Rio de Janeiro 2016 - Olympics and Paralympics

Rio de Janeiro's bidding process began on July 28, 2006, when the Executive Council of the Brazilian Olympic Committee (BOC) met to consider the possibility of nominating a Brazilian city to host the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.[6][21] This meeting was prompted by the fact that several cities in the world had already demonstrated an early interest around the election, some having already announced their bidding intention.[6] On September 1, 2006, the BOC's Annual Assembly decided unanimously that Rio de Janeiro would be the Brazilian representative seeking to host the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics,[22][23] The Assembly felt it was the only city in Brazil and Latin America which would possess Olympic-level facilities ready for an Olympic bid, a legacy of its upcoming hosting of XV Pan American Games in 2007.[23][24][25][26] Another positive aspect was that Rio de Janeiro could host all the Olympic sports, excluding football (soccer), within the city limits.[23] The Brazilian government immediately expressed its full support to a bid from Rio de Janeiro.[23][27] The BOC president, Carlos Arthur Nuzman, and then mayor of Rio de Janeiro, César Maia, approved the decision, thus making Rio the official Brazilian candidate for the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics bidding campaign.[28][29][30]

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) launched the bidding process for the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics on May 16, 2007.[31] All then 203 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) were invited to submit the name of a city within their jurisdiction to host the Games,[32] and had until September 13, 2007, to notify the IOC of such intention.[33][34] On September 14, 2007, the IOC announced that seven cities—Baku, Chicago, Doha, Madrid, Prague, Rio de Janeiro, and Tokyo—from three different Associations of National Olympic Committees (ANOCs), had been put forward by their respective NOCs for the 2016 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.[2][35][36] The Rio de Janeiro bid committee attended the 2016 Applicant Cities' Seminar in Lausanne, Switzerland, on October 18, 2007, where it learnt more about the bidding process.[37][38][39] The seven applicant cities returned their Application Files to the IOC on January 14, 2008.[40] The Application Files, which contain the answers and guarantees requested by the IOC's 2016 Candidature Acceptance Procedure and Questionnaire, provide the IOC with an overview of each applicant city's project.[40] The responses were studied by the IOC Working Group and the IOC Executive Board, at the latter meeting to decide which cities would be accepted as candidate cities.[40]

The IOC announced that Chicago, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, and Madrid had made it onto the final shortlist, during a June 4, 2008 meeting in Athens, Greece.[3][5][41][42] This decision was based on a report by a special IOC Working Group of experts, after a thorough technical analysis of the projects presented on the files submitted by the applicant cities.[3][43] This group assessed each city's potential for staging successful Summer Olympics and Paralympics in 2016,[3] according to eleven criteria: government support, legal issues and public opinion; general infrastructure; sport venues; Olympic village; environment conditions and impact; accommodation; transport concept; safety and security; experience from past sport events; finance; and overall project and legacy.[3] Between August 5 and August 26, 2008, the bidding committees from the four candidate cities participated in the Olympic Games Observer Program, during the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China.[44][45] On February 12, 2009, the IOC announced that it had received the Candidature Files of the four candidates.[46][47][48] Seven days later, the Candidature File was also delivered to the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) in Bonn, Germany.[49] The Rio de Janeiro 2016 Candidate File has three volumes containing 568 pages of detailed answers to 300 technical questions, divided into 17 themes.[50]

[edit]Evaluation

Main article: Evaluation of the Rio de Janeiro bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics

Rio de Janeiro bid for the 2004 and the 2012 Summer Olympics, but failed on both occasion, and missed the shortlist in each of the attempts.[51] On March 14, 2008, the IOC's 2016 Working Group released its evaluation report.[52] Through analysis of the Applicant Files, the IOC gave a weighted-average score to each bid—Tokyo scored 8.3, Madrid 8.1, Chicago 7.0, Doha 6.9, Rio de Janeiro 6.4, Prague 5.3, and Baku 4.3—based on the scores obtained in each of the questionnaire's eleven themes.[53][54][55] According to the Working Group, the minimum required grade was benchmarked at 6; being closer to 0 considered to be unsatisfactory, closer to 10 to be satisfactory and around 5 to be average.[52] Rio de Janeiro had its highest score in the Government support, legal issues and public opinion theme and its lowest in the Safety and security theme.[52] The IOC's decision to select Rio de Janeiro over Doha generated criticism,[56][57] as the Doha bid committee accused the IOC of "closing the door on the Arab world" and of making a political decision rather than judging on technical grounds.[58] Doha outperformed Rio de Janeiro in the majority of the categories assessed by the IOC,[58] but according to the IOC, Doha's desire to stage the Summer Olympics in October, rather than the traditional mid-summer time frame, because of high temperatures was the reason the bid was rejected.[59][60]

