RE: Any comments on this piece?

Dan Minette wrote:
> 
>> You have a wrong idea about Brazil.
> 
> Is the Copacabana still as bad as when I was down there, about a 
> dozen years ago?
>
I don't think it changed too much.

> I presume the sewer line was fixed by now, 
>
No, it wasn't - and the problem was not the sewer line.

> but are there still ugly sex workers every 100 yards
>
Maybe not, but there's a long time since I went throught
Avenida Atlantica at night. BTW, prostitution is _legal_
in Brazil, what's illegal is the exploitation of prostitution
(which does not make any sense, like 90% of law.br).

> and hotels that were five star in 1950, and not updated since?
> 
Yes, they are called "Patrimônio cultural tombado", which means
that you can't touch them. But there are new hotels.

Alberto Monteiro