Menininha82

Where does one find these eco-friendly sunscreens? I cannot find them at the local stores. Do you have to order from online?

I found some at one of the large sporting good chains when I went looking for snorkling gear.

"I understand that the ones in the cruise port are run by a taxi mob of some sort? "

Only if you consider a cooperative "a taxi mob of some sort", rather than a type of union. The members of each cooperative have a right to sit at a certain taxi stand/rank, and pick up passengers there, by virtue of being members. They pay for membership and this is the way they make their living and support their families. (I must state that my perspective on taxi drivers comes from personally knowing at least one driver, a good friend's close relative; He and those of his colleagues I've met are pretty nice family-oriented guys who have always treated me well and fairly.)

You may have heard that recently some drivers from the airport defended their rights much too vigorously against an interloper, which some may consider acting as a "mob", but this behavior should not neccessarily tar all cooperatives, nor all members of any given cooperative, with the same brush.

I don't think you need to be overly preoccupied about the simple act of flagging a taxi in Rio. IMO the pre-paid taxis prey upon the unease of more naive tourists, those with more cash to buy supposed peace of mind, in an unfamiliar place with an unfamiliar language, to charge double what the coop taxis do for the same ride. If you note the coop name and number, you essentially have the same info as you would for a pre-paid taxi. Horses for courses, though.

"What taxi do you recommend taking that won`t be a rip-off?"

Any yellow taxis that have the name and phone number of their cooperative organization painted on the back fender.