On September 18, 2008, the IOC announced the composition of the Evaluation Commission which would inspect the four candidate cities.[61][62] The Commission, composed of representatives from the Olympic Movement and advisors, was led by Nawal El Moutawakel, who had also chaired the Evaluation Commission for the 2012 Summer Olympics bid process.[61][63] On April 27, 2009, the IOC Evaluation Commission arrived in Rio de Janeiro to assess the conditions of the candidature.[11] According to IOC members and with Madrid yet to visit, the welcoming activities prepared by the city had been the best.[64] During the first two days, the Commission held internal meetings at the Copacabana Palace, the host hotel.[65] Between April 29 and 30, the Commission attended technical presentations and participated in question-and-answer sessions on each of the seventeen themes presented in the Candidature File.[65][66] The last two days were marked by the inspectors' visit to all the existing venues across the city.[12] After seven days of inspections involving 300 professionals, the thirteen members of the IOC Evaluation Commission—of which seven have voting rights—left Rio de Janeiro on the way to Madrid, on May 3, 2009.[65][67] According to Moutawakel, the Commission was very impressed with the level of integration of the Games in the country's long-term development plan.[68]

On May 4, 2009, the Rio de Janeiro bid committee accused the Madrid bid committee of sending a spy to Rio de Janeiro during the visit of the inspection commission, and considered filing a formal ethics complaint with the IOC.[69] According to the Madrid bid committee, accusations it spied on a rival candidate had been blown out of proportion.[69] The IOC Evaluation Commission analysed the Candidature Files and performed on-site inspections in Chicago (April 2–7), Tokyo (April 14–19), Rio de Janeiro (April 27 – May 2), and Madrid (May 4–9).[70][71][72] It then released a comprehensive technical appraisal for the IOC members, one month before the host city election on October 2, 2009, in Copenhagen, Denmark.[11][61][73][74] The IOC Executive Board then draws up the candidate cities to be submitted for the final vote by the IOC Session.[75][76] The election takes place in a country which does not have a candidate for the Games in question.[75]

[edit]Election

Moment of the announcement of Rio de Janeiro as the host city of the 2016 Summer Olympics.

The city of Copenhagen was chosen to stage the 13th Olympic Congress, together with the meetings of the Executive Board and the 121st IOC Session on October 2, 2009.[75][77] The capital of Denmark was picked over Athens, Busan, Cairo, Riga, Singapore and Taipei, on February 8, 2006, during the 118th IOC Session held in Turin, Italy.[77] The last day of the Olympic campaign began with the opening of the 121st IOC Session at the Copenhagen's Bella Center. Each city made its final presentation in the order of drawing of lots (Chicago, Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, Madrid) as performed by the IOC Executive Board in 2007.[78] The cities had 45 minutes to make a presentation to the Session, followed by 15 minutes for questions.[79] Following the presentations by the cities, Nawal El Moutawakel presented the report of the Evaluation Commission to the Session.[78] Chicago fell in the first round, followed by Tokyo, after the eligible IOC members have been asked to vote.[80][81] In the final round, Rio de Janeiro was elected with a large majority of the votes over Madrid (66 to 32).[82][82] The announcement of the winning city was communicated by Jacques Rogge at the announcement ceremony, following which, the BOC and Rio de Janeiro signed the Host City Contract.[83][84] The entire procedure leading to the election of Rio de Janeiro as the host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics was governed by the Olympic Charter.[75][85]

Let BrazMia Tours get you to Brazil - Fun - Fun

Florianópolis is the state capital of Santa Catarina, located south of Curitiba and north of Porto Alegre. From those cities and São Paulo it's just a short flight of a bit more than an hour. The city of Florianópolis is located on both sides of a narrow strait separating the Brazilian mainland from the large Island of Santa Catarina, from which the state takes its name. Downtown Florianópolis, the airport, and all the attractions of interest to a visitor are located in the island part of the city. The island is fringed by more than 40 beautiful beaches, from small intimate coves to miles-long strands that disappear into the distance. The most famous tourist beaches and resorts are located at the northern end of the island. Canasvieiras, Inglêses and Jureré are among the best known, and a mecca for vacationing Argentines during the Southern summer. To the south, beaches like Armação, Campeche, and Pantano do Sul still remain fishing villages, mostly unvisited by tourists. On the West side of the island facing the mainland you'll find the villages of Santo Antônio de Lisboa and Ribeirão da Ilha which preserve the architecture of the Azores, a heritage dating back to the settlement of area by Azoreans in 1748.

