1. "One country, like two worlds"! This is my impression of Brazil, walking on the streets of Brazil, especially in the suburbs and slums, the difference is not ordinary! The people here live in a completely different world from the residents of the wealthy areas. Rio's slums are not remote urban villages, but they are located in the best places, surrounded by mountains and the sea, so why is this the case? In fact, it was formed spontaneously a hundred years ago, and it has become larger and larger, and today it contains churches, schools, police stations, hospitals, law firms, and so on.
The slums of Rio are as cluttered as I imagined, but they are not as chaotic as I imagined, nor are they dangerous. Everything is so orderly, everyone does their job, doing business, hanging out, waiting for the bus, eating and eating.
2. Brazil, the largest country in South America, has 8.61 million square kilometers of land and a population of 210 million, with Brasilia as its capital. Tourism is one of Brazil's highlights, represented by cities such as Rio de Janeiro, which attract tourists from all over the world. In 2021, the total GDP reached $1.61 trillion, and the per capita GDP was $7,518.
3. The security situation in Brazil is a complex topic. My personal experience has taught me that Brazil is not as messy as many people think.
In Rio de Janeiro, I used to walk alone on the streets at night, walking back to the hotel from a restaurant by the sea, and everything was uneventful. But that doesn't mean Brazil is really safe! I met a young lady who was also a tourist who was robbed in El Salvador and her phone was ripped from her neck by a thief.
These experiences made me realize that safety depends a lot on an individual's behavior and awareness. When traveling, it is important to be more aware of safety! I recommend that travel friends try to stay in places with more tourists and avoid going into remote neighborhoods. If you accidentally go the wrong way, you should immediately find a store or bank, put away your valuables, and leave quickly.
Bags should not be left anywhere, be it an airport, a restaurant, or a mall, and it is best to keep them under your feet or in other safe places.
When going out at night, especially in areas that don't feel safe, it's best to opt for a taxi and ask the staff at the hotel or restaurant to help you request a taxi. I believe that with enough care, security risks can be minimized!
4. São Paulo, which is not the capital of Brazil but has become the largest city in South America with its huge size, walk around the city, you will find that there is both rigorous planning, but also a very obvious difference between the rich and the poor, in fact, this is a microcosm of the whole of Brazil.
5. In Brazil, graffiti art is everywhere, and traces of street culture can be witnessed almost every few steps. In São Paulo, where graffiti is everywhere, there is a place where graffiti is unique, and it has become the representative of Brazilian graffiti, and tourists from all over the world come to stop and enjoy it every year!
The graffiti art in Batman Alley is nothing like the graffiti in some of Rio's cities, and the work here is mostly warm and humorous, unlike the simple lines, gang signs or quirky graphics of the Rio favelas.
6. Although Brazil does not have the magnificent scenery that landscape photography enthusiasts think, its comfort and friendliness are my favorite country in South America.
Brazil's winters are mild, with little rainfall, temperatures often dropping into the midteens, and they are short-lived. When the sun comes out, short sleeves are sufficient! Summer is even more pleasant, with nights cool enough to cover with blankets and daytime highs of only around 30 degrees, so you won't feel stuffy and humid. On a clear day, the blue sky and white clouds that seem to have been washed are very refreshing.
I've heard of South Americans being enthusiastic, but I haven't really felt that enthusiasm in my few trips to South America. On the contrary, I think there are people who have an inexplicable sense of superiority or arrogance! To my surprise, in Brazil I really experienced the South American warmth, which is different from the excessive enthusiasm of Colombians, but is polite and restrained, and extraordinarily sincere.
7. Geographically, the white population in southern Brazil is relatively high, and the culture is closer to Europe. The inhabitants of the south are mainly of German, Italian, Polish and Ukrainian descent. In the northern states, the population is predominantly mestizo and black. Therefore, Brazil is a multi-ethnic country, and women have a variety of appearances and postures, ranging from blonde to mixed-race, and even Asian.
8. Brazilian girls mainly wear spring and summer clothes, with a simple style and a bias towards Europe and the United States. Most young Brazilian girls dress more edgy and cool, they don't care about what they wear, they are very confident, and they often feast the eyes of passers-by.
