While Santa Marta might be a place that makes you thankful for the fortune you have everyday, it's not all doom and gloom for the residents. I loved the fact that in spite the hardness of their lifestyle, the people of the favela still have space for a laugh and a little fun. Some of the kind people I met even posed for pics for me, just because they thought it was funny. Oh and I should say, this favela is famous for something... an 'honorary resident' so to speak.

Spot him below? Michael Jackson filmed his video for "They Don't Really Care About Us" here in the 90's. There's a statue (ray bans & all) and a mural dedicated to him in one of the iconic spots in the favela where he did a big scene. There's even a shanty town souvenir shop selling MJ 'merchandise' (if you could call it that) leveraging off the spots' claim to fame. Bizarre.