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Foot-Volley Game

Filed under: Brazil General/ Rio de Janeiro - November 30th, 2004

I will never forget that evening, it was my first visit to Rio de Janeiro; during a jog along the boardwalk I got to watch a whole match of foot-volley that was being played at Copacabana Beach. I could not believe all the tricks that those “cariocas” guys were doing with the ball.

I am so used to watching hockey and football all the time that foot-volley was so unique and amazing for me. This game is like beach volleyball but you are not allowed to use your hands or arms. You can only play using your feet, shoulders, head, legs and chest. Just imagine how hard it would be to serve the ball with your feet, and then dig the ball with your knees and set the ball with your shoulders.

I ended up watching them play for over an hour. It was really interesting because foot volley is pretty intense at this beach, there were people betting money on who was going to win, and some of the players even had coaches trying to help them win the match. I would definately recommend that if you are in Brazil, and there is a chance to watch people play this sport, definately take advantage of that opportunity. It is so amazing, you will be shocked at how much control the players have over the ball. Rio de Janeiro is known for its foot-volley, so it is best to watch there.

Ibirapuera Park

Filed under: Brazil General/ Sao Paulo - November 28th, 2004

That was my favorite place to go every afternoon right before the sunset. This is the lake located in Ibirapuera Park, also known as Central Park in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Altough Sao Paulo is a big city, I found it very relaxing when I was sitting under the trees at Ibirapuera Park watching the fountain located right in the middle of the lake.

It was amazing to imagine how Sao Paulo, this huge and crowded city could have such a nice park. Here you can do exercices, read a book or even just relax and listen to music while seeing all those people going back in forth through the park. Ibirapuera park is located right in the heart of the city, so it is very accessible to all .

A lot of people go to this park every day, so to me it was really interesting. I met different people and even made new Brazilian friends during my many visits to the park. I am looking forward to the day I will be back there again. I have many good memories when I think about Ibirapuera Park.

Rio’s Gavea Rock

Filed under: Brazil General/ Rio de Janeiro - November 27th, 2004

One of my favorite attractions in Rio de Janeiro is Gavea Rock. This rock towers 2,830 ft (862m) high and is located between Sao Conrado and Barra da Tijuca. It’s very popular with hikers and climbers since the view from the top of this rock is fantastic, not to mention the climb presents a tantalizing challenge.

Personally I’m fascinated by the history of Gavea Rock. Some say this rock has a face carved into it - like a South American Sphinx. While others speculate this is merely a natural phenomenon and it just happens to look like a face. Face or not, no one can dispute the unexplained inscriptions carved into the sides of Gavea Rock. It’s believed these mysterious inscriptions where made by the ancient Phoencians. Some archaeologists suggest the Phonecians used Gavea Rock as burial tomb for one of their kings.

In this photo I found you can see Gavea Rock towering over the city of Rio de Janiero.

Upon Arrival

Filed under: Brazil General - November 27th, 2004

Before my first International trip I had always wondered what I would see and feel being in a different country. Here is some information about the first things you are going to see and experience when you land in Brazil.

The first thing that you should be ready for is the humidity of the air. Brazil has 9 months of hot “summer” weather during the year. If you are going to Brazil and you are coming from a cooler country be ready to feel the difference when you land. This sensation will soon pass, your body will become adapt to this environment quite quickly.

Another thing you have to be aware of is the culture shock. The language and the people in Brazil are very different. People in Brazil speak portuguese, which is similar to spanish. Although English and Portuguese are 2 very different languages, there are many places that offer you servies in english. Restaurants, shopping malls, fast food stores and tourists centers always have information available in english. Also, the people in Brazil are very friendly and helpful. Almost everyone can understand a little bit of english if you speak slowly, so you dont need to be worried about asking a Brazilian for some help.

If you start to miss hearing english just go to a movie theather. Most movies shown in Brazil are from North America, so you will feel like you are back home for a couple hours. The only thing is that sometimes the movie theathers turn the sound down because Brazilians just read the subtitles.

Brazil is an amazing country, and although you will go through the cutlture shock, humidity change, and you will definately miss hearing english, it is all worth it in the end. Brazil is a beautiful country full of exotic and amazing things. But, you will only understand once you experience it!

My last week in Brazil

Filed under: Brazil General - November 21st, 2004

Ubatuba Beach in Brazil is where I was exactly one week ago. I spent the last week of my vacation at this beach. Now, being back home surrounded by snow just makes me realize how lucky I would be if I were still there in that warm summer weather. I was visiting Brazil for 2 months and I can say that this trip was unforgettable especially that last week which was perfect

One great thing that will make my family happy is that I did almost all of my Christmas shopping in Brazil. There were many shops, and markets all over that allowed me to get very unique and creative gifts that I can be pretty sure nobody else will have!

