APPS: For Travelers

Hi Guys,

I've selected some apps for those who are coming to Brazil for the games or even for those who like to take pictures and post on social medias.

So here they are:

TRIP ADVISOR - Is a good app to review restaurants, hotels and share your opinion about the city and fun places.

FOURSQUARE - Also a good app to rate places in a city and view other people comments about places. You can check in where you are so it makes easy for your friends to find you! Very clever.

WAZE - For those who are driving or if your taking a cab. View the traffic and use as a navigator. Very useful! 

EASY TAXI - Oh yeah! One of my favorite apps of all. Call a taxi direct from your phone, track where the taxi is and how many minutes it will take for the driver to arrive. You will see his name and picture on your screen.
I wrote another post about Taxi in Rio. Take a look!

PhotoPost - Very very cool app!!! Print your pictures direct from your phone and receive them anywhere in Brazil. Select pictures from Facebook, Instagram, your phone or Dropbox, apply effects and borders, choose the size and you are done! The pictures will be delivered to your address or hotel in a cute envelope! The estimate delivery time is 2 - 4 days for capitals and up to 8 days for other cities. How cool is that? 
Here is how it works:

FRAMATIC - Make collage, add nice borders to your pictures and make them more fun! The rates for this app are very good. No doubt it will be very useful during this World Cup.

If you have any other suggestions please leave a comment below. They are always welcome.

"You develop a sympathy for all human beings when you travel a lot."

Shakuntala Devi

Rio Grande do Sul - Highlands

Gramado by Fiero

Today's post is for those who are coming to Porto Alegre during the World Cup and for those who would love to discover a different side of the Tropical Brazil… 

Welcome to the Highlands of Rio Grande do Sul. With its German influence, I should actually say "Willkommen".

The winter in Brazil goes from June to August, exactly when you'll be here for the WC. So be prepared  to enjoy the cold weather while visiting these charming cities of German architecture and culture.

The cities of Gramado and Canela are not far from Porto Alegre, an average of 130 km and they are 7 km apart from each other. The ride through the road BR116 is already very charming and beautiful, and  you can make a stop at Nova Petropolis, the most German city of the state. 

Colina Verde Restaurant

Address: Rua Felippe Michaelsen, 160 - Nova Petropolis - 3 km from the city center. Website

Owned by the Schwantes family, the restaurant offers a nice banquet of German, Italian and Gaúcho dishes at a fixed price.

Continuing our trip is time to visit Gramado.
This trip is something totally different from what you have already experienced in Brazil. The city has European style, Alpine architecture, many sophisticated restaurants and several shops. One of the most visited site is the Lago Negro Park, it was inspired on Germany's Black Florest, even the trees were brought from there. Another option is the Joaquina Rita Bier Lake with many threes and flowers.
Gramado is also known for its 30 chocolate factories. There are 60 chocolate shops and some of them offer a tour. The Reino do Chocolate offers a magical visit throughout the time telling stories and making this an unforgettable experience. Another store that is also worth visiting is Florybal, there three thematic stores in Gramado.

O Reino do Chocolate by Mapa de Gramado

Mini Mundo by Viaje Aqui

Another place that will please adults and children is the Mini Mundo (Little World). A cute outdoor park with replicas of buildings, lakes, trains from all over the world. The Little World even has its own currency, that is 24 times cheaper than the  Brazilian Real.

On your way to Canela you will find more attractions worth visiting such as the Super Carros, where you see and even drive super cars like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Porsche, among others. And you can make a stop at Hollywood Dream Cars Museum, where you will find many classic cars such as Cadillac.

Canela

Parque do Caracol by CHERLY_DF_BRASIL Flickr

The city of Canela is also very charming with many pleasant hotels where you relax and enjoy some leisure time…
But if you are not looking for something like that, no problem. For the adventurous there are some natural parks where you hike, rappel, climb, take pictures of the most famous waterfall of Rio Grande do Sul, the Cascata do Caracol. 
After all the adventures, you can stop for lunch at one of the restaurants of Italian or German cusine, like the famous Cantina 28 (Italian) or Strudelhaus (German). Both serve wine and have fireplace. Cozy right?

For the curious and for children a nice place to visit is Mundo a Vapor, there you will see replicas of steam powered machines and other engines, industrial machines, there is even a replica of a German steel industry from 1940. Very interesting. 

