Favelas

It was interesting to walk along the beach in both Copacabana and Ipanema because in between the huge beach-front resorts, you could see the favelas up the hillsides.

Favelas are often translated as "squatter towns" and internationally renowned for their poverty and violence. While these areas do tend to be the more violent in Rio de Janeiro, it is worthy to note that many of the people that live in the favelas are often hard-working citizens that commute down into the city each day to earn an honest day's living.