Family Vacation Memo
TO: Pamela Hunt, President of Robeson Community College
FROM: Taylor Britt, Employee at Robeson Community College
DATE: April 11, 2013
SUBJECT: Family Vacation to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
INTRODUCTION
A family vacation to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a new experience, a new beginning, a new awakening, a new picture, and most certainly a new memory. Traveling companions are Taylor Britt, nineteen, Cynthia Britt, mother, forty-eight and Megan Britt, sibling, twenty-three. The approximate length of this trip will be four nights and five days. The reason for choosing Rio de Janeiro was to visit Christ the Redeemer statue and to participate in the carnival Rio de Janeiro has every February.
HEART AND SOUL OF RIO DE JANEIRO
Rio de Janeiro was founded in 1565 by Portuguese colonizers. The famous statue of Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) is the fifth largest statue of Jesus in the world and was constructed between 1922 and 1931.
Courtesy of Tumblr.com
Rio de Janeiro is a combination of sun-drenched tropical beaches, throbbin4g dance music and lively personalities. Despite its dense population and widespread poverty, Rio is a passionate and dynamic city, especially when the fabulous Carnival parade hits the streets in summer. Rio has something for everyone, fascinating museums, gracious old churches, thrilling football …show more content…
matches and a great nightlife. They call it the Cidade Maravilhosa - the Marvelous City.
Rio de Janeiro is the city it is today because of its historical past.
The site of Rio de Janeiro was founded by Portuguese explorers as they entered Guanabara Bay on the first of January, 1502. Since the bay was considered the mouth of a river, the city was named in honor of the day, Rio de Janeiro, or River of January. French traders also settled in the Guanabara Bay area, in an attempt to gain an economic and strategic foothold in Brazil. After two years of battles (1565-67), the French were expelled and the site of Rio was moved up onto a hill, later known as Castle Hill, for protection from further invasions (Rio de
Janeiro).
According to “Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities” Rio is a great city of extremes, often cruel in its indifference to the poor. Next to five-star hotels, the poorest cariocas live in cardboard houses. The great favelas, shantytowns, reach high into the hills, where many residents are lost to poverty, drug abuse, and a life of crime. In the early 1990s, cariocas were shaken from their complacency to social problems when the media reported that corrupt police officers—paid by business owners—were murdering homeless children. The city lost its luster, as well as many of its tourists.
Today along with its different ethnic groups, Rio is making its presence felt in the industrial, service and tourism sector.
Rio de Janeiro has been announced as the venue for the 2016 Olympic Games, the first time it will be held in a South American country.
RESOURCES/CROPS/REVENUE
Rio grew on the exporting of sugar cane, grown on the surrounding plains. Eventually gold and diamonds were found in the Mines Gerais area, causing an economic shift to occur and Rio to reap the benefits. Many Europeans moved here after this discovery and in 1763 the capital was moved from Salvador to Rio, further increasing its prominence.
With increased competition in the sugar cane market from other South American countries and the resource depleted mines not producing what they had, Rio de Janeiro fell into an economic crisis. At the turn of the 19th century, Rio 's exports were less than half of what they had been forty years previous. This began to turn around with the exporting of coffee and the resettling of the Portuguese royal family in Rio. Their thirteen year stay in Rio catapulted it into new prominence. New buildings and many infrastructure improvements had taken place during this period. After the departure of the royal family, Brazil became an independent nation.
PLANNED ACTIVITIES/LANDMARKS/TOURISTS’ ATTRACTIONS
During our stay in Rio we will participate in the Samba parade Rio has every February. The cost of this will be one hundred and sixty-one dollars for each companion. We will travel by cab to Mount Corcovado, where we will visit Christ the Redeemer statue that is approximately ninety-eight feet and has a weight of one thousand tons. The statue stands with arms outstretched over Rio. The cost of this will also be free. We will then make our way to Quinta da Boa Vista, a park that is home to the National Museum, and the Zoological Garden. Lastly we will travel to Sugar Loaf Mountain, which reaches a height of 395 meters (1,296 feet). At the entrance of Guanabara Bay, Sugar Loaf is only reachable by cable car. It offers impressive views of the city below. The price is fifty-three dollars for each companion and is free on the way back after 7 p.m.