Mundo a Vapor by Arrumando as Malas

During the afternoon you can't miss a Colonial Coffee.

Gramado Café Colonial

Café Colonial: Is a German tradition brought to Brazil that became very popular over the years. In the afternoon the table is set with a large variety of bread, cakes, pies, waffles, coffee, fruits, yogurt, jam, cheese and so on. I highly recommend! 
Gramado Café Colonial serves more than 80 types of Italian and German food on a large table, they even make the shuffle between your hotel and the Café. Located at the Canela - Gramado Road.

The Italians who colonized the state in 1875 brought with them the passion for grapes and wines. That region called Vale dos Vinhedos is the biggest wine producer of our country, it includes 3 main cities Bento Gonçalves, Garibaldi e Monte Belo do Sul. If that's also you passion you should visit the city of Bento Gonçalves, located 128 km from Porto Alegre.

Vinicola Luiz Valduga & Filho by Viaje Aqui

Here are the wineries that offer tour, where you can taste, learn about the process of making wine and even be part of the harvest party.

 - Casa Valduga - website
 - Miolo Wine Group - website
 - Vinhos Salton - website

Vinhos Salton

Learn more about the capital of Rio Grande do Sul:

Porto Alegre

Porto Alegre - Hospitality

Today I will give you some hospitality options. I selected the hotels and hostels considering it's availability, price, location and comfort.

All of them are between 15 to 25 minutes from Beira Rio stadium.

Here they are:

Deville Porto Alegre Aeroporto - website 
25 minutes from the stadium, very comfortable, the hotel offers gym, tennis court and restaurant.

Deville by booking.com

Mercure Porto Alegre by Expedia

Mercure Porto Alegre Manhattan - website
Very comfortable hotel, close to the stadium, 20 minutes. There is a restaurant in the hotel and gym.

Bordini's Residence - website
Very well located, at Moinhos de Vento, 20 minutes from the stadium, where you find nice restaurants, shops and bars. 

Porto Alegre Eco Hostel - website
Located 15 minutes from the stadium, this hostel has shared kitchen, the breakfast is included and offers wifi in every room. 

Hostel Por do Sol - website
This hostel is pioneer in the city, located 20 minutes from the stadium… if you like it, book it soon… there only few vacancies available for June 2014.

Hostel Por do Sol official website

To check the matches that will be played in Porto Alegre click here.

Porto Alegre - Things to do

What to do in Porto Alegre? There are many nice things and many attractions there, here I posted just a few. If you have some more suggestions, we will be more than happy to hear from you.

Mercado Público
Because tourists love to go shopping! With its beautiful neoclassical architecture, the public market was built in 1869. There you will find cafés, crafts, restaurants, many stores, fruits and local products. Don't leave the city without making a stop there.  

Mercado Público by Viajar pelo Mundo

Santander Cultural

The Santader Cultural is located near the Public Market. Just the architecture is already worth the visit, but there is more. Music presentations, arts, photography exhibitions, are one of the attractions. There is also a cinema and a café.

Santander Cultural by Panoramio

Science and Technology Museum - website
"Life is more fascinating than you can imagine" this is a must-go. Very interactive, there over 700 experiments to interact both kids and adults.

Science and Technology Museum by Repensando Museus

Sunset at the Gasômetro
The surrounds of the former power station is the best place to watch the sunset in Porto Alegre. Located by the Guaíba River, the building was delivered in 1928 and generated electricity to the city until 1954. It's chimney is 117 meters hight. Nowadays, the cultural centre hosts many plays, dance presentations, arts exhibitions and more. It is also one of the most beautiful places for a bike ride.

Usina do Gasômetro by portoalegretche.blogspot

Parcão or Paque dos Moinhos de Vento

Moinhos de Vento in Portuguese means windmills, there are several of them in the park . This calm park is surrounded by trees where you join yoga at 8 am, or just enjoy it at anytime! While there, you can have some fun shopping and walking through Avenida Goethe and Padre Chagas or at Moinhos de Vento Mall, a very cool neighborhood.

Moinhos de Vento by Wikipedia

Parque da Redenção
The favorite of the locals. They enjoy going during the day to have their traditional hot herbal tea, chimarrão, and to relax, to watch people,  appreciate arts and crafts or to buy organic food from the local farmers' market. 

