Brazil

From MaxTravelz

Brazil (Port. Brasil) is the largest country in South America. Famous for its soccer tradition and its annual carnival in Rio de Janeiro and Salvador, the country is, in all aspects, characterized by great diversity. From the bustling urban mosaic of São Paulo to the infinite cultural energy of Pernambuco and Bahia, the untouched wilderness of the Amazon rainforest and world-class landmarks such as the Iguaçu Falls, there is plenty to see and to do in Brazil.

Contents 1 Regions 2 Cities 3 Other destinations 4 Understand 4.1 History and Economy 4.2 Culture 4.3 People 4.4 Holidays and working hours 4.5 Time zones 4.5.1 Daylight saving time 5 Get in 5.1 Visa requirements 5.2 By plane 5.3 By car 5.4 By bus 5.5 By boat 5.6 By train 6 Get around 6.1 By plane 6.2 By car 6.3 By bicycle 6.4 By train 6.5 By bus 6.6 By boat 7 Talk 7.1 Body language 8 Buy 8.1 Exchange rates 8.2 Shopping 9 Eat 9.1 Cuisine 9.2 Restaurants 10 Drink 10.1 Liquor and beer 10.2 Coffee and tea 10.3 Soft drinks 10.4 Fruit juices 11 Sleep 12 Learn 13 Work 14 Stay safe 15 Stay healthy 16 Electricity 17 Respect 18 Contact 18.1 By phone 18.1.1 Mobile phones 18.2 By net 18.3 By mail

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 heavy indian influence.
• The Northeast -- strong black culture (especially in Bahia) with an enduring permanence of early Iberic folklore. This is the country's most beautiful coastline, with the sunnier and hotter 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 -- the country's economic and industrial hub, with some century-old towns, considered Brazil's heartland.
• The South -- the highly developed land of valleys and pampas. Strong gaucho culture (shared with Uruguay and Argentina) and European culture.

See also: List of Brazilian states

Cities

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

• Belém -- The main gateway to the Amazon region. Religious festivals (Cirio de Nazare), traditional market (Ver-o-Peso).
• Brasília -- The capital of Brazil, and an architectural spectacle. Noteworthy building include a basket-shaped Cathedral, the beautiful Arches Palace (seat of the Ministry of Justice) and others.
• Fortaleza -- A good base for exploring the beaches of the northeastern coast, including Jericoacoara.
• Olinda -- A small town, popular for its culture and arts scene and a Carnival that rivals those of Rio and Salvador.
• 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. This metropolis is everything, 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 noteworthy.
• São Luís -- Founded by the French in 15th century and not later then 3 years 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.
• Florianópolis -- The only big city in Brazil locaded in an island in the Atlantic Ocean with lakes, lagoons, amazing nature and more than 100 beaches. It is one of the best cities to live in Brazil. Florianópolis is a lot better in the summer due to its temperate climate. December, January and February are the best months.

Other cities also attract a good deal of travellers:

• Belo Horizonte -- Capital of Minas Gerais, is a convenient starting point to explore the state's colonial past.
• Curitiba -- A city that created many modern urban solutions, but still keeps its traditional spirit.
• João Pessoa -- Is 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.
• Porto Alegre -- An urban destination in Brazil's southernmost state of Rio Grande do Sul. Has a very active nightlife and is one of the most important centres of Brazilian pop music.
• 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.
• Vitória -- Midway between Rio and Salvador, it is a beautiful city between the mountains and the ocean.

Other 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
• Blumenau - a huge Oktoberfest is held here
• Caldas Novas and Rio Quente - The world's largest hydrothermal complex
• Chapada dos Veadeiros – Cerrado wildlife and stunning waterfalls.
• Iguaçu Falls -- The world-famous waterfalls.
• Minas Gerais -- A rugged inland state rich in colonial history, including the historical mining towns such as Ouro Preto, Mariana, Congonhas do Campo.
• Passa Quatro -- A very charming town in Minas, out of the normal itinerary, with lot's of waterfalls, not far from Paraty.
• Pantanal -- The world's largest wetland hosts lots of eco-tourism and vast biodiversity, including crocodiles, piranhas etc.
• Jericoacoara -- A small beach stop-off for many travellers through the state of Ceara.

Understand

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 where 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 indians 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.

With 20 years of democracy, the Country has grown strong, and despite the social problems of the unequal income distribution, the people are recognized to be a happy and festive people.

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.

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 (Soup Opera)– 6-month-long series that are one of the country’s main cultural exports..

People

Throughout its history, Brazil has appreciated and openly received different people 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). 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 foreigners should not take this as impolite or as a violation of personal space.

The Brazilian society exhibits many positive traits of friendship, hospitality and honor and highly values family and social connections. This may lead some people to think that Brazilians are a sympathetic people in a very peculiar way, as for many of them, the most important thing when dealing with other people may be the distinction between known and unknown people. To people they have met, or at least they know the name, they are 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 are sometimes 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 who talks, acts or looks like a tourist (even other Brazilians!) is 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.

The contrasts of 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 engergy 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.

