Brazilian Travel Guides

NunoEFSilva · #1 (**permalink**) 01-19-2007, 10:16 AM

This thread was created just as a repository of Brazilian Travel Guides. All are encouraged to post and share links and other resources about Traveling in Brazil.

NunoEFSilva · #2 (**permalink**) 01-19-2007, 10:18 AM

An excellent Travel Guide of Brazil was started in WikiTravel http://wikitravel.org and considerably added by Ricardo (mailto: snt3000@hotmail.com) from Brasília.

http://wikitravel.org/en/Brazil

This work must be considered under a license identical to the one of WikiTravel (Copyleft).

This guide was based on work by Guo Yifan, Marcel, Stephen Atkins, Tom Holland, David, Boris, Todd VerBeek, Andrew Haggard, Ryan Holliday, Regis Giampersa, Kasper Souren, Paul N. Richter, Evan Prodromou, Ian Kirk, Gabriel Gaspar, Iuriatan Felipe Muniz, Emily, Joyce Copstein Wainberg, Colin Jensen, Paulino Michelazzo and Yann Forget, Wikitravel user(s) MMKK, Texugo, Episteme, Curupira, Groklem, PierreAbbat, Janki, InterLangBot, Hypatia, Stavp, Nzpcmad, Bluetrumpet, Norgaard, Ricardo padilha, Nils, Dhum Dhum and CIAWorldFactbook2002 and Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel.

NunoEFSilva · #3 (**permalink**) 01-19-2007, 10:19 AM

Although most writings here are factual, the (few) opinions are practically the same as mine. And no wonder, what I know I learned mostly from Brazilians themselves.

I'm going to use it here (with some light editing, just for clarity, and only when needed) as a scaffold to my own remarks (in blue).

If you spot similarities in the way we (me and the authors) write, it will be because we all think in Portuguese (gotcha!)

NunoEFSilva · #4 (**permalink**) 01-19-2007, 10:22 AM

Regions

Brazil is the fifth largest country on earth. So large it is that for economic planning purposes it had to be divided into five regions. The five regions (below) are drawn around state lines, but they more or less follow natural, economic and cultural borderlines.

* The North -- the Amazon, the rain forest and frontier life, with remarkable indian influence.
* The Northeast -- strong black culture (especially in Bahia) mingles with early Iberic folklore. This is often considered the country's most beautiful coastline, and has the sunniest and hottest climate; but it is also the country's driest and poorest region.
* The Central West -- The Pantanal wetlands, great farms, young cities, the cerrado and the Federal District, with its outworldly modernist architecture.
* The Southeast -- São Paulo and Rio are the largest cities of the country's economic and industrial hub, which also has some century-old colonial towns.
* The South -- is a land of valleys and pampas where a strong gaucho culture (shared with Uruguay and Argentina) meets European influences.

NunoEFSilva · #5 (**permalink**) 01-19-2007, 10:25 AM

NunoEFSilva · #6 (**permalink**) 01-19-2007, 10:30 AM

Brazilian Cities (big and small) of Interest

Brazil has many exciting cities, ranging from pretty colonial towns and coastal hideouts to hectic, lively metropolises; these are a few of the more prominent travel destinations:

* Belém do Pará -- The second largest city in the Amazon region. Religious festivals (Cirio de Nazaré), traditional market (Ver-o-Peso).
* Belo Horizonte -- Capital of Minas Gerais, is a convenient starting point to explore the state's colonial past and Brazilian cuisine.
* Brasília -- The outwordly capital of Brazil, and an architectural spectacle. Noteworthy buildings include a basket-shaped Cathedral, the beautiful Arches Palace (seat of the Ministry of Justice) and others.
* Búzios -- Trendy seaside town with 25 beaches. 192 Km north of Rio.
* Campo Grande -- Very green and many parks.
* Corumbá -- The "Capital" of Pantanal.
* Cuiabá -- The major city of Pantanal, near of a several beautiful places like: Chapada dos Guimarães where have a unbeliveble water fall "Véu de noiva", Curvelandia's caves and rivers, fishing in Barão de Melgaço and others.
* Curitiba -- Known for its innovative urban solutions, it still keeps its traditional spirit.
* Florianópolis -- The major city in Brazil located in an island in the Atlantic Ocean (as well as Vitória), with lakes, lagoons, amazing nature and more than 40 clean, beautiful and full of nature beaches.
* Fortaleza -- A good base for exploring the beaches of the northeastern coast, including Jericoacoara.
* João Pessoa -- The easternmost Brazilian city, where the sun rises first. Nicknamed "Jardim das Acácias" (Acacia Garden) it is an arborised medium-sized city with a warm climate, good-hearted people and beautiful beaches.
* Maceió -- One of the many northeastern coastal cities, with Caribbean-blue beaches.
* Manaus -- The capital of the Amazonas State. The best place to go to visit the Amazon Forest. Also features the Army Zoo, where wild fierce animals are kept (for soldier training purposes, but open to public visit), and the unique indian-influenced cuisine.
* Natal -- Sunny beaches and dunes. Has the reputation of being the sunniest Brazilian city.
* Olinda -- A small town, about Recife itself, popular for its culture and arts scene and a Carnival that rivals those of Rio and Salvador.
* Porto Alegre -- An urban destination in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul. Has a very active nightlife and is one important scene of Brazilian southern culture.
* Recife -- A major city in the Northeast region, originally settled by Dutch colonizers. Nicknamed "The Brazilian Venice", it is built on several islands linked by many bridges.
* Rio de Janeiro -- World famous, beautiful city that welcomes visitors with that big statue of an open-armed Jesus on the top Corcovado Hill.
* São Paulo -- Brazil's largest, richest and most cosmopolitan city, where you can find traces of most major cultures of Earth, including Italian, Japanese, German, Russian, Greek and Arab.
* Salvador -- The first capital of Brazil is home to a unique blend of indigenous, African and European cultures. Its Carnival fun is famous, and the influence of African culture and religion is remarkable.
* São Luís -- Founded by the French in the 15th century and soon occupied by Portuguese forces, São Luis is a fascinating town that managed to preserve its Portuguese influenced colonial buildings and is also known for its rich popular culture.
* Vitória -- Midway between Rio and Salvador, it is a beautiful city between the mountains and the ocean.

