Going to Brazil for the World Cup? What You Should Know.
The World Cup 2014 in Brazil, are weeks way, thousands of people from all over the world will arrive in Brasil in the next couple of weeks.
Most of them are coming not well informed about what to expect once they arrive in big cities like Rio or São Paulo.
The first thing you should know before you arrive in Brazil for the World Cup 2014 is:
- Buenos Aires is not in Brazil – by the way its located in Argentina.
- Rio de Janeiro is not the capital of Brazil – by the way Brasilia is the Capital of Brazil.
- We speak Portuguese. Portuguese is different of Spanish language. By the way very few Brazilians speak English.
- So you don’t speak Portuguese and wont learn it in the next few weeks before the World Cup 2014. I think you are in trouble.
So here is my tips for you:
Buy a Portuguese – English Travel book and highlight all the phrases that you will need. Memorize some words or write it in a small not book, something like:
- Water – Agua
- Bread – Pão
- Beer – Cerveja
- Bathroom – Banheiro
- Help – Ajuda
- Thank You – Obrigado
etc… you can show your notes to someone or the page with the information in booth language, and they will see the Portuguese version of it next to the English phrase, and if you are luck they will understand you enough and help you with some exaggerated gestures.
Honestly plan your trip to Brazil and your itinerary using Google MAPS and pray a little bit too before you pack your bags.
Make sure you know the name of the area where you will stay, for example, in São Paulo, if you are located near Paulista Avenue (Avenida Paulista), Gardens (Jardins), Vila Madalena, Moema, Itaim Bibi or Consolação you are safe and you are near of Subways and good restaurants too.
I’m from São Paulo, I know everything around this places, but I wont be able to tell you the same about other cities, unfortunately.
Others areas of São Paulo are also very nice like Morumbi, but if you are a tourist, you will not be able to get around easy and probably will spend a fortune in Taxi cab to get to somewhere.
The best areas to stay are here near Paulista Avenue:
WORLD CUP 2014 SAFETY – HOW TO MOVE AROUND SÃO PAULO?
You will need a subway ticket. Any Subway station sells tickets. Just look for tickets windows inside the subway station, ask for DEZ (Ten – 10) enough for 5 round trips, or as many as you will need. Take the subway near to the place where you want to go. When you get out of the subway get a cab and show the address of the place where you want to go. You don’t know what is the subway that gets close of the place where you want to go? Me either.
Honestly, always get a cab that are stopped in TAXI CORNERS marked for taxis in the floor, you will see that there is a white mark in the floor saying TAXI. Its safe, avoid taxi that are just passing by. WHY?Because TAXIs needs special permission to stand in the marked areas, so its is a guaranty to you that that TAXI is serious and wont try to take advantage of you.TIPS (gorjetas)
You don’t have to give any “gorjeta” or tips to the taxi driver. Just pay what he ask to you.
Important: Taxis in São Paulo only accept money, they do not accept Credit Card! Sorry, friend, one day we will have all this easy things here too…
MONEY
Walk around with some small bills, something like $5, $10, $20 Reais. If too much one or two bills of $50 Reais.
Avoid carrying Dollars with you.
Keep your wallet inside of your front pocket or even inside your underwear. Its ok in Brazil (Im joking).
Never let your wallet in your back pocket. You may get back home without your wallet.
Passport? Please leave it at the hotel. Have just a copy with you, ok?
IDs, yes, keep one ID with you. Also make copies of all your Credit Card, keep only one Credit Card with you in your wallet.
If you get robed at least you will be able to contact your bank online and cancel the Credit Card using the copy information and you will luckily have another Credit Card in the Hotel Room.
Count how many beers or drinks you had, who knows how many will be charged in your bill at the end of the night. Sorry! But if you get drunk who will take care of you?
WHAT ABOUT SAFETY?
Do not walk alone, and if you have to walk alone, look around and walk fast. Do not use cell phone in the street. Avoid showing off expensive cell phones, laptops or bags.
If someone stop you and show you a knife or a gum, just don’t react, give whatever you have and let him go. Don’t scream and do not try to follow the robber.
JEWELRY
please do not wear watches or jewelry that have any meaning to you, because you never know. Better if you do not wear jewelry and keep your expensive watches at home.
RENT A CAR
Ok, you decided to venture yourself with a rented car. Use GPS, and keep the windows closed. Keep your wallet, cell phone and bags out of the passenger seat. Maybe under the passenger sit is a good idea.
When you stop at a red light, keep your eyes on the mirror and if you see someone coming to close, just go as fast as you can way from that area.
I don’t want scare you, I want you to be aware of some common problems and Violence is the very daily common thing in some cities in Brazil.
