BRAZIL |
I visited Brazil in November 2024. Brazil was the major notable miss from my 2013/2014 around the world travels. At the time, Brazil required an embassy visit to obtain a visa - as did India - vs. the visa on arrival or pay online in advance visa. No idea why Brazil required this much work to obtain a visa, particularly from Americans who would have no intention of overstaying their visit. Brazil lifted the visa requirements in advance of the 2016 Rio Olympics and since then has delayed implementing an e-visa, extending the start date out a year, every year. Visa are expected in April 2025...or not...or the date could be pushed out another year.
Thus, Brazil was a major blank spot on my travel map, in both a literally (the country is huge) and figurative (the country has a lot to see and a great culture) sense. 2024 was a bit of a crazy year. By the end I was exhausted and needed a break. I couldn't decide to visit Brazil, Denmark, Scotland, or Morocco. I knew that if I was sitting in a cafe in Copenhagen or Edinburgh, I'd be contemplating "why am I here and not Rio?". Morocco looked amazing but not the sort of vacation where the daily plan involves relaxing and drinking beer. Maybe next year for Morocco.
After Rio, it was tough to figure out where to go in Brazil. A Newark to Sao Paulo direct flight meant I'd spend a few days in Sao Paulo, even though the city may not have much to see or do. I looked into adding on excursions to the Amazon (which felt like you weren't getting much of a feel by only traveling an hour or two up the river from Manaus) or to Iguazu Falls but the emphasis on the trip was relaxation not running around to see as much as I could. Adding other cities like Recife, Fortaleza, Salvador or Florianopolis, again felt like to much running around. Trying to see too much in a limited time. Paraty, a small colonial town between Sao Paulo and Rio, had a "been there, done that" sort of vibe for me. In hindsight, I should have added two days, one night in Buzios, a beach town two hours east of Rio.
Going into the trip, I thought Sao Paulo and Rio would be my "one-and-done" trip to Brazil, however, I wound up loving Rio and will need to return in the future. I've explained elsewhere that I'm a B-personality type and tend to be attracted to the B-personality countries. I prefer Chile over Argentina. From a distance, I assumed that Brazil was an A-personality country, however, in eight days here, I'm not sure Brazil fits nicely into an "A" or "B" bucket. The country was tool chill. Too cool. New York is arrogant whereas Los Angeles is ignorant. I came away thinking that Brazil is ignorant in the sense that if you live here, I'm not sure how much you care beyond your immediate world. Your immediate world has great weather, great beaches, and is easy to have fun...why bother what's going on else or force your style on others. Maybe the country has a strong personality, but I thought it was mostly laid back. Easy going. I've never seen so many young people offer up their seats to the elderly on a subway as I did in Rio. I was looking for the perfect place to relax, that wasn't a resort, and I think I found it in Brazil, particularly Rio.
Thus, Brazil was a major blank spot on my travel map, in both a literally (the country is huge) and figurative (the country has a lot to see and a great culture) sense. 2024 was a bit of a crazy year. By the end I was exhausted and needed a break. I couldn't decide to visit Brazil, Denmark, Scotland, or Morocco. I knew that if I was sitting in a cafe in Copenhagen or Edinburgh, I'd be contemplating "why am I here and not Rio?". Morocco looked amazing but not the sort of vacation where the daily plan involves relaxing and drinking beer. Maybe next year for Morocco.
After Rio, it was tough to figure out where to go in Brazil. A Newark to Sao Paulo direct flight meant I'd spend a few days in Sao Paulo, even though the city may not have much to see or do. I looked into adding on excursions to the Amazon (which felt like you weren't getting much of a feel by only traveling an hour or two up the river from Manaus) or to Iguazu Falls but the emphasis on the trip was relaxation not running around to see as much as I could. Adding other cities like Recife, Fortaleza, Salvador or Florianopolis, again felt like to much running around. Trying to see too much in a limited time. Paraty, a small colonial town between Sao Paulo and Rio, had a "been there, done that" sort of vibe for me. In hindsight, I should have added two days, one night in Buzios, a beach town two hours east of Rio.
Going into the trip, I thought Sao Paulo and Rio would be my "one-and-done" trip to Brazil, however, I wound up loving Rio and will need to return in the future. I've explained elsewhere that I'm a B-personality type and tend to be attracted to the B-personality countries. I prefer Chile over Argentina. From a distance, I assumed that Brazil was an A-personality country, however, in eight days here, I'm not sure Brazil fits nicely into an "A" or "B" bucket. The country was tool chill. Too cool. New York is arrogant whereas Los Angeles is ignorant. I came away thinking that Brazil is ignorant in the sense that if you live here, I'm not sure how much you care beyond your immediate world. Your immediate world has great weather, great beaches, and is easy to have fun...why bother what's going on else or force your style on others. Maybe the country has a strong personality, but I thought it was mostly laid back. Easy going. I've never seen so many young people offer up their seats to the elderly on a subway as I did in Rio. I was looking for the perfect place to relax, that wasn't a resort, and I think I found it in Brazil, particularly Rio.
DESTINATION PAGES
RIO DE JANIERO
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SAO PAULO
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TRAVEL SUMMARY
A few travel notes:
Hostel Costs
Portuguese
- Cash and credit cards: other than a cover charge at a Rio Samba club, I did
Hostel Costs
Portuguese