Police in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro are to investigate claims that tourists visiting some of the city's shanty towns are being offered a chance to meet armed drug dealers.

The police say they want to establish if the lives of tourists are being put at risk, but the company involved has defended its policy.

For many years guided tours of favelas or shanty towns have been an option for people visiting Rio de Janeiro. Distinctive green coloured open four-by-four vehicles can often be seen stopping at hotels to pick up tourists who want to see the other side of life in the city.

full story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7384705.stm

*********

Tours of the shantytowns? It surprises me not only because it is such a tacky idea, but because I'm so used to people avoiding them.

(I'm fairly in awe of the shape of that house actually, and wondering what it looks like inside on that corner area.)

I wonder what the people who live there think of all this?

__________________________

From the sublime to the ridiculous is but one step--Napolean Bonaparte

Bookmark/Search this post with:

| | | | | |