Showing posts with label Bahia. Show all posts

Salvador and the World Cup in Brazil

Brazil's first capital still preserves its strong African influence that permeates its food, music, dance and religion. With the history alive and well in the streets, alleys and hills that marks the start of Portuguese colonization, the city possesses a rich archive of architectural and religious works, which can be found in its historic center, known as the Pelourinho.

Historical center in Salvador

Itapuã beach, Salvador

Capoeira, Martial arts and dance

Famous for its street carnival, with the great singers of Axé music, the biggest city in the Brazilian Northeast also has an ocean coast blessed with beautiful beaches surrounded by coconut palms.

The classic Ba-Vi game is the highlight of the dispute between the two favorite rival teams by Salvador residents. Both Bahia and Vitória compete fiercely at the state level.

Bahia is famous for its faithfulness to its fans, who put it as the owner of one of the largest fan bases in Brazil, which won the trophy of Brazilian Champion in 1988, and the Taça Brasil in 1959.

Vitória in turn has won three titles in the Northeastern Cup, and one of vice-champion of the Brazilian Championship in 1993, after being beaten in the final match by Palmeiras. The Leão (lion), as Vitória is also known, already produced such stars and world champs like the forward Bebeto and the goalkeeper Dida.

Fonte Nova Arena

The novelty to Bahian football is the Fonte Nova Arena, a multiuse stadium with capacity for 55.000 fans. Salvador will host at least three of the main teams that sealed a spot to participate in 2014. In the first phase, the city will host four games. In three of them, key players from their groups will be on the field. The Bahian capital will also host an elimination game in the round of 16, and one of the quarter finals. The presence of Spain, Netherlands, France, Portugal and Germany promises some legendary scenes in a remarkable city in Brazil.

June 13^th – Friday - 04:00pm – Spain x Netherlands (group B)

June 16th – Monday - 01:00pm - Germany x Portugal (group G)

June 20^th – Friday – 01:00pm - Switzerland x France (group E)

June 25^th – Wednesday - 01:00pm - Bosnia x Iran (group F)

July 01st – Tuesday – 05:00pm - 1^st Group H x 2^nd Group G (round of 16)

July 05^th – Saturday – 05:00pm - 1^st Group B or 2^nd Group A x 1^st Group D or 2^nd Group C (quarterfinals)

Iran squad profile

Switzerland team profile

Eliana Souza - SPin Brazil Tours

Salvador, the center of Afro-Brazilian culture

Brazil’s first capital still preserves its strong African influence that permeates its food, music, dance and religion. With the history alive and well in the streets, alleys and hills that marks the start of Portuguese colonization, the city possesses a rich archive of architectural and religious works, which can be found in its historic center, known as the Pelourinho.

View of harbor area in Salvador - Photo by Adam Jones

The baroque interior of St. Francis Church - photo by Fernando Dellacqua

The traditional snack namesd "acarajé", made by "baianas"

Famous for its street carnival, with the great singers of Axé music, the biggest city in the Brazilian Northeast also has an ocean coast blessed with beautiful beaches surrounded by coconut palms.

Oludum musical group during carnival in Salvador,BA

Itapuã beach - photo by Cristõvão Santos

The classic Ba-Vi game is the highlight of the dispute between the two favorite rival teams by Salvador residents. Both Bahia and Vitória compete fiercely at the state level.

Bahia is famous for its faithfulness to its fans, who put it as the owner of one of the largest fan bases in Brazil, which won the trophy of Brazilian Champion in 1988, and the Taça Brasil in 1959.

The novelty to Bahian football will be the Fonte Nova Arena, a multiuse stadium that will house 50 thousand seats and will receive the match between Brazil and Italy for the 2013 Confederations Cup on June 22, 2013.

Arena Fonte Nova - photo from www.fifa.com

Salvador will receive at least three of the main teams that sealed a spot to participate in 2014 World Cup. In the first phase, the city will host four games. In three of them, key players from their groups will be on the field. The Bahian capital will also host an elimination game in the round of 16, and one of the quarter finals.

