On a couple of trips, I've gone looking for touristy souvenirs for friends back home (cheap Tshirts etc) and in some cases, it is more difficult to find stuff than you might think. Of course, there is all sorts of junk that they shove down your face while sitting in Meia Pataca but that stuff is all way over priced and cheap to boot.

there are a couple of good T shirt shops in Rio sul. Although 1 is the Hard Rock cafe Tshirts (I'm not one to pay to advertise for a company).

Last sunday, i walked thru the vending stands that are set up in the middle of Atlantico on Sat & Sun evening and prices for everything are dirt cheap; obviously where I am going to pick up souvenirs before heading home. T-shirts are 10 reais ($4), and they have these great looking (lots of brilliant colors) wraps (I guess that is what you would call; the local girls seem to use them a skirts when they go to the beach) for 10-15 reais. I sure you won't ever want to wash any of this stuff with anything else but it is very pretty stuff.

There are souvenir shops that the statue of christ & sugarloaf.

And if you want pay top dollar for souvenirs, there is always the airport.

Yup, the evening street fair stalls outside Alcazar/Debret hotel are fairly inexpensive. Do avoid the hawkers of wraps who walk the breadth of Ave. Atlantica

On Sunday, check out the Hippie Fair in Ipanema. Lots of interesting (unique) stuff and good price.

Not to mention cute hippy chicks...