Rio: Must-Follow Shopping Guide to Local Products, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (B)

Other than the sun, passion and football, for which Brazil is renowned and which cannot be fitted into one's luggage, picking a memorable gift from Rio is a tough job. And this is not because of the lack of suitable things to choose from, but because of their abundance. Indeed, there're tons of stuff in Rio - the showroom of all things Brazil - that one might crave taking home. Local crafts, fashion, food, drinks, and much much more - the list is long. To see what is there to fit into your budget, if not luggage, check out this guide!

A piece of legacy from Brazil’s colonial past, local hammocks are sturdy and stylish. In the northeast of the country, they are not just decoration or a beach-house accessory - some people actually sleep in them. Often, they are placed on the veranda for an afternoon nap and it’s also rather commonplace to see them grace apartment balconies in urban settings, adding a bucolic touch to the landscape. Typically, they are made of cotton, featuring fringes on the side and loops, as they hang from hooks on the wall. Some hammock vendors do rounds on the beach so you may buy one from the comfort of your beach chair. Alternatively, head to Feira de São Cristóvão, at Avenida do Nordeste 29, a market that specializes in crafts from Brazil’s northeast, located at Campo de São Cristóvão in the neighborhood of the same name (you may want to make a day out of this hammock-chasing excursion). Open Tuesdays through Thursdays from 10am to 6pm, and Fridays between 10am and 8pm. Tel: (21) 2580.6946. You can also find a nylon version for outdoor adventures, such as camping, at Montcamp (Av. das Américas, 7707) - Barra da Tijuca. Tel: (21) 2438.8358. Open Monday to Friday from 10am to 7pm, and Saturdays from 10am to 3pm. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).