Brasil: Lugares para visitar

Voltar do Brasil e f*! Porque a energia do pais e tao forte, mas tao forte, que quando o deixamos e que como se entrássemos em um vale de energia. E o sol, a luz, o calor, as cores, os sabores, a musica, o mar, as ondas, as pessoas. Difícil encontrar essa mistura em outro lugar!!!! Eletricidade pura!!!!
Confesso-me uma fa incondicional do Brasil e de sua gente. 

Mas a energia vem de la com conosco. Ainda bem!!!!Para me inspirar, fiz uma lista de lugares que quero (muito, muito, muito) ver ou rever na Terra Brazilis. 

• Fernando de Noronha
• Abrolhos
• Minas Gerais (sempre!): Ouro Preto, Congonhas, Tiradentes, Mariana, Diamantina, Inhotim (Brumadinho), o meu amado sul de Minas e o Porque nacional da Serra da Canastra, Serra da Mantiqueira (Ibitipoca rocks!)
• Belem do Para (Ver o Peso, Feira do Acai, frutas, sorvetes)
• Lençóis maranhenses
• Chapada Diamantina
• Serra da Capivara
• Pantanal e Bonito
• Ponta do Ganchos (sempre!)
• Paraty (sempre!)
• Sao Miguel do Gostoso

Images: sources not found

Brazil Travel Trips

Um amigo vai com a family ao Brasil em Abril. A viagem foi um pedido da filhinha dele que se apaixonou pelo filme Rio. E eu fiz uma listinha pra eles que divido abaixo com voces.

======

For the very first visit I would recommend the following places: 

-          Rio: the city of Rio and some of the beaches in the coast of the Rio’s state

-          Salvador and the surrounding beaches

-          Minas Gerais:  Ouro Preto, Tiradentes, Mariana, Diamantina

-          The Iguaçu waterfalls

But the final itinerary  depends on the time you are planning to stay there.

Airlines:

- Air France and Lufthansa have direct flies to Rio.

- Swiss flies (from Zurich) to Sao Paulo only, and the connections between Sao Paulo and Rio are good with flights every hour.

- Local airlines: TAM and GOL serve majority of the big cities.

And here goes an overview of the main places to visit in Brazil.

The country’s central area, southeast and south

The state of Rio de Janeiro

- Rio de Janeiro (the city), aka “Rio”: it's mix of mountains, landmarks, beaches and life style is unique. Sugarloaf, Corcovado mountains,  Copacabana and Ipanema beaches and the city’s iconic landmark, the enormous Christ the Redeemer statue sitting atop Corcovado mountain are a must see. But they are just the beginning! I recommend to explore other spots like the rain forests nearby, the Arpoador, the Leblon, Santa Tereza and Lapa (especially in the evenings) neighborhoods, have a drink at Bar dos Descasados at Hotel Santa Tereza, watching the beaches,  go to a samba-school training, rent a boat and spend some time at the Guanabara Bay, go to Tijuca Forest National Park. Rio is all about enjoy the life and relaxing. Just be prepared for the hot weather and keep yourself safe (= don’t carry ANY shiny / valuable stuff on the streets)!!

- In the Rio de Janeiro coast:

- Angra dos Reis: Nice beaches and small islands.

- Ilha Grande: Including the beach of Praia Lopes Mendes.

- Paraty: Colonial city in the Bay of Ilha Grande, mixes tropical forests, waterfalls, emerald sea and coastal mountains.

The state of Sao Paulo

- lhabela (some kms south of Patary): it’s an island in the Sao Paulo coast, excellent for sailing and hiking. Don't miss the Praia do Bonete (reachable by boat).

The state of Minas Gerais, the Royal Road (Estrada Real)

- Ouro Preto (= meaning “black gold” ): it's one of Brazil’s best-preserved colonial towns. The city contains well preserved Portuguese  colonial architecture, churches decorated with gold and the sculptured works of Aleijadinho.

- Tiradentes

- Mariana

- Diamantina

- Inhotim: for modern art

Brasilia

- Brazil's capital was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and has beautiful modern architecture buildings. My favorites: the Brasilia cathedral,  an incredible game of concrete, curves and light and the Don Bosco Sanctuary with all its "turquoise". 

The states of Mato Grosso / Mato Grosso do Sul

- Pantanal: a water world full of wildlife.

- Bonito: caves, waterfalls and wildlife.

The state of Parana

- Iguaçu waterfalls @ Foz do Iguaçu

Iguaçu Falls is a series of  waterfalls located on the Iguaçu River, straddling the border between Brazil and Argentina. The falls in and of themselves are a breathtaking spectacle, but their beauty is all the more enhanced by the surrounding national park the and it's wildlife. The gateway to the falls on the Brazilian side is Foz do Iguaçu.

The state of Santa Catarina

- Florianopolis: it’s a beautiful island with very nice beaches.

Brazil's northeastern coast

The state of Pernambuco

- Recife: historic old town, beaches and vibrant culture

- Olinda

The state of Bahia and it's coast

- Salvador: Salvador is the capital of the state of Bahia, with an attractive colonial town, a vibrant musical scene and loads of exceptional beaches all around. The beaches range from calm inlets, ideal for swimming, diving and sailing, as well as open sea inlets with strong waves, popular with surfers. There are also beaches surrounded by reefs, forming natural pools of stone, ideal for children.