OK, now that you have some idea about the reality in Brazil, lets talk about good things.
Brazilian people are friendly, nice, love parties, most of the time they make fun of their own situation. But do not sign anything if you don’t know what you are signing. Don’t hire a Brazilian Attorney, I have never being luck with Brazilian attorneys.
If you have a problem, you will be on your own most of the time, forget about cops, they don’t speak English and they don’t do too much unless there is a serious crime.
FOOD
If you are in Brazil, you will have so many amazing choices of food that its hard to point only one or two dishes.
Usually you will have plenty of good meats, like beef, picanha, costelas (ribs), steaks served with rice, beans, saladas, fresh vegetables a variety of desserts and fruits.
If you have a chance, try our Feijoada (black beans with pork custs).
You have to go to one Churrascaria, you probable wont be able to experiment all the delicious meets and dishes served in this rodizio style restaurants, but it will be one indulgence to your soul and you will never forget the experience.
BREAKFAST
In Brazil most of the families weak up in the morning for a cup of black coffee or a cup of Juice served with french bread with butter or jelly or maybe a small slice of a homemade cake, like orange cake.
If you are in a hotel, you will have more choices than that. If you are going to a bakery for breakfast, you wont find bacon, eggs and sausage served like in USA.
So, try our way of life, ask for a cup of coffee and one “pão na chapa” or bread with butter toasted. Its so yammmy…
You also can ask for “Pao de Queijo” Brazilian cheese bread, you will find it every where.
If you cannot start your morning without something salt, try our “misto quente” its ham and cheese melted inside of a french bread.
Around 12 o´clock, you will be hungry, its time for lunch, and as most of Brazilians, you will learn that we love lunch time.
Lunch mean real food in Brazil, do not be silly, make a plate, ask for a real dish and enjoy it with a real orange juice squeezed from the fruit.
Bellow are some ideas of a regular lunch meal in Brazil, its usually are made up of rice, beans, beef, salada and fries if you are in a restaurant.
WEATHER
In São Paulo, June and July can be pretty cold, something like 40 Degrees or 10 Graus Celcius. It can rain, be cold and also sunny all in the same day.
WHAT TO PACK IN YOUR BAG?
Jeans, several socks, good jackets, long sleeve t-shirt, t-shirts, sweatpants and hoods, pajamas, sneakers, headache pills, sunglass, a bar of soap, deodorant… are your ready?
NIGHTLIFE IN SÃO PAULO
There is plenty of nightclubs, bares, pubs and places to enjoy your night in São Paulo.
SPOT BAR AND RESTAURANT – http://restaurantespot.com.br/
Al. Ministro Rocha Azevedo, 72
located near Paulista Avenue
SKYE BAR SAO PAULO – http://www.hotelunique.com.br/
Av. Brigadeiro Luís Antônio, 4700 –
Jardim Paulista, São Paulo – SP,
01402-002, Brazil
BAR BOTECO SÃO BENTO
Rua Mourato Coelho, 1.060
Vila Madalena.
BAR O’MALLEYS
Alameda Itu, 1529, Jardim Paulista
Tel: (11) 3086 0780
GOING TO VILA MADALENA
Vila Madalena concentrate several bars all of them with people sitting around tables in side walks, or just standing there with a beer and a group of friends flirting around.
See more tips for the best bars in Vila Madalena here:
See a list of night clubs in São Paulo with photos here:
TIPS ABOUT BRAZIL
- A day in São Paulo
- Brazil What to Know
- MAPS and tips to downloand (only about São Paulo) –
- São Paulo by Lonely Planet
Do you want to meet other tourist like you? Go to some of this bars listed in the article bellow.
Are you excitated about going to Brazil? Are you curious, scared or are you just lost?
If you have a question about Brasil, São Paulo or other cities, please feel free to ask me, I will answer as soon as possible.
oh please don’t ask me about sports, I truly don’t know nothing about sports. LOL!
PUBLIC PARKS
My favorite place in São Paulo is Ibirapuera Park.
Sunday Morning or at the afternoons is the best time to run around, lay down in the grass or bike and roll all over this huge green oasis in the midle of São Paulo City.
Paths, lakes, bridges, walks, ice crean carts, coconut water… there is plenty of things to do inside the park.
See more information here: Parks in São Paulo.
FIFA THE WORLD CUP 2014 SCHEDULES – SEE THE GAMES
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I hope you love Brazil, I hope you have a lot of fun, I hope your trip are unforgetable.
I hope you love Ibirapuera Park and enjoy the food, the people and the places as much as I do.
I currently live in New York but keep my feet in São Paulo as much as I can because of my work and family.
Category: ACONTECE