The natural beauty and quality of life in Floripa (the city's nickname) attract visitors from across Brazil and the neighboring countries. The most visited attractions downtown are the Mercado Publico and the refurbished Alfândega (Customshouse) with many popular bars and eating places, as well as shops selling where handcrafted articles, especially lace, an art still preserved and practiced in Brazil. The typical food is of course, seafood, with shrimp being the local specialty.

Floripa has the best Carnival in Southern Brazil, hands down, and it has become a "must" for gays from the big Southern cities like São Paulo, Curitiba and Porto Alegre. Floripa's Carnival has parades and samba schools, but also lots of "street carnival," with costumed revelers everywhere in the city's center during the evenings. You'll see some VERY creative drag, if you go! Since it's summer, local residents and the gay crowd head for the day to Praia Mole, directly across the island from the city, on the Atlantic side. Facing the ocean, the gay side of the beach is to the far left, where the Bar do Deca is "our crowd's" gathering point. Clambering over the rocky promontory at the north end of the beach you'll come to the undeveloped and less crowded Praia da Galheta (very reminiscent of Southern California's Zuma Beach) which is clothing-optional. (There are virtually no services at Galheta, so bring bottled water and food with you.) Spend the day "sur-la-plage" then, after a quick "disco nap," you'll be ready to hit the streets downtown for the Carnival madness!

We recommend that our travelers stay in downtown Floripa, where all the gay nightlife is located. It's easy to get to the beaches during the day on the municipal bus system. The outlying resort areas are far from town, have no gay nightlife, and are quite deserted during the off-season, but the city center is busy all year long!

Being quite far South, Floripa has definite seasons, and winter can bring gloomy, chilly days. The city is jumping during the summer high season (mid-December through Carnival) and much more tranquil the rest of the year. Even in the winter, though, it's possible to have warm, bright days that are perfect for going to the beach. You just can't count on it!

If you have time, there are other places to see in the beautiful state of Santa Catarina. About an hour north of Floripa is Balneário Camboriú, a mini-Copacabana popular with vacationers from Argentina and the Brazilian interior. There are a couple of year-round gay places in Camboriú where guys from Floripa go for a change of scenery! Not very far inland from Floripa are a couple of posh thermal spas at Caldas da Imperatriz, where you can "take the waters" for various ailments or just have a luxurious soak! Farther inland, through spectacular scenery in the mountains, is São Joaquim, the only town in Brazil that predictably gets snow in the winter! The surrounding area is one of Brazil's main sources of temperate fruits like apples and peaches, which can't be grown without a a cold winter for the trees to be dormant.

Three or four hours North of Floripa are the deeply German-influenced cities of Blumenau and Joinville. Blumenau's annual Oktoberfest attracts throngs, including gays. There's even a gay beer pavilion at the event! By now the German immigrant population is in its fourth or fifth generation in Brazil, so if you want to experience a Portuguese-speaking Oktoberfest with oom-pah bands and beer galore, this is a fun event! All of these places are off the tourist trail for gringos, so you can count on being an interesting novelty when you arrive and an object of interest to the handsome and friendly Catarinenses!

You'll find it's hard to go wrong vacationing in beautiful Santa Catarina. Can the millions of Brazilians and Argentines who flock to Florianópolis be wrong? They happily return, year after year, and once you've fallen under the spell of the Ilha da Magia (the "Magical Island") you'll return, too!!!

Florianopolis

You may not have heard much about it yet, but the city of Florianopolis is slowly but surely building a reputation as the next jet-set hot spot; something like a combination of St. Tropez, Punta del Este, and the Hamptons—but with lower prices. It’s also increasingly on the radar for gay and lesbian travelers looking for sun, sand, and sophistication without the big-city hassles of places like Rio de Janeiro.

The city of Florianopolis, called Floripa by most Brazilians, is the capital of the state of Santa Catarina, set on a 202-square-mile island just off the coast of southern Brazil. Floripa, however, feels more like a collection of towns, thanks to its 42 beaches, natural beauty, and outdoor activities.

For all the glitzy development I’ve heard about, I begin my visit (accompanied by an array of International Gay and Lesbian Travel Association members who are equally curious about the destination) in the quiet southern part of the island, where nearly half of the terrain is covered with Atlantic rainforest. We hike a secluded path to reach Naufragados Beach, an uncrowded sunny spot where we enjoy the sand and the view of a far-off lighthouse before boarding a small boat to a nearby oyster farm. Oyster farming and fishing continue to be an important source of revenue for locals. This homegrown industry dates back to 1673, when the first Azorean and Portuguese settlers dropped anchor here. Early settlers also left their mark in the charming architecture, which is especially visible in small Azorean settlements like Ribeirão. These small communities are great places to try the local seafood, as I find out during a tasty lunch at Porto de Contrato, a waterfront restaurant with a beautiful view.