Holidays and working hours

Brazil observes the following holidays:

• New Year - 1 January
• Carnival - February/March (moveable - Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning - see also February)
• Holy Friday - March/April (moveable)
• Tiradentes - 21 April
• Labour Day - 1 May
• Corpus Christi - June)
• Independence Day - 7 September
• Patroness of Brazil - 12 October
• All Soul's Day - 2 November
• Republic - 15 November
• Christmas - 25 December

Working hours are usually from 8 am or 9am to 6 pm. Shopping malls normally open from 10 am to 10 pm.

Time zones

Most of Brazil is within the UTC -3 time zone. Due to the large size of the country, some states and its parts are in different time zones:

• UTC -2: Brazilian atlantic islands among many others: Fernando de Noronha, Trindade and Martim Vaz;

• UTC -3: States on the South and Southeast regions, plus the Federal District (Brasília) and Goiás state from the Central West region and from the North region Amapá, the western part of Pará (including Belém) and Tocantins state;

• UTC -4: Eastern part of the Amazonas state (including Manaus), Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul states from the Central West region, eastern part of Pará state (including Santarém), Rondônia and Roraima states from the North region;

• UTC -5: Acre state and western part of the Amazonas state from the North region.

Daylight saving time

Many states in Brazil undergo a daylight saving time during summer. This normally extends from the second sunday of October to the second sunday of February, when the official time in these states become:

• UTC -2 for the States of the South and Southeast regions, plus the Federal District (Brasília) and Goiás State from the Central West region;

• UTC -3 for Mato Grosso and Mato Grosso do Sul states from the Central West region.

Get in

Visa requirements

• Citizens from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Paraguay, Peru and Uruguay may enter the country with a valid ID card and stay up to 90 days.
• No visa is required for stays of up to 90 days from holders of passports from South Africa, all EU countries (except Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania), Israel, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, Turkey and others.
• Citizens from the following countries currently need a visa for Brazil: Australia, Canada, China, India, Japan, Mexico, Russia, United States and others.
• Travelers from the United States can expect to pay 100 US Dollars for a 5 year visa.

For some regions you need a yellow fever vaccination and the certificate showing you had this.

It is illegal to bring in animals, meat, dairy, seeds, plants, eggs, honey, or fruit without a permit. Contact vigiagro@agricultura.gov.br for more information.

By plane

Most travelers from other continents will land in São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. Some regional airports such as Belem and Manaus are also served by flights from Miami, Florida, French Guiana, Suriname and Guadeloupe. There are also regular flights from Europe (Lisbon) to Recife and Salvador. Besides, weekly 4-hour flights connect Fortaleza to Cape Verde (with further connections available to Senegal), a direct air link between Brazil and the African Continent. TAAG Angola Airlines also has two weekly direct flights from Rio de Janeiro to the Angolan capital of Luanda. Charter tourism flights from Europe often land directly in Salvador.

By car

The main border crossings are at:

• Between Chuy and Chuí and between Rivera/Santana do Livramento (from Uruguay)
• Between Paso de los Libres and Uruguaiana and between Puerto Iguazu and Foz do Iguaçu (from Argentina)
• Ciudad del Este/Foz do Iguaçu (from Paraguay)
• Puerto Suarez/Corumbá (from Bolivia)
• Iñapari to Assis Brasil, from Peru
• Letícia/Tabatinga (from Colombia)
• Santa Elena/Pacaraíma (from Venezuela)

By bus

Long-distance bus service connects Brazil to its neighboring countries. The main capitals linked directly by bus are Buenos Aires, Asunción, Montevideo, Santiago de Chile, and Lima. Direct connections from the first three can also be found easily, but from Lima it might be tricky, though easily accomplished by changing at one of the others. Those typically go to São Paulo, though Pelotas has good connections too. It should be kept in mind that distances between Sao Paulo and any foreign capitals are significant.

The national land transport authority has listings on all operating international bus lines.

By boat

Amazon river boats connect northern Brazil with Peru, Venezuela and Colombia. The ride is a gruelling 12 days upriver though. From French Guiana, you can cross the river Oyapoque, which takes about 15 minutes.

By train

Train service within Brazil, let alone from other countries, is almost nonexistent. However, there are exceptions to the rule, and the most famous way to enter Brazil, or better to arrive in Brazil by train is with the Trem da Morte or Death Train, which goes from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, to a small town just over the border from Corumbá in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul. There is still a train line from there all the way to São Paulo, but at the moment it is not in use, but bus connections to São Paulo via the state capital Campo Grande, are plentiful. The journey itself is reputedly replete of robbers who might steal your backpack or its contents but security has been increased recently and the journey can be made without much difficulty. It goes through the Bolivian agricultural belt and one may see the technology averse religious community which resemble the American Amish in many ways, by the train along the journey.

Get around

By plane

Air service connects all major areas of Brazil. Note that not all air routes are as direct as they would seem on a map, and are often required to go through hubs such as Brasilia or Sao Paulo. Besides the traditional airlines (Varig or TAM) there are also cheaper "no frills" airlines such as BRA, Gol and Webjet booking over the internet. For international travelers, air passes for in-country flights may be available while buying your flight to Brazil.

