Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with brazil

Driving in Brazil (RJ)

tss — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 13:31:02 -0800

We are considering renting a car and driving from Rio de Janeiro to Paraty and back. Advice? My S.O. and I will be in Brazil for the next week or so. We are staying in Rio, but for the last few days of our trip, we plan to spend time in Paraty. We've been thinking that we might rent a car and drive there from Rio, then drive back to Rio before catching our flight home. Does anyone have any experience with this, or pointers? More specific questions (answers to any one of them would be most welcome):

1. When is the best time of day to leave Rio de Janeiro, and when is the best time to return? We imagine that broad daylight is the best time to be driving in Rio, but are there any more specific times? (Luckily there will be a lot of broad daylight this week in Rio.)

2. What's the best way to leave Rio from the Zona Sul?

3. What should we expect from the BR-101 road along the coast?

4. What should we watch out for (e.g. traffic jams) when planning our trip back---to an airline flight we really would rather not miss?

5. Is there a particular kind of insurance we should get here, before we leave, or there, when we get the car?

6. We are confident, patient drivers in the US and wouldn't bat an eye at Manhattan or downtown Philly, say, but have not driven outside of USA/Canada or western Europe before. Is this car trip advisable or should we just take the bus?

I should add that we don't speak Portuguese, although we've had some luck reading webpages and such through triangulation from French, Italian, and Spanish. Naturally, we would plan to limit the need for conversations along the road by driving conservatively, during off-peak hours, at the speed limit.

Finding a bus route in Rio De Janerio

fingerbang — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:06:49 -0800

In Rio De Janeiro having a great time but unable to find a map of the local bus routes. I'm based slightly out of town in Barra da Tijuca and would welcome any advice on direct routes from the beach into Copacabana, Zona Sul and the rest. Apologies, my Google skills fail me and I really don't want to rely on Taxi's for something so simple.

Amazon, the place not the store

Freedomboy — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:51:15 -0800

I have a friend about to move to Manaus, Brazil for a two year work related stay. Any hive members have experience there or in Brazil in general that can help him be ready for the good the bad and/or the ugly?

Business Research Resources About Brazil?

xingcat — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 08:25:58 -0800

Is there a good on-line research tool for South American (most notably, Brazilian) companies? The consultants in my company have been asking me to do a lot of preliminary research on South American companies, most of which are located in Brazil.

While I have a good number of research tools (Nexis, Hoover's, Datamonitor) for North American companies, I find that it's more difficult for me to find English-language materials on companies in Brazil. Bonus points if there's a good resource for privately-held companies in this region.

Brazil travel Budget

cheechman85 — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 07:29:00 -0800

Having trouble with Travel Budget.... destination is Sao Paulo, Brazil. I am leaving for Sao Paulo, Brazil next week! I have a place to stay free of charge but I'm having trouble deciding how much money to bring along. Current exchange rate 2 Reals:1 dollar. How far does a real actually get you?

I am a college student traveling with my girlfriend and between the two of us we have put aside $1200. Does the hive mind think this is enough for 10 days of Brazilian goodness?

Your tips for safe traveling in Brazil?

sharkfu — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:30:26 -0800

Your tips for safe traveling in Brazil? My two friends (both women) are going on a trip to Brazil (mostly Rio de Janeiro). I'm rather worried about their safety...

Partially because I'm an overly-paranoid person. Partially because the movie City of God unsettled me (although I'm sure that's a bit like assuming Boyz 'N the Hood represents all of America). And partially because of the US State Department warning for Brazil (excerpt):

Crime throughout Brazil has reached very high levels. The Brazilian police and the Brazilian press report that the rate of crime continues to rise, especially in the major urban centers – though it is also spreading in rural areas. Brazil’s murder rate is more than four times higher than that of the U.S. Rates for other crimes are similarly high. The majority of crimes are not solved. There were rapes reported by American citizens in 2008...

