Brazil - The Rough Guide to South America on a Budget - page 230

police . Except with something like a
theft from a hotel room, they're unlikely
to be able to do much, and reporting
something will likely take hours even
without the language barrier. You may
have to do it for insurance purposes,
when you'll need a local police report;
this could take a full and very
frustrating day. If your passport is stolen
in a city where there is a consulate, get
in touch with the consulate first and
take their lead.
Both marijuana ( maconha ) and cocaine
( cocaína ) are fairly common, but be
warned: if the police find either on you,
you will be in serious trouble. The
following cannot be overstated: under no
circumstances do you want to spend any
time in a Brazilian jail.

EMERGENCY NUMBERS
Ambulance T 192
Fire T 193
Police T 190
TOURIST POLICE
Rio T 21 3399 7170
São Paulo T 11 3214 0209
Salvador T 71 3222 7155

PERSONAL SAFETY
Being a gringo attracts unwelcome
attention but it also provides a measure of
protection. The Brazilian police can be
extremely violent to criminals, and law
enforcement tends to take the form of
periodic crackdowns. Therefore criminals
know that injuries to foreign tourists
mean a heavy clampdown, which in turn
means slim pickings for a while. If you
are unlucky enough to be the victim of
an assalto (a mugging), remember, it's
your possessions that are the targets.
Don't resist: your money and anything
you're carrying will be snatched, your
watch yanked off, but within seconds it
will all be over. Most assaltos happen at
night, in backstreets and desolate areas
of cities, so stick to busy, well-lit streets,
and where possible take taxis; city buses
generally run late too, though mind your
belongings when it's crowded.

3

HEALTH
Public healthcare in Brazil varies
tremendously from poor to sometimes
quite good, but private medical and
dental treatment is generally more
reliable; costs are significantly less than
in North America. Check directories at
the end of each section for hospital
information and refer to advice from
your country's embassy or consulate.
Standard drugs are available in farmácias
(pharmacies) without prescriptions.

BUSES, BEACHES AND HOTELS
Long-distance buses are pretty secure,
but it pays to keep an eye on your things.
Get a baggage check on your luggage
from the person loading it and keep an
eye on your possessions until they are
loaded. Overhead racks are less safe,
especially during night journeys.
On city beaches , never leave things
unattended; any beachside bar will stow
things for you. In tourist areas and busy
cities avoid walking on the beach at
night. Shared rooms in pousadas and
hostels usually have lockers (bring a
padlock) and even many cheap hotels
have safes ( caixas ).

INFORMATION AND MAPS
Popular destinations in Brazil have
friendly and helpful tourist o ces ,
as do most state capitals, many of which
distribute free city maps and booklets.
Generally the airport information offices
have the best English-speakers and are
usually open the longest. They also have
decent free maps but little else in English.
EMBRATUR is the national tourist
organization and has a useful website
( W visitbrasil.com).

MONEY AND BANKS
The Brazilian currency is the real
(pronounced “hey-al”) and is made up of
one hundred centavos. Notes are for 2,
5, 10, 20, 50 and 100 reais; coins are 1,

POLICE AND DRUGS
If you are robbed or held up, it's not
necessarily a good idea to go to the