9. Brazil has a culture of familiarity, and girls basically respond with a friendly attitude to accosting strangers, which is different from the girls I met in Russia or Ukraine. In Brazil, locals are accustomed to physical contact, and this was a profound experience on my first trip to Brazilian bars.
The veneers and touches of the girls made people like me feel a little embarrassed to wander outside all year round. But that doesn't mean they have a special crush on you, it's just their cultural practice. In the Brazilian girl's outlook on life, there is no such thing as a match. If they have a crush on a man, regardless of their economic status, marital status or nationality, they will approach him very voluntarily.
10. The directness and frankness of Brazilians are vividly expressed in their daily lives. I don't like to beat around the bush, and I don't deliberately vague my words. In their view, prevarication and procrastination will only waste the time and affection of both parties.
This direct style is also reflected when accepting gifts, and it is customary to open them in person and express gratitude immediately. There is also an interesting custom: when buying a gift, they cut off a part of the original wrapping paper, because they believe that the wrapping paper carries luck and should not take away the good fortune of others.
When communicating with Brazilians, it is important to note that they do not like to express too many gestures, especially not to make OK gestures, which are considered impolite locally.
11. Portuguese is the main means of communication in Brazil. As a foreign tourist, when I communicate with locals in English, I often shake my head in response, and I am not familiar with English. When shopping or in everyday communication, I have to rely on gestures and eyes to express my intentions, as well as to translate with the help of my phone.
12. Brazil's natural environment is undoubtedly blessed, with mountains, seas, rainforests and wetlands, and the two major cities here, São Paulo and Rio, are not only comfortable and have a good living atmosphere, but also have delicious food everywhere. In Brazil, prices are relatively low, and whether it's taking a taxi or eating and drinking, you won't feel distressed. A friend of mine once said that Brazil was the only country he wanted to retire in South America. And for me, Brazil is the only South American country I would like to visit again!
13. The average salary of Brazilians is about 2,600 reais, which is equivalent to about 3,600 yuan. However, because Brazil is a vast country with uneven economic development, the wage gap is also quite large! In small cities, wages are only about 1,000 to 2,000 yuan. Brazil has a population of more than 200 million, nearly 50 million of whom live below the poverty line. If the income of this segment of the population is taken into account, the average wage level in Brazil is even lower.
14. The number of holidays for office workers in Brazil is very large, reaching more than 120 days. The concept of holidays here is very different from other places, there are no compensatory holidays, and there are no make-up shifts on weekends. Brazil uses a "bridge holiday", where if the holiday falls on a Thursday or Tuesday, then Friday or Monday will also be a holiday. For the drop, it is not to let the employees be disturbed by the embarrassing day between the two holidays, so they simply let it go together!
15. In Brazil, it is difficult for even the wealthy to enjoy thoughtful service. On weekends, most Brazilians don't work overtime, either at home, to bars, or out for picnics and sports. The streets are sparsely populated, with only supermarkets and pharmacies open, and all other shops closed. Even large shopping malls don't open until 2 p.m.
Once, I wanted to go for a haircut, but found that all the barbershops were closed, and I ended up disappointed. Perfect service is hard to come by because no one works overtime, but Brazilians are more receptive to this way of life and wait until work when there is something to do.
16. In Brazil, the wages of the locals are not high, but the prices are relatively low, and Brazilians usually like to buy enough goods for a week at a time when shopping in the supermarket.
Brazil's meat and milk are of high quality, with beef prices ranging from the most expensive R$40 per kilogram to the cheapest R$10, and pork chops even R$7 a kilogram when on sale. As for fresh milk, the price of a 1-liter bottle is about 8 yuan, while the bag is cheaper, 2 is about 6 yuan.
Foods like bean sprouts, tofu and vermicelli are hard to come by because they are not produced locally. There are not many varieties of vegetables in Brazil, such as carrots, sweet potatoes, Chinese cabbage, lettuce, turnips, cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes and cucumbers, etc., and the price is mostly 2 to 5 yuan a catty. Rare vegetables such as leeks and baby greens are usually purchased at a Japanese store.
There is a wide variety of fruits in Brazil, both large and sweet, many fruits that are difficult to find elsewhere and very cheap.
Food safety in Brazil is well maintained, firstly, there are relatively few processed foods in Brazil, and secondly, there are very strict food safety regulations in Brazil.
