Puma Trading System Brazil

Equipe de liderança Pierre Eladari, Diretor Executivo Pierre ingressou na Trafigura em 2004 e liderou o processo de produção de Puma Energy. Anteriormente, ele passou três anos no Boston Consulting Group em uma variedade de tarefas internacionais. Antes que Pierre fosse empregado por Elf (agora Total) em uma variedade de papéis internacionais em suas divisões de downstream e trading. Possui diploma de engenharia da Ecole Polytechnique em Paris e um diploma de engenharia da Ecole des Mines. Denis Chazarain Diretor Financeiro Denis ingressou na Puma Energy em setembro de 2008 como CFO. Ele teve vários papéis de finanças em Total (Downstream), Addax amp Oryx (CFO e GM de Downstream) e Vallourec (CFO da Divisão de Petróleo e Gás). Denis possui MPhil em relações internacionais da Panthon-Sorbonne Universit e MCs do Institut dEtudes Politiques de Paris. Christophe Zyde, Diretor de Operações do Grupo, Christophe, se juntou à Trafigura em 2010 como Chefe do Comércio de Metais Trafiguras para a África e foi nomeado Diretor de Operações para a nossa região de África em maio de 2011. Ele foi nomeado Diretor de Operações do Grupo em 1º de maio de 2016. Anteriormente trabalhou para Umicore em uma variedade de funções operacionais e de gestão geral. Christophe é formado em engenharia pela Ecole Polytechnique em Bruxelas. Robert Jones, Chief Operating Officer, Ásia-Pacífico e Oriente Médio, Robert ingressou na Trafigura em 2002 como Gerente de Projetos e Investimentos na divisão de ativos de petróleo. Anteriormente trabalhou para Arthur Andersen e Deloitte amp Touche em uma variedade de papéis dentro das finanças e MampA. Robert possui um diploma de Honores de primeira classe da Universidade de Cambridge e é um contador fretado qualificado (ICAEW). Jonathan Molapo Diretor de Operações, África Jonathan juntou-se à Puma Energy em 2015 como Gerente Geral da Puma Regional Southern Africa e recentemente foi nomeado Chief Operating Officer para a região da África. Anteriormente trabalhou para Total, onde foi vice-presidente executivo responsável pela África Central e Oriental, com sede em Paris. Ele é um cidadão sul-africano e um profissional sazonal que tem uma experiência pan-africana significativa em nosso setor, tendo anteriormente sido um Diretor Geral do país para Total e também responsável pelo fornecimento de combustível e lubrificantes da Totals na África do Sul. Jonathan é formado em economia pela Laurentian University Canada. Antonio Mawad, chefe global de operações da Midstream, juntou-se à Puma Energy em 2013 em Genebra como consultor de projetos sênior. Ele tem uma grande experiência na indústria do petróleo após 32 anos de atividade em operações de refinaria, otimização logística e redes de abastecimento. Ele começou sua carreira em 1983 com PDVSA-Venezuela, em diferentes funções de Engenharia, Operações, Comissionamento e Fornecimento antes de se juntar à Petroplus na Suíça em 2007. Antonio possui um título de engenheiro químico da Universidade Simon Bolivar-Caracas e um diploma de engenharia em refinação de petróleo de O Instituto Francês do Petróleo em Paris. Gerente Geral de Raymond Taylor, Austrália Raymond ingressou no Grupo Trafigura em 2011 como Gerente Geral de Petróleo do País, antes nomeado Gerente Geral da Austrália em 2013. Em abril de 2016, Raymond foi nomeado para o Comitê Executivo do Grupo. Anteriormente trabalhou para a BP como CEO Asia LPG e CampI Business no Reino Unido. Raymond é licenciado em química pela Universidade Curtin da Austrália. Diretor de Operações da Rodrigo Zavala, a Americas Rodrigo juntou-se à Puma Energy em 2011 para liderar a fusão das instalações de armazenamento da Exxons Centam no negócio e depois se tornou nossa Gerente Geral no Paraguai. Anteriormente, ele passou 11 anos na Petrobras em MampA, planejamento logístico de refinaria e marketing na Argentina, Brasil e Chile. Antes disso, ele trabalhou para a Shell, onde começou em finanças e terminou como gerente de área de varejo. Rodrigo possui um diploma de economia da Universidade de Belgrano e um MBA da Universidad del CEMA na Argentina. Jonathan Pegler Chefe Global de Suprimentos e Comercialização Jonathan Pegler juntou-se à Puma Energy em outubro de 2015. Antes de se juntar à Puma Energy, Jonathan foi co-chefe global de operações de petróleo bruto e chefe de petróleo da Ásia para a Trafigura, com sede em Cingapura. Ele ingressou na Trafigura em 2005 e foi nomeado diretor da Trafigura PTE em 2011. Jonathan foi chefe do negócio de destilação global da Trafiguras, com sede na Europa, antes de se mudar para Cingapura em 2012. Antes da Trafigura Jonathan trabalhou por 4 anos na Amerada Hess e 9 anos na BP trading Óleo físico através do barril. Na BP, ocupou o cargo de gerente comercial europeu, gerenciando portfólios de negócios para produtos e gerenciamento de riscos do sistema downstream europeu da BP. Jonathan se formou na Universidade da Cidade em Londres com um BSc em Engenharia Aeronáutica. NOTA: O CDC identificou o Brasil como uma área afetada do surto Zika. Recomenda-se que mulheres grávidas sejam cautelosas, pois o vírus pode levar a defeitos congênitos. Os adultos afetados pelo vírus experimentam febre, erupções cutâneas, dor nas articulações e conjuntivite (olhos vermelhos) tipicamente por semana. Você pode aprender mais visitando o site oficial do CDC. Real brasileiro (BRL) 8,514,877 km de água: 55,460 km de terra: 8,459,417 km oficial: portugueses reconhecidos em alguns estados: Talian, Pomeranian, Hunsrik e alemão também falados: 180 línguas indígenas, ingleses e espanhol Católica Romana 64,6, Protestante 22,2, nenhuma 8.0 (Censo de 2010) O Brasil (Brasil: Brasil) é o maior país da América do Sul e o quinto maior do mundo. Famosa por sua tradição de futebol (futebol) e seu Carnaval anual no Rio de Janeiro. Salvador. Recife e Olinda. É um país de grande diversidade, do movimentado mosaico urbano de So Paulo à infinita energia cultural de Pernambuco e da Bahia. A região selvagem da floresta amazônica e marcos de classe mundial, como as Cataratas do Iguaçu. Há muito o que ver e fazer no Brasil. Compreender editar O Brasil era habitado exclusivamente por indígenas, principalmente dos grupos étnicos Tupi e Guarani. A colonização dos portugueses começou no final do século 16, com a extração de madeira valiosa da árvore de pau brasil, a partir da qual o país chama seu nome. O Brasil foi colonizado pelos portugueses e não o espanhol, assim como o resto do Centro, Sul e partes da América do Norte no Novo Mundo. Apesar do governo português, em algumas partes do Brasil as colônias fundadas holandesas entre 1630 e 1654. Eles fundaram várias cidades, como Mauritsville (agora Recife, capital do estado de Pernambuco, na borda do Nordeste do país) e Muitas plantações de cana-de-açúcar. Os holandeses lutaram contra uma triste guerra da selva com os portugueses, e sem o apoio da República da sua pátria devido a uma guerra com a Inglaterra, os holandeses renderam-se aos portugueses, embora não reconhecessem oficialmente o domínio português, o que levou a um todo - Guerra em Portugal ao largo da costa de Portugal em 1656. Em 1665, o Tratado de Paz de Haia foi assinado, Portugal perdeu suas colônias asiáticas e teve que pagar 63 toneladas de ouro para compensar a República Holandesa pela perda de sua colônia. O Brasil tornou-se o centro do Império Português em 1808, quando o rei Dom Joo VI (João VI) fugiu da invasão napoleônica de Portugal e estabeleceu-se e seu governo na cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Nos séculos seguintes, houve uma maior exploração das riquezas naturais do país, como ouro e borracha, ao lado do aumento de uma economia baseada em açúcar, café e trabalho escravo africano. Enquanto isso, o extermínio e cristianização dos nativos manteve o ritmo, e nos séculos 19 e 20 ocorreu uma segunda onda de imigração, principalmente italiana, alemã (no sul do Brasil), espanhol, japonês (nos estados de So Paulo e Paran) e portugueses, Tornando a cultura e a sociedade brasileiras complexas e únicas. Após três séculos sob o domínio de Portugal, o Brasil tornou-se uma nação independente em 7 de setembro de 1822. Até 1889, o Brasil era um Império sob o domínio de Dom Pedro I e seu filho Dom Pedro II. Por essa altura, tornou-se um