilís independence in 1922, but was not completed until 1931. The view from the base of the statute is breathtaking, particularly when looking in the direction of the 1,300-foot-high Sugarloaf Mountain, and it is a great way for visitors to get their bearings in Rio. Rioís other famous icon is of a decidedly less sacred nature: the dental-floss bikini. Strolling down Avenida Atlantica along the cityís world-famous Ipanema and Copacabana hotel strip, itís impossible even for female tourists not to notice the girls. Beyond the bikinis and beaches Rio does have plenty of culture to enjoy. The culture of Carnival is engrained into the social fabric of Rio. If you miss Carnivalówhich takes place annually, four days before Ash Wednesdayóyou still can experience the thrill by visiting one of the 14 samba schools in Rio to see a rehearsal. Many samba schools prepare year round for Carnival. The samba schools are a large melting pot where Brazilians of all races mingle together, drink beer and prepare for the night of samba. Then the music starts. It is a penetrating beat, which thumps at your heart. People start dancing like it is their last dance. The samba is serious business. Men grab a partner and dance to show off or sometimes challenge other dancers. The vibe is infectious and your knees soon start moving to the rhythm. Samba is danced well through the night as the dancers glisten with sweat in the Rio heat. Then the floor is cleared to allow for a procession of dancers to samba down the runway in a show that rivals serious entertainment. Some of the samba schools have weekly rehearsals, which sometimes span the year right up to Carnival. To visit a samba school, you should contact the Independent League of Rio de Janeiro Samba Schools LIESA at (21) 2253-7676. Right in the heart of Tijuca Forest is the 130,000-square-foot Casa das Canoas (House of the Canoes), an example of refined, Brazilian colonial architecture. Built by famous architect Oscar Niemeyer as his private mansion, this exquisite locale is now open to the public. Construction of the majestic place, which is decorated with pieces of art and antique furniture, utilized material from Old Rio (17th- and 18th-century buildings). Visitors feel as if they have returned to the past and are in awe of the rare and intimate contact with nature that the mansion offers. Many examples of Niemeyerís work abound throughout Brazilóhe supervised the design of Brazilís capital, BrasÌlia, in the 1950sóbut perhaps the most famous is the Contemporary Art Museum in Niteroi, located across Guanabara Bay from Rio. Designed by Niemeyer, the museum houses an impressive collection of contemporary Brazilian art. Covering 6,500 square feet, its surrounding veranda offers breathtaking views of Niteroi, Sugarloaf, G·vea Rock and Corcovado. Niemeyer, 96, is an unabashed communist, and his political views are on display throughout the enormous museum. Along with lavish praise for Mao, Lenin, Stalin and Fidel is an autobiographical panel with the following inscription: ìI look out the window at the immense of ocean, the blue sky and the crowded beach. It is nature celebrating, in contrast with this world of bloodshed and despair that the Bush empire has disseminated on earth. Our only hope is that night will fall for a new day to dawn.î On a much less serious note is happy hour at the Academia da CachaÁa. Here at this unique bar in the upscale Barra da Tijuca neighborhood, tourists mingle with locals over popular Brazilian dishes and beveragesóthe most famous of which is cachaÁa. The bar houses a collection of more than 2,000 bottles of this fire water that once belonged to Ulisses Vasconcelos, a journalist from the state of Minas Gerais. Displayed on glass shelves and arranged according to themes, they tell the story of 130 years of sugar cane spirits. Another delightful place to visit is the Colombo Coffee House, which was built in 1894 and has changed little since then. Part of Rioís cultural heritage, the Colombo is a favorite downtown attraction for visitors from all over the world. With its Belgian, jacaranda-framed mirrors, chandeliers, and art nouveau decor, it is a magnificent vestige of Belle ...poque charm. Confeitaria Colombo was the favorite tearoom for rich families, politicians, poets, journalists, writers and artists. The present-day cafÈ remains a popular restaurant for entertaining business clients or simply having fun. Another great dining spot is Marius, one of Rioís most popular churrascarias (Brazilian barbeque), which offers a feast of Brazilian culinary delights. Grilled meats of all varieties are delivered to your table, while at the buffet you can find everything from tropical fruits, fresh seafood and salads to sushi, moquecas (delicious mixed fish stews), Italian cheeses and mouth-watering desserts. A popular dinner destination is the Rio Scenarium, a nightspot in the Lapa district thatís a mix between an antique shop and an auction room. Here locals come to listen to traditional Brazilian music, dance, and admire the decoration, which is bohemian and sophisticated at the same time. On weekends, these same locals head to the Casa da Feijoada, which features the national dish of Brazil. Known as feijoada, this specialty has its roots in colonial times, when slaves cooked leftovers from the manor house for their own meals. When they combined black beans and parts of pork and beef, they created feijoada, which had such a delicious aroma that even the masters and farm owners were attracted to the smell. Most tours of Rio include the National History Museum, established in 1922 and housed in the historic remains of the Santiago Fort at Calaboose Point, one of the strategic defense points for the city of Rio. This is one of the most important museums in Brazil, with more 287,000 items, including the largest numismatic collection of Latin America. Another interesting site is Ilha Fiscal, an island whose claim to fame is that it was the site of the last ball hosted by the Brazilian empire in 1889. A little green castle surrounded by coconut and palm trees on a small island in Guanabara Bay, this picturesque palace was designed in 1881 in neo-gothic style by engineer Adolfo del Vecchio, and inaugurated on April 27, 1889. Today it is a cultural center housing temporary and permanent exhibitions that portray the history of this miniature palace and the Brazilian Navy. One of Rioís most impressive sights is Maracan?, the worldís largest soccer stadium. Inaugurated in 1950, the stadium has witnessed Brazilian soccer playersí most famous goals, including the 1,000th goal scored by PelÈ, who is today Brazilís minister of sports. Thereís also a Maracan? Hall of Fame, inaugurated in June 2000 to honor the 50 most outstanding Brazilian soccer players. No visit to Rio is complete without a visit to the famous Botanical Gardens, a paradise of plants and trees that, among other things, boasts the largest collection of Amazonian plants in the world. This garden is one of Brazilís most important sources for botanical research, second only to the Amazon itself. Founded in 1808, it spreads over an area of approximately 340 acres. There are more than 5,000 species of plants housed in the gardens, including the impressive imperial palms, planted in 1842. Yet Rio, for all its natural beauty, canít seem to shake its association with crime and violence. Like most major cities you have to be careful. Most of the major crime in Rio seems to be restricted to the local community. Also keeping tourists away from Rio is the Brazilian government, which requires Americans to buy a tourist visa for $100 before they can even set foot in the country. Eduardo Sanovicz, president of the government tourism agency Embratur, conceded that the visa rule for Americans is a big hassle. ìWe know about the visa situation, and everybody is aware of it, but it was the United States that decided to charge us for visas and fingerprint us. Whether I agree or not doesnít matter, but a lot of people are working to overcome that.î Victor Shiblie is the publisher and editor in chief of The Washington Diplomat.