NunoEFSilva · #7 (**permalink**) 01-19-2007, 10:31 AM

Other Brazilian Destinations

* Bonito (Mato Grosso do Sul) -- Lots of rivers where you can go diving.
* Brotas -- city featured in Amazing Race 9, it has lots of extreme sports, and a large forest.
* Caldas Novas and Rio Quente -- The world's largest hydrothermal complex.
* Chapada dos Veadeiros -– Cerrado wildlife and stunning waterfalls.
* Curvelândia (Mato Grosso) -- A small city with several caves, rivers with limpid waters.
* Guaruja -- Devoted to tourism with dozens of beaches that stretch along its avenues and urban zones.
* Iguaçu Falls -- The world-famous waterfalls.
* Jericoacoara -- A small beach stop-off for many travellers through the state of Ceara.
* Minas Gerais -- A rugged inland state rich in colonial history, including the historical mining towns such as Ouro Preto, Mariana, Congonhas do Campo.
* Pantanal -- The world's largest wetland hosts lots of eco-tourism and vast biodiversity, including crocodiles, piranhas, etc.
* Paraty -- A 18th century well-preserved colonial town on the coast, just 260km West from Rio de Janeiro.

NunoEFSilva · #8 (**permalink**) 01-19-2007, 10:33 AM

UNDERSTANDING BRAZIL

History and Economy

Until 1500, Brazil was inhabited solely by indigenous people, mainly of the Tupi and Guarani ethnic groups. Actual settling by the Portuguese began later that century, with the extraction of valuable pau-brasil wood, from which the country draws its name. The following four centuries saw further exploitation of the country's natural riches (gold and rubber) besides the rise of an economy based on agriculture (sugar and coffee) and slave labor, millions of Africans taken to the new world in a forced diaspora. Meanwhile, extermination or Christianizing of natives kept its pace, and the 19th century saw a second wave of European (mainly Italian and German) immigration, adding to this unique and complex set of factors that generated today's equally complex and unique Brazilian culture and society.

Following three centuries under the rule of Portugal, Brazil became an independent nation in 7 September, 1822. By far the largest and most populous country in South America, it has also overcome more than two decades (1964-1988) of military intervention in the governance of the country to pursue a democratic ruling, while facing the challenge of keeping its industrial and agricultural growth and developing its interior. Exploiting vast natural resources and a large labor pool, today Brazil is South America's leading economic power and a regional leader. Highly unequal income distribution remains a pressing problem. A consequence of this is a high crime rate, specifically in large cities.

After 20 years of democracy, the country has grown strong, and despite the social problems of the unequal income distribution, its people remains a happy and festive people.

NunoEFSilva · #9 (**permalink**) 01-19-2007, 10:34 AM

Culture

Owing to Brazil’s continental dimensions, varied geography, history and people, the country’s culture is rich and diverse. It has several regional variations, and in spite of being mostly unified by a single language, some regions are so different from each other that they could have become different countries altogether.

Music plays an important part in Brazilian identity. Styles like Choro, Samba and Bossa Nova are considered genuinely Brazilian. Caipira music is also in the roots of Sertanejo (the national equivalent to country music). MPB stands for Brazilian Popular Music, which mixes several national styles under a single concept. Forró, a north-eastern happy dancing music style, has also become common nationwide. New urban styles include Funk - name given to a dance music genre from Rio's favelas that mixes heavy electronic beats and often raunchy rapping - and Techno-Brega, a crowd-pleaser in northern states, that fuses romantic pop, dance music and caribbean rhythms.

