Exploring Brazil

For literally hundreds of years, the country of Brazil has been viewed and respected as a perfect tropical paradise and with good reason. With the mystical Amazon, warm and hospitable people, a rich history, and plenty of activities, this is a great vacation destination. Today, more than 172 million people call Brazil home and of those, approximately 55% are of European descent, 38% are mulatto, and just 6% of African descent.

One of the things that make Brazil different historically is that unlike the Maya and Inca Indians, the people of this country never established a centralized civilization. Because of this, very little has been left behind for archaeologists to study. However, of the things found, researchers have identified some shell mounds, pottery pieces, and even a few skeletons. Over a two to six million-year history of people living in this part of the world, the population has been very, diverse. The main civilization was Portuguese but today, less than 200,000 still live in confides of the jungle.


We do know that in 1500, an explorer by the name of Pedro Alvares Cabral left Lisbon with 13 ships and a crew of 1,200, heading toward India but accidentally ended up on the shores of the now Brazil. Then just 31 years later, the King Joao III or Portugal sent the first settlers to Brazil but only a few years later, feared the European countries would try to take over so he insisted that the coast be divided into 15 captaincies, which were given to his friends. Soon, arriving colonists realized they needed help in managing the island, which brought on a huge slave trade, first with the local islanders and then by African slaves.

The 19th century brought an invasion by Napoleon’s army, the naming of the capital, and the becoming of an independent empire. This century also saw the replacement of sugarcane with coffee as the primary export, slave abolition, the growth of military presence, and then a decline in global economics for coffee. Even so, the people of Brazil continued to fight and grow. Today, we see a thriving country that still grows coffee but is also a Mecca of entertainment, water sports, sightseeing, and much more.

When visiting Brazil, you will discover that music is a big part of the lifestyle. Most of the larger cities have numerous nightclubs where you can dance into the wee hours of the morning, along with festivals that feature local musicians and street dancing. For example, in the 1930s, the Samba was popular but then with the 1950s, the Bossa Nova took over and today, the Lambada is the popular dance with its Caribbean influences. Whether dancing the Tropiclaismo or Salsa, it is all good!

Just as music is the heart and soul of the Brazilian people, food is also a large part of the culture. When dining out, the staples on the menu include white rice called Arroz, manioc flour known as Farinha, and black beans called Feijao, which are served with some type of meat such as beef, chicken, or fish. However, Moqueca is a magnificent seafood stew and one of the specialties of this country. Made from dende oil, coconut milk, okra, beans, onions, peppers, corn, and shrimp, the flavors are wonderful.

As the fifth largest country in the world, you can imagine all Brazil has to offer. Taking up about 50% of South America, the majority of this country is scarcely populated, which includes the Amazon. Unfortunately, those low populated areas are being slowly destroyed through logging although many attempts are being made to stop the destruction. If you look at the country, it is divided into four specific regions. First, you have Rio Grande do Sul and Bahia, which are on the coastal areas, although Bahia is quite flat. Second, there is the central plateau region, also known as Planalto Brasileiro. This second region stretches out over the south interior of the Amazon Basin although it is also dotted with several small mountain ranges and rivers.

The third region of Brazil is the basin to the south called Parana Paragui, which consists of scrubland, woods, and forests and then finally, the region to the north, which is the Amazon Basin, a heavily forested area of the country. Because of the diversity of the land, you also see a wide variety of flora and fauna. In fact, Brazil sits on the top of the list for the largest number of mammals, plants, and freshwater fish. Brazil then ranks second in the world for the most amphibians, third for species of birds, and fifth for reptiles.

Just as the land of Brazil is so diverse so are the seasons. The winter months run from June to August with the coldest temperatures reaching to the south, usually between 55 and 65 degrees. Then the summer months run from December to February, which can be very hot and humid. For instance, toward Rio de Janeiro, temperatures average 80 to 85 degrees but most other places of the island stay around 75 to 78 degrees. However, with the ocean, there are nice breezes that cool the hot afternoon sun.

For fun, you can visit Rio de Janeiro, which offers everything imaginable. The inhabitants of this city are called Cariocas, who are very pleasant. The beaches are beautiful and the attractions great. You will find that most of the people there live in shantytowns, which are small homes on the hillsides. Sadly, these people live in poverty and do not have the benefit of jobs, schools, or even doctors. Because of this, many of these areas are heavy with crime.

If you head over to Copacabana, you will discover the world’s most, pristine beach. Stretching out three miles, this particular beach is always busy. Another exciting and chic beach is called Ipanema or you might check out some of the smaller beaches to include Barra da Tijuca, Flamengo, Arpoadr, and Pepino. While in Rio, you can also enjoy taking a cable car ride up 1,300 feet at Pao de Acucar, translating to “Sugar Loaf.” From there, you can see the magnificent city of Rio.

Other places to visit while in Brazil include Brasilia, the current capital city, Sao Paulo, the largest of all Brazilian cities with an estimated 17 million people, The Pantanal, where you can enjoy some of the most beautiful wildlife ever seen, or Salvador da Bahia, a vibrant city with historical sites, fabulous restaurants, and electrifying nightlife. Finally, the Foz do Lguacu, also called Iguacu Falls, is a costal mountain range that is nothing less than majestic.

Remember, when visiting Brazil that you will have hundreds of things to do and see. There is hang-gliding near Pepino beach, surfing, wind surfing, sailing, swimming, fishing, and other great water sports or if you prefer, you can go hiking to explore some of the national and state parks. Between the professional sports, outdoor activities, dining and dancing, you will have an amazing time while in Brazil.


Last Updated: 10/19/2006 3:14:00 PM

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