I'm looking for specific tips for staying safe in Rio / Brazil. Areas that are safe, areas to avoid, prevalent scams. Also any general tips you might have for single women staying safe as tourists.

Plus, any anecdotes of successful safe trips to Rio might help to diffuse my anxiety about their safety.

Thanks for your help.

[Previous question note: I also gathered tips from this previous Rio question from 2005 and this question re: Sao Paulo.]

Lost my Brazilian Entrance Form

ashaw — Wed, 20 May 2009 09:15:07 -0800

I´ve managed to lose my Brazilian tourist immigration card (Cartao de Entrada, i think). It´s two white forms stapled together, which was stamped along with my passport when i entered Brazil at Foz de Iguassu border. What should I expect when I fly out of Rio de Janeiro intenational airport next week? What can I do to sort this problem out?

Flying around Brazil: airpass?

chalkbored — Mon, 18 May 2009 13:45:13 -0800

Where can I buy a Brazil airpass in Toronto? Or is the airpass a terrible idea? Any travel tips to the Brazilian Amazon (and Rio) generally? I'm headed to Rio in August, and my girlfriend and I would like to make some side trips to interesting places. We're leaning towards flying to Manaus and heading from there to a lodge somewhere in the Amazon basin, but would also like to check out Iguacu falls if possible. We only have about a week, give or take, for side trips.

Plane tickets within Brazil, however, appear to be surprisingly expensive, and in some cases (e.g. on TAM) difficult to purchase without a Brazilian credit card. Rather than stringing together flights from Rio to Manaus to Foz do Iguacu (IGU), we've been eyeing the "Brazil airpass" offered by TAM, which seems to be a comparatively good deal. (There's a summary on TAM's website and some discussion on Flyertalk.)

The airpass looks like it has to be purchased outside of Brazil, and issued by a travel/ticketing agent of some sort. Because this may end up being a little complicated, and because I'd like to hear about the pros and cons of the airpass versus whatever fares can be book within Brazil (by someone more adept than me), I think I may need to talk to a travel agent. I'd prefer to be able to go in and chat with someone in person (hence the Toronto bit), but I'm also up for working with someone via the intertubes if he/she is especially knowledgable about this sort of thing. Alternatively, if anyone has any other great tips about buying flights within Brazil, I'd love to hear them. (Has anyone here successfully bought tickets on GOL or TAM from abroad?)

While I'm querying the hive mind: anything you feel like telling me about that part of the world? Anything I shouldn't miss? Any places to stay that you especially recommend?

Thanks!

GUARUJA, BRAZIL

cheechman85 — Tue, 05 May 2009 07:27:52 -0800

I will be spending 10 days in Brazil. Of those 10 days, 3 days will spent in a beach house in GUARUJA. Any recommendations for things to do? It was offered to me free of charge by a coworker of my mother. Can anybody recommended the best way to spend my time there? I will be visiting in July so it maybe cold... too cold for the beach? Any other things I can do nearby? How is the crime rate there? FYI: I can speak Portuguese pretty well.

How do I relinquish my Brazilian citizenship?

cheechman85 — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 08:42:11 -0800

How long will it take to relinquish my Brazilian citizenship? The story is the following: I am planning a trip to Brazil in July. I have, since birth, held dual citizenship (USA, BRAZIL). I have always traveled to Brazil this way, using my Brazilian passport to enter Brazil and my USA passport on my return trip with no problems what so ever. But, now, since I am over 18, I am worried about Brazil asking me to serve the 1 year military service. If I enter Brazil using the Brazilian passport they may ask me to do so.

So now, I have decided to enter the country using a Visa. Obviously I am unable to hold Brazilian citizenship and get a visa to enter the country. So I must relinquish my Brazilian citizenship. Does anybody know how long this will take and how to go about it? Or have any other suggestions/ input?
Thanks in advance.

My irresponsibility knows no limits.