A mixture of martial arts, dance, music and game, Capoeira was brought to Brazil by African slaves. Distinguished by vivacious complicated movements and accompanying music, it can be seen and practiced in many Brazilian cities.

Candomble and Umbanda are religions with African roots that have survived prejudice and persecution and still have a significant following in Brazil. Their places of cult are called terreiros and many are open for visitation.

Indigenous traits can be found everywhere in Brazilian culture, from cuisine to vocabulary. There are still many indigenous groups and tribes living in all Brazilian regions, although many have been deeply influenced by "western" culture, and several of the country's surviving indigenous languages are in danger of disappearing completely. The traditional lifestyle and graphic expressions of the Wajãpi indigenous group from the state of Amapá were proclaimed a Masterpiece of the World's Intangible Heritage by UNESCO.

Globo, the national television network, also plays an important role in shaping the national identity. Nine out of ten households have a TV set, which is the most important source of information and entertainment for most Brazilians followed by the radio broadcast. TVs broadcast sports, movies, local and national news and telenovelas (Soap Operas)– 6-month-long series that have become one of the country’s main cultural exports.

NunoEFSilva · #10 (**permalink**) 01-19-2007, 10:39 AM

People

Throughout its history, Brazil has welcomed several different peoples and practices. The lack of British or Dutch-style puritanism in colonial history has contributed that Brazil constitutes a melting pot of the most diverse ethnic groups thus mitigating ethnic prejudices and preventing racial conflicts (though long lasting slavery and genocide among indigenous populations have taken their toll). Nevertheless, race (or, better saying, skin colour) is still a dividing factor in Brazilian society and you will notice the skin typically darkens as the social class gets lower: wealth and middle-class are mostly white; many middle-class are mixed; and the majority of poor people are black or indian. Nowadays, however, Afro-Brazilians and Amerindian populations are increasingly aware of their civil rights and of their rich cultural heritage.

In general, Brazilians are a fun-loving people. While attitude in the South may be somewhat colder and more reserved, from Rio upwards people usually boast a captivating attitude towards life and truly enjoy having a good time. Some may even tell you that Beer, Football, Samba and Barbecue is all they could crave for.

Almost everyone can dance and Brazilians are usually at ease with their bodies. While talking, they may stand closer to each other than the regular American or Northern European, and also tend to touch each other more. It’s not uncommon to touch each other on the shoulder or arm occasionally while speaking and visitors should not take this as impolite or as a violation of personal space.

Friendship and hospitality are highly praised traits in the Brazilian society. Family values and social connections are also strongly valued and the distinction between known and unknown people may acquire a significant weight in day-to-day interaction. To people they have met, or at least they know the name, Brazilians are usually very open, friendly and sometimes quite generous. Once introduced, until getting a good reason not to, a typical Brazilian may treat you as trustfully as he would treat a best friend. This may have an agreeable impact, but it also means that outsiders not always get the same special treatment as locals. Nevertheless, Brazilians are reputedly one of the most hospitable people in the world and foreigners are usually treated with respect and often with true admiration.

Attitudes towards foreigners may also be subject to regional differences:

* While in the southernest state of Rio Grande do Sul, Argentines may sometimes be viewed with uneasiness, the neighboring state of Santa Catarina welcomes their Spanish-speaking tourists with bilingual signs and welcome committees.

* In Salvador, the largest city of the Northeast, anyone talking, acting or looking like a tourist (even other Brazilians!) could be charged higher prices, such as in parking lots, in restaurants, etc.

Whereas the "Western" roots of Brazilian culture are largely European (evidenced by its colonial towns and even sporadic historic buildings between the skyscrapers...), there has been a strong tendency in the last decades to adopt a more "American Way of Life" which is manifest in urban culture and architecture, mass media, consumerism and a strongly positive feeling towards technical progress. In spite of that, Brazil is still a nation faced to the Atlantic, not to Hispanic America, and the intellectual elites are likely to look for Europe (especially France), not the US, as source of inspiration. Many aspects in Brazilian society (such as the educational system) are borrowed from French and may seem strange to Anglo-Saxon visitors.

Brazilians are not Hispanic (to call them that may be taken as an insult, as there is a long-running historical competition between Portuguese-speaking and Spanish-speaking cultures), and there even those who question whether Brazil is part of Latin America.

The contrasts in this huge country equally fascinates and shocks most visitors, as well as the indifference of many inhabitants towards the social, economic and ecological biases. Whereas an emerging elite of young, well-educated professionals indulge in amenities of modern society, child labor, illiteracy and inhuman housing conditions still exist even in regions blessed by economic growth and huge foreign investments.

As much as Brazilians acknowledge their self-sustainability in raw materials, agriculture, and energy sources as an enormous benefit for the future, most of them agree that without huge efforts in education there will hardly be a way out of poverty and underdevelopment.