Secrets of Rio

Saara market in Brazil is the ultimate shopping playground – from frilly lingerie to funky lawn ornaments, everything’s half-priced! It’s like playing a game of ‘how much can I get for my money?’

Tourists generally do not come to this area. This is where the locals shop. Even my bougie Brazilian friends have never stepped foot here.

We discovered this place through a new friend we met at the beach. She said that we can get souvenirs here at half the price. And she was absolutely right.

Whether you plan to shop or not, it is still an interesting place to visit. They also have very interesting old architecture within the area and it is nice to people watch.

When traveling, I often drive, rent a car, or hire a driver.

We took an Uber the other day and met Leonardo. We received a professional and positive vibe from him so we asked him how much he would charge to drive us around the city for four hours. He told us it’s $80 for four hours. That is such an amazing deal.

We gave Leonardo a list of places that we wanted to see that afternoon. Although he does not speak English, we managed through a translation app.

I love talking to locals because I get to know them better. I am honestly more interested about the living situation of the people rather than the city’s history from 500 years ago.

Leonardo is married with two kids (Sorry girls and gays). He works out five times a week and has a 10% body fat (yes I asked these questions 😂). He is 35 years old and has been an Uber driver for a while. His wife is a party decorator and also loves her job. They have two very beautiful kids. (Again, sadly 😂)

When I visit, I am very fascinated with how the locals live. I also ask about the minimum wage in each country and what they do for fun on their days off.

Most of all, I ask for their favorite restaurant is and then I take them there.

For me, this is the best way to experience the city and get to know the people.