Things to do in Porto Velho
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River Trips
The broad Rio Madeira forms the western boundary of Porto Velho. Measurements of the length of the mud-brown river usually include its main tributary, the Rio Mamoré, and its tributaries, which originate in the Bolivian Andes, making the Madeira 3200km long. With an average flow of 1.4 billion liters a minute, the Madeira has the sixth-greatest volume of all the world's rivers. It enters the Rio Amazonas 150km downstream from Manaus.
From about 09:00 to 19:00 daily, riverboats make 45-minute cruises along the Rio Madeira from the dock in front of the Madeira-Mamoré train station While not exactly thrilling, this is a reasonable way to idle away an hour or so - with luck …
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Av Pinheiro Machado
The corner of Avs Pinheiro Machado and Presidente Dutra is the epicenter of Porto Velho's nightlife. Three bars in row - Emporium, Estação do Porto and Buda's Bar - serve up beer, mixed drinks, and a cool, bohemian-ish atmosphere that draws a mixed-age crowd. Weekends are busiest, of course, and occasionally feature live music.
Further down Av Pinheiro Machado - to about Rua Goncalves - are several more small bars, restaurants and cafés, if you're looking for something bit mellower (or just a bite to eat).
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Museu da Estrada de Ferro Madeira-Mamoré
The city’s only real sight of interest, the Museu da Estrada de Ferro Madeira-Mamoré was undergoing a major renovation at the time of research. A massive complex, it occupies several huge sheds that made up the original train station, and boasts an extensive collection of artifacts and memorabilia related to the infamous Madeira-Mamoré railway, including the US-built ‘Colonel Church, ’ the first locomotive to run in Amazonia.
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Casa D’Italia
The rodízio (smorgasbord) concept works perfectly well for Italian food: instead of skewers of meat, waiters rotate by with dishes of lasagna, pastas with red or cream sauces, and of course pizza of all sorts, including chocolate and banana pizzas for dessert. It’s all-you-can-eat, but don’t get greedy: you pay extra if you leave anything on your plate.
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Riverbank Area
For something a bit edgier, the riverbank area by the Madeira-Mamoré train station has a slew of outdoor stands serving beer, and a couple of floating docks that double as bars. Saturday and Sunday nights has live music and dancing; things can get a bit seedy as the night wears on, so definitely be alert.
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Praça Rondón
Carts set up along the edges of the plaza serve espetinho completo - beef or chicken kabobs served with rice and farinha - and other street-food favorites for less than R$5 a plate. Afterward, migrate across the plaza to one of the outdoor bars for a tall beer at a plastic table.
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Artes Brasil
The best items here are carved wooden animals, from pink dolphins to peacock bass, and ranging from keychain size to several feet long. The rest is fairly predictable artesenato, but still worth perusing. It faces the Mercado Central, a short distance from the railroad museum.
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Caffé Restaurante
Come here for the excellent lunch buffet. A wide selection of mains – from shepherds pie to fried fish – and a slew of sides and a refrigerated case full of succulent desserts are served in a nice and cool dining area. Popular with professionals, but perfectly affordable.
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Mirante II
Fish figures prominently on the menu of this outdoor eatery, but the real reason to come is the great view of the Rio Madeira. You can also order simple sandwiches. There's a popular feijoada (bean-and-meat stew) on Saturdays. Very low key, with outdoor tables.
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Cine Rio
Cine Rio is a one-screen theater located on the 2nd floor of Rio Shopping, a small mall on Av Carlos Gomes, between Rua Joaquim Nabuco and Av Brasília; at least five people are required to run the movie, and some nights a quorum is not to be had.
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Remanso do Tucunaré
Good fish dishes serve two easily; try a delicious caldeirada de tucunaré (river-fish stew) or tambaquí – big fish chunks boiled with onion and tomatoes in a souplike sauce, accompanied by rice.
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Cine Brasil
Cine Brasil is located in a run-down theater near Rua José de Alencar.
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