The City on the Island of Love

Back in 1493, only one year after Christopher Columbus arrived in America, Pope Alexander VI, the notorious Rodrigo Borgia, gave a bull to divide the New World only between Spain and Portugal. But France and England and Dutch had their interest too in those lands. France established Nouvelle France in Quebec, present-day Canada, France Antarctique in present-day Rio de Janeiro (Portuguese found the city) and France équinoxiale, in present-day Brazil, around the line of Equator. Originally there was a town of the Tupinamba tribe and they built a fort which was named Saint Louis as a dedication to King Louis IX. This was in 1612 and in only three years, it was conquered for Portugal by Jerônimo de Albuquerque and renamed renamed São Luís. Also the Dutch invaded the city and stayed there from 1641 until 1645. Sugar cane, cacao, tobacco and cotton were the goods that created wealth and modernize the city. In our days, the city has a large and very good preserved heritage of colonial Portuguese architecture and because of that it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site from 1997. From 1989 there was a program to restore and renovate the city's historical center. The city is built on an island and also because of that it is called "Island of Love" but more because there lived many famous Brazilian poets and writers. Those towns from northern part of Brazil and around Amazon are a dream place to visit. I imagine that the World is very different there. The food, the fruits, the people make me think of a dream place even though there is a lot of poverty - everything else compensate the poverty in my opinion but for sure many locals don’t think that and I understand.


PS: I saw on the official site that this year they celebrate 400 years: 1612-2012 :D

-2.528092,-44.304774 Click for Google Maps or use numbers on your GPS to navigate.

Wikipedia For more information, links, pictures and many more Wikipedia is the perfect site to be informed.

Official Site For visiting information (like fees and open days and times) use the official site.
Brazil For travel information, the official site of the National Tourist Board, is the perfect location.

Carnaval do Rio de Janeiro

While in Eastern Europe the snow is high and the temperatures are low, some others, long distance friends, fly to Rio to enjoy the unique Carnival. Thank you Roberto C. for letting me uses your text on my blog. Because you have signed R&R I have to thank Ricardo as well, even though I did not know him.

Română: În timp ce la noi sunt munţi de zăpadă şi temperaturile sunt tot mai jos, alţii, prieteni la distanţă, zboară la Rio să se distreze la Carnaval. Mulţumesc Roberto C. că m-ai lăsat să folosesc textul pentru vederile mele. Trebuie să-i mulţumesc şi celuilalt R, deşi nu-l cunosc, e vorba de Ricardo, pentru că Robby a semnat R&R. Un text minunat din care se simte adrenalina emanată la Rio şi faptul că totul e aşa de diferiţi că nu şti de unde să începi, unde să mergi, unde să te opreşti, ce să mai încerci…

One of the highlights in the Portuguese news last week was the strike of Brazilian military police, right few days before the upcoming event of the Carnival. Everybody was questioning the safety degree of the days to come and for some strange reason the smile of the concierge guy in Lisbon while wishing me "Have a nice time in Rio at the Carnaval mister C" was full of double meaning :-) During the 10 hour flight, same kind of stories about rough times to come, but relief has come when we found out the strike was cancelled...apparently until Wednesday, which means the Carnival will still not be fully protected.
Our first good morning to Rio was done with a breakfast at Café Colombo, the one with panoramic view of the Copacabana beach. If you head to Rio you cannot stop getting back and forth, on a daily basis, on Copacabana and Ipanema beaches. Close one to another, but with a different history and decade of glory, the Copacabana dominating the 30’s while Ipanema getting all the attention in the 60’s, starting with the Bossa Nova years. The latest one seems nowadays to be the first choice when you speak about finding your place to get your “carioca” suntan. Carioca’s – the people of Rio – appear to be extremely happy of their origin and place on this earth, which makes you wonder about the sensitivity and specificity of the “happiness” tests, which indicate Scandinavic countries always on top. The dinner plans with our friends were modified by the late call for a Favella adventure, where we were supposed to see the last rehearsal of a Samba school. We grabbed fast something to eat, we got our first encounter with a guarana drink, which was meant to keep us awake and strong the whole night and after hard negotiations of a friend, we managed to get a taxi driver willing to drive into that favella. The show was impressive, the strength of the “batterias” (drums) touching our bodies made us vibrate to their Samba-Enredo (like an anthem of the school, every year a different one)… although next Monday we will be their opponents in the Carnival Contest of the main Samba schools. Despite all the warnings of a violent neighborhood and the fact that the rehearsal was right in the streets, it was nothing but joy and samba. We’re getting faster than we imagined in the preparation for the Carnival, having a start on Saturday with a parade in the bohemian area of Saint Tereza neighborhood on their Carnival block, while Sunday we’ll be watching our rivals on their parade in the specially designed Sambódrom. Monday is our turn, dancing for the Rio Grande Escola de Samba. Looking forward tonight to get our costumes.... R&R

I do not have many Rio cards and I don’t have cards with the carnival. If there is someone willing to swap with me please contact me.

-22.969529,-43.181535 Click for Google Maps or use numbers on your GPS to navigate.

Wikipedia For more information, links, pictures and many more Wikipedia is the perfect site to be informed.

Official Site For visiting information (like fees and open days and times) use the official site.
Brazil For travel information, the official site of the National Tourist Board, is the perfect location.

Travel Destinations in Sao Paulo Brazil

Among the different tourist attraction site of Sao Paulo, there are various parks, canals, gardens, beaches, bridges, farms, and zoos recommended for tourists to take a visit upon. One interesting site to take a tour is Sao Paulo, Brazil that defines as small town area of Aparecida that lies in Paraiba Valley. This was also founded by fisherman during the year 1717. 

The popular attraction site that can be found here in Sao Paulo is this Basilica Nova or known as New Basilica. This New Basilica is very much recommended to be visited by various travelers both local and international. Meanwhile, old basilica or famous as Basilica Velha become an essential Christan sites to take a tour here in Sao Paulo.

The tourist attraction sites of Sao Paulo merely consist of Via Sacra and Itaquacu that describe as small towns situated in Sao Paulo. Meanwhile, Parque do Ibirapuera describe as one beautiful tourist spots of Sao Paulo. Several individuals mainly visited this consider as lush greenish scenery area that situated on southern portion of this city due to various museums, planetarium, and parks.

The following are also recommended to take visit in Sao, Paulo Brazil:

• Japanese Pavilion
• Sports Coliseum
• Biennial Pavilion
• Aeronautics and Folklore Museum
• Lineu Garden
• Mirror of Water

Carnivals Around Spain and Brazil

THIS year’s Rio carnival is somewhat more exciting with the crowning of a preteen as the samba queen, leading a parade of scantily-clad sexy female dancers. Yet 2010 – the Year of the Tiger – spells a very adorable climate for the carnival since all walks of life from various parts of the world in various ages will troop to this exotic city to party for a full week. Isn’t that amazing? Nudity is definitely not an issue for these guys and gals. For them, the message is to let loose and hang out.

Spain on the other hand also has parties all year round. Let’s tour the exotic and landlocked city of Salamanca for instance. Incidentally, the carnival in Rio coincides with the carnival in Salamanca – it also occurs on a February. Like in Rio, there are also bullfights and exotic parades in this month. Then by March of this year, there will be the Muestra Nacional de Jazz.

Off to the coast we go and visit the capital of trance music, Ibiza. Ibiza has its own carnivals with occasional so-called air parties with DJs playing music in planes bound for Ibiza. Planes, especially those on red-eye flights, are instantly transformed into house clubs.