Didn't see a topic on the city. I went a couple of weeks ago and thought it was a really fun city with good to great food, friendly people, and some of the most beautiful scenery I've seen in an urban setting anywhere in the world. I stayed in the tourist section of the city where Copacabana and Ipanema beaches converge. Despite being winter, the weather was high 70's to low 80's throughout the week and the beaches were packed everyday. I avoided the favelas and never felt unsafe, though I didn't explore the nightlife. The prices for most things were pretty inexpensive by American standards. The highlights for me were a sailboat cruise with spectacular views of the city and lots of beach time. It was a 9 hour overnight flight from Houston, so not too bad a trek to get there. The trip was a last second add-on to my current month long stay in Buenos Aires where I'm working remotely, but I'd definitely recommend Rio as a stand alone trip.