On my second weekend in Rio, I met up with Alex on a rainy Saturday morning to tour the Ladeira dos Tabajaras favela. We met at a nearby metro station, proceeded up the winding road into the favela on the back of a scooter, and then hiked up further to several vantage points with great views of the city. Alex expertly navigated the narrow alleyways and steep staircases of the favela that he once called his home, all the while saying hi to old friends, and introducing himself to new ones. He knew how to appropriately interact with everyone that we came in contact with, and made them feel at ease with our presence. During our walk, Alex enlightened me on the way of life in the favela, before finally leading us to a small street café where we chowed down on a rotisserie chicken and shared a giant bottle of local beer. Touring the favela with Alex is an experience that I think you’d be hard-pressed to get any other way. Plus, Alex is a cool guy and an interesting character in his own right, which only made it more enjoyable. Highly recommended.