Experiencing Our Friends' Brazil

We spent some of our summer to see our wonderful friends in their own country; Brazil.

We didn't have any plan to go to join the hype which fancy public relations and the tourist industry promote as "Brazil", such as the giant Jesus statue in Rio or all the fashionable people at Copacabana beach, nor even the Olympics which were being hosted in Rio this year.

                                   ( no visa necessary for this trip- visa waived due to the Olympics!- it saved a lot of money!

                                   (one of our Uber drivers !)

We chose this trip to experience the more "unseen Brazil", and visit our wonderful Brazilian friends who live in Sao Paulo

and also our another group of friends who are a couple, living in Curitiba, in Parana state, south of Sao Paulo.

We also chose to travel "off season" which is Summer in the Northern Hemisphere but Winter in places south of the Equator.

 It was my first visit to a Latin country and the first time to step foot onto the South American continent.

 ( now I could say I have visited all the continents, except Antarctica.)

In Sao Paulo as well as in Curitiba, our friends there introduced us to some more of their friends, which broadened our circle of friends

 and also our perspectives on Brazil and the wonderful Brazilian people.

We got to experience local specialties at humble local restaurants,

quaint cafes, as well as home cooking, dinner parties, and while staying with our friends at their beach cottage,

                                     (one of our days at the beach)

got a hand at grilling shark, which we bought at the local fish mongers!

We only saw a very small portion of a the largest country in South America. There are very diverse populations, ecosystems, animals and climates to be experienced, as well as more new friendships, new food experiences and more beaches to play at!

Posted in: Brazil South America gay couchsurfing Sao Paulo Curitiba fun beach