poder internacional emergente. Mas durante estes três séculos e meio, o Brasil era a nação das Américas com a escravidão mais difundida, a primeira a levar os africanos a trabalhar pela força e o último a libertá-los. Devido às leis inglesas contra a escravidão (alguns argumentam mais para os concursos econômicos do que as razões da humanidade) e a luta entre brancos e negros, escravos e livres, para abolição, a escravidão terminou em 1888. Mas a liberdade não significava igualdade para os negros agora livres e Seus descendentes. De longe, o país maior e mais populoso da América Latina, também superou mais de duas décadas (1964-1985) da ditadura militar que prendeu, exilou, torturou e assolou inimigos potenciais, a maioria civis inocentes. Estes tempos obscuros são conhecidos como Os Anos de Chumbo (Anos de Chumbo). Somente recentemente, com o estabelecimento de uma Comissão Nacional de Verdade (2011), a nação começou a enfrentar os abusos dos direitos humanos que acompanharam o golpe apoiado pelos EUA que derrubou o Joo Goulart, eleito democraticamente, em 1964. O Brasil retornou ao domínio democrático, enquanto Enfrentando o desafio de manter seu crescimento industrial e agrícola e desenvolver o seu interior. Explorando vastos recursos naturais e uma grande reserva de mão-de-obra, o Brasil é um poder econômico da América Latina e um líder regional. O Brasil tem altas taxas de criminalidade, desigualdade de renda e corrupção sistêmica e secular. Apesar disso, as pessoas tentam permanecer felizes e festivas. Cultura editada Devido a dimensões continentais do Brasil, geografia variada, história e pessoas, a cultura do país é rica e diversificada. Tem grandes variações regionais (mesmo entre os Estados vizinhos, às vezes) e apesar de serem unicamente unificadas por uma única língua, algumas regiões e Estados são tão diferentes um do outro que se parecem com países diferentes. A música desempenha um papel importante na identidade brasileira. Estilos como o choro. Samba e bossa nova são considerados genuinamente brasileiros. A música de Caipira também está nas raízes do sertanejo. O equivalente nacional à música country. MPB significa Música Popular Brasileira, que mistura vários estilos nacionais sob um único conceito. Forr. Um estilo de música de dança feliz no nordeste, também se tornou comum em todo o país. Novos estilos urbanos incluem funk - nome dado a um gênero de música de dança de Rios favelas que mistura batidas eletrônicas pesadas e muitas vezes raunchy rapping - e techno-brega. Um prazer de multidão nos estados do norte, que funde o pop romântico, música de dança e ritmos caribenhos. O funk brasileiro é o tipo mais popular de música que eles escutam. Tem uma batida constante e repetida que é sempre a mesma, nunca muda. Eles mantêm a batida e cantam músicas para ela. Existem mais de 1000 músicas que são funk. Você pode pensar que as pessoas se cansam do mesmo ritmo, mas não. É tão impressionante que existem tantas músicas que nunca envelhecem. Funk poderia ser considerado tradição devido à sua força no ritmo e reunir as pessoas. Uma mistura de artes marciais, dança, música e jogo, a capoeira foi criada por escravos africanos trazidos para o Brasil, principalmente do português Angola. Distinguido por vivos movimentos complicados e música acompanhante, pode ser visto e praticado em muitas cidades brasileiras. Na música clássica, o Período neoclássico é particularmente notável, devido aos trabalhos de compositores como Heitor Villa-Lobos e Camargo Guarnieri, que criaram uma escola típica brasileira, misturando elementos da música européia tradicional com os ritmos brasileiros, enquanto outros compositores como Cludio Santoro seguiu as diretrizes da Segunda Escola de Viena. No período romântico, o nome mais importante foi Antonio Carlos Gomes, autor de algumas óperas de estilo italiano com temas típicos brasileiros, como Il Guarany e Lo Schiavo. No Período Clássico, o nome mais proeminente é Jos Maurcio Nunes Garcia, um sacerdote que escreveu música sagrada e secular e foi muito influenciado pelo estilo clássico vienense do século 18 e início do século XIX. Candomble e Umbanda são religiões com raízes africanas que sobreviveram ao preconceito e à perseguição e ainda têm um seguimento significativo no Brasil. Seus lugares de culto são chamados terreiros e muitos estão abertos para visitar. Os traços indígenas podem ser encontrados especialmente na Região Norte, da culinária ao vocabulário. Ainda existem muitos grupos indígenas e tribos que vivem no Norte, embora muitos tenham sido profundamente influenciados pela cultura ocidental e vários países que sobrevivem às línguas indígenas estão em perigo. O estilo de vida tradicional e as expressões gráficas do grupo indígena Wajpi do estado do Amap foram proclamados obra-prima do Patrimônio Intangível Mundial pela UNESCO. A Globo, a maior rede de televisão nacional, também desempenha um papel importante na definição da identidade nacional e da opinião pública. Nove em dez casas têm um aparelho de TV, que é a fonte mais importante de informação e entretenimento para a maioria dos brasileiros, seguido da transmissão de rádio. TVs transmitem esportes, filmes, notícias locais e nacionais e telenovelas (novelas) séries de 6 a 10 meses de duração que se tornaram uma das principais exportações culturais do país. As pessoas editam Ao longo de sua história, o Brasil recebeu vários povos e práticas diferentes. O Brasil constitui um caldeirão dos mais diversos grupos étnicos, assim, atenuando os preconceitos étnicos e prevenindo os conflitos raciais, embora a escravidão e o genocídio duradouros entre as populações indígenas tenham atingido seu peso. O preconceito é sneaky, uma vez que este assunto é um tabu no Brasil e mais dirigido para diferentes classes sociais do que entre as raças. No entanto, a raça, ou simplesmente a cor da pele, ainda é um fator de divisão na sociedade brasileira e você notará que a pele normalmente escurece à medida que a classe social diminui: as pessoas de classe alta são quase brancas, algumas das classes médias são mulatos ) E até mesmo negros e a maioria das pessoas pobres é negra - exceto na Região Sul porque os negros e os mulatos compõem menos de 10 da sua população. Hoje em dia, no entanto, as populações afrobrasileiras e ameríndias estão cada vez mais conscientes dos seus direitos civis e do seu rico património cultural, e a mobilidade social é realizável através da educação. Em geral, os brasileiros são pessoas divertidas. Enquanto os sulistas podem ser um pouco mais frio e mais reservados, do Rio para cima as pessoas geralmente possuem uma atitude cativante em relação à vida e realmente gostam de ter um bom tempo. Alguns podem até dizer que cerveja, futebol, samba, churrasco e mulher é tudo o que eles poderiam desejar. A amizade e a hospitalidade são traços altamente elogiados, e as conexões familiares e sociais são fortemente valorizadas. Para as pessoas que conheciam, ou pelo menos sabem pelo nome, os brasileiros geralmente são muito abertos, amigáveis ​​e às vezes bastante generosos. Uma vez introduzido, até obter uma boa razão para não, um brasileiro típico pode tratá-lo tão calorosamente como ele trataria um melhor amigo. Os brasileiros são uma das pessoas mais hospitaleiras do mundo e os estrangeiros geralmente são tratados com respeito e muitas vezes com verdadeira admiração. As atitudes em relação aos estrangeiros também podem ser sujeitas a algum tratamento de diferença: na maioria das cidades, qualquer pessoa que fala, atue ou pareça um turista (mesmo outros brasileiros) poderia cobrar preços mais altos, como estacionamento, restaurantes, shoppings, etc. . Os brasileiros parecem ser genuinamente amigáveis, mas muitos são usados ​​para pequenos atos de corrupção em suas vidas cotidianas, o chamado jeitinho brasileiro. As pessoas do Rio de Janeiro se gabam de sua capacidade de superar as pessoas (especialmente de outros países e estados brasileiros) e até apelidam de seu Estado Terra de Malandro (Weasel Land). Se você, obviamente, parece um turista, você é um alvo potencial, por exemplo, um fornecedor pode tentar vender bens a preços mais altos, ou um motorista de táxi pode escolher o caminho mais longo para o destino. Isso não significa que você não pode confiar em ninguém, só