Beware of flight listings at the airport which only show the final city in route (which you're probably not aware of). Always know and check your flight NUMBER, not just the city you're flying to (it might not be listed). Expect that a more distant city might be the only one listed for your flight, but the plane will still stop at the airport you have a ticket for. Strangely, international flights are just the opposite, with only the first destination in Brazil shown -- even though the same flight may go directly to other cities.

Many domestic flights in Brazil are considered "international," giving flyers a chance to purchase items at a "duty free" store in the airport. (There may be passengers on board from other South American countries who have not yet cleared customs.) Also, you must go through immigrations and customs again upon arrival, even though you never left Brazil. Foreign travelers on flights within Brazil do NOT fill out a new immigration form, but show the carbon copy of the one completed on arriving in Brazil the first time of same visit (with their passport and visa stamp).

By car

The atlas "Guia de Estradas" provides not only maps and distances but also informs about current conditions of the roads (which can be indeed very bad). There are the usual car rental companies at the airports. A car is a good idea if you want to explore scenic areas, e.g. the historic cities of Minas Gerais, the Rio-Santos highway, or the beaches in North-East Brazil.

Driving anywhere in Brazil requires a maximum amount of attention. In a recent year, Brazilians won first, second, and third place at the Indy 500 auto race -- which should give you an idea on how they drive. If you're bold enough to drive at all in Brazil, at least consider avoiding night-time driving. The problem behind the Brazil's roads are the presence of potholes (mainly cause of lack of investiments from the government) and animals (which are created freed near the roads by the locals), and by driving on then you should really be carefull and aware of this, as its the primary source of accidents on the roads.

• If you drive, be careful: a flashing left signal means that the car ahead is warning you not to pass, for some reason. If the car ahead of you wants to show you that it is safe to pass it will flash the right signal. This arrangement seems to be the opposite of the rest of the world, but the idea behind this is really simple. The right signal is the same signal to indicate that you're going to stop on the side of the road, so it generally mean you're going to slow down. On the other hand the left signal is the same signal to indicate you're going to pass through the car upfront, meaning you're going to speed up.
• Flashing headlights from the incoming cars means caution on the road ahead. Most of the time, it indicates that there are animals, cops or speed radar ahead.

By bicycle

In rural areas in Brazil the bicycle is a common means of transport. This does not mean that cyclists are respected by car, truck, or bus drivers. But you may find good roads with little traffic outside the cities. It is also easy to get a lift by a pickup or to have the bike transported by a bus. Cycling is not very stimulated in big cities. Two exception are Rio de Janeiro and Fortaleza where there are cycle tracks along the beaches.

By train

Brazil's railway system was mostly wrecked during the military regimes. Today there are few passenger lines left:

• From Curitiba to Paranaguá - This scenic 150km-long railroad links the capital of Paraná to the coastal cities of Morretes and Paranaguá, through the beautiful Serra do Mar mountains covered with mata atlântica forest. The trip takes about 3 hours and has bilingual guides. Trains leave daily at 08:00 and prices start from about R$ 40 (round-trip)
• From São João del Rei to Tiradentes - This 35-minute trip on a steam train is almost like time travel. The train operates Fri-Sun, with departures from São João at 10:00 and 15:00 and 13:00 and 17:00 from Tiradentes. The round trip costs R$ 16.
• From Belo Horizonte to Vitória - Daily trains operated by Companhia Vale do Rio Doce leave Belo Horizonte at 07:30 and Vitória at 07:00. Travel time is about twelve and a half hours. Tickets are sold at the train stations and a single 2nd class fare costs about R$ 25. Seats are limited and it is not possible to reserve, so it is advisable to buy in advance.
• From São Luis to Carajás - interesting because part of is goes through the Amazon rainforest

By bus

Long-distance buses are a convenient, economical, and sometimes (usually if you buy the most expensive ticket), rather comfortable way to travel between regions. Bus terminals in cities play a role akin to train stations in many countries.

Brazil has a very good bus transport system, Basically, long distance routes depart from capital cities or economical centers, so if the city is big it will have connections to neighbouring capitals at the very least. One can expect just about any town to have a bus route to the capital or a regional economic center. Generally speaking bus tickets are bought at bus terminals at the end points or at the scheduled stops along the route. The facility of flagging a bus and hopping on (if there are available seats) is widespread in the country. This is less likely to work along a few routes where armed robberies have happened frequently, such as those leading to the border with Paraguay and to Foz do Iguaçu.

ANTT, the national auhority for land transportation, has a search engine (in Portuguese) for all available domestical bus lines.

By boat

In the Amazon region as well as on the coast west of Sao Luis, boat travel is often the only way to get around.

Talk

The official language of Brazil is Portuguese, spoken by the entire population. Brazilian Portuguese has a number of pronunciation differences with the language spoken in Portugal, but speakers of either can understand each other.

