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MINERAL STORE
Because Brazil is so rich in minerals and gems, our guide Bernardo took our group to a huge mineral wholesaler called LEGEP. LEGEP has a few different offices but inside their two-floor store in Recreio dos Bandeirantes are huge granite and quartz carvings. The upper level is chock full of souvenirs for cheap. If you want to buy inexpensive gemstones to take home, this might be the place to go instead of buying them on the street or digging in the Amazon. LEGEP, Av. das Américas, 16551 - Recreio dos Bandeirantes, Tel: (55) 21 2437-8957.

H. STERN
If you want to buy a piece of fine jewelry, then head over to Ipanema Beach where H. Stern's worldwide headquarters are located. Don't worry if you can't find it; almost every hotel will give you an invitation and even supply you with a free ride over – that's the kind of commission they're getting! If you're staying at a B&B or with a friend, just call up H. Stern and they are likely to send a car. I didn't go inside because I didn't feel like buying anything expensive but I've heard that it's quite nice and that they don't put any heavy sales pressure on you. Other excellent shopping is also available in the neighborhood. H. Stern, Rua Garcia D'Avila 113, Ipanema; Tel.: 021/2259-7442.

COPACABANA NIGHT MARKET
If you just want to bring back typical souvenirs (magnets, hats, jewelry, shot glasses, T-shirts, Brazilian bikinis, soccer jerseys, or Havaianas flip flops) then head over to Copacabana's night market. The market is open every night from 6pm to 11pm and prices are very reasonable. Magnets cost $1 USD, flip-flops range from $7 to $15 and soccer jerseys are approximately the same.

LEBLON MALL
I never want to hang out in a mall when I am in a foreign country but I know many people who do. If you're one of them, then head over to Rio's newest shopping center, which opened in November 2006 in Leblon, a wealthy section of Rio, just west of Ipanema. It's appropriately called Shopping Leblon. Walking around the more than 200 stores you can tell pretty quickly that Leblon is an affluent neighborhood. Everyone is dressed to the nines and there are no bargains. But the best part is that most of the stores can't be found in America. There's no Gap, no J Crew and no Banana Republic. But don't worry – there are plenty of places to buy everything from a new bathing suit and shoes to sporting goods, cell phones and anything else you can get when you go to the mall. There is also a huge cinema complex on the top floor, as well as a variety of places to eat and drink. For more information, check out Shopping Leblon website -- if you don't read Portuguese, here's a link to Babelfish, an online translator.

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