All the places we stayed in Central and South America all had many things in common. The ancient culture in Peru and Mexico is very similar. Rio de Janeiro did not have the same history but had the same feel as the other countries. One of the first things you notice is the presence of police, military and security personnel everywhere. These men and women are fully kitted out - truncheons, pistols and machine guns. It makes you feel secure and a little bit dubious about the place you are in all at the same time. But we didn't have any trouble anywhere and never felt unsafe in any of the countries. In saying that, aside from the machine guns, they were really no more armed than anywhere else we have been, it's just their presence
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