Sao Paulo Reports

[Axel Heyst]

I have the T-Mobil Magenta Unlimited 55 plan which costs $50/ month for 1 phone or $30/ month per phone for 2 or more phones. The plan works automatically upon arrival in Brazil, however, download internet speeds are incredibly slow. Of course, WiFi in most 4* & 5* hotels is fast and reliable, but in a bar or restaurant speeds are low and asking for WiFi pw's gets to be a pain in the ass. T-Mobil has a solution for this problem. They call it their International Pass. It costs an additional $50/ month, but you will never complain about slow download speeds in Brazil again.

[FlowState985]

Yes, data is unlimited, but not free ($10/GB capped at $60/month). The data cost the same irrespective which country you consume it in. I had used it internationally in Canada, UK, Scotland, Europe, Brazil, Argentina and very happy with their service unlike TMobile which was very spotty and unreliable.

From what I read off their website $65/ month is their unlimited plus, basically unlimited up to 50 GB then it throttles. What you mentioned is Flexible plan starts out $20/ month. Unless I missed something. Here's the link for comparison. https://fi.google.com/about/plans/.

[Lalabo]

I haven't tried it outside the country yet but just moved to Google Fi and it has unlimited data in 200 countries. No SIM. Very hopeful.

Yes, data is unlimited, but not free ($10/GB capped at $60/month). The data cost the same irrespective which country you consume it in. I had used it internationally in Canada, UK, Scotland, Europe, Brazil, Argentina and very happy with their service unlike TMobile which was very spotty and unreliable.

[Fewdie]

Yes, Google Fi is the other good alternative. I believe Magenta Max Tmobile also provides free internet on the airplane in the US too.

I haven't tried it outside the country yet but just moved to Google Fi and it has unlimited data in 200 countries. No SIM. Very hopeful.

[The Cane]

By counting "times" I know I will never reach the level of The Cane.

I didn't. Hey, have some ambition! LOL!

[The Cane]

Mr. Cane,

Where did anyone post that "hardly anyone accepts" cash? I posted my trip report with my observations. I can't find the post where it was stated you can't use cash? Most, easily 95%, of transactions I observed were with a card. So if anyone is exaggerating the issue, it is you. We are just trying to inform the rest of us newbies on our observations and experiences. If your risk tolerance is low, knock yourself out with cash. In fact I pointed out some places the international card won't work and cash is a must. Bring backup of cards and cash.

Been a member and posting (rarely) here since 2005. Might be a newbie to Brazil but not a rookie, no offense intended, LMFAO.

The use of credit cards (debit cards too) in Brazil is a push button issue for me, as you can see. I don't believe it's a good idea to rely upon them heavily there for the reasons I've already stated. And being the contrarian that I am, the fact that 95% of people may be doing something doesn't necessarily convince me that I ought to do it too. Especially when I have data points that suggest to me that I ought to go another way. Has worked fantastic for me when it comes to investing money LOL! Now, as another has stated, at the end of the day there is no "right" way to travel. Each man monger must discover the means and methods that best suit him. For me in Brazil that means operating mostly with cash that I withdraw periodically from secure ATM machines. I urge others to take similar precautions.

[Nounce]

...
Been a member and posting (rarely) here since 2005. Might be a newbie to Brazil but not a rookie, no offense intended, LMFAO.

So it's you! I thought it was me. It hit me really hard actually. By counting "times" I know I will never reach the level of The Cane, continue sobbing alone...

[Nounce]

I have found a significant amount of Paulistanos (SP Brasilians) understand and speak English. The question is when do they speak english? When they "choose to." However, they do understand you. ....

The clerk in Vivo store speaks English. Tim 144 line has English option and the person on the line speaks excellent English. At least one waiter in the restaurant Fôrno speaks English. All happened on the same day.

[Steve 9696]

EVERYTHING at the airport has very bad rates / prices. Food. Currency exchange, items. Even those fake ubers.

If you are on the magentax MAX Tmobile plan. You can use your phone data and service in Brazil for free. Don't need to buy any sim.

I haven't tried it outside the country yet but just moved to Google Fi and it has unlimited data in 200 countries. No SIM. Very hopeful.

[The Cane]

I have found a significant amount of Paulistanos (SP Brasilians) understand and speak English.

Not only that, but a lot of Brazilian people understand Spanish (but don't necessarily speak it). It's obviously different from Portuguese in some significant ways, but it's a similar Romance language, and if you speak it slowly and clearly enough many will understand what you are saying, even if they tell you they don't speak Spanish. If I'm having problems communicating for whatever reason (not usual), sometimes I will go there as a last resort. And then at other times, it's a first resort with women who I find don't speak English, but who are fluent in Spanish, like the porn star Elisa Sanches pictured on the left (fucked her in the butt at the Pestana Hotel). Or the loira branca Julia pictured on the right who I met at the old Cafe Photo (also got that cuzinha). With their English being weak and my Portuguese being weak, our conversations were conducted 100% in Spanish. The ability to communicate? No problem. Whatever it takes!

[Fewdie]

EVERYTHING at the airport has very bad rates / prices. Food. Currency exchange, items. Even those fake ubers.

If you are on the magentax MAX Tmobile plan. You can use your phone data and service in Brazil for free. Don't need to buy any sim.

[Fewdie]

If you don't wader in to some shady area in the US or Brazil. You can use your card as usual.

I've been using it since 2010 in Brazil and haven't had a problem. Got frauded 3 times in the US and I still use it in the US.

[Jet69]

Mr. Cane,

Where did anyone post that "hardly anyone accepts" cash? I posted my trip report with my observations. I can't find the post where it was stated you can't use cash? Most, easily 95%, of transactions I observed were with a card. So if anyone is exaggerating the issue, it is you. We are just trying to inform the rest of us newbies on our observations and experiences. If your risk tolerance is low, knock yourself out with cash. In fact I pointed out some places the international card won't work and cash is a must. Bring backup of cards and cash.

Been a member and posting (rarely) here since 2005. Might be a newbie to Brazil but not a rookie, no offense intended, LMFAO.

[FlowState985]

I appreciate your politeness for not quoting my post. Try google this and see what comes up and check the date on it. "Do NOT use the ATM right after immigration (and before customs) at GRU airport". There is another link in that post to another post. Just sharing info.

Jeeze, that is recently too, Jan 2022. But yeah, I don't trust any ATM unless it's inside a bank and put a max daily limit on my debit as well.

[ATexGuy]

Hotel rates really have skyrocketed in SP recently but I wanted to share a great find. The JW Marriott originally opened as the Four Seasons right before the pandemic but closed and re-opened three months ago as the JW Marriott. It's a gorgeous hotel and it is conveniently connected to a small shopping mall with everything you could need and a small food court with lots of options.

Rates through the Marriott web site were really expensive ($300+ with corporate discount). I found it for $137/ night through Priceline. The hotel is girl friendly but requires registration with minimal hassle. A couple nights they offered my lady friend a glass of sparkling wine. A warning though, they have amazing blackout curtains so your Scandallo girls might sleep all day! Seriously! I had a few that loved the bed so much and how dark the room was that they slept past 2 pm even while I was working from my desk. Housekeeping is fantastic and changed my sheets every day with fresh linens and lots of towels. Room service was also very good.