Celebrate life in Brazil

The world meets in Brazil. Come celebrate life!

São Paulo, one of the three best travel destinations in Brazil, recommended by Condé Nast Traveller

Photo by PA Photos

Destinations to watch in 2013

Brazil

The World Cup is still more than a year away, the Olympics nearly four. But after the resounding success of London 2012, the eyes of the nation - and, indeed the world - are already turning to Brazil.

Even Michael Palin's epic series could not unearth every delight of this vast country. It is like an entire continent, from its thrilling, teeming metropolises to its virgin rainforest and empty stretches of beach that run for hundreds of miles.

Rio de Janeiro is already gearing up for the 2016 Olympics. Its 2013 carnival in February is tipped to be the biggest and most popular yet. And considering what a spectacle Rio Carnival is, imagine its opening ceremony (we got a taste for it at London's closing ceremony in August, and it put our Spice Girls in the shade somewhat).

But it's no longer just Rio that's got a lot to offer tourists. São Paulo is an incredibly exciting city to visit right now; it's Brazil's biggest city, its financial capital and design capital, where the country's movers, shakers and money-makers network among its chi-chi bars, restaurants and boutique.

That is, when they're not mooching around in Havaianas at their beach houses in the archipelago of Fernando de Noronha or on one of Bahia's stretches of coast, all powdery white sand and palm trees where, other than the fishermen, you won't see another soul. Unless you're looking for the party; if so head there December to February for beach parties full of bronzed beauties sipping caipirinhas as the sun goes down and the beats are turned up.

STAY
In Rio de Janeiro, at party-central Copacabana Palace, more drop-dead-fabulous than ever since its recent refurb; or in the peaceful hills at the edge of the city at the recently opened TuaKaza Hotel.

At the Sao Paulisto's latest weekend retreat of choice, Botanique, in the hills.

Near the Bahian surfer town of Itacaré at Txai, one of the country's best beach resorts, or in Fernando de Noronha at Pousada Maravilha.

September 14, 2012, 4:38 pm5 Comments

3 Experts, and Many Tips for Visiting Brazil

By SETH KUGEL

To supplement my seven rules for lowering the cost of a trip to Brazil, I asked three Brazil-based colleagues to come up with their own tips. They are Ricardo Freire, widely regarded as the dean of Brazilian travel bloggers; Fábio Peixoto, the editor of a Brazilian travel guide; and Kevin Raub, a Lonely Planet author who lives in São Paulo.
I’ve condensed and edited their tips, and in the first two cases, translated them from Portuguese.