Zé Pequeno — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:00:24 -0800

I'm currently in the last year of a Masters in International Business. I thought that having an internationally-acclaimed economist as my thesis tutor would work out to my advantage. Having not even heard from him in the past six months, however, I decided to take the drastic but necessary step of sacking him. I also changed the topic to Microcredit in Brazil, a subject that interests me far more but instantly poses the problem of having to begin again from scratch. I hope I made the right decision. Anyway, I have to have my Literature Review on my teacher's desk by Monday. Please help. I've done a lot of generalised reading already, but I'm still struggling to come up with an original and compelling area of focus. The whole idea of microcredit seems extremely relevant at the moment given that ridiculously easy access to credit has been cited as one of the main contributing factors to have led to the current global crisis. Impoverised Brazilians - like impoverished people around the world - have had money practically thrown at them over the past five years or so that has enabled them to buy everything from satellite dishes to cell phones. Now the chickens are coming home to roost.

Microcredit, on the surface, at least, seems different - not least because of the very stringent lending procedures in place. I'm interested in exploring this contrast, perhaps investigating lending quality and what proportion of borrowing is truly made with the intention of investment verses mere consumerism. At the moment, however, all these ideas are terribly vague. Can anyone help me out with some ideas?

I shall be in Rio from June onwards and hope to be working with a microcredit institution during which time I'll have the opportunity to carry out some extensive fieldwork.

Before anyone mentions it, I am fully aware of how pathetic and irresponsible this is. My only excuse is that I've been very busy with an internship which, combined with a few recent personal problems, has left me completely drained and without the time I would have liked to have dedicated to this.

How do I expedite a travel visa for a US->Brazil trip that happens in two weeks.

cothebadger — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 02:45:52 -0800

I have 14 full days (from now until APRIL 21, 2009) to obtain a travel visa so I can visit Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. How can I best expedite the process of obtaining a travel visa in time while not spending more money that I need to? I have my passport, and I will be visiting a friend. My passport expires more than six months after I return from my trip. For the sake of quickness, can I say I'm a tourist and sightseeing vs. "visiting a friend", for which I would need a notarized invitation letter from my friend? (Is that even true?) My friend is an American, but speaks Portuguese and a number of other languages. She is comfortably living in RJ right now.

So far, the cheapest I can find is approximately $229 for expedited service through the Chicago Brazilian consulate. I live in Madison, WI.

What do I need to fill out to make this happen? Im already investigating a 6am trip to Kinko's to get my photo taken.

Planning a Vacation in Brazil in March

billtron — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 10:46:00 -0800

Rio-Paraty-Sao Paulo. March 11-21. Recommendations? My wife just got a job as an Ivy League professor. I'm celebrating by taking her to Brazil for a well-deserved vacation. I have a few questions.

1) We want to buy a one-way flight from GRU to GIG on Gol airlines but I don't have a CPF or a CEP. How do I go about accomplishing this?

2) I've been to Rio, but I stayed at a friend's house in Botafogo. Should we stay in a Pousada in Ipanema or be closer to the Metro for the sake of sightseeing and going to Lapa at night?

3) How do we maximize our hammock time on the Costa Verde without getting bored? Should we stay in Paraty and take boats to beaches, or should we stay somewhere more remote?

4) Is there good Korean food in Sao Paulo?

Thanks for any help!

Brazilian Portuguese Books?

comwiz — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 11:18:48 -0800

Help me find some (somewhat easy to read) books in Brazilian Portuguese! I have a relatively good grasp on grammar and vocab in Brazilian Portuguese, but I can only learn so much of the language through simple textbook sentences. What are some books that have relatively easy (elementary/middle school) reading levels that were originally written in Portuguese? Any websites with a decent selection of books in Portuguese (originally or translated from English)?

Brazilian absurdist literature identification

destro — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 11:54:12 -0800

Please help identify this author/book; Brazilian absurdist/surrealist, stream of consciousness fiction about a part-man/part something else that travels around and continually says a phrase like "holy f-ing s-".