que você tem que estar um pouco mais alerta e cuidadoso, especialmente se alguém parecer muito amigável. Observe em alguns estados que as pessoas chamam todos os amigos, independentemente do grau de intimidade que têm entre si, apenas como boas maneiras. Considerando que as raízes ocidentais da cultura brasileira são em grande parte européias, especialmente ibéricas, como evidenciado por suas cidades coloniais e até mesmo edifícios históricos esporádicos entre os arranha-céus, houve uma forte tendência nas últimas décadas de adotar um modo de vida mais americano que é encontrado em Cultura e arquitetura urbana, mídia de massa, consumismo e um sentimento fortemente positivo para o progresso técnico. Apesar disso, o Brasil ainda é uma nação voltada para o Atlântico, não para a América hispânica. Os brasileiros não são hispânicos. Alguns podem ser ofendidos se um visitante diz abertamente isso ou tende a acreditar que os brasileiros têm espanhol como língua primária ou secundária, os visitantes receberão uma recepção mais calorosa se tentarem conversar em português, mas mesmo que o visitante fale espanhol em direção a brasileiros , Eles provavelmente responderão em português. Os contrastes neste enorme país também fascinam e choca a maioria dos visitantes, especialmente os europeus, bem como a indiferença de muitos moradores em relação aos problemas sociais, econômicos e ecológicos. Considerando que uma elite emergente de profissionais jovens e bem educados se dedica às comodidades da sociedade moderna, o trabalho infantil, o analfabetismo e as condições de habitação sub-humanas ainda existem mesmo em regiões abençoadas pelo crescimento econômico e grandes investimentos estrangeiros, como So Paulo ou Rio. Tanto quanto os brasileiros reconhecem sua auto-sustentabilidade em matérias-primas, agricultura e fontes de energia como um enorme benefício para o futuro, a maioria concorda que, sem grandes esforços na educação, dificilmente haverá uma saída para a pobreza e o subdesenvolvimento. Desde o início do século XXI, o Brasil enfrentou uma crescente onda de imigração da China. Bolívia. Colômbia. Peru. Nigéria. Haiti e Angola. O Brasil também tem um número crescente de imigrantes do Oriente Médio. Especialmente da Síria. Climate edit O Brasil é um país enorme com diferentes zonas climáticas. No norte. Perto do equador, há uma estação úmida e seca de cerca de So Paulo até o sul há springsummerfallwinter. O tempo muda constantemente e às vezes é uma surpresa. Pode ser quente, depois esfriar e ficar muito frio. Pode ser ensolarado 1 minuto e começar a chover no segundo minuto. O clima quente é perfeito para a praia e brincar lá fora. Férias e horas de trabalho editar O Brasil observa os seguintes 13 feriados nacionais. Ano Novo - 1 de janeiro Carnaval - FebruaryMarch (Movable - 7 semanas antes da Páscoa. Segunda e terça-feira são os feriados reais, mas as comemorações geralmente começam no sábado e duram até as 12:00 da quarta-feira da cinza, quando as lojas e os serviços se reabriam) Sexta-feira Santa - MarchApril (mobiliário) dois dias antes do Domingo de Páscoa Tiradentes - 21 de abril Dia do Trabalho - 1 de maio Corpus Christi - MayJune (móveis) sessenta dias após o Dia da Páscoa Dia da Independência - 7 de setembro Patrona do Brasil - 12 de outubro Dia de Todos os Souls (Finados) - 2 de novembro República - 15 de novembro Natal - 25 de dezembro O horário de trabalho geralmente é das 08:00 ou das 09:00 às 17:00 ou 18:00. Os bancos abrem de segunda a sexta-feira, das 10: 00-16: 00. As lojas de rua tendem a fechar ao meio-dia no sábado e apenas reabriram na segunda-feira. Os shoppings normalmente abrem das 10: 00-22: 00, de segunda a sábado e das 15: 00-21: 00 aos domingos. Alguns centros comerciais, especialmente em grandes cidades, também estão abertos aos domingos, embora nem todas as lojas possam estar abertas. Também é possível encontrar lojas 24 horas e pequenos mercados abertos até aos domingos. Edição de eletricidade O Brasil é um dos poucos países que usa 110 e 220 volts para eletrodomesticos todos os dias. Espere que a tensão mude de um lado para o outro, mesmo no mesmo estado brasileiro, às vezes mesmo dentro do mesmo prédio. Não há diferença física nas tomadas elétricas (rede elétrica) para as duas tensões. Embora o Brasil tenha seu próprio tipo de tomada elétrica, quase ninguém o usa. As tomadas elétricas geralmente aceitam fichas planas (norte-americanas) e redondas (européias). Caso contrário, adaptadores de lâminas planas para pinos redondos são fáceis de encontrar em qualquer supermercado ou loja de ferragens. Alguns pontos de venda são muito estreitos para as fichas Schuko alemãs. A melhor solução improvisada é comprar uma conexão T barata e apenas forçar seu Schuko, - o T vai quebrar, mas funcionará. Muito poucos pontos de venda têm um ponto de aterramento, e alguns podem não aceitar novas fichas polarizadas norte-americanas, onde um pino é ligeiramente maior. Novamente, use o T. barato perto da fronteira com a Argentina. Você ocasionalmente pode encontrar saídas para o plugue AustraliaNew Zealand-type. Se cruzar a borda, provavelmente você também precisará desse adaptador. Em 20092010, a IEC 60906-1 foi introduzida no Brasil e alguns edifícios mais novos já o possuem. É compatível com o Europlug, mas tem um soquete recuado. Mais uma vez, os T-plugs podem ser usados ​​como adaptadores para outros formatos comuns. A freqüência é de 60Hz, o que pode interferir com relógios elétricos de 50Hz. Os apagões são cada vez menos freqüentes, mas você corre sempre um risco no pico da alta temporada em pequenas cidades turísticas. Regiões editar Regiões do Brasil O Brasil tem muitas cidades excitantes, desde belas cidades coloniais e esconderijos costeiros até as metrópoles agitadas e vivas, são alguns dos destinos de viagem mais proeminentes: Braslia - A capital do Brasil e um espetáculo arquitetônico. Edifícios notáveis ​​incluem uma catedral em forma de cesto, o belo Palácio dos Arcos (sede do Ministério da Justiça) e outros. Florianpolis - A cidade está localizada em uma ilha no Oceano Atlântico, no sul do estado de Santa Catarina, com lagos, lagoas, natureza surpreendente e mais de 40 praias limpas, lindas e naturais. Destino principal para os argentinos durante os meses de verão. Fortaleza - A quinta maior cidade do Brasil, abençoada com belas praias. Casa do mercado de rua Iracema Beach. Uma boa base para explorar as praias da costa do Nordeste, incluindo Jericoacoara. Famosa pela música forr e comediantes. Manaus - Localizado no coração da Amazônia, é a capital do estado do Amazonas e também é a maior cidade da Amazônia. Em Manaus os rios Negro e Solimes se encontram para se tornar o rio Amazonas. O melhor lugar para visitar a floresta amazônica. É uma porta de entrada para o Parque Nacional Anavilhanas e Ja. Porto Alegre - uma grande cidade entre Argentina e So Paulo e porta de entrada para os fabulosos Canyons verdes do Brasil. Recife - Uma cidade na região Nordeste, originalmente instalada por colonizadores holandeses. Apelidado de Veneza brasileira, é construído em várias ilhas ligadas por muitas pontes. Rico em história, arte e folclore. Não perca a vizinha Olinda e Porto de Galinhas. A cidade também é uma porta de entrada para o incrível arquipélago de Fernando de Noronha. Rio de Janeiro - Cidade mundialmente famosa e bonita que recebe os visitantes com uma grande estátua de um Jesus de braços abertos no topo do Monte Corcovado. Salvador - A primeira capital do Brasil é o lar de uma mistura única de culturas indígenas, africanas e européias. Sua diversão no Carnaval é famosa e a influência da cultura e da religião africanas é notável. Então Paulo - Brazils é a cidade maior, mais rica e cosmopolita, onde você pode encontrar fortes influências de diversas etnias, incluindo italiano, coreano, japonês, alemão, russo, caribeño, grego e árabe. Outros destinos editar Vista aérea da Floresta Amazônica Amazônia - passeios na selva, vida selvagem, madeira flutuada, os mistérios da Amazônia Chapada Diamantina National Park Chapada dos Veadeiros 8212 cerrado (savana tropical) vida selvagem e cachoeiras deslumbrantes Fernando de Noronha 8212 paraíso tropical da ilha no No meio do Oceano Atlântico, é protegido como um Parque Nacional Marinho desde 1997 e um site do