Tour do Rio

The ‘Tour de France’ is over for another year; the competition which began in 1903 and which annually ignites not only Gallic passion but at times international furore; from strikes (only in France) to blockades, diversions and even sneaky train rides. Yet there’s a new event to mark on the international cycling calendar, itself beginning in a city which divides the hearts of many; ambivalence is not a feeling often harboured towards the painfully beautiful Rio de Janeiro and the ‘Tour do Rio’ promises blood, toil, tears and sweat in abundance.

The first competition of its kind in Latin America, the tour is due to begin in earnest tomorrow, covering some of the most spectacular scenery the state of Rio has to offer between now and the 1st of August. Organisers hope that the event will do for Brazil what the Tour de France has done for France and the Giro d’Italia has done for Italy. The tour has already generated 1500 jobs and according to luxury Brazilian travel experts ‘Dehouche’, to some extent marks the beginning of a new era for the city, which over the coming years will host a myriad of international sporting events including both the world cup final in 2014 and the summer Olympics in 2016. However, despite the city’s association with inherent natural beauty, Rio’s residents, or Cariocas, were recently named the most obese in Brazil by local magazine ‘Veja’, suggesting the event might inspire those carrying extra kilos to get in shape, as well as offering training for potential future athletes. Ouch.

The competition to which even Lance Armstrong was invited, (though his appearance is sadly doubtful due to having just completed the Tour de France) will cover some 783km, the first stretch of which will traverse the stunning coastal road from the city of Rio to the port of Angra, on Rio’s Emerald Coast. Led by a carnival akin to that of its predecessor, the competition will go on to negotiate mountains, beaches and colonial towns as 150 athletes and an estimated 200,000 people follow the course whose road eventually leads back to the marvellous city itself and cyclists compete to cross the finish line within the inimitable bay of Botafogo, framed by Sugar loaf mountain and overlooked by Christ the Redeemer from atop the Corcovado mountain. ‘Dehouche’ who are resident locally, intend to be there to witness this exciting moment in Rio’s history.

The 26km warm up stage in the mountainous region above Rio which started in Petrópolis and wound its way towards nearby Teresopolis has already been won by Brazilian cyclist David Leite. However, the stages of the tour itself will average a sweaty 150km per day; the attraction? Total prize money of R$175,000 (approx 100,000 USD) which will be distributed amongst the first 20 to complete each of the various stages, with total prize money of R$35,000 for the overall winner; whether any yellow t-shirts or similarly themed clothing will also be awarded remains to be seen. The order of the first stage will be decided in Copacabana this evening as participants prepare themselves for the first test. None of the ‘Dehouche’ team members have signed up to participate this year as they’re far too busy taking care of clients holidays, but there’s always next year.
This author, blaufraustein of IndSEO is an associate of Dehouche S. A., who, essentially is a team of sports enthusiasts, running a travel company in Rio, covering Brazil, Argentina and South America, apart from other exclusive locations.

Dehouche S.A.,

Leblon,
Rio de Janeiro ,
Brazil.

www.dehouche.com

Dehouche Travel, Dehouche, Argentina Honeymoon, Brazil Honeymoon, Honeymoon in South America, Honeymoon in Argentina, Honeymoon in Brazil, IndSEO, Dehouche – Art of Travel, Brazil Honeymoon

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Sao Paulo Just Keeps Getting Better! – Assures Dehouche

The Fasano group has announced recently that they are again starting work on the development of their neighboring building. The development will create a further 20 guest rooms, including a huge presidential suite (to respond to the increasingly large entourages of the increasing number of international celebrities who are visiting the city), as well as a full sized rooftop swimming pool and another bar, which as with the Fasano’s Barreto in Sao Paulo, or Londra in Rio de Janeiro, will undoubtedly quickly become a popular haunt Brazilian and foreign celebrities alike. Although they have been in possession of the property for some years, the project was put on hold during the recent ‘crisis’ times, but has been taken up again with gusto in response in particular to the increasing number of leisure visitors to the city. According to luxury travel company Dehouche’s concierge, who makes a point of always having his finger on the pulse of this trend-setting city, Fasano insiders have been saying that they could have sold these new rooms twice over in the last few months (even though its low season), and 40% of requests have been from international (largely US) tourists, travelling for pleasure not business.

Sao Paulo may long have been the premier business destination in South America, in its role as the continent’s economic powerhouse, but it is only in recent years that tourists have begun to appreciate the city’s more laid back side. For much the same reasons people visit New York, the main draw to Sao Paulo is its restaurants, nightclubs and plentiful culture – from the ever bigger SP fashion week, open-air concerts in Ibirapuera park, street theatre on Avenida Paulista, to London style impromptu but very much gentrified ‘raves’ in abandoned warehouses.

As always national tourism is leading the trend, also encouraged by a current TV campaign from the Sao Paulo council, but the rest of the world hasn’t been slow to catch on, and Dehouche is receiving an ever increasing number of requests to include the city in their itineraries - surprisingly mostly from city dwellers themselves in New York, LA and London. As always Dehouche clients are armed with an up to date list of goings on in the city to make sure they are in all the right places at the right time, and nowhere else does a concierge service come in quite as handy, whether its securing tickets to the opening of the latest art sensation, or booking a table at one of the city’s top nightclubs.

Let Dehouche arrange your luxury boutique hotel and enjoy a whole host of insider tips on where to truly escape from it all on your luxury or honeymoon vacations.

Dehouche S.A.,

Leblon,
Rio de Janeiro ,
Brazil.

www.dehouche.com

Dehouche Travel, Dehouche, Argentina Honeymoon, Brazil Honeymoon, Honeymoon in South America, Honeymoon in Argentina, Honeymoon in Brazil, IndSEO, Dehouche – Art of Travel, Brazil Honeymoon

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