Rio de Janeiro has more to offer than just beaches and Carnival, so if you find yourself at Post 9 in Ipanema on a lazy Sunday afternoon you might as well make your way to the Feira Hippie de Ipanema . Hopefully you brought your wallet or at least a few reais in your sunga. (your Brazilian banana hammock)

What is this Hippie Fair? It’s a big tourist attraction sure, but is also a great place to get some small inexpensive gifts and trinkets for others or yourself. If you want good luck try and find a figa, a Brazilian-African symbol that wards off evil spirits- but only when given as a gift. What you can’t ward off though is hunger but that is OK because you have a few great options. If you are feeling for some authentic spicy northern Brazilian dishes just walk around the edges and on the corner of Rua Prudente de Morais and Rua Jangadeiros you will find women wearing the furthest thing from beach wear yet serving delicious authentic dishes from northeastern brazil. If you want something Brazilian but with a little less spice try Casa da Feijoada located right around the same corner serving what else but feijoada. If you don’t know what feijoada is or just not a fan of a soupy delicious serving of what wouldn’t be considered the choice meat from a pig it might be better to order the feijoada light. On the other hand, shopping, interacting with other travelers and haggling in English has you hungry for something a little more familiar. If this is the case then go to Shenanigans a fun Irish pub located on the opposite side of the fair on Rua Visconde de Piraja. Here you can get your variety of potato plates and Irish beers served by a few Brazilian beauties.

The fact that you have a few great food options, a vast selection of Brazilian souvenirs and the ocean only a block away makes this a fun place to explore on a Sunday. Yet, what if you aren’t in Ipanema and it’s Friday or Saturday and you’re looking to explore northeastern Brazil without ever leaving Rio in a nonstop party format? You are in luck because if you find yourself in São Cristóvão make sure you explore the Feira Nordestina. This is the place for you, there is everything you need live music on a large stage, great food, unique souvenirs and plenty of entertainment. I personally recommend that if you are looking to buy a hammock in Rio that this is the place to find one for a better price than anywhere else.

The truth is there are plenty of places to shop in Rio not including the many malls, which to me seemed more for the higher class Brazilians, but these met all the requirements I needed shopping, food, beer and party(or beach which is an acceptable substitute). This might not mean much to me or some of you, but when I traveled with a serious shopaholic (I’m talking Samantha Brown like) and she loved these fairs. Sure she loved the malls too but this offered more of a connection with the people of Brazil…..shopping for her and food/beer for me.

Since you can’t share a drink with me, share this post with others!