Patrimônio Mundial da Cidade Ilha Grande - uma bela ilha brasileira, a cerca de 150 km do Rio de Janeiro Iguau Falls 8212 cachoeiras mundialmente famosas Ilha do Maraj - uma ilha no Boca do rio Amazonas Ilha do Mel (Ilha do Mel) - área ecológica protegida na costa de Paran, apresenta as praias mais bonitas deste estado. A partir daí, podem ser alcançadas outras duas ilhas: Superagi e Ilha das Peas, ambas partes do Parque Nacional do Superagi (patrimônio natural da UNESCO). Lenis Maranhenses Pantanal 8212, a maior zona húmida do mundo, hospeda muito ecoturismo e uma vasta biodiversidade, incluindo caiman, jaguar, anaconda, ostentoso gigante, primatas, lontra gigante e piranha Itacare. Uma cidade incrivelmente bela de pesca e surf na costa do sul da Bahia, onde Rio Contas e a floresta tropical encontram o Oceano Atlântico. Famosa por ter algumas das melhores praias de surf no Brasil e por suas plantações de cacau, o ingrediente bruto para fazer chocolate. Editar Editar Editar Editar O Brasil tem uma política de visto recíproca com todos os países, o que significa que, sempre que os preços e as restrições são aplicadas ao país brasileiro, o Brasil adota as mesmas medidas para os visitantes do país. Cidadãos da Argentina, Bolívia, Chile, Colômbia, Equador, Paraguai, Peru e Uruguai podem entrar no país com um cartão de identidade válido e ficar até 90 dias. Os cidadãos venezuelanos podem entrar no país com um cartão de identidade válido e ficar até 60 dias. Nenhum visto é exigido para estadias de até 90 dias de titulares de passaportes desses países, a menos que indicado de outra forma: Andorra, Argentina, Áustria, Bahamas, Barbados, Bélgica, Bolívia, Bulgária, Chile, Colômbia, Costa Rica, Croácia, Rep. Tcheca Dinamarca, Equador, El Salvador, Estônia, Finlândia, França, Alemanha, Grécia, Guatemala, Guiana, Honduras, passaporte da RAE de Hong Kong, Hungria, Islândia, Irlanda, Israel, Itália, Coréia do Sul, Letônia, Liechtenstein, Lituânia, Luxemburgo, Macau, Malásia, Malta, México, Mônaco, Marrocos, Namíbia, Países Baixos, Nova Zelândia, Noruega, Panamá, Paraguai, Peru, Filipinas, Polônia, Portugal, Romênia, Rússia, São Marinho, Cingapura (30 dias), Eslováquia, Eslovênia, África do Sul, Espanha, Suriname, Suécia, Suíça, Tailândia, Trinidad e Tobago, Tunísia, Turquia, Reino Unido (incluindo os titulares de passaportes nacionais britânicos (ultramarinos), Uruguai, Venezuela (60 dias) e Cidade do Vaticano. Tenha em atenção que o funcionário da imigração tem o direito de restringir o seu visto a menos de 90 dias, se o julgar adequado. (Isso foi feito rotineiramente para viajantes masculinos solitários que chegam em Fortaleza, supostamente para combater o turismo de prostituição). Ele então indicará o número de dias (por exemplo, 60 ou 30) na escrita de caneta dentro do selo apenas dado no seu passaporte se não, ele Permanece como 90 dias. Além disso, de 1 de junho a 18 de setembro de 2016, por ocasião dos Jogos Olímpicos e Paraolímpicos do Rio de Janeiro, os cidadãos da Austrália, do Canadá, do Japão e dos Estados Unidos ficarão isentos dos requisitos de visto para estadias não superiores a 90 dias para o turismo só . (Esta isenção não exige que os viajantes participem dos Jogos Olímpicos.) 1 Cidadãos de todos os outros países (lista completa 2) exigem um visto. As taxas variam dependendo da reciprocidade: por exemplo, os cidadãos dos EUA devem pagar US160 por um visto de turista ou de negócios. A partir de fevereiro de 2015, os cidadãos do Canadá deveriam pagar pelo menos CDN97.50 por um visto de turista, sem incluir taxas de manipulação ou processamento. Visto de custo do Brasil para cidadãos de Taiwan ou titulares de passaportes taiwaneses pague 20 (Referência da Embaixada do Brasil em Lima, Peru) e 5 dias para processar. A reciprocidade, no entanto, também se aplica com frequência à validade do visto: os cidadãos dos EUA podem receber vistos válidos até 10 anos e, também, cidadãos canadenses até 5. O processo de visto é particularmente tedioso para os cidadãos dos EUA e uma atenção especial deve ser paga. Existem vários consulados no país, mas DEVE candidatar-se ao consulado que cobre sua jurisdição. Você deve enviar uma cópia de sua ID ou uma conta de utilidade como prova de residência, mesmo que isso não esteja listado em qualquer lugar. As seções de visto não aceitam chamadas telefônicas e você pode ter que enviá-las com antecedência para esclarecer qualquer situação específica. Para um visto de turista, você DEVE enviar uma cópia do seu bilhete de avião ou reserva, uma foto e sua assinatura. A partir de dezembro de 2015, você precisa fazer o upload da foto e da assinatura on-line e os arquivos devem ter tamanhos específicos. A foto precisa ter uma relação de 1,5 x 2 ou não carregará. Cada consulado listará o tempo de processamento, a menos que haja uma emergência de vida ou morte, eles não processariam sua candidatura mais cedo do que indicado. O consulado nem sequer notificou um candidato se faltarem documentos. Se você não tiver todos os documentos, seu pedido será negado, a taxa será cobrada eo tempo de processamento começará a partir de 0. Aplicar 2 a 3 meses de antecedência ou entrar pessoalmente, se possível. Os vistos de turismo (incluindo os concedidos no local no controle de imigração, como para a maioria dos europeus) podem ser estendidos em qualquer escritório da Policia Federal. Todas as capitais dos estados, e a maioria das cidades fronteiriças e os portos internacionais têm um. Os vistos de turismo só podem ser prorrogados uma vez por um período máximo de 90 dias e, em nenhum caso, você pode conceder mais de 180 dias com um visto de turista por qualquer período de 365 dias. Você deve entrar em contato com a polícia federal cerca de 1 semana antes do seu visto expirar. A taxa de tratamento atualmente é R 67 (outubro de 2008). Você pode ser solicitado por um bilhete de saída (reservar um totalmente reembolsável na internet, cancelar quando o seu visto é prorrogado) e uma prova de subsistência (para a qual o seu cartão de crédito é o mais aceito). Para solicitar a extensão , Você deve preencher o Emisso da Guia de Recolhimento no site da Polícia Federal, que você levará ao Banco do Brasil para pagar a taxa. Não pague a taxa até que tenha falado com um policial federal sobre o seu caso. Se shehe nega a extensão do seu visto, você deve ter uma conta bancária no Brasil para receber um reembolso. A exigência de entrar primeiro no Brasil dentro de 90 dias da emissão de um visto agora só se aplica aos nacionais de Angola, Bahrain, Birmânia, Camboja, Cabo Verde, China, Cuba, Guiné Equatorial, Gabão, Gana, Grécia, Honduras, Indonésia, Japão Jordânia, Coreia, Kuwait, Laos, Líbia, Nigéria, Omã, Paquistão, Paraguai, Filipinas, Portugal, Qatar, Síria, Suíça, Taiwan, Tailândia e Tunísia. A falta de entrada no Brasil dentro de 90 dias invalidará o visto, não importa quanto tempo seja válido. Selos de entrada e saída Imediatamente após o seu passaporte ser marcado pela Polícia Federal do Brasil, certifique-se de que o último número no lado direito do carimbo é um número ímpar. Um número 1 (ar) 3 (barco) 5 (carbus) indica que você entrou no país e um número 246 indica que você saiu. Alguns policiais federais atribuíram erroneamente aos estrangeiros o carimbo do número par ao entrar. Se você tiver o selo do número par e tentar estender o visto em uma cidade que não seja sua porta de entrada, você será informado para retornar à cidade onde você recebeu o carimbo incorreto para que ele possa ser corrigido antes de receber o extensão. Por lei, você é obrigado a produzir seu ingresso de saída após a entrada, mas isso só é aplicado em casos excepcionais. Even if you are asked, you could often get away with explaining that you are taking the bus to Argentina, and couldnt buy the ticket in, say, Europe. If you overstay your tourist visa, you will be fined R8.28 per day (as of October 2007), for a maximum of 100 days. This means that even if you stay illegally for 5 years, the fine will never exceed R828. You will be made to pay this at the border crossing. As this can take time, it could be wise to do it a few days up front at a federal police office, especially if you have a domestic to international flight connection. The federal police will then give you 8 days to get