Lets go to Rio De Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro Sparkling waters, beautiful people, historic neighborhoods and museums, mixed with rich sounds of Samba and a thriving nightlife have all come to give Rio de Janeiro its reputation as one of the most striking cities in the world. More
Iguassu Waterfalls The Iguassu Falls and National Park offer the visitor an experience one-on-one with nature. Explore one of the world's greatest waterfalls on foot or from a boat that gives you a view of the water falling from below. More
The Amazon The Amazon houses the most diverse collection of plants and animals in the world- containing 10% of the worlds species and 20% of all higher plant and bird species. The Amazon also contains within its waters an estimated 2000 species of fish. It stretches across 2.3 million square miles, making it also the largest tropical rainforest in the world, covering over 9 countries. More
The Pantanal The Pantanal! Almost 10 times the size of the Everglades and the world's largest freshwater wetland, it is also one of the world's most active habitats. Unlike in the Amazon, where the animals are hidden out of view, here in the pantanal the wetland bursts with wildlife: jaguars, giant otters, anacondas, caimans, hawks, kites, Marsh deer, Tapirs, egrets, herons, ibis, roseate spoonbills- the list goes on and on! More
Salvador de Bahia The city of Salvador and the region of Bahia are some of the most interesting highlights of Brazil. Here, a colorful, historic city is situated near miles of amazing beaches and coastline. More
Sao Paulo The metropolis of Sao Paulo is the biggest city in Brazil. Sao Paulo is also the commercial and business capital of Brazil. There are a few interesting sights in Sao Paulo for the tourist to visit. More
Brasilia This city is the site of the greatest city planning project in the world. Brasilia became the capital of Brazil and has beautiful architecture by Oscar Neidermeyer. More
Recife The city of Recife and the Northeastern coast of Brazil are destinations that have much to offer the tourist. Never-ending beaches, brazillian culture, people, and foods are just some of the highlights of your visit. More
Fortaleza The large city of Fortaleza is bustling with spirit and is a gateway to miles and miles of beaches. Combine the the urban, colorful city feel, with the best urban beaches, and throw in some quiet villages for a complete experience in Fortaleza. Further Information
Fernando de Noronha The world-renowned archipelago of Fernando de Noronha is a beautiful place to visit on you Brazilian vacation. Diving is the most popular activity on the island, but sightseeing and relaxing on the beach are popular secondary occupations on this collection of beautiful islands. Further Information

Braz Mia Tours - Miami Tours

Braz Mia Tours features a wide variety of tours, activities and attractions to make your visit most memorable. Our offers include a Key West Tour, the popular Miami City Tour and Biscayne Bay Cruise as well as the adventurous Everglades Exploration Tour. While in Miami also do not miss the opportunity to go on a one day cruise to the beautiful islands of the Bahamas.

Miami - TV SHOWS - Miami Social

Bravo has announced that it will premiere Miami Social, a new docu-reality series that will follow the lives of seven "hot, young professionals" living in Miami on Tuesday, July 14 at 10PM ET/PT and revealed the show's cast, which includes a pair of former The Apprentice and Big Brother contestants.

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Miami Social, which Bravo began developing more than a year ago, will "follow a successful group of friends who are some of the most connected and interesting young professionals in South Beach, as they go from the city's night life, to the board room, to magazine offices where they lead their intertwined lives," according to the network.

Two of the friends will be faces that are familiar to long-time reality television viewers: Katrina Campins, who competed on the first season of The Apprentice in 2004, and Hardy Hill, who competed on Big Brother's second season in 2001.

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Campins finished sixth on The Apprentice's first season and was billed as a 24-year-old real estate agent from Coral Gables, FL at the time. Hill finished fourth on Big Brother 2 and was billed a 31-year-old account executive and bouncer from York, PA.

Campins later married Ben Moss, her high school sweetheart, in August 2004 and the pair founded The Campins Company, a real estate brokerage firm they still operate, that same year. However while the business has been a success, the couple's personal relationship has apparently has seen better days, and Campins now "finds herself struggling with the rising success of her company versus the romantic lows of her marriage," according to Bravo.

Hill now lives in Miami, where he serves as the president and CEO of Hill Hospitality Group and hosts "the hottest weekly parties at the chicest clubs, restaurants and hotels in South Beach," according to the network.