Parque da Redenção by Revista Viajar

Dear readers, I wish I could stay here all day posting about Porto Alegre… in the next few days I will show you other nice places you can visit in this beautiful state. See you!

If you would like to learn more about other cities click on the links below:

 - Curitiba

 - Belo Horizonte

 - Rio de Janeiro

 - Cuiabá

Want a Local Friend?

Dear readers how are you today?

Have you been planning your trip to Brazil?
It's not too early at all!

Today I'm here to talk about this idea that I fell in love with...

...to rent a local friend!

Want a friend? by bothsidesofthetable.com

I've never used this service, but it might be very useful in a country like Brazil where the majority of people don't speak English, or French, or Deutsch. And I guess the majority of travelers prefer to experience a country like a local other than a tourist. And more... this is a great alternative if you are traveling by yourself.

The team of friends is made by all kinds of people including journalists, photographers, chefs, that like you, also love to travel.

They will create a tour that includes everything according to your interest, so let them know exactly what you like and the places you want to visit when filling up the form.
The best idea is to choose a friend that has the same interests as you, and that speak your language.

You will find friends in the following host cities:
São Paulo, Rio, Curitiba, Brasilia, Fortaleza, Natal, Recife, and Salvador.

The video bellow is cool and explains it all, take a look:

Website: Rent a Local Friend

Like the idea? Have you used this service?

Leave your comments bellow.

Até mais :)

Tchau

Pantanal wetlands

Hello dear readers,

Today my post is about this curious place, a wild land with so much to discover, it is word's largest wetland, perfect for birdwatchers and wild life enthusiastic... welcome to Pantanal! 

A vast place with “amazing ecological quality” despite cattle farming and other environmental concerns. National Geographic

In the Pantanal, the jaguars may be evasive, but the capybaras, the hyacinth macaws, the giant anteaters and the ring-tailed coatis will practically pose for you if you approach quietly. The New York Times

Onça Pintada (Jaguar) - Trip Advisor

You are about to visit the best place in South America to spot wild life, so in my opinion you should plan this trip in advance. The dry season, considered by many people the best season to go to Pantanal is between April and September, during this time it is easier to spot the animals and is less muddy. Here is my first advise: Vaccines. It is important to take yellow fever, malaria and tetanus shot before traveling to Pantanal. And bring bug spray!

Alright, now let's see how you can make this trip work. 

by New York Times

If you are in Cuiabá the best way is to take a bus from the bus station and get a hotel (simple and rustic) in one of these cities: Poconé, Cáceres or Barão de Melgaço. Most of the hotels offer breakfast, lunch and dinner included. But if you are not into simple stuff, you have other options such as the SESC Porto Cercado Hotel, or Pousada Pouso Alegre in Poconé.

The best thing is to hire a guide to show you around, they are local people that take you to the coolest places where you can spot the animals. A binocular and a flashlight are also good items to bring besides the camera!

Caiman by Interativa Pantanal

Once you get there, the hotels will offer you tours options, like hike, sunrise view, boat trip, night walk... 

Tuiuiú - Symbol of Pantanal
by Sonia Furtado via Flickr

Check some expeditions before you go:
-  Interativa Pantanal
-  Pantanal Nature
-  Jaguar Ecological Reserve

Hotels:
- Pousada Rio Claro - Poconé
Breakfast, lunch and dinner, free wi-fi, horses, pool, ac.
- SESC Porto Cercado - Poconé
Breakfast, lunch and dinner, horses, pool, playground, ac.
- Araras Eco Lodge - Poconé
Breakfast, luch and dinner, horses, pool, ac.
- Hotel Baiazinha - Cácere (good for fishing)
Breakfast, lunch, dinner, playground, pool, horses.

Dual Survival: Pantanal

Cuiabá - Places to Visit

Dear readers and visitors of Cuiabá...

Enjoy some tips on things to do in the capital of Mato Grosso.

Chapada dos Guimarães - A Must Go for the adventurous
The National Park is 69 km (42.87 miles) from Cuiabá. A rocky formation with steep cliffs, crystal clear waterfalls and caves. 
The Expedition Interativa Pantanal can take you there, check the website for information about hospitality.