- Peninsula do Marau and it's beautiful beach “Praia de Taipu de Fora”

- Caraiva

- Trancoso: including the "Praia do Espelho",  a desert beach with cliffs, corals and cristalin water.

The state of Ceara and it's coast

- Fortaleza, the state capital, is ugly but serves as the jumping-off point for beautiful beaches, rolling dunes and rustic fishing villages up and down the Ceara coast, including Jericoacoara and the super rustic but lovely Ginjoca.

The North of the Country

- Maranhao

- Sao Luis

- Lencois Maranhenses

- Manaus

The capital of the Amazonas state in northwestern Brazil, Manaus is an interesting destination because it serves as a gateway to the Amazon rainforest.  The Teatro Amazonas or Amazon Theatre is an opera house located in the heart of the Amazon Rainforest and is a must see.

Amazon River

Amazon Forest

The main archipelago:

- Fernando de Noronha: Fernando de Noronha is a beautiful archipelago with pristine beaches, landscapes and wildlife, situated 354 km (220 miles) off the northeastern coast in Brazil. Only the largest of the 21 islands is inhabited with a population of about 3,500. The islands are a Mecca for divers and snorkelers with warm waters year-round and very good visibility even at depths of 50 meters. Don't miss “Baia do Sancho”.

More info @ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destination/brazil/102280/Brazil-where-to-go.html

Top Fifteen Interesting Observations About Brazil and Brazilians (In no particular order…) by Nicole Degreg

Post na integra aqui (@ Nicole Degreg's Travels) e abaixo transcrita. 

O que acham?

1. Ice cold beer. They don’t mess around in Brazil. Literally the beer has frost on or sometimes in the bottle. And typically a big bottle is served in a koozie along with small cups for the whole table to share. Which means the last sip of beer is just as cold as the first. Awesome.

2. Night time showers. Everyone showers at night. Sometimes in the morning too. I have yet to adopt this night time bathing routine for fear of frightening people in the morning with my bed head.

3. Coxinhas. Cream cheese and seasoned shredded chicken surrounded by a mass of fried, breaded dough. Enough said.

4. Ham and cheese on french bread for breakfast. Sometimes served with cream cheese, butter or jam. It’s called a “misto quente.” Amazing.

5. “Oba!” A common expression of pleasure in Brazil. I thought it was only exclaimed in My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It makes me smile every time I hear it.

6. Diminutives. Brazilians like to diminituize everything with the expression “-inho/a” at the ends of words for emphasis. Examples: “bonitinha” (pretty), “fofinha” (cute), “coitadinho” (poor little thing), “jeitinho” (way of solving a problem).

7. Kisses on the cheek. The number of kisses varies depending on the city you’re in. Particularly confusing for a foreigner. And this has made for many awkward moments of people diving in for the kiss on the other cheek when you’re not expecting it.

8. Odd moments for congratulations. Cat calling females is pretty typical all over Latin America in my experience. But here I’ve noticed rather than than the simple “Hey beautiful,” Brazilian men say “parabens!” or “congratulations!” while scanning a female up and down. Seems like a strange way to pay a compliment, especially since it might be more appropriate to compliment the woman’s parents for their aesthetically pleasing gene combination.

9. Skimpy swimsuits. Regardless of your body type, on the beach in Brazil it is not only acceptable but also seemingly expected to cover the least amount of your body. This applies to men and women alike.

I think the man in this picture was a foreigner

And this pic deserved to make it in two blog posts!

10. Shotty napkins. Seriously, the napkins served in restaurants in Brazil have got to be some of the most useless pieces of paper I’ve ever used. The quality is more like the paper used to pick up a donut in a bakery. The only good use I found at the table was making napkin roses…

11. Brigadeiros. Chewy balls of semisweet chocolate and sweetened condensed milk rolled in chocolate sprinkles. Need I say more?

The cooking process

12. The Brazilian “thumbs-up.” While the thumbs up may be a globally universal sign of affirmation, Brazilians use it abundantly. It can mean everything from “yes,” to “I agree,” to “hey, thanks for letting me in that line of crazy traffic.” Thumbs up!

13. Sweet avocados. Yes, I realize the avocado is actually a fruit. And fruits, by nature, are typically sweet. But Brazil is the only place I’ve been where people find salted avocados as in guacamole, on sandwiches or salads to be strange. Instead, the preferred method for avocado preparation is to blend it with milk and sugar into a sweet pudding textured dessert. I was reluctant to tamper with my taste buds in such a way, but actually the dish was quite good!

14. PDA (“Public Display of Affection” for those who are unfamiliar with the acronym). Brazilians are very affectionate and very hands-on. This affection extends into the public arena between lovers who seem quite oblivious to the rest of the world. It’s not uncommon to see a couple heavily making out on the subway, in the middle of the street, on the dance floor, in a museum, wherever. Took some getting used to on my part.

15. Botecos. Botecos are essentially small bars with tables extending out onto the sidewalk and sometimes street. In the evenings they are usually packed with friends sharing beers and appetizers and are one of my favorite places to just hang out with people in Brazil.