words and photos by Wendy O'Dea

A fevala of Rio de Janeiro.

I didn't know that in Rio I could find some of the best sushi I've ever eaten, soar through the air in a city that is one of the world's best for hang gliding, and stroll through run-down slums - mini cities within the city that house a subculture that is both frightening and fascinating.

I discovered all this and more on a recent trip to Brazil that was prompted both by my curiosity and pocketbook. With the economies of most South American countries tanking for a number of years, the dollar just keeps getting stronger. I envisioned myself lounging at little kiosks along Copacabana beach drinking caiparinhas, the refreshing Brazilian cocktail made with sugar cane alcohol, then dancing the Samba into the night with a tall, dark and handsome Brazilian. That last part alone pretty much made the decision a no-brainer.

However, the drive from the airport, about 13 miles from the center of Rio, was eye opening, revealing a metropolis both magical and monstrous. Along with the anticipated views of Sugar Loaf Mountain and Christ the Redeemer jutting skyward in the distance, there were unexpected views of the numerous favelas, or city slums, cascading down the sides of picturesque hillsides.

I knew Brazil's crime rate gave it a bit of dicey reputation, but I knew nothing of the large number of urban slums that dot the landscape. I hadn't yet seen the art house film Ciudad de Deus (City of God), which is set in these drug-ridden slums, but soon after bombarding my driver with questions, learned of an unusual tour taking visitors inside these poor Brazilian communities.

I'd intentionally traveled in September to avoid the chaos of Carnevale. I wanted to see the real Rio. Now that I was, I saw my caiparinha-sipping vacation quickly morphing into an educational experience of learning how nearly 1.5 million people - Rio's "other half" - live. (CONTINUED...)