out of the country. If you dont pay your fine upon exiting, you will have to pay the next time you enter. The fact that you have been fined for overstaying in the past does not normally imply future difficulties with immigration, but youd better keep all receipts and old passports for reference. If you want to enterexit the country for some reason without coming in contact with the immigration authorities, there are numerous tiny border towns that have virtually no control. You will perhaps be told by the local police (who dont have stamps or computer registers for immigration) to contact the federal police in such and such nearby town. When you are travelling from certain tropical regions to Brazil you need a yellow fever vaccination and the certificate showing you had this. Note that it is illegal to bring in animals, meat, dairy, seeds, plants, eggs, honey, fruit, or any kind of non-processed food without a permit. Contact vigiagroagricultura. gov. br for more information. By plane edit Your legal rights and duties as an air passenger under Brazilian law Free check-in baggage allowance . On international flights departing from Brazil, all passengers are entitled to check-in at least 2 bags (each weighing up to 32 kg) free of charge. On domestic flights within Brazil (on aircraft with more than 31 seats), all passengers are entitled to check-in bags that weigh up to 23kg in total free of charge. ID requirements . On domestic flights within Brazil, foreign nationals must present a valid passport at check-in and the boarding gate alternatively, a national identity carddiplomatic credentials may be accepted based on agreements between Brazil and the issuing country. On international flights, foreign nationals must present a valid passport (and visa for the destination country if required) alternatively, a national identity carddiplomatic credentials may be accepted based on agreements between Brazil and the issuing country. Assistance from your airline in the event of a flight delay, cancellation or refused boarding . 1 hour waiting time - free communication (e. g. phone calls, internet etc) 2 hours waiting time - free communication snacks water 4 hours waiting time - free communication snacks water accommodation transportation tofrom accommodation (plus the option to reroute or obtain a refund if desired) For more information: Passenger Guide by the Brazilian National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC) . The cheapest airfares are from February (after Carnaval) to May and from August to November. Tickets from New York. for instance, can cost as little as US699 including taxes. Many undersubscribed flights within Brazil can be had for bargain prices. By far the largest international airport in Brazil is So Paulo-Guarulhos International Airport (IATA. GRU ICAO. SBGR ), the hub of TAM airlines 3. which has direct flights to many capital cities in South America. Other direct flights include: The second largest airport in Brazil is Rio de Janeiro-Galeo International Airport . (IATA. GIG ICAO. SBGL ) the home of Gol Transportes Areos 4. which flies to many regional destinations including Santiago. Buenos Aires and Asuncion. Other direct flights include: From Oceania there are services avaible to Brazil through connections in intermediate stops: Sydney and Auckland are served by LAN Airlines with a connection in Santiago. Qantass direct flight from Sydney to Santiago has codeshare agreements with LAN and TAM Airlnes making it possible to get a connection to Brazil there. South African Airways links Perth and Sydney to Brazil via Johannesburg. Sydney. Melbourne. Perth and Auckland are served by Emirates via Dubai. Sydney is also served by Ethiad Airways via Abu Dhabi. The Northeastern capitals have slightly shorter flying times to Europe and North America: In addition to the above, TAP flies directly to Salvador. Brasilia. Belo Horizonte. Campinas. Porto Alegre. TAP Portugal 5 is the foreign airline with most destinations in Brazil, from Lisbon and Porto. and provides extensive connection onwards to Europe and Africa. American Airlines has flights from Miami to Manaus. Curitiba. Porto Alegre. Braslia. Belo Horizonte and Salvador. Copa Airlines flies from its hub in Panama City to Belo Horizonte. Braslia. Porto Alegre and Manaus. provinding a wide range of destinations in North America, Central America and the Caribbean. Air travel in Brazil has increased exponentially in the past few years, partly as a result of the poor condition of many Brazilian roads(qv)and the absence of any viable railroad network (cf India). It is still relatively inexpensive with bargains sometimes available and easily the best option for long distance travel within the country. Some major aiports, particularly those in Sao Paulo and Rio, are, however, becoming very congested. By car edit The main border crossings are at: In certain border towns, notably Foz do Iguau Ciudad del Este Puerto Iguazu. you do not need entryexit stamps or other formalities for a daytrip into the neighbouring country. These same towns are good venues if you for some reason want to cross without contact with immigration authorities. By bus edit Long-distance bus services connect Brazil to its neighboring countries. The main capitals linked directly by bus are Buenos Aires. Asuncin. Montevideo. Santiago de Chile. and Lima. Direct connections from the first three can also be found easily, but from Lima it might be tricky, though easily accomplished by changing at one of the others. Those typically go to So Paulo. though Pelotas has good connections too. It should be kept in mind that distances between So Paulo and any foreign capitals are significant, and journeys on the road may take up to 3 days, depending on the distance and accessibility of the destination. The national land transport authority has listings6 in Portuguese on all operating international bus lines. Online tickets around the country can be found at several websites like Guiche Virtual7. brasilbybus8. Chegue. L9. Embarcou10 and NetViagem11. Green Toad Bus 12 offers bus passes between Brazil and neighbouring countries as well as around Brazil itself. By boat edit Amazon river boats connect northern Brazil with Peru, Venezuela and Colombia. The ride is a gruelling 12 days upriver though. From French Guiana. you can cross the river Oyapoque . which takes about 15 minutes. By train edit Train service within Brazil is almost nonexistent. However, there are exceptions to the rule, including the Trem da Morte . or Death Train, which goes from Santa Cruz. Bolivia. to a small town just over the border from Corumb in the State of Mato Grosso do Sul. There is still a train line from there all the way to So Paulo which at the moment is not in use, but bus connections to So Paulo via the state capital, Campo Grande. are plentiful. The journey itself is reputedly replete with robbers who might steal your backpack or its contents but security has been increased recently and the journey can be made without much difficulty. It goes through the Bolivian agricultural belt and along the journey one may see a technologically-averse religious community which resembles the USAs Amish in many ways. Get around edit By plane edit Brazil Air Pass If you intend to visit various cities within Brazil, you should consider getting a Brazil Air Pass, offered by TAM or Gol8212 you purchase between 4 and 9 flight tickets which can be used at any time for any destination within Brazil served by the airline. A typical 4-ticket pass starts at around US580 while a full 9 tickets will run around US1150. In addition, Gol also offers a cheaper flight pass good for travel only within the Northeast of the country. These passes can only be obtained before arrival in the country, and you must prove that you have already purchased international return trip tickets or tickets for onward travel. Air service covers most of Brazil. Note that many flights make many stops en route, particularly in hubs as So Paulo or Brasilia. Most airports with regular passenger traffic are operated by the federal Infraero .13. They have a very convenient website, with an English version. It lists all the airlines operating at each airport, and also has updated flight schedules. There are now several