algunos de sus íconos más representativos=?

Question

Más allá de algunos de sus íconos más representativos, otra de las postales de la ciudad de Río de Janeiro son sus asentamientos irregulares, conocidos en Brasil como favelas, muchas de ellas ubicadas en plena zona turística

Fixed the link to the picture. - webdunce, Jul 16, 2011

The ellas means "them" and refers back to las postales. - webdunce, Jul 16, 2011

Las postales *could* mean post cards, I think...maybe. - webdunce, Jul 16, 2011

Beyond some of its most representative icons, the other post cards of Rio de Janeiro are of its disorganized settlements, known in Brazil as favelas, many of them located in full-out tourist areas. - webdunce, Jul 16, 2011

That's my guess, but I'm not making an official answer...I'll let a native do that. The words postales and irregulares are the words I find most ambiguous. - webdunce, Jul 16, 2011

Hmmmm....maybe "its ramshackle little towns" for "sus asentamientos irregulares" - webdunce, Jul 16, 2011

Answer 1

Alright, I'm gonna make a more official guess...love to see how close I am...

Más allá de algunos de sus íconos más representativos, otra de las postales de la ciudad de Río de Janeiro son sus asentamientos irregulares, conocidos en Brasil como favelas, muchas de ellas ubicadas en plena zona turística.

Below is my interpretation (and not really a transliteration)...I've decided to translate "las postales" as parts (or sections) as in sections of a city or town...thinking maybe it corresponds roughly with zip codes or something...for some reason I'm not liking the postcard idea here. It seems the writer is literally describing the area with "más allá de"

Beyond its more iconic sections, other parts of Rio de Janiero are quite ramshackle in appearance. These are known in Brazil as favelas, and many of them are located right in the tourist areas.

I assume that asentamientos irregulares is describing only the disorganized layout of these areas. I wonder though if there is also the idea that these areas are "rough" (like you are likely to get mugged or scammed there), in which case I would have said "other areas are quite rough and ramshackle."

For some reason I really want to translate más allá de here as besides, even though I've always associated physical location with the phrase. Would that be wrong? - webdunce, Jul 16, 2011

Answer 2

Okay, after reading the answers to your thread on favelas...I'll have another go at this...(not a word-for-word translation, more an interpretation).

Beyond its more iconic sections, Rio de Janiero also has its shanty-town areas. These are known in Brazil as favelas, and many of them are located right in the tourist areas.