Chapada dos Guimarães National Park by interativapantanal

SESC Arsenal - art museum
You can visit the art gallery, crafts exhibition, even have a beer!
Every Thursday meet other people there, eat Brazilian food and see crafts for free. From 6 to 10 pm. 
http://www.sescmatogrosso.com.br/sesc-mato-grosso/

SESC Arsenal - by www.mochileiro.tur.br

Casa do Artesão - shop
Good place to buy souvenirs and crafts from Cuiabá, there are many works made by native indians that you can see.
http://www.sescmatogrosso.com.br/casa-do-artesao/

Casa do Artesão - crafts

Nossa Senhora do Bom Despacho - church
Considered the most beautiful church in Cuiabá, it has a neo-gothic style, is located up the hill Morro do Seminário. The church was built in the XVIII century, but the current architecture was built in 1918.  In the same space you will find the Museum of Sacred Art, where pieces from the 17th and 18th centuries are exhibited. The visit is free of charge.

Nossa Senhora do Bom Despacho by Francisco Aragão on Flickr
For more about the culture of Mato Grosso visit the Flickr: Ação Cultural

Tomorrow you will find out about the wild wetlands of Pantanal

Cuiabá - Hotels

Dear readers,

It's about time to reserve your hotel, so here are some options not far from the stadium:

• Deville Cuiabá
• Breakfast included
• 1.7 km (1 mile) from the stadium
• AC
• Gym
• Pool
• Restaurant

• Intercity



Deville Cuiabá

• Breakfast included
• 1.9 km (1.18 miles) from the stadium
• AC
• Gym
• Pool
• Free Internet
• Restaurant

• Serras Hotel Cuiabá
• Breakfast included
• 7 km (4.34 miles) from the stadium
• AC
• Gym 
• Restaurant

• Holiday Inn
• Breakfast included
• 2.7 km (1.67 miles) from the stadium
• AC
• Gym
• Pool
• Free Wi-Fi

• Gran Odara
• Breakfast included
• 5.4 km (3.35 miles) from the stadium
• AC
• Gym
• Pool
• Free Internet
• Restaurant

Dinner at Grand Odara


Enjoy You Trip!

Cuiabá - Mato Grosso

Perhaps you've never heard of Cuiabá, but I'm sure you will be enchanted by its beauty and culture.

Tamanduá Bandeira - www.infoescola.com

Cuiabá is the capital of the state of Mato Grosso and is pronounced with the stress on the last syllable. It is the smallest of the host cities.

Location:

- Center-West of Brazil
- Geographical center of South America
- Border with Bolivia
- 1147 km (713 miles) from Brasilia
- Time: -1 difference of Brasilia


The state of Mato Grosso is rich in indigena culture, there are 38 official languages spoken by 38 different groups. The name Cuiabá, for example means arrow fishing. While visiting the city you will have the chance of meeting some natives and buying their crafts. You will also be amazed by the hundreds of species of birds and plants and other animals.
Also you will have the chance of trying many kinds of fish of that region and from Amazon.

Crafts from Mato Grosso - www.sescmatogrosso.com.br/casa-do-artesao

The Arena Pantanal will receive 4 games during the 2014 World Cup. If your team plays in this beautiful stadium, you will be lucky!


Matches:
- June 13 - Chile x Australia
- June 17 - Russia x Korea Republic
- June 21 - Nigeria x Bosnia - Herzegovina
- June 24 - Japan x Colombia

Arena Pantanal - Project - www.arenapantanalobras.com.br

Airport:
The Marechal Rondon International Airport is located 8 km (5 miles) from the city center.
Address: Av. Governador João Ponce de Arruda, s/nº - Bairro Jardim Aeroporto
There is taxi 24h from the company Cooperporto. 
Currency Exchange: União Alternativa
You can read more information in English here and in Spanish here.

Weather:
Cuiabá is hot city, to see how the weather is like in June, check the post about climate.

My next posts will be about hotels, restaurants, places to visit in the city and about the wild Pantanal.

Brazilian Gemstones

Today I'm here to introduce you to few Brazilian gemstones.

Amethyst

While visiting Brazil you won't believe in what your eyes are seeing... It will be easy to find marvelous gemstones for a nice price.

Here are some images, so you can have an idea...

• Amethyst 
• February birthstone
• Purple color
• You can find amethysts in a big variety of cities, and local stores, and also as jewelry in jewelry stores. 
• Paraiba Tourmaline
• First found in the state of Paraiba, northeast of Brazil
• Has a blue tone, just like the ocean
• One of the rarest stones in the world

Paraiba Tourmaline ring with diamonds - Photo by Fernanda Cotrim

Decoration with national stones:

• Blue agate

glrgemasdobrasil.com.br

• Toucans made by many different gems

Caminho das Pedras

•  Loose stones are also a good idea to take home and customize jewelry for you or your wife!

•  Tree made by tiger eye set on amethyst

glrgemasdobrasil.com.br

•  Cacatua made by many gems stand on an amethyst

glrgemasdobrasil.com.br

Visit the most famous Brazilian jewelry stores:

- H. Stern

- Vivara

Portuguese

Oi! Are you ready to learn few words in Portuguese?

Maybe you won't speak Portuguese so quickly, but if you learn a few words you may understand what the locals are saying or what is written on the signs and will grab important information while in Brazil. You can always try Spanish if you need, but many words are similar to Portuguese with a total different meaning. So try to learn few words in this beautiful language :)

• Airport: Aeroporto
• Exit: Saída
• Entrance: Entrada
• Bus: Ônibus
• Bus Stop: Ponto de ônibus
• Me: Eu
• You: Você
• Stadium: Estádio
• Soccer: Futebol
• Please: Por favor
• Thank you: Obrigado
• Do you speak English?: Você fala inglês?
• Good morning: Bom dia
• Hi, how are you?: Oi, tudo bem?
• How much is it?: Quanto custa?
• Can you help me?: Você pode me ajudar?
• I want: Eu quero
• I need: Eu preciso
• Money: Dinheiro
• Menu: Cardápio
  
• Appetizer: Aperitivo
• Straw: Canudo
• Restroom: Banheiro
• Pharmacy: Farmácia
• Medicine: Remédio
• I'm pregnant: Estou grávida
• I'm allergic: Eu tenho alergia
• Pain: Dor
• Fever: Febre
• Bug spray: Repelente
• Sun screen: Protetor solar
• Beach: Praia
• Without sugar: Sem açúcar
• Sparklin water: água com gás
• Ice: Gelo
• Natural juice: suco natural
• I can't: Eu não posso
• Cold: Frio
• Hot: Calor (for climate) / Quente (for temperature)
• What time is it?: Que horas são?
• Let's go: Vamos
• The game will start: O jogo vai começar
• Ticket: Ingresso

I hope this was a helpful post. If my readers want I can teach you new words later on. 

Let me know.

Belo Horizonte: Hospitality

Hello dear readers, 

I'm having lot of fun writing about BH and I'm sure you will fall in love with the city and with the mineiros. Today, let's see what are the best hotel options, both close to the stadium (Pampulha) and close to the restaurants and shops (Savassi and Lourdes). 
Savassi and Louders are very close to the Central Market and Praça da Liberdade. The distance from those locations to the stadium is about 20 minutes by car, and 1 hour by bus. But leave earlier, the traffic can be pretty bad. If you decide to take a bus it's not complicated, it's usually one bus only to get to the stadium. Later on, I will check the new options for the World Cup.
Book your hotel as soon as possible, many hotels already don't have vacancies for the World Cup.

Hotels at Savassi (blue on the map)

• Savassi - free wi-fi, breakfast included, restaurant in the hotel.
• My place Savassi - there are 40 two-story apartments in this charming hotel. 
• Boulevard Express - breakfast included, free wi-fi.
• Ibis Afonso Pena - brand new, opened in 2013 the hotel offers free wi-fi.

Hotels at Lourdes (green on the map)

• Mercuri Lourdes - offers free wifi, gym, and has a restaurant in the hotel.
• Ibis BH Liberdade - located close to the Praça da Liberdade, it's a new hotel that offers free wi-fi and has a restaurant in the hotel.
• Clarion Lourdes - in this hotel if you make your check in between 7 and 9pm you get a free glass of champagne! Free wi-fi and breakfast included. 

Another location:

• Quality Afonso Pena (Serra) - offers free wi-fi, breakfast included, restaurant in the hotel. 13.4 km from the stadium.

Hotels Close to the Stadium:

• Pampulha - it's 15 min walking to the stadium. Breakfast included.
• Bristol Jaraguá - if you prefer to walk to avoid traffic it takes 30 minutes. It was opened in 2012, it offers free wi-fi, breakfast and the restaurant is in the hotel.
• Bristol Pampulha Lieu - 7 min driving or 40 min by bus to the stadium.