Nipo-Brasileiro Mixtape

billtron — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 18:41:10 -0800

Help me capture the sound that emerges from the countless contacts between Brazil and Japan. I know about artists like Ganga Zumba, Joe Hirata and Tigarah but I'm looking for other recordings to put on a mix for a friend, including field recordings of the Asakusa Carnival or Ryukyu Koku Matsuri Daiko. Have any suggestions?

Brazil Social Media 2009

quiverandquill — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 20:07:41 -0800

I am looking for examples for how businesses IN BRAZIL use social media to sell products and services. I am especially interested in how businesses are using Orkut, Twitter and other social networking websites to accomplish this. Thank you. I sincerely appreciate your help.

What do I do with my luggage?

exolstice — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:18:35 -0800

I'm nearish Sao Paolo, Brazil and I would like to visit the city before leaving tomorrow. The hotel checkout is at noon and my flight is at 22:30. Leaving the luggage at the hotel is not an option because it's not near the city. I also can't check my luggage at the airport until 3 hours before the flight. What do I do? Please help. Suggestions of places to visit are also welcome.

Things to do in Curitiba

JPD — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 12:36:18 -0800

Vacation to Curitiba - What should I make sure I see? Should I be more psyched to be going? So it seems as though I have committed to visiting a college buddy in Buenos Aires this January, and since my mother has started spending her Jan-Mar in Curitiba I feel silly about going down there and not taking an extra week or two to see her and the place she's decided to slowly move to full time - but for some reason I'm just not that stoked about going. And it really has nothing to do with my mom.

A few questions

- I've travelled pretty widely throughout the North America and Europe, and spent a summer in Central Asia - but really I have no idea what to expect here. The tourist sites seem to compare it to Spain. Is that fair? I just have images of Favelas in my head. I know that's not fair or correct, but I can help it.

- Are there any particular must see things in Curitiba itself or in the surrounding areas. I'd imagine my girlfriend and I might want to hit the ocean for a day or two - my mom is rather anti-Florianopolis - calling it Florida like. Is that true? We are almost def going to Iguacu Falls

-Any personal reccs for places to stay - preferably something non-chain like, but nice - Money isn't really an issue (anything less then $250/day is probably ok). Same goes for the beach and the falls. Doesn't have to be a hotel either. Rental apartments, guesthouses, etc would all work.

-What sort of weather should I expect? Is it going to be like Florida in the summer (hot, humid, hazy, etc). Is there some comp in the Northern Hemisphere in terms of climate?

-Thoughts on best way to get from BA to Curitiba? is there a non-flying route that makes sense? By rental car maybe? Or is that just crazy. Its far, but if the ride is interesting I'd be up for it.

Things to do when it's raining in Rio de Janeiro?

zephyrian — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 11:14:01 -0800

Staying in Rio de Janeiro for five days, starting this Saturday (Nov. 8). Forecast looks like a lot of rain and cloudy days. Looking for suggestions for activities not exposed to a downpour. I've been checking the weather forecasts, and it looks like rain rain rain. We were planning on sunshine, lying on the beach or by the pool, and walking around the town. What kinds of things can we do indoors instead? We're athletic mid-30s, we're not the tour-bus type but love to see sights, we enjoy good food and drink, and we can only do so much shopping. Thanks!

Entertain me in Sao Paulo

ChrisR — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:01:46 -0800

I'll be in Sao Paulo, Brazil for the weekend of November 6-7 on business, and I'd like to find something entertaining to do. Any suggestions? I'll probably be staying near the centre of the city, if it makes any difference.

