Buzz
Before heading to the infamous and dangerous mouse district, an Australian tourist carries only a 'bodyguard' - a letter written in Portuguese.
Venturing boldly into the notorious mouse district in Brazil
After a night of revelry in the party city, Cary Hugo from Australia takes a taxi at 3:30 AM to the outskirts of Rio de Janeiro to visit the mouse neighborhoods of Complexo do Alemão. This location is renowned as one of the most dangerous suburban areas globally. Despite being aware of this, Hugo still wants to explore the hidden corners of the city. The 34-year-old traveler made this decision on his last day in Brazil, August 16, before returning to Perth, Australia.
'You can go there with a camera, and they greet you with machine guns. Nevertheless, I've heard that in these mouse districts, there are amazing people and many interesting things to discover,' says Hugo.
To communicate more easily and ensure his safety, Hugo asked a woman he knew to write a letter in Portuguese and brought it with him before getting in the taxi. Hugo planned that when he arrives at the mouse district and faces danger, he will give this letter to the people there. The content of the letter written by Hugo portrays him as a tourist, here to learn more about their lives with goodwill. If people are not interested, he will leave.
The driver drops him off a half-mile from the mouse district, letting him walk in. When he arrives, it's only 5 AM. Locals are waking up, getting ready for a new day of labor. He receives a few curious glances, but no one says anything.
Afterward, Hugo encounters three men with guns. They approach him without aggression, just curious about the presence of a stranger. He hands them a letter in Portuguese and uses Google Translate to convey his message.
The exchange between him and the three local men is constantly interrupted as they communicate with someone through walkie-talkies, distant gunshots echoing. At that moment, Hugo thinks a tourist should go to safe places for parties and exploration, not mouse districts. After determining he is 'not a threat,' they tell Hugo he can go.
But he doesn't want to because he hopes to explore the mouse district in Brazil. Finally, the group led Hugo to a house after a 30-minute walk. This is where he meets their leader and is invited to the communal house for drinks. Hugo spends the whole day sitting and drinking with them, exploring the area. Throughout his time in the mouse district, he feels protected rather than threatened.
Hugo admits his journey is 'reckless and foolish,' so he doesn't encourage anyone to do the same. In 2015, an elderly tourist was shot in this area when he went the wrong way. Instead of going to the beach in Niteroi, a suburb of Rio, he and his companion ended up in the Caramujo mouse district, controlled by mafia gangs.
Journalist Donna Bowater, who lived in Rio for 4 years, says many tourists have bought tours to visit the mouse district here. But those who go alone face a higher risk of danger.
Source: Anh Minh/ Vnexpress
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Reference: Travel guide Mytour
MytourSeptember 4, 2019
