Brazil Late April

[Big Daddy]

From Tri's first post on the wonders of Brazil what now seems so long ago, I have been intent on visiting. Somehow I got side tracked last year to Montreal (great time, but not Rio) and this past October to Puerto Villarta. Well, I have now set a date for a three week visit to Brazil, leaving Phoenix on Continental AA for Rio on April 20th.

 

I will be traveling with a friend whom I finally convinced that Brazil was as safe as Phoenix. I am thinking of about a week in Rio, then 4 or 5 days in Sao Paulo, 2 days at the Falls, 2 days in Brasilia and the remaining divided between Chirbita and Porto Alegre.

 

I am planning on reserving two suites, facing Cococabana Beach, with a balcony at the Hotel Debret. At that time of the year, the rate is $55 per night (until Dec 30th, it is $45 per night)per suite. The hotel looks very nice and they do have a web site, http://www.debret.com. I would appreciate any comments that any of you may have regarding the Debret. We have decided to stay on the beach, as the saunas at worst are only a cab ride away. Needless to say, I have been following the threads daily for over two years and feel that I am at least somewhat prepared for my grand adventure. I would however appreciate any further tidbits of information, especially on what to do and see outside of Rio. Also, would appreciate any recommendations as to other cities that we should visit, other than wht I mentioned.

 

The Varig Brazil Air Pass is $530 which will take us to 5 cities. We would also be interested in taking a train or a bus. From what I have been able to find out, train service has been cut down, but is still available. Are there any first class train routes still operating that would be fun. Seeing the countryside from a train or a bus is far more intereting than from a plane. In October, my friend George took a first class bus from Guadalahara to Puerto Vallarta (to meet me)and he had a great time, other than the Federales stopped and searched the bus for contraband.

 

We are also thinking about Buenas Aires. We both speak Spanish, which would be a great advantage for us, but perhaps going there is too ambitious on our first foray into South America.

 

I want to thank Tri especially for all the information, freely given, that clearly shows his love of Brazil and her people.

 

Big Daddy

[CT Dick]

Last July I stayed in Copacabana at both the Luxor Regente (same block as the Debret) and the Copa Astoria.

 

The Astoria is in the neighborhood of both Roger's and Estacao, a short walk from the Metro, near the gay part of the beach and Maxim's, and, for late night sleeze, the Curojinha ("restaurant with the yellow awning"). The Debret is a long walk from all that.

 

I'd recommend against the Debret just for its location. I enjoyed the Copa Astoria. There has been lots of talk on this site of the Atlantica, and there is always the Palace. All these are in the same neighborhood.

 

Also, I spent some time learning how to convert my Spanish to Portuguese (fairly easy and well worth it.) on:

 

http://www.saunalahti.fi/~huuhilo/portuguese/

 

Dick

[Driver]

I stayed at the debret for my firat visit and as a nother poster here mentioned, for your first visit a sea view is something special.

 

My small suite had loveley bay windows which opened up to the beach view which was wondrous. Their restaurant also had a great view.

 

It is true that it is a walk away from maxims and jabas palace but it is nearer ipenamena and the cluster of bars at that end.

 

From memory their laundry prices were very cheap too.

[+ Axiom2001]

Buy the LONELY PLANET book about Brasil. It's superb; also might I suggest that you venture into "these here" archives at this forum? They're loaded with helpful ideas, tips, stories, etc. Lastly, Tri suggested a wonderful itinerary for me; you might find it in the previous threads of months ago. He and others suggested no more than 3 days at the falls and no more than 3-4 days in SP if you can't speak Portuguese. Since you are apparently fluent in Spanish, you should get along reasonably well in improvising and communicating and transferring. There is a major diffference in the two languages from what I was told by an American woman who was traveling alone in October of this year.

 

I just might encounter you and your friend. I plan to return sometime in April of '03 to complete what I didn't finish-- I will go to Salvador (a place that I'd suggest you and your friend go as well-- Paratay via bus-- and I. Falls (although you mentioned this... I hope what I wrote helps...

[Guest Tomcal_]

I am going to Rio from April 20th to the 28th. Right now there aer three of us from So. Calif. going. I was there in April this year and it's a great time to go, great weather, but the heat of summer is gone but still day time temps of 82 - 85

just to to make one correction to a previous poster, it is the Atlantico Hotel not the Atlantica, which is a different hotel on the ave running along the beach. the Atlantico which i posted about is on Siquiero Campos

[trilingual]

Big Daddy,

 

Your itinerary sounds fine. I'd shave a day or so off of São Paulo. If you don't have friends or business there, three days is plenty. Two or three days each is also plenty for Curitiba and Porto Alegre, if you don't know people there. None of the three cities has that many "sights," per se, so once you've seen them there's not much for a visitor to do during the day. These three cities are busy commercial centers, but they don't have beaches, so that's not available as a daytime option.

 

For some more info about Curitiba and Porto Alegre, there was a thread a couple of days back about them. Besides "Lonely Planet," I recommend the Rough Guide to Brazil and the Footprint Guides "Brazil Handbook." The Rough Guide is due for an update, but in many ways I think it's the most descriptive and has especially good material on the general background of the country and its culture.

 

I'm really not sure that there are any first class rail journeys left in Brazil. There used to be an overnight first class train between Rio and SP that operated on the weekends, at least, but I don't know if it continues to operate. I haven't heard anything about it in ages. The most scenically spectacular train ride in Brazil is probably the "Litorina" from Curitiba down to its port of Paranaguá. This used to be a morning trip (it takes about 90 minutes or so) which makes it a nice day excursion. Your hotel in Curitiba should be able to help you get information/tickets.

 

Most intercity buses are very pleasant and comfortable. Depending on how much time you have, from Rio you could take a trip down the coast to Parati for a day or two. It's a 4 hour bus ride. If you want, you can go on to SP from Parati, without returning to Rio. It's about a 7 hour trip. Lots of scenery on both routes. A shorter bus trip from Rio would be up to the old imperial summer capital at Petropolis, in the mountains behind Rio (about 90 minutes). It's a nice place to walk once you get there, mainly around the Cathedral where Dom Pedro II, the Empress, and his daughter, Princess Isabel, are entombed, and the imperial summer palace, with interesting historical collections and the Brazilian crown jewels.

 

If you have enough time, certainly you can include Buenos Aires in your itinerary. Just be sure to have at least four or five days to spend there, because there's so much to see and do. Otherwise, save it for your next trip. From Rio or SP it's about a 2-1/2 hour flight. From Porto Alegre it's a bit more than an hour.