General Info

Thanks Ricker. "Hey amigo, I'll chime in with my 2 cents for ya. " I found your remarks hit their target. I am both more aware of that which I dislike about Colombia (but I am still a fan), and more curious about that which I do not know about Brazil.

I am just know advancing to a good beginner level in Spanish, so how hard can Portuguese be? It's all Greek to me. I need GREAT motivation. So far I have only found "good".

I would like to ask a follow. Up. There is no getting around the dangerous atmosphere in Colombia. I am a guy that tends to follow the party, and that has taken me to places where gringos ought not go. Sort of a drag to have to calculate "your chances" several times a day. Also, you have to avoid predictable patterns, etc. I know Rio is tough, but I assume the other areas of Brazil are less dangerous than Colombia, correct?

And then there is the economics. We hear much about the BRIC trading block and how good Brazil is doing economically. What is the real score? Again, be virtue of a Colombian comparison. I have a friend living in El Problado and living for under 1100 US a month for the last year. Happily. I have a friend living in Manzialles for 3500 a month and lives life at the TOP level there. Basically, 2. 3 thousand produces a great life in Colombia. How does Brazil compare (I am becoming more and more interested in the Southern beach cities).

Thanks

[QUOTE=Koolkid]Thanks for the replies regarding the cachaca. I will
pick up a cheap wooden pestil in Thailand when I get back, but will
go looking for the cachaca tomorrow.[/QUOTE]
I recommend you to buy Ypióca (from Ceará). Quite cheap and comes in neat bottles. It's easily found in the super-mercados and tastes much better than the poisons they named Pitú and 51.
There are also more expensive options of aged cachaça. IMO the best ones comes from Minas Gerais. In Brazil you can find hundreds (or maybe thousands) of cachaças to choose from.

Fast Eddy - a US driver´s licence will do to rent a car. Only if you remain more than 6 months in Brasil you must et a Brasilian Driver´s licence.

Carlos

Hi Sperto -

discussing Cachaça is like discussing wine - you are right, there are hundreds of different Cachaças in Brasil and you get from "poison" to fist-rate aged Cachaça everything in the local shops.
May I recommend the Academia de Cachaça in Leblon/Rio for a Cachaça tasting venue? They have approx. 100 different types of Cachaça and they offer to try very very tiny sips of the different Cachaças. - The problem is that after approx. 10 - 15 different Cachaças you do not taste anymore any difference.

Carlos

[quote=carlos primeros]fast eddy - a us driver´s licence will do to rent a car. only if you remain more than 6 months in brasil you must et a brasilian driver´s licence.

carlos[/quote]
right and wrong. as long as one is here with tourist visa, one doesn't need brasilian driver's license. but do get international license because no national license is valid here alone. normally its not a problem but if you are being stopped by corrupted brasilian police, you might end up paying him or paying fine or in worst case the vehicle will be confirep001ed. one doesn't want any of there.

[QUOTE=Fast Eddie 48]I have a US california and international driver lic but I heard that international driver lic is no good in Brazil is this true, I like to rent a car at Sao paulo can I get a lic in Brazil. Fast Eddie 48[/QUOTE]
You need an Inter-American Drivers license. It is available at any American Automobile Association (AAA) for $15.00, (if you don't provide photo +$10.) It is required by Brasilian law and if they happen to stop you they may not fine or ticket you but they will make it very difficult for you. I was stopped near Angra dos Reis while on driving my girl friend's car during a short visit. They said I could not continue but they allowed us to switch drivers.

The primary purpose of the Inter-American license is the translation of your identification into portuguese. Yes, it is possible to get a permit in Brasil from the transportation authorities, Departamento Estadual de Trânsito (DETRAN), but it is a bureaucratic circle jerk.

[QUOTE=Fast Eddie 48]I have a US california and international driver lic but I heard that international driver lic is no good in Brazil is this true, I like to rent a car at Sao paulo can I get a lic in Brazil.

Fast Eddie 48[/QUOTE]
I think it should be good. having both the international and California DL.

Call a Brazilian car rental, very easy. maybe Avis or Hertz in the USA can tell you.

[QUOTE=Iam Zon]

I would like to ask a follow. Up. There is no getting around the dangerous atmosphere in Colombia. I am a guy that tends to follow the party, and that has taken me to places where gringos ought not go. Sort of a drag to have to calculate "your chances" several times a day. Also, you have to avoid predictable patterns, etc. I know Rio is tough, but I assume the other areas of Brazil are less dangerous than Colombia, correct?