CULTURAL INTEREST/ EDUCATIONAL SITES According to the article “Book Tours…” From the outside, the Sao Bento Monastery and the Church of Nossa Senhora de Montserrat appear to be unassuming and even a bit austere, a nod to 16th century Roman Catholic chastity. Once inside, however, visitors can see how the elaborate nave, filigreed altar, and rococo wooden carvings speak to 16th century Roman Catholic fabulousness. Founded by a group of Benedictine monks—Sao Bento means Saint Benedict—that relocated from Salvador da Bahia in 1590, the current monastery and church complex was constructed by slaves over several decades, and who completed the work in 1671. Several of the sculptors and painters who worked on the intricate details of the church’s interior were monks as well.
TRAVEL AND HOTEL COST
The family will be flying round trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on US Airways. Total price for flight and hotel package will be approximately $4,990.26. The family will be staying at the Sheraton Rio Hotel and Resort.
CONCLUSION
The family will be taking a trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on February 27, 2014 to March 03, 2014. The reason for this date is to participate in the once a year Carnival Rio has.
WORKS CITED
"Book Tours, Things to Do & Day Trips. 450 Destinations, 100,000 Tour Reviews & Photos. Trip Planning & Tour Tips from Real Travelers." Sao Bento Monastery. Viator, n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.
“Brazil: History” World Geography: Understanding a Changing World. ABC-CLIO 2013. Database. 10 Apr. 2013
"Rio de Janeiro." Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities. 2000. Print.
"Rio de Janeiro (city, Brazil)." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. 2012. Print.
"São Bento Monastery." São Bento Monastery. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.
"Tumblr." Web blog post. Christ the Redeemer. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.
FROM: Taylor Britt, Employee at Robeson Community College
DATE: April 11, 2013
SUBJECT: Family Vacation to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
INTRODUCTION
A family vacation to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, a new experience, a new beginning, a new awakening, a new picture, and most certainly a new memory. Traveling companions are Taylor Britt, nineteen, Cynthia Britt, mother, forty-eight and Megan Britt, sibling, twenty-three. The approximate length of this trip will be four nights and five days. The reason for choosing Rio de Janeiro was to visit Christ the Redeemer statue and to participate in the carnival Rio de Janeiro has every February.
HEART AND SOUL OF RIO DE JANEIRO
Rio de Janeiro was founded in 1565 by Portuguese colonizers. The famous statue of Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) is the fifth largest statue of Jesus in the world and was constructed between 1922 and 1931.
Courtesy of Tumblr.com
Rio de Janeiro is a combination of sun-drenched tropical beaches, throbbin4g dance music and lively personalities. Despite its dense population and widespread poverty, Rio is a passionate and dynamic city, especially when the fabulous Carnival parade hits the streets in summer. Rio has something for everyone, fascinating museums, gracious old churches, thrilling football …show more content…
matches and a great nightlife. They call it the Cidade Maravilhosa - the Marvelous City.
Rio de Janeiro is the city it is today because of its historical past.
The site of Rio de Janeiro was founded by Portuguese explorers as they entered Guanabara Bay on the first of January, 1502. Since the bay was considered the mouth of a river, the city was named in honor of the day, Rio de Janeiro, or River of January. French traders also settled in the Guanabara Bay area, in an attempt to gain an economic and strategic foothold in Brazil. After two years of battles (1565-67), the French were expelled and the site of Rio was moved up onto a hill, later known as Castle Hill, for protection from further invasions (Rio de
Janeiro).
