Travel to Brazil

Barra da Tijuca

Located a little out of the way, this popular area and beach deserves a visit. Famous for its enormous shopping center Barrashopping and upper-class residents, Barra has a certain Miami air about it. The visitor can come here to enjoy discotheques, shopping, good restaurants and bars. Probably the best reason to come here, however, is the beach itself. The water is clean, perfect for surfing, windsurfing and body boarding, and it doesn't get quite as crowded as Copacabana or Ipanema.

More of Recife

Recife is a jewel. Smaller than Rio, Salvador and São Paulo, it offers a rich experiences in terms of cuisine and culture. The historic city of Olinda, one of the oldest in Brazil, and at one point occupied by the Dutch, preserves much of Brazil's early historical patrimony better than almost anywhere else other than Salvador's Pelourinho. The Recife Carnaval is one of the three most important ones in Brazil. For those who like to beachcomb and relax, or surf, there are wonderful beaches to the north and south (Porto de Galinhas)--but avoid the water in the city beaches!

Corcovado

This is where Christ the Redeemer is located. The view of Rio from the top is unbelievable. Please do not attempt to walk to the top; most people aren't prepared for the winding- steep road and find themselves passing out or trying to hitch a ride to the top. For 36 Reais there are vans that will take you half way to take some nice pictures for about 20 minutes and then take you to the top for about 40 minutes to see the Christ staute. Once there take advantage of the gift shops, snack bars, etc. Afterwards the van will take you all the way to the bottom; you pay after the tour is complete. You can't miss the people  in charge of this tour,  they are wearing white shirts and black pants. There is no way you can go to Rio and not visit the Corcovado, you'll be glad you did.

Rio Mountain resorts

Most foreign visitors don’t know about the paradise that lies just 50 miles behind Rio. In midst the Atlantic Forest (the second of the most expressive forests in South America, only losing to the Amazon Forest) you find one of the richest ecosystems in the world. Charm hotels, gourmet cuisine, magnificent walks and baths in pristine riverbeds are a great contrast to the city’s hectic life. Golf, Trekking, Hang Gliding and other activities prevent anyone of getting bored.

Craftsmanship Fair

The traditional National Craftsmanship Fair, which will kick off today, November 21, in Belo Horizonte, capital of the Brazilian southeastern state of Minas Gerais, will feature representatives from 30 European, African and Asian countries, plus the United States, all of which are part of a project for purchase.

The fair, which will run until Sunday, November 26, is promoted by Centro Cape Institute and by Central Mãos de Minas, and should attract 200,000 visitors, 15,000 of them foreign and from other Brazilian states. During the event, business roundtables will be promoted with the objective of facilitating direct negotiation between craftsmen and importers.

The number of foreign buyers at the National Craftsmanship Fair has been increasing throughout the last editions.

Last year, the 16th edition of the fair had 82 buyers, from 22 different countries, who attended the event spontaneously. Only three of them had their expenses paid by the organizers. For this edition, 150 foreign buyers are expected.

In order to promote Brazilian craftsmanship abroad even further, Central Mãos de Minas, in partnership with Apex, takes craftsmanship from Minas Gerais to fairs in Germany, Spain and Italy.

Each edition of the National Craftsmanship Fair has a theme. This year, it will be Carnaval. Pieces from the last Mangueira samba school parade, in Rio de Janeiro, will decorate the Expominas pavilion, and Carnaval artists will give workshops for confection of ornaments and percussion.

Besides, at the opening of the fair, samba schools Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel, also from Rio de Janeiro, and Águia de Ouro, from São Paulo, will perform.

According to the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) Brazil has 8.5 million craftsmen, 500,000 of whom are from Minas Gerais. Annual revenue for the industry is approximately R$ 30 billion (US$ 13.942 billion). In Minas Gerais, the activity yields R$ 3 billion (US$ 1.394 billion).

Recife

The History of Recife and Pernambuco is unique. The contact between native Indians, black slaves and Portuguese settlers was very strong in Pernambuco, and left visible traces in the culture of the region; also visible is the legacy of the Dutch, who occupied the area for more than 20 years.
This mixture of influences made the culture of Pernambuco to be one of the richest in Brazil.

The Boa Viagem beach (photo) in Recife is one of the most famous urban beaches in Brazil. Visitors get enchanted by the sandy beaches with warm green waters and also by the complete infrastructure of hotels, restaurants and services which surrounds it.
Looking for quieter beaches? The entire coastline of Pernambuco is dotted with beaches for all tastes, such as Maria Farinha, for nautic sports practioners, and Porto de Galinhas, elected by specialized magazines as the best beach in Brazil.

Useful prhases

Answering my friend's request here are some useful phrases for you to communicate easier with the people who doesn't speak english.

Do you speak English? Você fala Inglês?
I don’t speak Portuguese. Eu não falo Português
I do not understand Eu não entendo.
How do you say this in Portuguese? Como se diz isso em português?
Speak slower, please Fale mais devagar, por favor.
Say it again, please Repita, por favor.
Do you have ......? Você tem ......?
I want ..... Eu quero .....
I don’t want ..... Eu não quero .....
I would like ..... Eu gostaria .....
Where is .....? Onde é ....?
What time is it? Que horas são?
How much does it cost? Quanto custa isto?
Where can I change money? Onde posso trocar dinheiro?
What is the exchange rate for the dollar? Qual é a cotação do dólar?
I would like to change $100.00. Eu gostaria de trocar cem dólares

I will post more of these later on... meanwhile have fun learning returning to school and don't forget to bring me an apple!

Cute Blumenau

Blumenau is a city in Santa Catarina state in southern Brazil. It was founded by Dr. Otto Hermann Blumenau along with 17 German immigrants.

The city itself retains many historical and cultural reminders of its past, such as houses and constructions built in a German style, statues and memorials.

The city is located in a valley, surrounded by hills with forests and cut by a river named Itajaí-Açu. There are towers and tall buildings at the central area. The residential areas are spread in the nearby hills and plains and the lower areas like downtown constantly suffer with flood threats. The worst floods took place in 1983 and 1984, when the city was completely isolated for weeks. Nowadays Blumenau is well-prepared against these threats, but citizens prefer to live in higher areas to prevent major losses.

Its economy is based on tourism, commerce and industry, particularly textiles, being a major textile center of Brazil.

The most significant period for tourism is during the Oktoberfest, a folklorical beer festival, which sold 365,288 tickets to its pavillions in 2005, where 266,811 liters of beer were drunk. The record of public was set in 1992, where over 1 million tickets were sold. Oktoberfest was created in 1984 after the second major flood, as an attempt of celebrate the resistance to its people, victims of many other floods during century.

Carnaval In RIO-!

What can be better than Rio's Carnaval! samba, feathers, music, dancing, party, FIESTA! I mean, it doesn't need  more introduction. Check this place if you want to see some travel options ;)  http://www.brazilianwavetours.com/