On the streets of Brazil, the most common are fast food restaurants and barbecue restaurants, with an average consumption of about 80 yuan per person. Of course, there are also many roadside stalls, with an average cost of about 15 yuan per person.
17. In Brazil's big cities such as Brasilia and Rio de Janeiro, the house price per square meter is about 10,000 yuan, while in some small cities, it is 6,000 or 7,000 yuan per square meter.
The price of a standard single room in a hotel in Brazil is about 150 yuan, while the price of a star hotel is more than 500 yuan. It should be noted that the actual situation of many hotels is very different from the promotional photos! For example, some hotel facilities are dilapidated, the sanitary conditions are worrisome, and even the stairs are made of worn-out plywood, giving people the feeling that they may collapse at any time. The standard rooms have almost no furniture except for the bed, and the bathroom is rudimentary and leaky, barely able to take a shower.
18. In Brazil, clothes are generally more expensive than in China, and the quality is not outstanding. Clothes of the same brand can cost two or three times more in Brazil than in the country. Brazil is rich in rubber, so rubber flip-flops and rubber sandals are very famous in the local area, whether at home or on the go, almost everyone has a pair of flip-flops.
19. Brazil implements universal publicly-funded medical care, and a small registration fee needs to be paid in public hospitals. Private hospitals are also prevalent in Brazil, where medical conditions are superior and more expensive.
20. Education in Brazil provides free learning opportunities for children, which includes the exemption of all fees such as tuition and fees, accommodation, books, etc., to ensure that every Brazilian has the opportunity to receive an education. Kindergartens in Brazil are fun, with a variety of activities often held, children have fun without the pressure of studying, and even parents often participate. Public kindergartens are free, but children need to be at least three years old to enroll.
21. Sports occupy an important place in Brazilian school education, especially football. Football is considered one of the compulsory courses for Brazilian students. In fact, in Brazil, almost everyone, young and old, is very interested in football! You can see football everywhere in the streets and alleys, even the children of the slums grew up playing football.
22. The diet in Brazil is relatively simple, and soups, porridges, boiled noodles, etc. are not common in the West, so the pots and pans in the home kitchen are usually small pans, while the oven and microwave are the protagonists in the kitchen.
Meat is an integral part of the Brazilian diet, and "Brazilian barbecue" in particular is a local specialty. When making a barbecue, Brazilians usually cut the meat into large pieces, spread a special sauce, and then start grilling. Skilled roasters pay special attention to the heat to ensure the quality of the meat. In addition to grilled meats, Brazilians also like to grill other foods such as fish, eggplant, and even fruits, such as baked apples and roasted cantaloupe.
23. When it comes to transportation, public transportation in Brazil is not convenient, and most people choose to travel by car. In Brazil, bus stops often do not have stop signs, neither the names of the stops nor the routes on which buses pass through. The only way to do this is to ask the people around you, Brazilians are usually warm and helpful, but sometimes give the wrong information because they are not very clear.
Bus fares in Brazil cost R$5, while taxis start at R$16. Taxis are relatively expensive, usually between R$150 and R$200 from the airport to the city. Tipping is not charged for taxis, and it is worth mentioning that taxi invoices are usually handwritten by the driver! In restaurants, tipping is common, usually 10% of the total amount spent.
Finally, in terms of tourist attractions in Brazil, the Amazon rainforest around Manaus is not the most ecologically beautiful, and there are not many species of animals. But the experience of traveling depends on a variety of factors, such as friendly staff, professional guides, delicious meals, compatible companions, cute monkeys, mysterious rainforests and glittering Milky Way, which can make small regrets in a trip insignificant!
The largest wetland in the world, and although I just glanced at it from the edge and didn't see the expected jaguar and a large number of birds, the overall feeling was good! Brazil is known as an outdoor paradise, known for its crystal clear Prata River and Blue Grotto. But unless there is a specific purpose, such as diving to explore the Blue Grotto, there may not be a need to go to the point.
Iguazu Falls straddles both countries, with the Argentine side offering a close-up view and the Brazilian side offering a more spectacular panoramic view! In addition, there is an aviary on the Brazilian side, and although it is a little unpleasant to see the birds in cages, those birds are really beautiful.