Attention thought for equal word with totally different meaning, an example of this is "Rapariga" that in Portugal means young girl, and in Brazil mean prostitute. (you got the picture)

Spanish speakers may be able to get by in Brazil, especially towards the south. Probably because of the larger number of sounds of the Portuguese language, Brazilians can often understand Spanish but it's usually harder for Spanish-speakers to understand the reply. There are lots of Portuguese words that drop a middle syllable from the Spanish.

Not all Brazilians will be able to speak English, but one can always find a way to get around, especially among students and in financial areas. However, don't expect bus drivers or taxi drivers to understand English. In most big and luxurious hotels, it is very likely that the taxi fleet will speak English.

Body language

Brazilians use a lot of body gestures in informal communication, and the meaning of certain words or expressions may be influenced by them.

• The thumbs up gesture is used everywhere and all the time in Brazil.
• The OK gesture (thumb and finger in a circle), on the other hand, may have obscene connotations in Brazil. Avoid it if you can. Use thumbs up instead.
• A circular movement of the forefinger about the ear (a gesture that the Germans mean like telephone for you) means you are crazy!.
• Stroking your two biggest fingers with your thumb (as the French do to say something is expensive) usually expresses a very long time.
• Touching the palm with the thumb and making a circular movement with the hand means I am being robbed! (sometimes meaning that some price is too high).
• The Hush gesture is considered extremely unpolite, just about the same as shouting "shut up!" to someone.
• An informal way to get someone's attention (similar to a whistle in other cultures) is a hissing sound: "pssiu!" It is not perceived as unpolite, but gets annoying if repeated too often. They also call cats this way, rather than the kiss noise others (the French again) produce

Buy

Brazil's unit of currency is the Real (pronounced 'hay-AHL'), plural Reais ('hay-AYS'). Prices are written as R$1,50 (means one and fifty cents) for example. The Real can be difficult to sell after you leave South America, so convert any cash to US dollars if leaving the country for another continent.

Bank Machines often take VISA and other non-Brazilian credit cards. Check for the Cirrus or VISA PLUS logo. Shell Petrol/Gas stations with a shop might also have an ATM which does. Banco do Brasil may have many ATM's but only one per branch which accepts foreign credit/debit cards. There is often a long line of people waiting, as the machines are used by locals to pay bills. BankBoston, HSBC, Bradesco, and Citibank also accept PLUS and Cirrus ATM cards and usually have shorter lines. Credit card advance is through the ATM's (with the four digit PIN) ONLY -- no manual transactions.

In terms of the most common form of payment, cash in small bills is king in Brazil. If you have too many large bills, especially in the small towns and tourist destinations, you will find vendors often don't have enough small bills to make change. Therefore, make sure you carry a lot of small bills. Further, traveler checks are not easily or cheaply cashed in Brazil, except at international airports, which almost main city of each state has: Sao Paulo, Rio, Curitiba, Salvador, Fortaleza, etc only to name a few. Brazilian banks charge really big to cash traveler checks and the process can take a while, so don't try it if you are in a hurry. It's good to go informed before you use this kind of service as only a few Brazilians would know about how its done.

Brazil redesigned its money in 1997 or 1998, and old coins are still in circulation. Old coins look more like each other than new coins of the same denomination, so read the numbers.

Exchange rates

The Real is a free-floating currency. As of March 2006, R$ 1,00 is worth about:

• US$ 0,47
• € 0,38
• £ 0,26

If you exchange money in a bank, you may be asked for your passport. You can also go to a casa de câmbio.

Shopping

It's wise to pack light and acquire a Brazilian wardrobe within a couple of days of arrival. It will make you less obvious as a tourist, and give you months of satisfied gloating back home about the great bargains you got whenever you are complimented on your clothing. Brazilians of almost any economic status tend to dress quite stylishly. This makes tourists, particularly Americans, stand out in the crowd. Have some fun shopping, and blend in. Another good reason for buying clothes and shoes in Brazil is that the quality is usually good and the prices, often cheap. To figure your Brazilian pants size, measure your waist in centimeters, divide by 2, and round up to the next even number.

Store windows will often display a price followed by "X 5" or "X 10", etc. This is an installment-sale price. The price displayed is the per-installment price, so that, "R$50 X 10", for example, means 10 payments (typically monthly) of R$50 each. The actual price is almost always lower if you cash in.

Make sure any appliances you buy are either dual voltage or the same as in your home country. Brazil is 60Hz, so don't buy electric clocks or non-battery operated motorized items if you live in Europe or Australia. The voltage, however, varies by state.

Brazil uses a hybrid video system called "PAL-M." It is NOT at all compatible with the PAL system of Europe and Australia. Television began in black and white using the NTSC system of the USA and Canada, then years later, using PAL for its analogue colour -- making a totally unique system. Nowadays, most new TV sets are NTSC compatible. Digital video such as DVDs are also compatible with NTSC, but make sure the region code(s), if any, matches your home country (Brazil is part of region 4). Prices for imported electronic goods are quite high, and there is very little production inside the country.