According to “Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities” Rio is a great city of extremes, often cruel in its indifference to the poor. Next to five-star hotels, the poorest cariocas live in cardboard houses. The great favelas, shantytowns, reach high into the hills, where many residents are lost to poverty, drug abuse, and a life of crime. In the early 1990s, cariocas were shaken from their complacency to social problems when the media reported that corrupt police officers—paid by business owners—were murdering homeless children. The city lost its luster, as well as many of its tourists.
Today along with its different ethnic groups, Rio is making its presence felt in the industrial, service and tourism sector.
Rio de Janeiro has been announced as the venue for the 2016 Olympic Games, the first time it will be held in a South American country.
RESOURCES/CROPS/REVENUE
Rio grew on the exporting of sugar cane, grown on the surrounding plains. Eventually gold and diamonds were found in the Mines Gerais area, causing an economic shift to occur and Rio to reap the benefits. Many Europeans moved here after this discovery and in 1763 the capital was moved from Salvador to Rio, further increasing its prominence.
With increased competition in the sugar cane market from other South American countries and the resource depleted mines not producing what they had, Rio de Janeiro fell into an economic crisis. At the turn of the 19th century, Rio 's exports were less than half of what they had been forty years previous. This began to turn around with the exporting of coffee and the resettling of the Portuguese royal family in Rio. Their thirteen year stay in Rio catapulted it into new prominence. New buildings and many infrastructure improvements had taken place during this period. After the departure of the royal family, Brazil became an independent nation.
PLANNED ACTIVITIES/LANDMARKS/TOURISTS’ ATTRACTIONS
During our stay in Rio we will participate in the Samba parade Rio has every February. The cost of this will be one hundred and sixty-one dollars for each companion. We will travel by cab to Mount Corcovado, where we will visit Christ the Redeemer statue that is approximately ninety-eight feet and has a weight of one thousand tons. The statue stands with arms outstretched over Rio. The cost of this will also be free. We will then make our way to Quinta da Boa Vista, a park that is home to the National Museum, and the Zoological Garden. Lastly we will travel to Sugar Loaf Mountain, which reaches a height of 395 meters (1,296 feet). At the entrance of Guanabara Bay, Sugar Loaf is only reachable by cable car. It offers impressive views of the city below. The price is fifty-three dollars for each companion and is free on the way back after 7 p.m.
CULTURAL INTEREST/ EDUCATIONAL SITES According to the article “Book Tours…” From the outside, the Sao Bento Monastery and the Church of Nossa Senhora de Montserrat appear to be unassuming and even a bit austere, a nod to 16th century Roman Catholic chastity. Once inside, however, visitors can see how the elaborate nave, filigreed altar, and rococo wooden carvings speak to 16th century Roman Catholic fabulousness. Founded by a group of Benedictine monks—Sao Bento means Saint Benedict—that relocated from Salvador da Bahia in 1590, the current monastery and church complex was constructed by slaves over several decades, and who completed the work in 1671. Several of the sculptors and painters who worked on the intricate details of the church’s interior were monks as well.
TRAVEL AND HOTEL COST
The family will be flying round trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on US Airways. Total price for flight and hotel package will be approximately $4,990.26. The family will be staying at the Sheraton Rio Hotel and Resort.
CONCLUSION
The family will be taking a trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on February 27, 2014 to March 03, 2014. The reason for this date is to participate in the once a year Carnival Rio has.
WORKS CITED
"Book Tours, Things to Do & Day Trips. 450 Destinations, 100,000 Tour Reviews & Photos. Trip Planning & Tour Tips from Real Travelers." Sao Bento Monastery. Viator, n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.
“Brazil: History” World Geography: Understanding a Changing World. ABC-CLIO 2013. Database. 10 Apr. 2013
"Rio de Janeiro." Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of World Cities. 2000. Print.
"Rio de Janeiro (city, Brazil)." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed. 2012. Print.
"São Bento Monastery." São Bento Monastery. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.
"Tumblr." Web blog post. Christ the Redeemer. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Apr. 2013.