And then there is the economics. We hear much about the BRIC trading block and how good Brazil is doing economically. What is the real score? Again, be virtue of a Colombian comparison. I have a friend living in El Problado and living for under 1100 US a month for the last year. Happily. I have a friend living in Manzialles for 3500 a month and lives life at the TOP level there. Basically, 2. 3 thousand produces a great life in Colombia. How does Brazil compare (I am becoming more and more interested in the Southern beach cities).

Thanks[/QUOTE]

Lula jacked up the minimum wage, through rises and f.cked up exchange rates.
Used to be 20-30 US$ 20 years ago. Now over 200 dollars.

So Brazil ain't cheap. But it depends totally on where you live, and how. And how much you spend for girls.

Fortaleza, Natal are much cheaper then Rio. So are Porto Alegre and southern towns. Small towns are even cheaper

I recommend: do NOT buy property, to avoid lawsuits, frauds, etc. Rent and move whenever you want.

I am trying to track down a small town with the following properties

70 000 inhabitants
7 wh.re houses with 30 girls each
2 bedroom house rents for R$ 300

unfortunately the guy did not tell me the exact location, but i will find it. Yes it is 200 miles away from maior cities.

How do your friends live? if you want to pay 3 girls a day, 90 per month, then the girl price is of essence ..........

[QUOTE=Brazil Specialist]
So Brazil ain't cheap. But it depends totally on where you live, and how. And how much you spend for girls.[/QUOTE]

Even in the north, it is very expensive compared with Asia.

[QUOTE=Bigcebu] it is very expensive compared with Asia.[/QUOTE]
+1. A fucking pousada in Sao Paulo Litoral Norte (Camburi) is nowadays more expensive than the Four Seasons Jakarta or the Grand Hyatt Bangkok. Go figure !

Brasil has priced itself out of the market. That is why you bump more and more into brasilian vacationers in Thailand or Bali now.

They inevitably make a stop in Paris by the way (brasilian tourists swarm here), thanks to the long lasted and firmly embedded "francophilie" (love of french culture) of -educated- brasilian people.

[QUOTE=Bigcebu] it is very expensive compared with Asia.[/QUOTE]
+1. A fucking pousada in Sao Paulo Litoral Norte (Camburi) is nowadays more expensive than the Four Seasons Jakarta or the Grand Hyatt Bangkok. Go figure !

Brasil has priced itself out of the market. That is why you bump more and more into brasilian vacationers in Thailand or Bali now.

They inevitably make a stop in Paris by the way (brasilian tourists literally swarm here), thanks to the looong lasted and firmly embedded francophilie (admiration and love of french culture) of -educated- brasilian people.

[QUOTE=Brazil Specialist]I am trying to track down a small town with the following properties

70 000 inhabitants
7 wh.re houses with 30 girls each
2 bedroom house rents for R$ 300[/QUOTE]
Living like a lower-middle class local sucks ass IMO.

As usual to each its own.

Brazil and United States extend visa validity to 10 years

Brasilia, May 27, 2010 - The Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Relations and the U.S. Embassy in Brazil are pleased to announce the reciprocal concession of 10-year validity visas for the purposes of tourism and business. This change becomes effective this Friday, May 28, 2010. Visas issued for these purposes were previously valid for up to five years. In addition, Brazil and the United States will eliminate fees charged for visas issued for business travel, students and exchange visitors/visiting scholars.

It is good that it is more expensive in Rio and the big cities. I am not interested in that. About girl prices: Not that important to me either. Of course, you can't live. Or get laid on your good looks. But I have seen enough to understand that a month or so in the Southern cities (or San Pao for that matter) would be a good learning experience.

Life is a journey

[QUOTE=Prosal]+1. A fucking pousada in Sao Paulo Litoral Norte (Camburi) is nowadays more expensive than the Four Seasons Jakarta or the Grand Hyatt Bangkok. Go figure !

Brasil has priced itself out of the market. That is why you bump more and more into brasilian vacationers in Thailand or Bali now.

[/QUOTE]

SP is overpriced, but Rio is not overpriced for the kind of things that experienced mongers want. If someone insists on Copa hotels and termas like a tourist, then yes it's expensive too, but otherwise it's fine. SP was really expensive even 5 years ago when I first went there, but they are priced higher because they are a real international business hub with high cash influx, unlike Rio.

Keeping it in terms of ISG-related things, here is a comparison of JKT to Rio, based on my itineraries. Pricing is pretty competitive in Rio, outside the Zona Sul. For mongering purposes, I consider JKT superior for quality and service and freebie ops, but Rio wins easily for the overall experience when non-sexual activity options are taken into account.

Jakarta April 2010:
Mercure Rekso Hayam Wuruk - 59 USD/night
Girls at Hotel Travel and similar: 33 USD/hr

Rio June 2010:
Ibis Centro: 91 USD night
Girls at BA85 and similar: 32 USD/hr