Eat

Cuisine

Brazil's cuisine is as varied as its geography and culture. On the other hand, some may find it an unrefined melange, and everyday fare can be bland and monotonous. While there are some quite unique dishes of regional origin, many foods were brought by overseas immigrants and have been hybridized through the generations. In Brazil, Italian and Chinese food can often be as baffling as Amazonian fare.

Brazil's national dish is feijoada, a hearty stew made of black beans and pork (ears, knuckles, sausage and pieces of cow meat). It's served with a side of white rice, garnished with collard greens and sliced orange. It's usually not served in restaurants, and ones that do, typically have it only twice a week (usually Wednesday and Saturday). A typical mistake made by tourists is to take too much feijoada close after arriving. This is a heavy dish, that you need to get used to before you eat it. Even Brazilians usually eat it parcimoniously. While you are at it, try the caipirinha, Brazil´s signature drink made of wedged limes, sugar and cachaça.

Excellent seafood can be found in coastal towns. Specially at Northeast.

In most towns, even the smallest, it is easy to find self-service restaurants with good food. Brazilian restaurants tend to be quite clean, considering that this is a developing country --and in many of them you can actually see the kitchen. At least you should, since it´s determined by law.

Most of the self-service restaurants offer two kinds of deals: they have an all-you-can-eat fixed price (called "Rodízio"), or you go "por kilo", which means that you weight you plate after you serve yourself. This is very common during lunch time throughout Brazil.

Regional cuisines:

• Southern - Churrasco is Brazilian barbeque, and is usually served "Rodizio" ou "espeto corrido" (all-you-can-eat). Waiters carry huge cuts of meat on steel spits from table to table, and carve off slices onto your plate. Traditionally, you are given a small wooden block colored green on one side and red on the other. When you're ready to eat, put the green side up. When you're too stuffed to even tell the waiter you've had enough, put the red side up... Most churrasco restaurants (churrascarias) also serve other types of food, so it is safe to go there with a friend that is not really fond of meat.
• Mineiro is the "miner's" cuisine of Minas Gerais, based on pork and beans, with some vegetables. Dishes from Goiás are similar, but use some different ingredients such as pequi and guariroba. Minas Gerais cuisine is not seen as particularly tasty, but it does have a "home" feel that is much cherished.
• The food of Bahia, on the northeast coast has its roots across the Atlantic in West Africa. Coconut, dende palm oil, and seafood are the prime ingredients. Tip: hot ("quente") means lots of pepper, cold ("frio") means less or no pepper at all. If you don't dare to eat it hot you should try acarajé (prawn-filled roasties) and vatapá (drinkable black beans soup).
• Amazon cuisine draws from the food of the indigenous inhabitants, including various exotic fish and vegetables. There is also a stupendous variety of tropical fruits.
• Ceará's food in the coastline has a great sort of seafood, is know to have the best crab of the Country. Its so popular that literally every weekend thousands of people go to Praia do Futuro (the most clean urban beach of the world located in Fortaleza) to eat Fried Fish and crabs (usually followed by cold beer).

Brazilian cuisine also has a lot of imports:

• Pizza is quite popular in Brazil. In Sao Paulo travellers will find the highest rate of pizza places per inhabitant in the whole world. The variety is extremely vast, with restaurants offering usually more than 50 types of pizza. In particular, Europeans will discover that in Brazil, pizzas contain more cheese and other ingredients than in Europe. It is worth noting the difference between the European "mozzarella" and the Brazilian "mussarela". They differ in flavor, appearance and origin (Brazil: cow milk, Europe: buffalo milk), still, "mussarela de búfala" sometimes is also available. The Brazilian "mussarela", which tops most pizzas, is yellow in color and has a stronger taste which is widely aprecciated and could be compared to the French emmental. In some restaurants, particularly in the South, pizza has no tomato sauce. Other dishes of Italian origin, such as macarrão (macaroni), lasanha and others are also very popular.
• Middle-eastern and Arab (actually lebanese) food is widely available in Sao Paulo and Rio. Most options offer high quality and a big variety.
• São Paulo's Japanese restaurants serve up lots of tempura, sushi and sashimi, but it can be quite a departure from the real thing. The variety is good and mostly the prices are very attractive when compared to Europe, USA and...Japan. Most Japanese restaurants these days also offer the rodizio deal, with the same quality as if you ordered from the menu. The same can be said of Chinese food. Thus, there are some variations apart from the traditional. Cheese-filled spring rolls, anyone?

Restaurants

Eating out is a great bargain and a pleasure in Brazil. Service is excellent. Even in "expensive" Rio, and in the tourist areas where prices are marked-up, you can have an excellent meal at one of the better restaurants complete with drinks for US$10.

Note that the locals tip only 10% of total service amount. This value usually included in the bill. Use this as an opportunity to make somebody's day for extra special service. If you are going to stay for some time, choose a good reastaurant for everyday eating, make some friendship with a waiter (usually by giving him an extra tip) and you will enjoy excellent service.

Many inexpensive restaurants are buffet-by-weight, or por quilo. You pile up your plate with whatever you want, then place it on a scale at the counter, and pay by weight. These restaurants, being the least expensive, are those where Brazilians prefer to eat. Service may be hard to get by if you can't speak Portuguese, but this is the place to go if you want to eat good and cheap.