Mr. Freire blogs in Portuguese at viajenaviagem.com and is working on an English-language site for foreign visitors to Brazil. Follow his travels on Instagram (@riqfreire). Here are his tips:
TRAVEL WHEN BRAZILIANS DON’T
International travel to Brazil is relatively minimal; the country as a whole receives about as many visitors per year as Cancún. That means the tourism industry is dependent on the enormous domestic market, which has a particular quirk: Brazilians all seem to travel at the same time. That’s during January and June school vacations, Carnival (Feb. 9 to 12 next year), and on national holidays that become long weekends no matter on what day they fall.
For the rest of the year, a majority of Brazilian destinations (with the notable exception of Rio) are nearly empty — even though in many cases the climate is actually better during the off-season. So plan wisely.
WAIT FOR THE MAGIC DATE
Jan. 10 is the magic date that the Brazilian summer stops being so expensive. Families have emptied their bank accounts to be on the beach during New Year’s and must begin to save for Carnival. Prices drop appreciably, and innkeepers and small-hotel owners are open to negotiations.
The best place to be is in Bahia state, in beautiful coastal villages like Morro de São Paulo, Barra Grande, Itacaré, Santo André and others that aren’t as expensive as upscale spots like Trancoso. You can combine that trip with a great excursion to Chapada Diamantina National Park (seven hours by bus from Salvador, the state capital).
FALL IN RIO
Southern Hemisphere fall, that is. In winter (July and August), Rio de Janeiro can actually get cold, so the ideal time to visit is in autumn, after Easter. May, with hot, dry days and cool nights, is the perfect time, with only one Brazilian holiday (May 1) drawing visitors. It’s also the perfect time for a side trip to the colonial town of Paraty, where things get rainy in spring and summer.
TAKE THE BUS
Upper-middle-class Brazilians won’t tell you this, because they can’t imagine themselves on an intercity bus. But the fact is that the Brazilian bus system works well, especially if you are traveling less than 200 miles. Alas, there is little information about bus trips online (and practically none in English) so your best bet is to go to the bus station where each company’s ticket booth has clear signs listing destinations it serves. A key word in Portuguese is “direto” (gee-REH-tew), which refers to a route with fewer stops. Keep your valuables close at hand (and gadgets in your pockets) in the stations.
USE THE PANAMA CONNECTION
The most convenient airline from the United States to Brazil is probably Panama’s Copa, which has a code-share agreement with United, meaning a customer can buy a ticket with one airline but end up flying on a plane operated by the other. You can reach seven Brazilian destinations via a usually brief connection in Panama City, allowing you to, for example, arrive in Manaus in the Amazon and return from Recife in the northeast.
INTERNATIONAL SITES ARE GAINING HOLD
Booking.com has expanded rapidly in Brazil, registering pousadas (inns) and small hotels in remote places, saving foreigners from the complicated system of reservations Brazilians have invented (involving wiring deposits to innkeepers’ bank accounts). Hostelworld works well for hostels, and Airbnb is also making inroads for apartment rentals.
***
Fábio Peixoto is the editor of the Brazilian guidebook series “Guia Quatro Rodas” which publishes the Viajar Bem e Barato (“Travel Well, Travel Cheap”) guide. Here are his tips:
GO AGAINST THE FLOW
With Brazil’s strong economy, a new middle class has emerged with access to many modern comforts, including travel. That means that in season, destinations are more packed than ever. Hotel prices can triple over New Year’s and Carnival, and it doesn’t help much to book in advance. Weekends and holidays during summer (December to March) are usually hellish in terms of prices, availability and traffic. A good strategy if you’re here then is to go against the flow: spend the weekends in the big cities and weekdays on the beach. In the northeast, rains can be heavy from April to July, so September and October are great times to visit.
SNACK TRADITIONALLY
A good tip to eat for less is to focus on traditional quitutes or small, traditional dishes. In Salvador, there are dozens of street stands where baianas (women in traditional white dress) sell acarajé — a black-eyed pea fritter stuffed with shrimp, a sauce called vatapá and vegetables — for about 6 reais ($3 at 2 reais to the dollar).
In Amazonian cities you can get tacacá, a soup of shrimp and jambu, a slightly anesthetic herb, for 10 reais. In São Paulo, pastéis de feira are fried pockets of dough filled with meat, cheese or heart of palm and sold at street fairs for about 3 reais. No matter where you are, look out for the word “rodízio,” or “all you can eat.” There are all kinds of rodizios, including pizza, Japanese food or grilled meats, the latter usually accompanied by salads and side dishes. It might cost you $20, but it will be the only meal you’ll need that day.
