Brazil

Funny Brazilian expressions!

Posted on by Renata

A Brazilian…

  • man doesn’t ‘have sex’, he dips the cookie. Or, he drowns the goose
  • doesn’t ‘give up’ or ‘retire’, he hangs his football boots
  • doesn’t ‘get drunk’, he puts his foot inside a jackfruit
  • doesn’t ‘have a problem’, he is fried
  • isn’t ‘shameless’, he has a stick face
  • doesn’t ‘pay for something he did not do’, he pays for the duck
  • doesn’t ‘deal with a complicated problem’, he peels a pineapple or peels the cucumber
  • doesn’t ‘die’, he buttons his jacket or flap the boots
  • doesn’t ‘talk about meaningless issues in details’, he fills spicy pork sausages
  • doesn’t ‘look for problems’, he looks for horns on a horse’s head
  • doesn’t ‘show off’, he puts a watermelon on his head
  • doesn’t ‘not understand something’, he travels through mayonnaise
  • doesn’t ‘feel down’, he feels like a deflated ball or deflated balloon
  • doesn’t ‘feel inhibition’, he releases the chicken
  • things don’t ‘heat up’, the bug will come and get them
  • isn’t a ‘bootlicker’ nor an ‘ass kisser’, he pulls your bag. Or he can drool over your egg
  • doesn’t ‘relax’, he ties a donkey or mare
  • doesn’t ‘keep a secret,’ he keeps a crab’s mouth
  • won’t tell you to ‘get lost’, he will tell you to pick coconuts. Or if he really wants you to piss off, he will ask you to pick coconuts on a slope

Some interesting facts!

Posted on by Renata

  • There is Ronaldo da Silva prison in Santa Rita Do Sapucai, Brazil allows inmates to pedal stationary bicycles that power street lights in a nearby city in exchange for reduced sentences. 
  • In another program, prisons is Brazil offer their prisoners reduced sentence of 4 days (up to 48 days/year) for every Book they read and write a report on. 
  • Brazil has twice authorized illegal, local production of patented HIV/AIDS drugs in order to save the lives of its people. 
  • Only 388,000 slaves were brought to the U.S. One million went to Jamaica and nearly five million went to Brazil. 
  • In 2003, Brazil became the first country in the world to totally ban indoor tanning for anyone of any age.
  • In preparation for the world cup, last year, prostitutes in Brazil were enrolling in free English classes so that they can provide better service for tourists. (Yes, prostitution is allowed and from a few years is considered a real profession)
  • Apple lost its rights to use the iPhone trademark in Brazil because a local company, Gradiente Eletronicas, had registered it back in 2000.
  •  Tiririca, a Brazilian Clown, used slogans including “What does a federal congressman do? I really don’t know – but if you vote for me, I’ll tell ya” and “It can’t get any worse, vote Tiririca”. He became the second-most-voted congressman in Brazil’s history, with 1,348,295 votes. 

More facts soon!

The best LGBTQIA friendly beaches in Brazil.

Posted on by Renata

Summer has not even arrived and temperatures are throughout Brazil already hiting around 95 degrees. Predictions are that the temperature is maintained over the next six months. With a coastline of 4603 miles washed by the Atlantic, the country has a plethora of beaches for those seeking to refresh from heat; although not all of them have a good acceptance of the gay community. To facilitate ‘the road to perdition‘, we list the five most LGBTQIA friendly beaches of Brazil.

  • Ipanema – Rio de Janeiro – Rio de Janeiro state

Immortalized by Vinicius de Moraes song and Tom Jobim, The Girl from Ipanema, the beach is one of the postcards of the city. Inviting at all times. Whether to enjoy the sea, take a walk or ride the bike path. In 2009, Rio de Janeiro was considered the best LGBTQIA destination in the world. Ipanema beach, especially Posto 9, is where freedom reigns.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Ipanema beach on sunny day

Read More

Best beaches in Floripa!

Posted on by Renata

Florianópolis (or Floripa) is the capital city and second largest city of the state of Santa Catarina, in the South region of Brazil.

  • Praia Mole

This beach is currently one of the most popular. It’s overtaken its neighbour, Joaquina, as the main surfer’s hangout, but it draws sun worshipers in droves too. With its proximity to Lagoa de Conceição and a wide bar of sand backed by small dunes, it’s easy to see why.

Praia Mole

Read More

Ironman Brazil. 

Posted on by Renata

Brazilians love soccer! Yes, but is it all?


Thousands of athletes from around the world compete to take the title of Brazil’s Ironman, with four races each year, in Brasília, Florianópolis, Foz do Iguaçu, and Fortaleza. This year, it is five: Brasília, Florianópolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil – Paraguai and Fortaleza. The mega-triathlon comprises of a 3.8km (2.3-mile) swim, 180km (111-mile) cycle and 42km (26-mile) race, and is a test of persistence, stamina and strength. Some races have already sold out (Rio de Janeiro and Brasil Paraguai), so wannabe ironmen are advised to sign up for Fortaleza as soon as possible since it is your chance this year.

Athletes interested in package registering + accommodation, please get in contact with Endurance Sports Travel (Official Travel Agency) kenglah@endurancesportstravel.com

Read More

Hostel tips – oztel at Rio de Janeiro. 

Posted on by Renata

oztel at Rio

Half hip hostel, half laidback boutique hotel, this might not be the place for the quiet life, but as an affordable entry point to vibrant Botafogo, Oztel is hard to beat. The lobby-cum-courtyard is at its heart, dappled with local contemporary art and invariably strewn with weary-looking travellers, but things get going once the sun sets and the bar warms up. There are also some excellent restaurants nearby, and most of the city’s beaches and attractions can be reached in just a short taxi ride.

Location
Botafogo may not have the pulling power of Copacabana or Ipanema, but both are to be found within a swift taxi ride, and the gorgeous Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas is a short walk away. What the neighbourhood does offer is a wealth of excellent restaurants and bars, from the cheap, young and trendy to the upmarket and extravagant. There’s also easy access (traffic permitting) to the city’s main attractions.

 

Read More

Carnival. Take one.

Posted on by Renata

Maybe you all think that it’s too soon to start thinking about Carnival since it normally happens in February (depending on the year, it can be in March) and we are in the beginning of January, but you are mistaken. Carnival is one of the most famous events in the world that Brazil is known. So, during the rest of the month and while we start going towards it, I will continue posting the Take two, three and so on. My last post, to close the subject with the golden key, will be Rio’s Carnival.

This year Carnival will be on February 14 to 17. In truth the holiday itself is only on 17th, but we, as brazilians, started to get more and more days of “vacation” to celebrate Carnival. Our party is completely different from the one in Venice, for example. And that’s what I am here to do: show that we have Carnival for all types of people and tastes.

Read More

Top 10 beaches in Brazil.

Posted on by Renata

January, and that means summer time! Summer in Brazil is, by far, the time of the year that we have more tourists around. That leads to beaches, of course! And don’t worry about heat, we have plenty! Just don’t forget your sunscreen, if you don’t want to become a tomato on the first day.

Generally, Rio de Janeiro is the most famous place we have around. But there are also other beaches that are as amazing as the Rio ones.

  • Baía do Sancho (Fernando de Noronha – Pernambuco)

The white sand and the emerald-green sea are an amazing landscape. Can be visited throughout the year.

baia-do-sancho

Read More