Planning a trip to Brazil

I recently wrote a post on my Swedish food blog about planning a trip to Brazil and thought I'd share it with you here as well. If you have any tips that you think should be included please do leave a comment.

When should I go? It is worth remembering that the seasons are opposite here so when it is winter in the US/Europe it is summer here. If you want really warm weather December is perfect. The rest of the year it is pretty mild. The more south you go in the winter the colder it gets. Winter starts around June 20.

Where should I go? I am not the best person to advice in this matter I'm afraid, but I can give you some general advice. If you long to go to beautiful beaches Florianópolis is a good choice. Guia Floripa will tell you everything about what to see and do in Florianópolis. Mind you it is in Portuguese but you might still find it interesting.

The more south you go the more reminders of European culture you will see. Brazil has a lot of European immigrants, especially in the south, and some parts only speak Polish or German.

A trip to Rio De Janeiro should of course be included (you can see the famous Copa Cabana walk to the left ) and if you are a fan of amusements parks you really should not miss Beto Carrero, one of the largest parks in the world. You will need about two days to go through the whole park.

More inspiration on where to go and where to stay I suggest checking out Lonely Planet and Virtual Tourist. There you can find almost any information you are looking for.

Where should I stay? Where to stay depends totally on how thick your wallet is or to say how much you can afford to spend. Trough Hotels Combined you can get hotel prises not only for Brazil but for the rest of the world as well. Just enter where you want to go and how much you are willing to spend and they will giver you the options and prices.

You can also find hostels but in smaller cities you may have to stay at a hotel instead. Or if you are staying for a longer period of time; why not rent a house? Unfurnished house prices starts at $150/month and up. The closer to the beach the more you will be asked to pay.
How much money will I need? It is never advised to go on a holiday and try to save money meanwhile. But if you are on limited funds it might help you to know that our monthly food bill is around $200 and includes fruit, meat and everything else needed for 2 adults and one child. For the rest it all depends on where you are staying and what you will do while here.


Can I bring and use my iPod/MP3/Laptop etc? As long as you can bring it into Brazil on legal terms you should be able to use them without problems. I advice you to buy an adapter before you go, Brazil has several different sockets.

The food: What do they eat in Brazil? That is a common question from tourists. When it comes to food there are some differences as well. The northern part use more spices and fruits in the food while the rest of Brazil normally keep to a more general diet not too different from the rest of the world. You will always see chili sauce on the table but it is optional and not very strong.

Visas: Contact your embassy or consulate for questions like these.

But I don't speak Portuguese? If you want to make yourself understood a crash course in Portuguese will probably be a good idea. Most Brazilians do not speak English, if you approach teenagers you might be lucky to hold a conversation in English.

Safety: Brazil is a wonderful country and people are very open minded and talkative. Though the general advice among Brazilians are to take everything with a pinch of salt and not believe everything you are told. Not that they lie, it's a cultural thing.

If someone wants to help you with your stuff be careful and attentive. If you do not know the person it is better not to let go of your things or leave them out of sight. Avoid walking by yourself at night and especially on deserted streets. Ask at the hotel which streets you should avoid. To wander into the slum is probably not a good idea!

As long as you use common knowledge and are attentive everything should be OK. I know I absolutely love Brazil and I'm sure you would too if you come here! :)

Have a great tip about Brazil? Share!

Click on the images to see more beautiful images from Brazil!

What will the food be like?

What will the food be like?

That is a normal and very common question when you go abroad. But strange as it seems it´s never anything that has worried me. I have never thought too much about it.

When I traveled in Thailand for 6months it was a slight problem, I don´t like noodles, I don’t eat spicy food and I hate curry. So basically you could say I don´t like Thai food. But actually I do. I learned to find other kinds of food that I enjoyed. I learned how to say “fried chicken with cashew nuts". That was my favorite food when I traveled in Thailand. The way they prepare the food varies, in the south they do it one way and in the north they do it another way. I like all ways, as long as the cashew nuts are included. *lol*

And it´s the same here in Brazil of course. We in the south don´t eat the same food as they do in the north. In the north the food is more "picante" - spicy then it´s here. Or at least that’s what I’ve heard. I have never been to the north but the culinary experience is supposed to be special there.

So what will the food be like? Well that is an impossible wquestion to answer but you will surely find something you like.  You can expect a lot of rice tha´s for sure. *lol*

Technorati Tags: food, thai food, brazilian food, cashew nuts, rice

London dear London

I´ve lived in London twice. The first time I stayed for eight months and the second time for almost 6 years. Every day there are people from all over the world who comes to London to try a new life. Many end up staying, you kind of get drawn into the busy life and you usually end up liking the hectic lifestyle that comes along with it.

I love London but I´m not sure I would like to move back and work there. A holiday would be nice though. There are loads of things to do in London of course, and if you are a gourmet you can find several nice places to indulge at.
If you have never been to London but are going this is what I´d recommend you to do;

First you need to find a hotel, Cheaper than hotels.UK have got many hotels in London for you to choose from at a good price.
When you are ready to hit town you should start with a relaxing walk in one of the many parks.
I particularly like Regent´s Park that is close to Primrose Hill. Primrose Hill is a wonderful little "village" with some very nice cafe´s where you might spot famous actors if you keep your eyes open. If you have kids they might like to go to the Zoo. Perfect for a quick coffee while you make your way up to Hampstead Heath and it´s surroundings for lunch.

After all that walking you might be a bit tired so go back to your hotel room and rest for half and hour or so and then get ready for some nightlife.
There are plenty of good restaurants around and their is something for every wallet as well. If you really want to visit Gordon Ramseys or a similar famous restaurant it can be good to book a few weeks in advance as it tends to be fully reserved most of the time if not all.
if you need help finding a pub or a club check Time Out London.

Of course you should include a trip to the London Eye and Trafalgar Square. If you are staying in the center there is no need to worry you will miss Piccadilly.
Cheese lovers should visit La Fromagerie which is just off Marylebone High street, close to Baker Street. See you can visit Sherlock Holmes and still get some cheese. La Fromagerie offers high quality cheese, absolutely worth a visit.

I love musicals so I would definitely go and see a show!

But why stop in London if you are going to England? Why not reserve a hotel room in Manchester and see what the rest of England has to offer. Once again, you can easily find Hotels in Manchester where you can have a pleasant stay at an affordable price.

I stayed in London too long and got caught in the working wheel so I didn´t take advantage of the country as I should have. If I would go there again, or maybe i should say when I will go again, I will try and get out and see places I didn´t see.

Cheaper than hotels have got hotels in Birmingham as well as many other places in the UK. A good choice if you want to spend your money on something sweeter. I would rather spend it on food and fun than accommodation, that´s for sure!

If I can help with any London questions, please ask. Or maybe you have got some recommendations yourself that you would like to add? Go ahead!