TO RENT OR NOT TO RENT
Renting a car in the big cities is synonymous with expense and stress. Parking is complicated, and you can pay 12 reais for one hour in some places. And guys called flanelinhas will try to charge you almost as much for “taking care” of your car even if you find free street parking. Instead, find alternatives: Rio’s and São Paulo’s subway lines are small but clean and practical for getting to tourist attractions; in the northeast taxis are relatively cheap. But outside major cities, say along the coast or in national parks, being without a car means making yourself dependent on tour groups, making car rental the more cost-conscious option.
HIT THREE ISLANDS
To step outside the typical tourist trail, try these three reasonably-priced islands: Ilha Grande (reasonably close to Rio de Janeiro, with beautiful beaches and cheap lodging); Ilha de Boipeba (paradise on Earth, a 30-minute flight from Salvador, cheap as can be, and many foreign-owned inns where English is spoken); and Ilha de Marajó (an Amazonian island in Pará state, where water buffalo and tropical birds outnumber people).
***
Kevin Raub is the coordinating author for Brazil of Lonely Planet’s “South America on a Shoestring.” Follow him on Twitter @RaubOnTheRoad. Here are his tips:
HOSTELS OR BUST
If you’re on a really tight budget, it is hostels only, and even then you are going to pay more than you are accustomed to in North America or Europe. I’ve found some good value spots like Favela Chic in Foz de Iguaçu (Iguazu Falls), where you can sleep in a converted van with a double bed for 50 reais as a single traveler. It’s unique as well as affordable. In Rio, my favorite is a new place called Oztel in Botafogo, where it feels like you are sleeping in an art gallery curated by an Andy Warhol fan. Aside from the sleeping in a dorm part, you’re getting a boutique hotel for the price of a hostel.
CONSIDER THE CAPITAL
Though Brasília has a reputation of being about as friendly to budget-conscious travelers as a wasp-nest piñata, Brazil’s fascinating capital can actually be done affordably. Accommodations are expensive, but hotels slash prices on weekends. From there, it takes a little will but there is a way: buses comb the city, so you can get anywhere for two reais, flipping the script on a city that was designed for cars. Almost all the main attractions (including many monuments designed by modernist architect Oscar Niemeyer) are free, and restaurants serve all budgets.
WILDLIFE OUTSIDE THE AMAZON
The Pantanal is one of Brazil’s best-value spots to visit. Not only is it amazing in its own right, but it’s much more affordable than the Amazon and you will see much more wildlife for your money. After a one-day drive down the Transpantaneira highway, you’ll be sick of caimans, capybaras, macaws and toucans. In the Amazon you’ll pay five times the price and you’re lucky if a pink dolphin swims by once a week.
ORDER HALF
You’ll probably want to skip the traditional feijoada buffets, which are terribly good but always pricey, and go instead for the “por kilo” or pay-by-weight restaurants. Also look for PFs, or pratos feitos, homey set plates of a main course, rice, beans and juice for under 12 reais, or the slightly pricier and fancier pratos executivos or executive plates. Take advantage of the normally infuriating fact that restaurant dishes are priced and portioned generously for two. Single travelers ordering a half-portion (meia-porção) will pay 60 or 70 percent the price, but a party of three can beat Brazilian restaurants at their own illogical math game, ordering one dish and walking away with stomachs filled and wallets still stuffed.
AVOID AIRPORT TAXIS
Most big cities (including Rio, São Paulo and Brasília) offer direct and efficient airport shuttles for under 40 reais, which can offer considerable savings. I walk almost everywhere in Brazil — it’s free and you get a much better feel for Brazilian joie de vivre. Rio, São Paulo and Porto Alegre all have efficient metro systems that get you within striking distance of your destination; just leg it from there, and don’t forget about city buses. In São Paulo you can get accurate point-to-point bus directions from Google Maps, avoiding pricey taxis.
(Disclosure: Seth Kugel is speaking, unpaid, though his costs are covered, at a travel bloggers’ conference Mr. Freire has organized in Rio de Janeiro later this month.)
Follow Seth on Twitter @frugaltraveler, and at facebook.com/FrugalTraveler

This post has been revised to reflect the following correction:
Correction: September 17, 2012
An earlier version of this blog post included an incorrect description of the publishing schedule for the Viajar Bem e Barato (“Travel Well, Travel Cheap”) guide. It is published every two years, not annually. The post also included an incorrect cost for parking in some places. It is 12 reais, not $12.