After Nearly a year of waiting! 

The trip  or opportunity happened. 

The 25+ Hours journey through the UK to Sao Paulo was slightly tiring. 

The first impression, Sao Paulo is a huge city! 

The architecture and construction are lovely. 

Water! No Water in the rooms! This was going to become a common observation as we would travel around the country! 

The restaurants too don’t serve you water. 

This was  quite alarming, Maybe the water isn’t quite hygienic here! Or maybe they aren’t hospitable or maybe they are going through a Water Crisis. 

Sao Paulo had the appeal of New York, Wall Street and  Fifth Avenue. The Liberade, Japanese Neibhourhood did remind me of being lost in Japan! 

The Food whether it was the local Brazilian Meat, Mexican Gucaomole, American Burgers, Italian Pizza, Thai or Japanese was the best in Sao Paulo. In the places we visited, we realised  they were either part of the best Restaurants in the World and Latin America or were part of the Michelin restaurant guide. 

The Cafes and coffee were also some of the finest we had here in the city! 

Rosewood in Sao Paulo. Ranked #25 in the Worlds best was truly an experience. Walking into the lush green arches and being welcomed by books at the entrance/Waiting area. As you make yourself comfortable through the hotel you pass through a couple of more coffee table bookshelves before you reach the restaurant, which you feel is in the middle of the forest. 

The Acai Berry Smoothie, Pastrami Sandwich and Burger were the juiciest, healthiest and most satisfying meals of our trip. 

Rosewood was a nice experience. 

The city, Was so clean with ample of dustbins, unlike Japan. Where you struggle to find even one. 

The shopping malls, Each one competing with the size and the interiors.

The weather, Yes, we did feel the heat waves.

The roads were so broad and well-maintained. It was a challenge to find even one pothole in the country. 

Rio was a tourist hub, and so was our instruction. Be extra careful while walking on the streets of Rio, After 5 pm avoid strolling on the street with Mobile Phones, Jewellery or Watches/Smart Watches.

The Sugarloaf Mountain & Christ The Redeemer have to be our typical tourist highlight. One for the sunset view and the other for getting the structure to the top. 

Copacabana Beach was going through a post-event pack-up! Madonna had performed a free concert two days before we planned to reach Rio de Janeiro. 

Language is a huge barrier! The locals don’t understand English and as Tourist, we had no understanding of Portuguese. 

Brazil has their measurement too! 

P being M , The universal Medium size, G being large, GG being Extra large in clothing. For Footwear too, they are normally a size or two smaller than the Typical US sizes one Wears. 

Salvador was a small quaint colourful city that would remind you  a lot about Europe’s small towns. 

While travelling across the city we flew through GOl or Latam. The local airlines of Brazil were always on time and internally we travelled through the  Uber App with minimum communication! 

Oh! One thing that was a huge disappointment was Google Maps! Often they did not take us at the right location, either 100 meters away from our location or would be pinned at another entrance/Exit of the same location. 

The Google Maps, were always not updated with locations that had been permanently closed or had being relocated to another location. 

In both of these times, We were faced with challenges on how to communicate to the exact location. 

While planning Brazil  I had also noted a few bookstores I wanted to visit in Brazil! 

To my disappointment both of the bookstores that were listed for the longest time as the most beautiful bookstores in the world had been closed now! One in Sao Paulo And the other in Rio. While I visited other bookstores across the cities. There weren’t any books available in English at all. 

Brazil with two of the most prominent global events like FIFA and the Olympics in the past decade is still not considered a Tourist Destination. With Food options, the Weather being pleasant,   Globally recognised homegrown Fashion brands and Warm and friendly people you wonder if the Country’s not being  Safe Image is playing a key role in tourism. 

Information: 

Currency: 1 Brazilian Relias = 17 INR, 1 USD – 5 Brazilian Relias 

Time Zone: -8:30 Hrs From India Time. 

Sao Paulo Guide:

Sightseeing: #saopaulo
@becodobatman.oficial
@japanhousesp
@ibirapueraoficial
@minhaliba

Cafes:
@confeitariacolombo : One of the Worlds Oldest Cafe! 175 Years old Cafe. #rio

Coffee: #saopaulo
@coffeelab_br
@89coffeestation
@takkocafesp
@wecoffee.br
@thecoffee.jp

Eat: #saopaulo
@ranchoportuguessp
@nbsteak @michelinguide
@aizomerestaurante – Part of @theworlds50best #latinamerica
@pingyangsp – #11 Best Place to eat in #Brazil

Taro Sushi – Michelinguide

@rosewoodsaopaulo -#25 Worlds Best Hotel @theworlds50best
@sisenorbrasil
@brazpizzaria – #4 best pizzeria brand in the World
@pecorinoteresina
@apizzadamooca – #77 in the Worlds Best Pizza

Chocolates: #brazil
@dengochocolates
@kopenhagen_

Personal favourite for Shopping :
@farmrio
@osklen

Stay:
@belmondcopacabanapalace
@santateresamgallery
@ferahoteis

Cafes:
@confeitariacolombo
@plagecafe
@cafeliercarmo

Eat:
@labicycletterio
@gurume_oficial
@omirestaurante
@restaurante.tereze

Mee copacabana palace

Shopping:
@salvadorshopping

Shopping Rio Sul

#saopaulo
@morumbishopping
@jkiguatemi

A few Facts:

Carry Cash & Change – The change isn’t easily available in the country.

Brazilian prisoners are allowed to reduce their sentence by four days for every book that they read.

Brazil is the world’s largest exporter of coffee.

Brazil is the largest orange producer in the world. Responsible for more than 30% of global production.

Brazil is the 2nd largest tobacco producer in the world.

Brazil is home to the largest population of Japanese people outside of Japan.