Brazil: the good stuff

During the first week of The Travel Project I've peeked into the facts and places of Brazil, but this is where is gets interesting. This is the stuff you remember later whenthink of "that one time in Brazil, when..."

The first time I really fell in love with Brazil was when we covered capoeira in anthropology at college. This is the most graceful and powerful sport I know, with an amazing mix of dance, acrobatics and martial arts. It started out as a way for slaves to train themselves, yet look like they're dancing, and has evolved into a wonderful discipline that brings communities together and keeps kids out of trouble. It's development was also closely linked to the creation of various Afro-Brazilian instruments and their usage, which is also fascinating.
Check out this stylised video and this more realistic vid to understand why capoeira is on my must-experience list for Brazil.

The biggest tourist draw and arguably the biggest event in Brazil is of course the carnival about a month before Easter. Although Rio and Sao Paulo have the most famous carnivals, the big and sparkly festival takes place all over Brazil and with variations across the country. Although this isn't the biggest pull for me, if you're going to go to Brazil, this is definitely something you can't miss. I'd probably stick to the sea-side carnivals, especially those with lots of audience-participation. And of course, the carnival is a great place to see and experience the iconically sexy samba. 

There is so, so much more to explore, and I feel like I barely even touched on Brazil this week. But, after all, this project is not about knowing everything- it's about exploring what's out there and being enchanted by possibilities.
Week 1 is over and I'm quite glad I'm doing this project, even if just for myself.

Have a great Sunday
*El

photos by Timor-Leste at  UN Photo/Martine Perret and Prefeitura de Olinda

Brazil: the places

What's this about? Find out more about the Travel Project first.

I understand how important the big cities and tourist attractions are when traveling. You can't go to Brazil without seeing Rio de Janeiro, with it's famous beaches and iconic landmarks, like the Cristo Redento sculpture and the Sugarloaf peak. I wouldn't miss out on the impressive architecture of the capital, Brazilia, or the buzz of São Paulo.

The highlights are great, but I'm just not that kind of traveler. If I went to Brazil (when I go to Brazil), I'd rather hide out on the luscious islands of  Fernando de Noronha, with it's stunning nature and little towns. I'd want to see the breath-taking Iguaza waterfalls and spend as much time as possible with the locals of the culturally rich Ouro Preto or the sleepy shore town of Paraty.

A week is clearly not enough to explore this fantastically vast and diverse country, and the internet certainly does it no justice. But, just looking into some of the amazing places Brazil offers, makes me itch to get on a plane. 

For some great line-ups of Brazil must-sees, check out the Brazil travel blog and the coolist.

Thanks to Bonoboi for a great account of Fernando de Noronha
photos by Monica Indelicato and

Brazil: the facts

It's the start of my Travel Project and I'm excited to kick it off with Brazil. I'm starting the week with some basic facts everyone should know. You know, to look smart at dinner parties and general knowledge quizzes.

Firstly, Brazil is huge! With over 8 million km^2,  it hogs most of South America and is the fifth largest state world wide. Maybe that's why it's cheeky enough to be the only Portuguese speaking country on the continent.? Or it could be the centuries of Portuguese colonialism.
Things have been rocky since independence almost 90 years ago, but now Brazil has their first female president (yay!) and reminds people of cocktails and bikinis, not military dictatorship.

Brazil is all about carnival, culture and a coast line that goes on forever. It has beaches, the Amazon and the second longest river in the world. Clearly a stunning place for nature lovers.
It's also a country struggling with deforestation, severe human trafficking and one of the most unequal economies in the world. This is definitely a great place to go with a volunteering agency and help out.

This was just the meet-and-greet, but tomorrow I'll start looking at the tourist-y part of this monster of a country.
Have you been to Brazil?