Brazilian booking engines that are good (although not perfect) for comparing flights and prices between different companies. They will mostly include an extra fee, hence it is cheaper to book on the airlines own site. The Brazilian airline scene completely changed at least twice over the last 10 years or so. The largest carriers are now TAM14 and Gol 15. which share more than 80 of the domestic market between them. The traditional Varig is now just another brand of Gol. Others include WebJet 16. Avianca 17. and Azul 18. TRIP 19 has short-haul flights to smaller airports throughout the country, and Pantanal 20 and Puma 21 are growing in the same segment. Portuguese TAP 22 has a few domestic code shares with TAM. There are also a number of regional companies, such as NHT 23 (Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina ). Price differences, at least if a ticket is purchased on the internet well in advance, are so small that its rather meaningless to call any of these low cost, although WebJet and Azul have lately been a notch cheaper for domestic flights. Booking on the domestic carriers sites can be frustrating for non-Brazilian citizens. Often, you will be asked for your CPF (national identity number) while paying by credit card. Even if you - as a foreigner - have a CPF, the sites will often not recognize it. Gol now accepts international cards, but the system is buggy (Oct.2010). One trick that might work is to visit one of the airlines foreign websites, although prices may vary. Many flights can also be found on foreign booking engines where no CPF is needed. If you book weeks in advance, most carriers will give you the option to pay by bank deposit ( boleto bancrio ), which is actually payable by cash not only in banks, but also in a number of supermarkets, pharmacies and other stores. Buying a ticket at a travel agent is generally R 30 more expensive, noting that certain special offers only can be found online. Be aware that many domestic flights have so many stops that some, including yours, may be missing from the listings in the airports. Double check your flight number and confirm with ground staff. Certain domestic flights in Brazil are international, meaning that the flight has arrived from abroad and is continuing without clearing all passengers through customs and immigration. This means ALL passengers must do this at the next stop, even those having boarded in Brazil. Do NOT fill out a new immigration form, but show what you were given upon actual arrival to Brazil. By car edit The SP-160, or Rodovia dos Imigrantes Brazil has the largest road network in Latin America with over 1.6 million kilometres. A car is a good idea if you want to explore scenic areas, e. g. the historic cities of Minas Gerais, the Rio-Santos highway, or the beaches in North-East Brazil. There are the usual car rental companies at the airports. Many roads are in good condition, especially in the east and south of the country and along the coast. In other areas and outside the metropolitan regions there are also gravel and dirt roads for which an off-road vehicle can be strongly recommended. This especially applies to the Amazon area where many roads are difficult or not at all passable during the rainy season from November to March. This is why it is advisable to travel with a good map and to be well informed about distances, road conditions and the estimated travel time. Road maps of the brand Guia 4 Rodas (can be bought from most newsstands in Brazil) provide not only maps and distances but also information about current conditions of the roads. Cochera andina 24 publishes useful information on almost 300 routes in the country. In theory, the driving rules of Brazil resemble those of Western Europe or North American. In practice, driving in Brazil can be quite scary if you are used to European (even Mediterranean) or North American road culture, due to widespread violations of driving rules, and the toleration thereof. Distances kept to other vehicles are kept at a bare minimum, overtaking whenever close to possible, and changing lanes without much of a prior signal. Many large cities also suffer from hold-ups when you wait at a red light in the night. Even if there is no risk of robbery, many drivers (including of city buses) run red lights or stop signs at night when they do not see incoming traffic from the cross street. Drivers also indulge in creative methods of saving time, such as using the reverse direction lanes. In rural areas, many domestic animals are left at the roadside, and they sometimes wanders into the traffic. Pedestrians take enormous chances crossing the road, since many drivers do not bother to slow down if they see pedestrians crossing. The quality of the paving is very varied, and the presence of enormous potholes is something that strongly discourages night-driving. Also consider the risk of highway hold-ups after dark, not to mention truck drivers on amphetamines (to keep awake for days in a row). In Brazil cars are driven on the right hand side of the road. A flashing left signal means that the car ahead is warning you not to pass, for some reason. If the car ahead of you wants to show you that it is safe to pass it will flash the right signal. The right signal is the same signal to indicate that youre going to stop on the side of the road, so it means youre going to slow down. On the other hand the left signal is the same signal to indicate youre going to pass the car ahead, meaning youre going to speed up. Flashing, twinkling headlights from the cars coming on the opposite side of the road means caution on the road ahead. Most of the time, it indicates that there are animals, cops or speed radar ahead. Keep the doors locked when driving, especially in the larger cities, as robberies at stop signs and red lights are quite common in some areas. Youll make it much easier for the robber if he can simply open up the door and sit down. Be equally careful with keeping your windows wide open, as someone might put their hands inside your car and steal a wallet, for instance. Leave your handbags and valuables out of sight. By bicycle edit In smaller cities and towns the bicycle is a common means of transport. This does not mean that cyclists are usually respected by cars, trucks, or bus drivers. But you may find good roads with little traffic outside the cities. It is also easy to get a lift by a pickup or to have the bike transported by a long-distance bus. Cycling path are virtually non-existent in cities, except along certain beachfronts, such as Rio de Janeiro and Recife. There are a bicyclers groups around the country, e. g Sampa Bikers 25 in Sao Paulo which meets weekly. By train edit Regional rail system in So Paulo Brazils railway system was mostly wrecked during the military regimes. Today there are few passenger lines left: The Serra Verde Express 26 from Curitiba to Paranagu. This scenic 150 km long railroad links the capital of Paran to the coastal cities of Morretes and Paranagu. through the beautiful Serra do Mar mountains covered with mata atlntica forest. The trip takes about 3 hours and has bilingual guides. Trains leave daily at 08:15 and prices start from about R 50 (round-trip) - see CuritibaGetout for more information. From So Joo del Rei to Tiradentes - This 35-minute trip on a steam train is almost like time travel. The train operates Fri-Sun, with departures from So Joo at 10:00 and 15:00 and 13:00 and 17:00 from Tiradentes. The round trip costs R 16. From Belo Horizonte to Vitria - Daily trains operated by Companhia Vale do Rio Doce 27 leave Belo Horizonte at 07:30 and Vitria at 07:00. Travel time is about twelve and a half hours. Tickets are sold at the train stations and a single 2nd class fare costs about R 25. Seats are limited and it is not possible to reserve, so it is advisable to buy in advance. From So Luis to Parauapebas - interesting because part of it passes through the Amazon rainforest. From Macap to Serra do Navio From Campinas to Jaguariuna. Part of the old Ferrovia Mogiana, which was built to facilitate coffee exports in the late 19th and early 20th century. Entertaining guides. Only at weekends and holidays. Some steam trains. Inexpensive. About 1 hr each way. By inter-city bus edit Long-distance buses