Brazilian restaurants often serve only for two, and you can't order a portion for a single person. It's usually not even indicated on the menu, so you may have to infer from the price or just ask. Also, a Brazilian couple sitting at a restaurant table usually sits side by side, rather than across from each other.

Fast food is also very popular, and the local takes on hamburgers and hot-dogs ("cachorro-quente", translated literally) are well worth trying. Brazilian sandwiches tend to come in many varieties, including various combinations of ingredients like mayonnaise, bacon, ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato, corn, peas, raisins, french fries, ketchup, eggs, pickles, etc.

Drink

Liquor and beer

Brazil's most famous alcoholic drink is cachaça, an extremely potent sugar-cane liquor known to knock the unwary out quite quickly. A great place to visit in Rio de Janeiro's neighbourhood of Leblon is Academia da Cachaça. There are also tours of distillers in Minas Gerais, much in the same way as you'd tour vineyards in the Sonoma Valley or in France, with the added bonus of their famous regional cuisine. And in a city near Fortaleza on the state of Ceará, there is an cachaça museum (Museu da Cachaça) where you can know the history of the most drinked and old of the cachaça's produce Ypioca, know how it is produced and try out the various kinds and tastes of cachaça along with a great deal of local and tradicional food.

The strong flavor can be tempered (hidden?) in cocktails like the famous caipirinha, a combination of cachaça with sugar and lime juice. The city of Paraty gave its name to the drink: parati is a synonym for cachaça. Other words for it include: pinga, caninha, branquinha, malvada, aguardente ("burning water"). The same mixture using vodka is nicknamed a caipiroshka or caipivodka; with white rum, it's a caipiríssima.

Drinking pure cachaça (like the Russians do with vodka) is a common habit on the Northeast region of the Country, and is not a common habbit on the other regions.

If you enjoy fine brandy or grappa, try an aged cachaça. Deep and complex, this drink is nothing like the ubiquitous clear liquor more commonly seen.

Beer in Brazil has a respectable history thanks to German immigrants. Draft lager beer is called chope or chopp ('SHOH-pee'). Most Brazilian beer brands tend to be less thick and bitter than actual German, Danish or English beer. The most popular domestic brands are Brahma, Antarctica and Skol. Traditional brands include Bohemia, Caracu and Itaipava. Brazilians like their beer almost ice-cold when served. To keep the beer cold, it is often served in an insulated container and is drunk from small glasses. Served like this, the waiter may keep topping up the glasses and replacing the beer until you ask him to stop.

While imported alcohol is very expensive, you may find a large assortment of vodka, wine and rum brands in any local supermarket. They come relatively cheap and don't taste that bad. If you really want imported vodka, gin, or Scotch, your best bet is to buy this at the duty-free shop at the airport coming in. (Brazil is one of the few countries where you can buy duty-free goods on your way in).

The production of wine is very strong on the north, but most of the wine appreciators live on the south. Rio Grande do Sul also has a great wine production. Brazilian wines are usually fresher, fruity and less alcoholic than, for instance, French wines. Popular brands (Sangue de Boi, Canção and Santa Felicidade and others, mostly those with prices below R$ 6,00) are usually seen as rubbish.

If you happen to be in Minas Gerais, look for licor de jabuticaba (jabuticaba liquor) or vinho de jabuticaba (jabuticaba wine), an exquisite purple-black beverage with a sweet taste. Jabuticaba is the name of a small grapelike black fruit native to Brazil.

Coffee and tea

Brazil is recognized world-wide for its high-quality and strong coffee. Cafezinho (little coffee) is a small cup of sweetened coffee which is usually served for free after meals in restaurants (just ask politely). Essentially it's just a shot of espresso. Café is so popular that it can name meals (just like rice does in China, Japan and Korea): breakfast in Brazil is called café da manhã (morning coffee), while café com pão (coffee with bread) is a light afternoon meal. However, be aware that the average quality of the coffee consumed in Brazil can be low, as the prime product is for export.

Mate is an infusion similar to tea that's very high in caffeine. A toasted version, often served chilled, is consumed all around the country, while Chimarrão, the heated, bitter equivalent of mate, can be found in the south, and is highly appreciated by the gaúchos. Tererê is a cold version of Chimarrão common in Mato Grosso.

Soft drinks

If you're on the beach on a hot day, nothing beats coconut water, or água de coco - but be careful how you pronounce the word coco (hint: stress the first o as you would in the word orange, otherwise it will sound to them like you are ordering poo!).

If you want a Coca-Cola in Brazil, ask for coca, as "cola" means "glue", in Portuguese (but if you say "Coca-cola", everybody will understand).

Guaraná is a carbonated soft drink made from a berry (the guaraná) native to the Amazon area. The major brands are Antarctica, Kuat and Brahma.