Miami Social's other cast members are Ariel, a fashion producer; Michael, a freelance editor; Maria, an art director and freelance photographer; and George, a mortgage banker, and his ex-wife Sorah, a realtor and property manager.

Miami Social is being produced by Pink Sneakers, with Kimberly Cowin and John Ehrhard serving as executive producers.

Below are the cast's Bravo-released biographical descriptions:

Ariel is one of the key players in the Miami nightlife scene, a regular at the hottest parties and clubs in town and always on the VIP list. Never one to sit still, he works as one of Miami's premiere fashion producers and also serves as Vice President of one of the family business, 20/20 Vision Management, Inc. Ariel counts his social life as his other occupation, and is personal friends with some of Miami's top fashion designers and celebrities. There is never a dull moment with Ariel, who considers the posh area of South Beach his personal playground. Tapped into the fashion, entertainment and celebrity world of Miami, Ariel continues to make his mark as part of the fast-paced "It Crowd."

George is the quintessential "man about town" in South Beach. He is a high-powered mortgage banker and also owns his own investment and consulting firm, and says making money is one of his primary hobbies. George is divorced from fellow castmate Sorah. They still live in the same apartment building and have remained close friends, despite his fiery and tumultuous relationship with current girlfriend Lina. By day, George's focus is on his career, but by night, he's regularly seen around South Beach and is a regular at the hottest clubs in town. Never one to shy away from drama, George stands at a crossroads in his life, trying to balance his party animal ways with settling down and making things work with Lina.

Hardy is the man to know in Miami. He is the President and CEO of Hill Hospitality Group, and is the host of the hottest weekly parties at the chicest clubs, restaurants and hotels in South Beach. His job keeps him at the forefront of the wild Miami nightlife, where work and play are sometimes blurred. Described as "opinionated and strong-willed," he strives to balance his career and the pressures of the nightlife with the thought of settling down with the right woman.

Katrina epitomizes the saying "work hard, play hard." A no-nonsense approach to business made her a powerhouse at a young age, and she is one of Miami's hottest real estate agents, ranking in the top ½ percent of realtors nationwide. She founded and owns her own real estate brokerage firm, The Campins Company, which caters to an elite clientele, including celebrities and athletes. She was also one of the stars of the first season of The Apprentice. Born and raised in Miami, this Cuban-American bombshell knows the ins and outs of the city and is tapped into the nightlife and a staple on the social scene. Never one to sit still, Katrina finds herself struggling with the rising success of her company versus the romantic lows of her marriage.

Maria is a no-nonsense Russian bombshell who has taken Miami by storm. After moving to the city in 2005, it took her no time to make a mark on the scene, and only is seen at the chicest spots in South Beach. She currently works as an art director and freelance photographer after studying at the prestigious Miami Ad School, and has had the opportunity to travel the world for her job. She describes herself as "forward, rebellious and fiery," but is a passionate and devoted mom to 13-year-old Angelika.

Michael is one of Miami's "in the know," tapped into the media world as a freelance editor covering local entertainment and A-list celebrities for magazines such as In Touch. He also commentates for local and national TV shows such as CNN's Showbiz Tonight. He is currently working hard at launching his own website -- thestylelabonline.com -- an e-commerce site that will cover all that is fashionable. His job allows him the freedom to explore the hottest Miami locales, including lunch meetings at the chicest hotel pools and cocktails on the hottest rooftop lounges. A lover of the outdoors, he enjoys life with his three-year-old poodle, Austin, all while looking for love in the sometimes complicated and dramatic world of South Beach.

Sorah is a successful business woman who carefully balances work and play. She is a realtor and property manager and also works in the home remodeling industry. Having "been there and done that" with the South Beach party scene, Sorah enjoys chilling at the beach or chic hotel pools, and hitting up the hottest South Beach restaurants for nights out with the girls. Divorced from ladies man George, she still maintains a somewhat complex friendship with him despite their close living quarters -- which complicates things with her current boyfriend, Gonzalo, who also lives in the same building.

Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami

The series is a spin-off of the show "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and will document the lives of sisters Khloé and Kourtney Kardashian, who decided to move to Miami, Florida to open a Dash store on the east coast. The series will also follow their newly adjusted life in South Florida, including Khloé's new stint as a radio DJ at Top 40 Mainstream station WHYI.[1]

The spin off will not feature sister Kim Kardashian as a main character but the entire family may have guest roles on the new series.[2][3][4][5][6]

The show is being filmed at a exclusive hotel named the Bentley Beach Hotel in Miami, where Kourtney and Khloé are living for the time being until they decide to get a permanent place of housing.