As carnival kicks off this weekend, millions of people are will likely take to the streets and forget Brazil’s political and economic woes for a few days. During the country’s 21 year military dictatorship, however, censorship and intimidation meant carnival and politics were too closely linked for comfort.
Arquivo - Tag: Tourism
River transport in the Amazon – Manaus to Porto Velho by boat
River transport in Brazil’s Amazon region is both an essential means of getting around for locals and an unforgettable experience for travellers. And with a unique sense of river camaraderie, it’s hard to feel lonely. In search of adventure, Sam Cowie took the slow boat from Manaus to Porto Velho. By Sam Cowie Manaus Spending(…)
São Paulo to Acre, by bus – photos
As is the case in many countries of this size, the citizens of Brazil don’t know their own nation very well. I mean that geographically – someone from the Southeast may have visited the Northeast, but is unlikely to have been to the Center-West or the North, too. Someone from Recife may have visited Rio,(…)
Copa week 2 – I told you so
The government must be relieved that things have gone relatively smoothly, though a Brazil loss still strikes terror into the hearts of many here. With protests and strife in the background for now, many Brazilians have been mixing with foreigners meaningfully for the first time. James Young Belo Horizonte For the last few months the(…)
Brazil and Portugal – trading places
Brazil’s relationship to its former imperial power has changed dramatically in recent years, reports Dom Phillips from Lisbon. Above, a bookshop there By Dom Phillips “I went to Brazil about seven years ago,” Sandra Meleiro told me, sipping a beer in the weak Lisbon Spring sunshine. “I have relatives there. I love it. And it(…)
Post-Carnaval – bloco party
Claire Rigby takes us behind the televised spectacle and into the free and fluid world of the street party – Rio’s true Carnaval. Above: The outskirts of a bloco in Leblon, on Tuesday morning. By Claire Rigby From the world-class razzle-dazzle of the sambadrome to the endless, hedonistic celebration that takes place in its streets, Brazil(…)
Happy New Year from euphoric, chaotic Rio
Fireworks blast over closely packed crowds on Copacabana Beach on New Year’s Eve, and this year, things turned out much like most mega-events in Rio. By Dom Phillips New Year’s Eve in Rio: it has a certain ring to it. This is the city that specialises in giant set-piece events that draw enormous crowds –(…)
Brazil 2012 – year in review
This year, the country didn’t deliver on everything international observers thought the country had promised, but Brazil still remains one of the 21st century’s most remarkable success stories. 2013 could be decisive. For those paying attention to Brazil headlines, 2012 was mostly a bad year. For some, it was enough to re-evaluate the status as(…)
FLIP – Paraty’s Literary Festival
Performers on stilts and gringos on paddleboards were two of the unexpected, but wonderful, experiences over the weekend event which brings Brazil face-to-face with the world’s literary powerhouses. By Dom Phillips Wobbling atop a stand-up paddle board may not be the most conventional way to view a literary festival. But it’s certainly the most scenic.(…)
Did you know Brazil is expensive?
When I moved here two years ago from London, I was shocked by the big increase in cost. Brazil is now an extremely expensive country, and it has been for a few years now. Numbers that came out last week ranking São Paulo the world’s 12th-most expensive city – above London, Paris, and New York – will come as(…)
