Whew. I can finally exhale a huge sigh of relief, uncross fingers & toes, and boldly announce: I’m off to Brazil! The reason for all this superstitious witchcraft? Despite having looked forward to this trip for the past month, I didn’t realize we needed a visa until last Sunday- less than two weeks before we were booked to leave. Right.
I love, love, love planning our trips myself, but it means that occasionally I fall victim to these little speedbumps, and there’s no one to blame but me.
So I took a deep breath, told Mr. M that I had royally F-ed up, and started making a list of steps to take to Fix the Situation… because lists and plans always make me feel much better about everything.
Six days later, and I have the oh-so-precious visas in my grubby little hand. Which means that I can start attacking my Portuguese Phrases book… and that Mr. M can officially begin getting excited about seeing his very favorite animal in the whole wild world: the capybara.
Here’s what I’ve got on tap for our two weeks in Brazil:
- The Amazon. Of course!! Despite understanding the rarity of wildlife viewing in the jungle, I would LOVE to see an anaconda. Mr. M cursed me for even breathing its forbidden name.
- Apparently it’s possible to swim in the Amazon. Sounds like a not-so-good idea with ‘attacked-by-piranha’ written all over it. I shall report back.
- Rio de Janeiro. I’ve always wanted to see Cristo Redentor! And hear live samba music!
Love this picture. - Ilha Grande, a serene beachy escape off the coast of Rio. Because we had a few extra days and had to do something ‘vacation-y’ while on vacation.
- Iguassu Falls- SO excited by this. Not sure why or how this got so pumped up in my head, but ohmygoodness.
- The Pantanal, where Brazilian grasslands meet swampy jungle. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a tapir sighting.
- Sao Paulo, for a quick day before our flight home
In planning the trip, I realized- and immediately understood it was a stupid thing to ‘realize’- that Brazil is massive. Despite using airplane miles to get there and back, the trip ended up being way more expensive than we originally thought because of all the internal flights to get around the country. (Hello, Miranda. Meet sedatives. You two will be seeing a lot of each other.)
Cost aside, we’re super excited. And I would LOVE to hear from any of you: What are the Must Sees/ Eats/ Dos in the areas we’re visiting?
Ohhh! Brazil! So exciting! I lived there for about 1.5 year so I have some of tips for you. My first three suggestions are in Rio: 1) I am sure you will visit the main tourist attractions but you should also go spend a few hours at the Botanical garden. It is big, and beautiful, and so relaxing! 2) Zaza Bistro is a cute and quirky little restaurant in Rio. The food is good but it's mostly about the vibe. Do not go to a restaurant called Marius. It is an absolute tourist trap. Very, very expensive too. 3) Go out for at least one night in Lapa. Rio Scenarium and Carioca da Gema are fairly popular bars, with live Samba music. Lapa is all about partying and dancing. Fun times. Your agenda seems pretty full but I would strongly recommend you to spend a few days in Paraty. It is a beach town on the border of the states of Rio and Sao Paulo. It is my favorite place in Brazil. There is a lot to do. To eat: Pão de queijo (like cheese bread), Açaí na tigela (a frozen dessert made with the pulp of an Amazonian berry) and Feijoada (a typical and very filling Brazilian dish). I will let you know if I think of something else! *And yes, Brazil is expensive...
Oh, Kina, this is fantastic!! Thank you so much... you've managed to make me even *more* excited about the trip, if that was humanly possible! First off, you had me at 'botanical garden.' I LOVE BOTANICAL GARDENS. Yes- that much. So glad you mentioned this! I also love eating and am all over anything with the words 'cheese' and/or 'bread.' The google pictures of acai na tigela made me quite happy indeed... kinda like acai sorbet with granola on top? We're staying in Santa Teresa, which I believe is just up the hill from Lapa... a night out samba-ing (or at least embarrassing myself on the dancefloor a la Elaine from Seinfeld) is definitely in the cards! Will try to get out to Paraty, although you're right- I kinda jam-packed our itinerary as I tend to do. I'd love to hear if you think of anything else. I can't tell you how much I appreciate all these suggestions. Thank you for taking the time to write! Pictures and posts shall- of course- follow. :)
I have been many times and each time the thrill and wonder of the place increases.
I can't wait to experience it firsthand! That's the mark of an amazing place- when you're able to visit again & again and still have that sense of wonder.
You also should've traveled to the North of the city, to Madureira and Mangueira, to see the birth place of the two most loved Samba School in Rio.
I would've loved to! There are so many places left to visit that I think I need to plan another trip. :)