Fruit juices

Fruit juices are very popular in Brazil. There are fruit juice bars at nearly every corner. Açai (made of a fruit from the Amazon) is absolutely delicious and very nutritious on top of that. It is normally served cold and has a consistency of soft ice. Don't let the crazy purple color stop you from eating it! Maracuja (passion fruit) Caju (cashew) and Manga (mango) are also great juice experiences. Don't be afraid to try what you see on the menu. Brazilians have great taste when it comes to mixing juices.

Sleep

Hotels are plentiful in just about all areas of Brazil. A fairly good and clean hotel is quite cheap.

In wilderness areas like the Pantanal, travelers usually stay in fazendas, which are ranches with guest facilities. In small towns of Minas Gerais people are fond of hotéis-fazenda (farm hotels) where you can swim, ride, walk, play football, and camp as well as sleep in picturesque barracks.

Also there is great fun in going on a "Boat Hotel" which will take you to inaccessible places on the rivers and lakes for great fishing trips or for simply relaxing and watching and photographing the wildlife which is very abundant in the Pantanal. The boats are large, safe, and comfortable with air-conditioned rooms (very necessary). Several small aluminum boats with outboard motor,carried by the Boat Hotel,driven by experienced fisher/guide will take 2 or 3 tourists to the best "points".

Motel is the local term for a "sex hotel", so be aware of the implications. There's no social stigma per se in staying in one, but the room service and rates are geared to consenting adults staying for 4 to 6 hour periods (alta rotatividade) with utmost discretion and privacy.

Pousada means guesthouse (the local equivalent of a French auberge or a British boarding house). They are common in smaller tourist towns and can be quite comfortable (or downright awful...). The term implies that things like 24-hour room service, hot meals throughout the day, etc, are not available. Brazilian tourism regulation board imposes specific minimum m attributes for each type of facility. However, most pousadas offer common meals (comprised exclusively of what the owner likes). Pousadas also tend to impose restrictions like not allowing you to come back too late or forbidding taking people in with you.

Learn

Because Portuguese is not as visible worldwide as English or Spanish, it is not easy to find Portuguese courses for foreigners in Brazil -- especially in medium to small cities. A good alternative is to befriend language students and exchange lessons. Brazilians are usually interested in learning foreign languages and are very patient to teach their difficult, but very cherished language.

If you come to Brazil with some initial notions of Portuguese, you will see that people will treat you much better and you will get by much easier. Spanish and standard Italian are easily understood, especially in São Paulo or the South, but English is of no use unless the person specifically knows how to speak it.

Work

Working in Brazil is much easier than in Europe, Japan or the U.S., mostly because there is much more informality. In theory you should have a permit to be allowed to have a job. However, trying to get a decent job in the first place can be hard because there is too much unemployment and because it does not pay well.

If you are a native English speaker, you can easily find an English-teaching part-time job; but don't expect that to save your holidays.

Stay safe

Although not in every large city, but one of the unfortunate sides of travel in Brazil is the epidemic of violent street crime. Brazil's large cities, specially of the south and southeast states, are notorious for attacks (against foreigners and locals alike), but do not let that deter you. Taking extra precautions to keep yourself safe while travelling in Brazil will let you enjoy your stay like millions of visitors do every year.

Do not walk around big cities at night -- take taxis. On no account ever try to enter a slum ("favela") without a guide and do not walk down shadowy streets at night. If you cannot depend on a Brazilian friend or relative to be your guide, consult a travel book to learn which areas of the city to avoid and when, as well as other safety tips.

Use your hotel's safe for any valuables, or, better yet, don't bring to Brazil anything you don't really need. Avoid carrying large amounts of cash, wearing expensive or expensive-looking jewelry, and carrying any unnecessary electronic gear, loose purses or bags. Try to stash some extra money in a hidden spot on your person -- such as a shoe or money belt -- to make sure you can get back to your hotel. Pay attention to the way the locals dress and buy similar clothes for yourself: looking like a foreigner is not wise as thieves will be after you for your money if they instantly see you are a gringo.

You don't need to carry your passport to walk in the city but if you like this, use a little pocket inside your clothes (you can buy in airport mall). But be sure to have a photocopy of your passport with you at all times as required by law (Brazilian police are entitled the right to request identification, i.e. documents, from anyone behaving suspiciously).

At the North and Northeast states it is much safer and calm, although following these tips are good pratice in most large cities of the world.

Stay healthy

It's probably best to avoid the food peddled by vendors on the beach (before you buy any food from them, take a look of their hygiene and cleanness). Sanduíche Natural (Natural Sandwich) may or may not be organic as represented, but if you buy one late in the day a tummy-ache or worse is a likely result. Food and drink in formal restaurants is safe, excellent, and inexpensive.

If you are going to rent a flat and live on your own, store perishable foodstuffs with extra care, as the hot climate can make them rot quite soon.

Only buy closed drinks sold from street vendors (like cans and bottles). Always use a straw or rinse the drink container with fresh water, because the water used to cool the drinks is sometimes not fit for consumption. Unless you have been in the country for a few weeks or more, avoid all ice in drinks. Mineral water is safe, but only if you can be sure it is really mineral water. Don't ever drink tap water: it is either contaminated, saline or soaked with chlorine to kill germs.

Vaccination against yellow fever and taking anti-malaria medication may be necessary if you are traveling to central-western (Mato Grosso) or northern (Amazon) regions. If you're arriving from Peru, Colombia and Bolivia countries, the vaccination of yellow fever is required (i.e. you cannot leave these countries if your destination is Brazil without your vaccination card). Some countries, such as Australia and South Africa, will require evidence of yellow fever vaccination before allowing you entry if you have been in any part of Brazil within the previous week. Check the requirements of any country you will travel to after Brazil.

If you get ill don't look for help in public hospitals, which tend to be crowded and not too good. In most cities of at least 60,000 inhabitants good healthcare is available at a fair price.

Dentists abound and are very cheap (so cheap indeed that people come from other countries to treat their teeth there) however, the quality of their work is not always the same. Absolutely don't trust "popular dentists".

The emergency number is 190, but you must speak Portuguese.

Electricity

Brazil is one of a few countries that uses both 120 and 240 volts for everyday appliances. Expect the voltage to change back and forth as you travel from one place to the next -- even within the same Brazilian state, sometimes even within the same building. There is no physical difference in the electric outlets (power mains) for the two voltages. Outlets with 240 volts are suppose to have a red and white label indicating the higher voltage -- but don't bet any expensive equipment on it. Travelers from the USA, Canada, and other countries with 120V should always ask first before plugging in appliances.

Electric outlets usually accept both the flat blades of the USA and Canada, and the thin round pins used in Brazil and some other countries like North Europe. Some older installations may not accept flat blades, but adapters from flat blades to thin round pins are easy to find in any supermarket or construction materials shop. Outlets intended for thin rounds pins aren't big enough for the German "Schuko" plugs. Either bring an adapter intended for the USA and Canada with both prongs the same size and no third round grounding pin, or one with THIN round pins (smaller than the Schuko). Even if you live in the USA/Canada you may need one of these adapters, as many appliances now use a polarized plug with one blade bigger than the other. These will not fit in all outlets in Brazil, and outlets with a third grounding pin are uncommon.

Like most countries in North America, frequency is 60Hz (regardless of voltage). Don't bring electric clocks from Europe and Australia as they will gain 12 minutes per hour. Blackouts do sometimes occur -- especially in the smaller cities and towns during the wet season.

Respect

Brazilians tend to be very open and talk freely about their problems, especially about political corruption and other problems. But don't imitate them, as they are likely to feel offended if you criticise their country or customs. In some small towns, politics is a dangerous issue and you should be careful when talking about it.

Contact

By phone

Brazil has international country telephone code 55 and two-digit area codes, and phone numbers are eight digits long. The number of digits has been increased from seven to eight recently in some areas, meaning you might still find some old seven-digit phone numbers which won't work unless you prepend another digit (which depends on the area code and the first digit of the original number. Mostly, try adding 2 ou 3).

Eight-digit numbers beginning with digits 2 to 6 are land lines, while eight-digit numbers beginning with digits 7 to 9 are mobile phones.

All cities use the following emergency numbers:

• 190 - Police
• 192 - Ambulance
• 193 - Firefighters

To dial to another area code or to another country, you must chose a carrier using a two-digit carrier code. Which carriers are available depends on the area you are dialing from and on the area you are dialing to. Carriers 21 (Embratel) and 23 (Intelig) are available in all areas.

The international phone number format for Brazil is +55-(area code)-(phone number)

• To dial to another area code: 0-(carrier code)-(area code)-(phone number)
• To dial to another country: 00-(carrier code)-(country code)-(area code)-(phone number)
• Local collect call: 90-90-(phone number)
• Collect call to another area code: 90-(carrier code)-(area code)-(phone number)
• International Collect Call: 000111

Public payphones use prepaid cards with a number of credits. Phone booths are nearly everywhere in the cities and do not accept coins, but the standard prepaid cards can be used in all booths, regardless of the owner phone company. These cards cannot be recharged, but are easily available in shopping centers, gas stations, post offices, etc. Calls to cell phones (even local) will use up your credits very quickly (nearly as expensive as international calls). Calling the USA costs about one real per minute.

Mobile phones

Mobiles use either the CDMA or GSM system. It is possible to buy a pay-as-you-go SIM card for GSM phones, but make sure your phone is unlocked and uses the same frequency of Brazilian mobiles (usually 800MHz or 1,8 GHz). Same thing applies to buying a phone in Brazil - make sure it is unlocked so you can use another SIM card when you leave for a different country.

By net

Internet cafes and Lan houses are increasingly common, and even smaller tourist cities often have at least one spot with more or less decent connections.

If you attempt to send mail directly from a LAN house with your laptop, it may be bounced. Anyone, including a spammer, can do this. Use POP-before-SMTP or a securely authenticated connection to your home mail server.

By mail

The Brazilian Correio is fairly reliable and post offices are literally everywhere. Be sure to use PRIORITÁRIO (priority mail) or foreign letters and postcards will take a VERY long time to arrive.