are a convenient, economical, and sometimes (usually if you buy the most expensive ticket), rather comfortable way to travel between regions. The bus terminal ( rodoviria ) in cities play a role akin to train stations in many countries. You should check travel distance and time while traveling within Brazil, going from Rio de Janeiro to the south region could take more than 24 hours, so it may worth going by plane if you can afford it. Brazil has a very good long distance bus network. Basically, any city of more than 100,000 people will have direct lines to the nearest few state capitals, and also to other large cities within the same range. Pretty much any little settlement has public transport of some kind (a lorry, perhaps) to the nearest real bus station. Mostly you have to go to the bus station to buy a ticket, although most major bus companies make reservations and sell tickets by internet with the requirement that you pick up your ticket sometime in advance. In a few cities you can also buy a ticket on the phone and have it delivered to your hotel for an extra charge of some 3-5 reais. Some companies have also adopted the airlines genius policy of pricing: In a few cases buying early can save you more than 50. The facility of flagging a bus and hopping on (if there are no available seats you will have to stand, still paying full price) is widespread in the country. This is less likely to work along a few routes where armed robberies have happened frequently, such as those leading to the border with Paraguay and to Foz do Iguau. There is no one bus company that serves the whole country, so you need to identify the company that connect two cities in particular by calling the bus station of one city. ANTT, the national authority for land transportation, has a search engine 28 (in Portuguese) for all available domestic bus lines. Be aware that some big cities like So Paulo and Rio have more than one bus station, each one covering certain cities around. It is good to check in advance to which bus station you are going. Another website which you can check the time, prices and buy tickets online is BuscaOnibus 29. Many times you need a CPF number to buy tickets, but recently BrasilbyBus and ClickBus now cater to tourist without the CPF number. Bus services are often sold in three classes: Regular, Executive and First-Class ( Leito . in Portuguese). Regular may or may not have air conditioning. For long distances or overnight travels, Executive offers more space and a folding board to support your legs. First-Class has even more space and only three seats per row, making enough space to sleep comfortably. Cheaper seats sometimes sell out fast, so it is worth making the trip early to the Rodoviaria or buy online. All trips of more than 4 hours are covered by buses with bathrooms and the buses stop for foodbathrooms at least once every 4 hours of travel. Brazilian bus stations, known as rodoviria or terminal rodovirio . tend to be located away from city centers. They are often in pretty sketchy areas, so if you travel at night be prepared to take a taxi tofrom the station. There will also be local bus lines. Even if you have a valid ticket bought from elsewhere, some Brazilian bus stations may also require a boarding card. This can be obtained from the bus company, often for a supplement fee. If you buy a ticket in the departure bus station you will also be given this boarding card. Rodovirias include many services, including fast-food restaurants, cafs, Internet cafs, toilets and left luggage. As a general rule, the larger the city, the more expensive the services (e. g. leaving a suitcase as left luggage in a smaller city may cost 1 R, but in Recife in might cost you 5 R). When buying tickets, as well as when boarding the bus, you may be asked for proof of ID. Brazilian federal law requires this for interstate transportation. Not all conductors know how to read foreign passports, so be prepared to show them that the name of the passport truly is the same as the name on the ticket. By city bus edit Most cities have extensive bus services. Multiple companies may serve a single city. There is almost never a map of the bus lines, and often bus stops are unmarked. Be prepared for confusion and wasted time. Buses have a board behind the windshield that advertises the main destinations they serve. You may have to ask the locals for information, but they may not know bus lines except the ones they usually take. In most cities you have to wave to stop the bus when you want to take it. This in itself would no pose a problem, however, in big cities there may be dozens of bus lines stopping at a given bus stop and bus stops are not designed to accommodate so many vehicles. Frequently one cannot observe the oncoming buses due to other buses blocking the view. Bus drivers are reluctant to slow down for a bus stop if they are not sure someone will take their bus, so it is common to miss your bus because you could not see it coming to wave on time or the driver did not see you waving in between buses already at the stop. Some people go into the middle of a busy street to wait for their bus to make sure they see it and the driver sees them. In some places, like Manaus, drivers even tend to ignore stop requests (both to get on and to get off) if it is not too easy to navigate to the bus stop. Most city buses have both a driver and a conductor. The conductor sits behind a till next to a turnstile. You have to pay the conductor, the price of the bus is usually advertised on the windshield. The turnstiles are narrow, and very inconvenient if one carries any kind of load (try balancing a heavy backpack over the turnstile while the bus is running). Larger buses often have a front section, before the turnstile, meant in priority for the elderly, handicapped and pregnant women - you can use it but you still have to pay Typical prices are around R 3,00. You can try asking the conductor to warn you when the bus is close to your destination. Depending on whether he or she understands you and feels like helping you, you may get help. In addition to large city buses, there are often minibuses or minivans ( alternativo ). You pay the driver when you go aboard. By boat edit In the Amazon region as well as on the coast west of Sao Luis, boat travel is often the only way to get around. Talk edit Brazilians use a lot of gestures in informal communication, and the meaning of certain words or expressions may be influenced by them. The thumbs up gesture is used to mean everythings OK . yes or even thanks . Avoid using the OK hand gesture for these meanings, as it can be considered obscene. Wagging your extended index finger back and forth andor clicking your tongue behind your teeth two or three times means no Using your index finger to pull down one of your lower eyelids can mean watch out . keeping an eye on or not a fool depending on context. Stroking your two biggest fingers with your thumb is a way of referring to money or saying something is expensive . Snapping a few times can mean fast . a long time ago or a lot depending on context. Stroking your lips and then snapping means delicious pinching your earlobe means the same in some regions. Making a fist with your thumb between the index and middle finger, known as the figa . is a sign of good or bad luck depending on the region. Touching the palm with the thumb and making a circular movement with the hand in some regions can mean robbery . rip off . bribery or corruption depending on context. The hush gesture is considered extremely impolite, about the same as shouting shut up to someone. An informal way to get someones attention, similar to a whistle, is a hissing sound: pssiu It is not perceived as unpolite, but gets really annoying if repeated more than twice. The official language of Brazil is Portuguese. spoken by the entire population (except for a few, very remotely located tribes). Indeed, Brazil has had immigrants from all parts of the world for centuries, whose descendants now speak Portuguese as their mother tongue. Brazilian Portuguese has a number of pronunciation differences with that spoken in Portugal (and within, between the regions there are some quite extreme accent and slang differences), but speakers of either can