Overall, Brazil has been my most amazing adventure. I am looking forward to the day that I get to go back and experience many more great experiences. Next time I will have to buy a surf-board and live on the beach for months.

Brazilian Soccer

Filed under: Brazil General - November 21st, 2004

As many of us know, Brazil is known for its amazing soccer players. Brazil has been the home to many of the greatest names of the game, such as: Ronaldo, Pele, Adriano, Kaka, Ronaldinho, Robinho, Roberto Carlos, Rivaldo, Dida, Zico and many more. All of these players are now playing around the world, but started out playing for teams around Brazil.

Soccer, also known as futebol in Brazil is their national sport. In Brazil you will see fields everywhere with young kids playing whenever they get a chance. Many of the famous players we know of today started out by playing on these small fields throughout the country.

During my visit to Brazil I was able to watch an amazing soccer match between 2 great teams. I was able to see my favorite player Robinho play a great game. Many of the games in Brazil get an extremely large number of fans that absoloutely love the game. If you plan on going to Brazil, I would definitely recommend getting tickets to a game. The way the stadium fills up with the energy of the crowd, it is just an amazing and unforgettable experience.

Brazilian Wax Article

Filed under: Brazil General - November 15th, 2004

We just posted a new article on Brazilian waxes, this article can be found here: Brazilian Wax.

The article suggests for those ladies traveling to Brazil, you may want to consider getting a Brazilian wax before you go. This will generally ensure you feel more comfortable while relaxing at the beach, that is, if you are planning on wearing a Brazilian bikini. I suppose if you’re not interested in wearing a Brazilian bikini, why put up with the pain?

While this article is generally geared to the ladies, men may want to give it a read too, because there is such a thing as a male Brazilian wax. Many of the bathing suits Brazilian men wear are quite revealing themselves. In America we generally refer to them as Speedos.

Looking for Havaianas

Filed under: Brazil General - November 14th, 2004

So looking forward to my vacation and getting rid of the winter blahs! Wish I was going to Brazil, but instead I’m going to Mexico Mayan Riveria for 2 weeks. I’ve been looking for another couple pairs of Havaianas to match up with the bikinis I’m planning on bringing - the flip-flops Gisele Bundchen made so famous. I’ve been looking for the style with a sandwich of colors and the small Brazilian flag, they seem to be harder to find but not impossible.

What an inexpesive way to accessorize an outfit! It’s a guilty pleasure to collect a few different color pairs, I especially couldn’t resist a hot pink pair I recently ordered on line. Can’t believe they want more than $20 a pair in some of the stores in my home town. On line you can pick them up for a steal, there are couple of extremely helpful links on the cities-in-brazil.com website: Havaianas.

Brazil Beach Vacation

Filed under: Brazil General - November 14th, 2004

Thinking of flying away to somewhere warm this Christmas? If so I highly recommend considering Brazil. I know it isn’t one of the regular vacation destinations, ie. Hawaii, Mexico, Bermuda, etc … and flights to Brazil cost a little more. But I assure you, once you get to Brazil the cost of vacationing there is very reasonable! For example, as of Friday (Nov. 12, 2004) the Brazilian real was trading at R$2.792 to $1 USD, this exchange rate ensures your money will go a long way.

Some of the more popular Brazilian items people enjoy buying when vacationing in Brazil include: Havaianas, Brazil Clothing, Brazilian Art, and Brazilian bikinis. Usually the best place to buy Brazil stuff is at Feirinhas, these are little shops located along sidewalks or along beach boardwalks. They usually setup around 4:30pm in the afternoon and are available until 8:00pm or so.

Brazil stuff has also become very popular to buy on-line. Many online merchants sell a selection of Brazil goods. At Cities in Brazil we’ve created a web page for you which lists some of the more popular Brazil Stuff available.

Brazil - A Tropical Paradise!

Filed under: Brazil General - November 13th, 2004

For those looking to travel to a tropical paradise, Brazil should be high on your list of places to visit. This country offers countless white sandy beaches, sparkling turquoise waters, and vast ecological reserves. It’s truly an amazing country!

I personally enjoyed the beaches more than anything. For me there’s nothing like lounging for hours on the beach, working on a golden bronze tan; all the while enjoying a cool refreshing beverage. The beach vendors offer up margaritas, beer, as well as the traditional Brazilian drink, caipirinha - I certainly enjoyed my share of those! When I got too hot I took a quick dip in the tropical ocean waters to cool down. The temperature of the water in Brazil is always warm during the summer months, but it still felt nice to take a dip.

If you do visit the beaches, get ready to see a lot of skin! Brazilians are known for little bikinis and nice figures. I was a little shy at first but I chose to purchase a “Brazilian bikini” myself. After just a couple days I started to feel like I fit right in, it was great fun!