Today we visited Rocinha, the largest favela in Rio de Janeiro built  on the side of a steep hill.  This small area of about one square kilometer holds over 80,000 people.  There are over 700 favelas of various sizes throughout Rio.  These shanty towns were made famous in the movie City of God, showing the rampant crime and drug activity festering in these close quarters.  Today, the government with the help of the military have attempted to overtake the area, drive down crime, and improve infrastructure.  Our visit was pretty safe, we walked through the alleyways while learning a bit about the history of favelas got a glimpse into the life of its inhabitants.