Make the best of what you’ve got…
In Brazil, we have a special phrase for this, which says “quem nao tem cao, caca com gato!” which means “if you don’t have a dog, hunt with a cat.”
read moreRocinha (the little field) now the biggest favela in town
Mar 21, 10
In Portuguese, the word rocinha (pronounced ho-seen-yah) a literally means a tract of land that has been cleared for planting. It is also used colloquially to refer to any field or backwoods area and that is exactly what Rocinha was in the late 1800s. It started as a settlement near the sugar plantations where poor ranch hands and...
read moreCopacabana
Mar 21, 10
The world’s most famous beach boardwalk, Copacabana gained its greatest fame during Brazil’s cultural boom in the first half of the 20th century. The Copacabana Palace Hotel, formerly a legendary casino, attracted playboys and debutantes from all over the world. Soon this wide strip of white sand and blue waves became the summer...
read morePao de Acucar
Mar 21, 10
Despite the poverty, congestion, pollution, and other problems here, Rio is unarguably one of the most visually stunning cities in the world. Nowhere is this more apparent than from the top of Pão de Açúcar (Sugar Loaf), which jets out into the bay across from the Botafogo Beach. The gondola going up to Pão de Açúcar goes in...
read moreHistoric Rio: Praca Floriano (Cinilandia)
Mar 21, 10
During the golden days of Hollywood, Brazil was experiencing a cultural and economic growth period at the tail end of the coffee boom. Here in Rio, a number of things were occurring, including international recognition of the city, mostly due to the casinos in Copacabana. In the old downtown area, a number of movie houses were...
read moreHistoric Rio: Praca XV de Novembro
Mar 21, 10
The Praça that marks a major turning point in Brazil’s history, moving from a monarchy to a republic, is right here in downtown Rio, in front of the old Imperial Palace (noon–6:30pm Tuesday–Sunday) home of the royal family from 1808–1889. Naturally, the praça was renamed in honor of the occasion, which took...
read moreHistoric Rio: Galleries & Cultural Centers
Mar 21, 10
Across Av. Rio Branco (toward the ocean) is an area full of galleries and cultural spaces. First, there’s the Casa França (Rua Visconde de Itaboraí 78, noon–6pm Tuesday–Sunday), which has temporary and permanent scultpure exhibitions in an 1820 neoclassic building. The building was designed as a fine arts school, but...
read moreRio de Janeiro: Planning Your Time
Mar 21, 10
The images that come to mind when one thinks of Rio de Janeiro are many and varied, but one that always seems to appear is of the famous Copacabana boardwalk and the Copacabana Palace Hotel with its luxurious interior and high-rolling clientele. In its heyday, Copacabana (and the hotel in particular) was the scenario of several...
read moreWe drink, but they act drunk
That phrase in Portuguese is: ” Nos e’ que bebemos e eles que ficam tonto”. We use that for the situation when people freak out or act stupid.
read moreI’m not going to stick my neck out!
In Brazil in this situation we say in Portuguese: ” Eu e’ que nao vou colocar meu cu na praca”. Meaning ” I’m not going to put my ass in the Plaza.”
read moreSomething to Consider…
Download Brazil…
Free Brazil Photo Book
Take a visual vacation to Brazil with this photo e-book. See just how blue the water is along the extensive coastline of the Northeast Region. Get a glimpse of the people and the culture that is Brazil. This promotional e-book is free and we encourage you to copy and distribute it as much as you can. Rio de Janeiro In 3 Days
Heading to Rio de Janeiro? Take this handy 3-day itinerary with you to get the most out of your journey in the least amount of time. Download and take it with you on your laptop or on CD, or use the printable pages in your notebook or day planner. Available for FREE from this site.
