-
São Paulo Shopping Guide: Fashion, Antiques, Cheap Buys and More
On display during São Paolo Fashion Week. Photo © Paty Oliveira, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
São Paulo is a shopper’s paradise. In a country that takes great pride in its malls—affectionately known as shoppings—Sampa’s are by far the biggest and glitziest—and a very far cry from su
-
Exploring Porto Alegre, the Capital of Rio Grande do Sul
Praça Marechal Deodoro. Photo © Glauco Umbelino, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Stretched out along the eastern shore of the Rio Guaíba, Rio Grande do Sul’s prosperous Gaúcho capital of 1.5 million resembles a somewhat generic European or North American city. Although it has a reputed gast
-
Mission Impossible: Rio in June
Photo © Michael Sommers.
Although June is a lovely time to visit Rio de Janeiro, don’t think of going near the Cidade Maravilhosa this year – at least between the 13th and the 22rd.
The reason to steer clear of Rio is that the city is hosting the United Nations’ Summit on Sustainable Development (
-
Take the 400 Caipirinhas and Run!
Caipirinha cocktail at Porto Bay Rio International hotel.Photo © Porto Bay Hotels and Resorts, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Last week when it came time to write my blog, I was forced to choose between two timely stories, both of which were being much discussed in Brazilian and internatio
-
Raindrops (Literally) Keep Falling on My Head
In general, Brazilians are (justifiably) famed for their sunny dispositions, and among all Brazilians, many would argue that Bahians possess the sunniest dispositions of all.
On a regular day-to-day basis, such a positive outlook on life can act as a soothing balm and serve as a refreshing reminde
-
São Sebastião: Beaches, Nightlife, and More
São Sebastião is sure to have a beach to suit your style. Photo © Sheila Tostes, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
São Paulo StateWhen Paulistanos say they are “going to São Sebastião,” they’re not actually referring to the busy seaside town with the colonial center located 220 kilometer
-
Brazil Keeps its Cool as World Cup Deadlines Loom
Even though there are still two years to go before Brazil kicks off its much anticipated hosting duties of the 2014 World Cup, not a day goes by where the looming event is not mentioned in the press or comes up in the most innocuous and casual conversations.
Brazilians alternately complain about t
-
Rio's Fresh Crop of Hostels
Photo © Michael Sommers.
In a recent blog post devoted to the upcoming U.N. Summit on Sustainable Development (aka Rio+20) being held in Rio de Janeiro, I alluded to the fact that the Cidade Maravilhosa, has not been so marvelous in terms of meeting its upcoming obligations as host of upcoming meg
-
São Luís, the Island Capital of Maranhão
The centro histórico neighborhood known more commonly as Praia Grande or Reviver. Photo © Mariana Costa, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Somewhat crumbling but terribly charismatic, Maranhão’s island capital has a flavor quite unlike any other of Brazil’s northeastern cities. Its very origi
-
Tinkle Tinkle Little Star: Rocking Out at the Urinal
São Paulo is justly famed for the eclecticism of its nightlife offerings, but in general the focus isn’t on what’s being performed in the bathrooms. A fun exception to the rule, however, has been the latest publicity campaign launched by Billboard Music Brasil. Instead of online ads or outdoor bi
-
Chapada dos Guimarães: Beautiful Canyons and Rugged Cliffsides
The “Bride’s Veil” waterfall in Chapada dos Guimarães. Photo © Cecilia Heinan, licensed Creative Commons Attribution.
Only an hour from Cuiabá, the Chapada dos Guimarães is a stunningly beautiful mountainous region situated on one of the planet’s oldest tectonic plates. Whil
-
Going for the Gold
Photo © Michael Sommers.
“If you want to understand Minas Gerais, read this,” said my boyfriend. He handed me a thick paperback tome on whose front cover an ornate golden crown perched sumptuously above the title: Boa Ventura!: A Corrida do Ouro no Brasil (1697-1810) (“Good Fortune: The Brazilian
-
LAN v. Aerolíneas: A Tale of Two Airlines
Aerolíneas at El Calafate airport. Photo © Wayne Bernhardson.
The Southern Cone’s two major airlines, Aerolíneas Argentinas and Chile’s LAN Airlines, both originated as state-run carriers at a time when virtually every South American country ran its own flagship. In the early days of South America
-
A (Brazilian) Winter's Tale
Last night I donned a hoodie and a leather jacket over a long-sleeved shirt and got into a friend’s car in which the heater was blasting. Just a typical Brazilian winter’s night….
Most people – myself included – find it hard to reconcile the seemingly antithetical notions of “Brazil” and “
-
Da Boca do Brasileiro: Diamantina Insights
Photo © Michael Sommers.
Da Boca do Brasileiro means “Out of the Mouth of a Brazilian” and is the title I’ve chosen for a regular (if intermittent) feature of this blog. The idea is to let Brazilians do the talking by recommending their favorite things to see, eat, and do while also providing some
-
When Oscar Came to Town
Photo © Michael Sommers.
Most people who visit Diamantina are lured by the splendid colonial architecture that has earned the 18th-century diamond mining town UNESCO World Heritage status. Yet amidst the elegant casas coloniais and ornate baroque churches lie the traces of a small but seminal mome
-
Big City Fix in Belo Horizonte
Photo © Michael Sommers.
The other weekend, I was invited with my boyfriend, Barbosa, and his close friend, Walber, to take a weekend road trip from Diamantina to Belo Horizonte. With a population of 45,000, Diamantina is small, and despite the town’s charm and myriad attractions – not to mention
-
Brazil’s First Love Motel – for Pets
Photo © Michael Sommers.
North American tourists who come to Brazil and check into a “motel” are inevitably surprised by the features and amenities; ceiling mirrors, heart-shaped beds, a bowl full of condoms.
This is because unlike North American’s cheery chains catering to families, Brazilian mot
-
Beaches North of Natal
Redinha is the first beach north of Natal. Photo © Victor Camilo, licensed Creative Commons Attribution No-Derivatives.
Heading north from Natal—by bus or buggy—the beaches get increasingly wild and the dunes more impressive. Half- and full-day buggy tours from Natal give you a “best-of” the
-
Taking Sweet, Sustainable Flight
I always find it grating the way some armchair environmentalists love to lash out at frequent flyers (and/or travel writers) who, in confessing to have hopped a plane, are made to feel like sinners for sullying the atmosphere with nasty carbon footprints.
The global aviation industry is responsib
Total
1166 -travel
FirstPage PreviousPage NextPage LastPage CurrentPage:
56/59 20-travel/Page GoTo Page:
