Do you wish to look like a local?

Hello dear readers,

Today this post is for those who like to blend in while traveling and look like a local.

Everyone knows that in Brazil it is sunny all year long, the plants are always green and people are always tan. Wait a minute, that's not true about the tan.
During the 2014 World Cup it will be winter in South America and summer in North America and Europe, so you'll probably be tanner than some Brazilians by then.
So this is a plus!

You can check what the weather would be like by clicking here. There is a post only about climate.

So here are some tips... 
What do Brazilians wear on the daily basis?

#1 - The casual clothes for Brazilians are less casual than some other countries, even to go to the mall, grocery store or college. 

#2 - Girls wear tight clothes, not loose T-shirts for example. A typical girl in São Paulo would wear skinny jeans and a nice blouse. Probably a scarf too. Simple and chic. Dresses are also very common.

#3 - Guys would wear nice shirts or t-shirts with jeans. No button shirt with shorts, but t-shirt with shorts are common. Usually the shirts are basic colors, white, black, blue, maybe light pink, they like to wear long sleeves and fold it. Plaid shirts are also very popular. 

#4 - Girls wear long earrings, it's not common to see diamond jewelry on a daily basis or jewelry by the beach.

Gisele Bündchen drinking chimarrão

#5 - Beach wear: don't mind our bikinis, wear what you are comfortable with, but remember to wear a long shirt (women), cover ups or dress on your way to the beach or pool. The guys usually wear shorts or swim trunks larger on the sides. 

#6 - Flip-flops, the most famous ones are Havaianas, you will find stores in many locations, there are many different styles you can choose from. 

#7 - Brazilians don't eat and drink on the go, specially coffee, but we do drink water. On the south, though, you will observe people drinking something similar to hot tea, it's called chimarrão and in other places they drink another variety of these herbs, but cold. 

#8 - When it's cold girls love high heels boots, a nice coat with jeans.


But remember, it's World Cup, so if you want, you can also wear a Brazilian jersey...
Just kidding!!!

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

Qualifiers - October 11th

Dear readers,

We are getting close to define the teams that will compete the 2014 World Cup and how the groups will be decided.

Asia has decided the teams that qualified: Japan, Australia, Korea Republic and Iran

Europe so far knows that Holland and Italy have qualified.

fifa.com

Europe Games - October 11th (local time)

South America Games - October 11th (local time)

Argentina is the only country from South America that has qualified so far with the host country Brazil.

Big Day

Good Luck!

Taxi in Rio

Hi everyone!

Today's post will talk about taxi / cab in Rio.

Taxi may be a bit expensive but in many situations they are the best option for tourists in Rio.

Photo: What We Did in Rio

The standard taxis are yellow with a blue strip and a red plate, the regular rate, tariff 1 starts at R$ 4.70 - Monday - Saturday from 6 am to 9 pm and charges R$ 1.70 per kilometer.
Tariff 2 charges R$ 2.04 per kilometer  - Monday - Saturday from 9 pm to 6 am, and all day Sunday and holidays.

In my opinion these rates will change during the World Cup, but I will try to keep you updated.

One more thing, the prices I wrote above are not valid for airports, bus stations and hotels in Copacabana, Ipanema and São Conrado. Those places have special taxis from a cooperative that  usually charge 80% more. C'est la vie. Those taxis are from companies named Coopatur and Coopertramo.

On the Go:

If you are on the street and need a cab you call one, but the best option is to look for a stand and get one. This will be easy if you are in a mall, or in a location with many bars. So choose those ones. If you can't find one, remember to look for the ones that look like what I described above.

At the airport:

CNT

You will easily see a stand at the airport: Taxis Credenciados, you can ask the attendants to calculate the price for you, go outside, compare how much the drivers are charging and decide what is the best option for you.

Don't be scared if lots of guys approach you asking if you need a cab, don't rush, take your time and choose the best option. Of course there will be thousands of people at the airport during the World Cup, but there will be many volunteers as well, who speak many languages, that are there to help you. So, don't hesitate to ask.

Usually the taxi drivers are very familiar with the city, but it is always a good idea to have the address written down, specially because some street names are hard to pronounce.

Useful Apps and Websites:

Easy Taxi

• Easy Taxi - This app is very handy, you can choose your payment method, if you need a big trunk (port-mala grande). You will then receive information about the car such as model, and about the driver, name and phone number. You can also track the car. Cool, right?
• Tarifa de Taxi - This website calculates how much you are going to pay for your ride.
• Amarelinho Barra - This is a good option if you are at Barra da Tijuca or Recreio.

I hope this was an useful post for all the dear tourists who visit Rio.

I hope you enjoy your trip!

Tchau!

Qualifiers - September 6th

Hello everyone!

I've been away for two months but let's get back... there is a lot going on, many people are writing me, saying they like the blog and are waiting for more posts, so let's do it!

Let's have some fun together... let's talk about ticketing, and how to apply for them.

Are you ready?

To apply for tickets go to fifa.com, create an account and apply for tickets. The period for applying is from 20 August until 10 October. Read carefully the information there, you can switch from English to your language if you prefer.

Also, today we have many qualifier's games going on... don't miss them!

You can follow all the games live, online, at fifa.com. 

Check the table bellow: 
The time is set as local time.