Welcome, bro.

I'm not from Rio de Janeiro; I'm from Niterói. For those who aren't from Rio, Niterói is a city 12 kilometers from Rio, connected to the capital by a bridge. But I've always worked in Rio – the capital. So, as a non-resident but a daily visitor, I have the authority to speak about the city both as an insider and as an outsider. I've traveled extensively within Brazil, always by bus or car, due to my paralyzing fear of flying. Therefore, I can say with certainty: Rio de Janeiro is a truly different city.

In São Paulo there are favelas – on the outskirts. And there are the upscale neighborhoods – in the upscale part of the city. The same occurs in other capitals. In Rio de Janeiro, there are peripheries within the upscale neighborhoods, and the modest residents of the favelas go to the same beaches as TV stars, bump into singers on the streets, and meet celebrities in the stands of the Maracanã stadium. Social segregation unfortunately exists, but it is not geographical. And because of this, personal and physical segregation is much less. I am not defending poverty, I just think it is better to have its wounds visible and treat them than to cover them with a beautiful fabric and let them fester out of our sight.

And that's just one of the characteristics that make Rio de Janeiro a truly different place, far beyond the tourist advertising and commercial brochures. The joy and receptiveness of the people, the natural beauty of the women, the cordiality, the democracy of our beaches and streets. So much so that we've always had special publications, since the national versions of the publications – pardon the redundancy – didn't do justice to Guanabara. That's why it's an honor for us – Cariocas and Fluminenses – to have created Rio 247. The first iPad newspaper in Brazil couldn't go against the grain of history and, by not doing so, created a "cool" and "smart" edition for the marvelous city. Welcome, "brother".