Travelrific® Travel Journal
Picture postcards in prose.™ Check out the blogroll on the front page for official merchandise and other resources!Archive for brazil
Rio’s Famous Steps
By Linda Tancs
One of the most iconic landmarks in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is the Escadaria Selarón, a 250-step staircase decorated with more than 2,000 colorful, hand-painted tiles from around the world. Created by Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón, the formerly run-down outdoor staircase in Rio’s downtown is now one of the city’s most photographed masterpieces. The nearest metro station is Cinelândia, from which you can walk or take a taxi to the steps.
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Meeting of the Waters
By Linda Tancs
The Meeting of the Waters is the confluence between the dark Rio Negro and the pale, sandy-colored Amazon River, referred to as the Solimões River in Brazil upriver of this confluence. For nearly 4 miles the two Amazon tributaries flow side by side without mixing, forming a boundary that’s visible from space. The phenomenon is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Manaus, Brazil. Several guided tours will take you there; you might also experience it on a cruise ship.
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Opera in the Amazon
By Linda Tancs
The Amazon Theatre (Teatro Amazonas) is an opera house located in Manaus in the heart of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil. Built at the height of the rubber industry, this jewel in the rainforest features a tiled mosaic dome in the colors of the Brazilian flag. It has a capacity of 701 seats and houses the Amazonas Philharmonic Orchestra. Located in front of Plaza San Sebastián, it also hosts the annual Amazonas Opera Festival. Guided tours, in English, are offered throughout the day.
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Older Than Yellowstone
By Linda Tancs
Brazil’s Tijuca National Park in Rio is older than Yellowstone, which was established in 1872. It’s a bragging point, of course, as is the fact that it’s one of the largest urban forests in the world. Part of the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Preserve, it should come as no surprise that it’s a haven for more than 1,600 plant species and more than 300 different species of mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles. Covering more than 9,600 acres, it’s divided into three sectors: Forest, the Carioca Range and Pedra Bonita/Pedra da Gávea. Hiking trails abound in the forest sector; the more adventurous will find activities like rock climbing and hang gliding at Pedra Bonita and Gávea. Carioca is home to the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue, the only part of the park requiring an entrance fee.
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Brazil’s Pantanal
By Linda Tancs
Larger than 29 U.S. states and at least nine European countries, the Pantanal is the world’s largest wetland system. Although Brazil lays claim to most of the region, it also sprawls into Bolivia and Paraguay. Partly comprising a UNESCO World Heritage Site as well as a Biosphere Reserve, it contains the highest concentration of some wildlife species, including the jaguar and caiman, and is home to the biggest parrot on the planet, the hyacinth macaw. The highlight of any visit to western Brazil, many tourists prefer the drier winter season (around June to September) but the end of the rainy summer season (April) offers photographers irresistible views of the flooding and receding of the waters.
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The Venice of Brazil
By Linda Tancs
Embraced by the Atlantic Ocean, the Brazilian city of Recife developed as a city of trade and as a major port. It’s known as “the Venice of Brazil” because the city is crossed by waterways linked by numerous bridges. Recife Antigo (the old town) offers glimpses into the city’s colonial past following the Dutch and Portuguese occupations. Other sites to visit include the Mamulengo Theatre (puppet theatre, a staple in northeast Brazil) and Paço do Frevo, a cultural space dedicated to frevo dance and music, which has been recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.
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The Other Brazilian Rainforest
By Linda Tancs
Although nearly adjacent to the Amazon, Brazil’s Atlantic Forest (Mata Atlântica) is the lesser-known cousin. One of the five most diverse hotspots in the world, this tropical and subtropical rainforest once stretched along the Atlantic Coast of Brazil for a whopping 476,000 square miles. Today, its footprint is much smaller (at around 38,600 square miles) due to centuries of deforestation for timber, sugar cane, coffee, cattle ranching and urban sprawl. In fact, two of the world’s largest cities, Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, were both built over it. A small percentage of the land is protected, most notably in Chapada Diamantina National Park, where one of the country’s highest waterfalls (Cachoeira da Fumaca) is found. It’s so high that the water vaporizes before it hits the ground, earning it the name “Smoke Waterfall.”
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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A Tough Trek in Rio
By Linda Tancs
Pedra da Gávea is Rio de Janeiro’s most imposing monolith. The trek to the top is also the most arduous, commanding at least three hours. The hardest leg of the trail, known as Carrasqueira, is a steep climb leading to rewarding, bird’s-eye views of Sugarloaf, Corcovado, the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema and even the Serra dos Órgãos mountain range. Hire an experienced guide for the safest experience.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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Gateway to the Amazon
By Linda Tancs
Known as the Gateway to the Amazon, Belém is the capital of the Brazilian state of Pará. Founded by the Portuguese in the 1600s, the city boasts well-preserved, Portuguese-colonial architecture along the riverfront district. The docklands also feature South America’s largest outdoor market, Mercado Ver-o-Peso, a site offering not only foods and vegetables but also crafts and antiques. A big highlight this time of year is the city’s religious festival known as Círio de Nazaré (The Taper of Our Lady of Nazareth), inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The event culminates in a procession on Sunday, when a wooden image of Our Lady of Nazareth is carried from Sé Cathedral to Sanctuary Square, accompanied by hordes of pilgrims from around the country.
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To limit the spread of COVID-19, attractions may be closed or have partial closures. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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A Resurrected Ox in Brazil
By Linda Tancs
You might be surprised to learn that one of Brazil’s biggest festivals centers around the story of a resurrected ox. Popularly known as Boi Bumbá, it’s second only to Carnival in Rio in terms of popularity, no small feat considering its locale in the middle of the Amazon. The legend goes that a farmer killed a wealthy landowner’s favorite ox (boi) to satisfy his wife’s craving, creating a feud that resolved only when the local medicine doctor succeeded in bringing the prized animal back to life. The story is told over the last weekend in June by a maze of dancers in a presentation that’s partly theatrical, musical, puppet show, religious procession and tribal ritual. Held in Parintins, it’s an easy flight away from Manaus.
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As coronavirus proceeds, it is likely that the vast majority of us will be limited in our travels. But this, too, shall pass. Our love for travel remains, so Travelrific will continue offering travel inspiration in this medium. Please keep those affected by the virus in your thoughts and be sure to follow the safety practices advocated by the Centers for Disease Control. Stay safe, and be well.
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