22 and torn about my future

jiayeeng — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 00:10:51 -0800

i want to live/work with indigenous peoples in the amazon, write literature, and honor my immigrant parents by avoiding a hedonistic/freewheeling lifestyle. how do i do all these things? i'm 22. female. '07 graduate with the top liberal arts degree in my state (aka useless). two summers ago, i interned at a sustainable development research foundation in thailand; for the past year, i've been the warden at an orphanage out in the boonies of new delhi.

i'm gonna put it out there: i want to be the next sertanista. i've an insatiable taste for adventure (i've trekked the himalayas alone, twice), and have always been fascinated --obsessed, even-- with amazonian cultures. as for the writing... yes, everyone and their mother wants to write for a living. all i know is that, for me, writing is the single activity during which my brain comes fully alive. i do feel enormously responsible to my parents and what they've survived in order to give me this life. so, while my dream is to disappear into the amazon among my journals, i could never actually do it. that being said...

sydney possuelo warns against waltzing into indigenous peoples' lives. i've looked into policy issues pertinent to the future of the basin, and they seem to require enormous amounts of schooling. it's been my experience that public policy grad schools require applicants to have 3-5 years of NGO/NPO experience; NGOs/NPOs, in turn, require applicants to have either advanced degrees or extensive administrative experience to compensate for the lack of said degree. this catch-22 frustrates me to no end. can't i just chill for a while in some manaus-ish town, learn portuguese, integrate into the culture, and apply for a visa/expedition deeper into the amazon?

1. is there a way to contribute to this region w/o (a) effacing local initiative and (b) being screwed over by this catch-22? if the latter is necessary, so be it ---please elaborate.
2. i've spent my entire life living in underdeveloped countries across the planet. consequently, i have only one "normal" work reference. also! i have yet to establish credit history. should i take care of these things first (and harness the power of compound interest...)? one option is to move to east l.a. and live in a latino community for awhile: learn spanish, work with immigrants, earn money, learn to krump, be a normal u.s. young adult. thoughts? older adults: which would be a better use of my young adulthood?

other considerations:
-i want to adopt children whether i get married or not. obviously, they're expensive. feasible?
-while i'd rather not rot in a cubicle, if i need to do it for awhile, i'll do it.
-i'd be more than happy to run around naked and spear piranhas for breakfast. in case y'all are worrying...
-my savings roam b/w six and nine grand. i'm extremely frugal and have no qualms about living in slums.

sorry this is ridiculously "specific," i HAVE read the may 11 and june 28 posts, but i'm not as pedigreed as those posters. thanks for your help, much appreciated.

What's the story w/ football (soccer) nicknames?

boombot — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 11:23:56 -0800

What is the best online essay available for history, anecdotes, methodologies, etc. for the Brazilian (and elsewhere, to be sure) footballer practice of going by a single-word nickname?

Advice for Moving to Porto Alegre, Brazil!

fdhidalgo — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:35:04 -0800

I'm moving to Porto Alegre, Brazil for 4 months and need advice on living there. What neighborhood should I live in? The best way to find an apartment? Favorite hangouts? I need to be in Porto Alegre for a project related to my doctoral studies, but I've never been there before. I speak Portuguese pretty well and have lived in Brazil.

Ideally I'd like to live in a neighborhood with a lot of street life and young people. Any suggestions on how to go about finding an apartment to rent for 3-4 months? I'd also be open to a homestay. Also, if you have a favorite hangout, I'd love to hear about it.

Any Portuguese Speakers?

ornate insect — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 17:16:27 -0800

The Brazilian musician Walter Santos just died (on May 29, in Sao Paulo), yet despite the fact that he is one of the pioneers of bossa nova (and also father of the singer Luciana Souza), there is precious little information about him available. Are there any Portugese speakers who might help me translate his obituary? I found out about his death today at this site, and also found mention of it here (halfway down page), but I'm collecting information about Brazilian music (maybe for a book someday, we shall see), and would like if possible to have a clean translation of the obituary that's taken directly from the Brazilian press. Santos is a key figure, and I also may put together a wiki page for him.

Furthermore, I have two related questions: if any Brazilian music fans can share your insights or any additional info into his work (I only know of the one record, recently reissued as Azul Contente, but also that he wrote a number of songs recorded by others), it would be great, and also--more generally--if there are any Brazilian music fans who have been to Brazil and might be interested in exchanging emails (I am hoping to go in the next year or so) about it, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.