understand each other. However, European Portuguese (Luso) is more difficult for Brazilians to understand than the reverse, as many Brazilian television programs are shown in Portugal. Notice that a few words can have a totally different meaning in Brazil and Portugal, usually slang words. An example of this is Rapariga which in Portugal means young girl, and in Brazil means a prostitute. English is not widely spoken except in some touristy areas. Dont expect bus or taxi drivers to understand English, so it may be a good idea to write down the address you are heading to before getting the cab. In most big and luxurious hotels, it is very likely that the taxi fleet will speak some English. Spanish has some similarity with Portuguese. Brazilian tourists are able to make basic questions and give basic answers when visiting Spain or other Latin American countries and vice-versa. Of course such communication is quite awkward (mainly due to tilded vowels and semivowelization of e and o when being the last vowel of a Portuguese word), so take a phrase book and be prepared for slow communication with a lot of interpretive gestures. See edit add listing Natural wonders edit Mata Atlantica, Bahia Amazon Rainforest - The Amazon River Basin holds more than half of the worlds remaining rainforest, and over 60 of that lies within the North of Brazil 8212 approximately one billion acres with incredible biodiversity. The region is home to about 2.5 million insect species, over 40,000 plants species, 2200 fish species, and more than 2,000 types of birds and mammals. One in five of all the bird species in the world live in the rainforests of the Amazon, and one in five of the fish species live in Amazonian rivers and streams. Atlantic Forest ( Mata Atlntica ) - A region of tropical and subtropical forest which extends along the Atlantic coast of Brazil from Rio Grande do Norte state in the Northeast to Rio Grande do Sul state in the South. The Atlantic Forest has a wide variety of vegetation, including the many tree species such as the iconic araucaria tree in the south or the mangroves of the northeast, dozens of types of bromeliads and orchids, and unique critters such as capivara . The forest has also been designated a World Biosphere Reserve, with a large number of highly endangered species including the well-known marmosets, lion tamarins and woolly spider monkeys. Unfortunately, it has been extensively cleared since colonial times, mainly for the farming of sugar cane and for urban settlements 8212 The remnants are estimated to be less than 10 of the original, and that is often broken into hilltop islands. However, large swaths of it are protected by hundreds of parks, including 131 federal parks, 443 state parks, and 14 municipal parks, most of which are open to visitation. Campos Gerais - With a vast vegetation of grasses and areas of transition between the Cerrado and Atlantic Forest, this region offers beautiful scenery of cliffs and canyons, as Jaguaricat Valley, beyond the fifth and the eighth most extensive canyons in the world, which are respectively Guartel and Jaguariava. Jaguariava the canyon is made more beautiful rafting activity in Brazil. Pantanal - A vast tropical wetland expanse, one of the worlds largest. 80 of it lies within the state of Mato Grosso do Sul but it also extends into Mato Grosso (as well as into portions of Bolivia and Paraguay ), sprawling over an area estimated at between 140,000 and 195,000 square kilometers (54,000-75,000 sq mi). 80 of the Pantanal floodplains are submerged during the rainy seasons, nurturing an astonishing biologically diverse collection of aquatic plants and helping support a dense array of animal species. Waterfalls ( Cachoeiras ) - Brazil has an amazing range of impressive waterfalls of all sizes and shapes. Iguau Falls . in eastern Parana. is one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the world, truly a sight to see. The 353-meter Cachoeira da Fumaa in Bahia s Chapada Diamantina National Park is the countrys second highest waterfall, after the Amazon s almost inaccessible Cachoeira do Araca . Other famous waterfalls include Caracol Falls . in a Rio Grande do Sul state park of the same name near Canela. Itaquira Falls . an easily accessible 168-meter fall near Formosa. Gois. and the gorge at Parque da Cascata near Sete Lagoas. Minas Gerais. Aside from the nationally famous falls, in many parts of the country, particularly the South. Southeast. and Central West regions, you are rarely far from at least one locally-famous, named waterfall worth a short hike. Architecture edit Colonial architecture - Many cities have reminders of Brazils colonial past, with churches, monasteries, forts, barracks, and other structures still intact. Some of the most concentrated and best-preserved colonial buildings can be found in old gold-mining towns such as Ouro Preto and Tiradentes. but many other cities such as Rio de Janeiro. Petrpolis. Salvador. Recife. Paraty. and Goinia have quite significant colonial centers as well. Oscar Niemeyer works - Niemeyer, Brazils most famous architect, is a modern architectural pioneer who explores the aesthetic impact of reinforced concrete, using curves to create buildings with a unique sense of space. He is most famous for designing many of the buildings when the new capital of Brasilia was built in the 1950s, but his works literally dot the country, with major works in Natal. Joo Pessoa. Recife. Belo Horizonte. Rio de Janeiro. Niteri. So Paulo. Londrina and other locations. Do edit add listing Gay Travel edit Due to its high degree of acceptance and tolerance, gay travel is increasingly popular. Brazil hosted the first gay ball in America in 1754 Nowadays the main lesbian and gay destinations are Rio. which was elected the worlds sexiest destination twice, So Paulo and Braslia. which has the worlds largest Pride Parade, Florianpolis. which is the hippest gay hangout and Recife which is attracting more and more lesbian and gay tourists looking for fun and sun. Carnival edit The biggest party in the world takes places across the country every year, lasting almost a week in February or early March. It is celebrated in a wide variety of ways, from the giants boneco masks of Olinda and the trios eltricos of Salvador to the massive samba parades of Rio de Janeiro and So Paulo. For a relatively more subdued atmosphere, check out the university-style street party of Ouro Preto or the sporty beach party at Ilha do Mel. Dont forget to make your reservations well in advance New Year Celebrations edit Every New Years Eve, many Brazilians have a very strong celebration that is believed to give luck. The people in the largest cities usually travel to the coast to see and ever contribute to the fireworks, while dressed in white, which is understood to mean a lucky colour. They all gather flowers to give to the sea as originally the local african groups thought it would please the goddess of the sea, which means they set the flowers on the water and let it float away to where ever the current will take it. These are usually white flowers with a green stem and green leaves. It is a custom that the flowers should be white as the clothing. Some people nest the flowers in a small fishing boat and some simply drop the leaves on the water. It is said this tradition have been constant since it first started. Not everyone does it, but anyone in the area will most likely do it. Beaches edit Almost the entire coast is lined with fabulous beaches, and the beach lifestyle is a big part of Brazilian culture. Nowhere is that more true than in Rio de Janeiro. with its laidback, flip-flop-footed lifestyle and famous beaches like Ipanema and Copacabana. Beaches in other areas of the country may not have the instant name recognition but are no less amazing. The Northeast has jewels like Jericoacoara. Praia do Futuro. Boa Vista. Porto de Galinhas. and Morro de So Paulo which bring in throngs of travellers, particularly Europeans. Landlocked mineiros go mingle with the rich and famous at Guarapari or dance forr in the sand at Itaunas. while paulistas head for Caragu or Ubatuba. In the South. weekend revelers flock to Ilha do Mel or Balnerio Cambori. while the 42 beaches of Santa Catarina Island draw in thousands of Argentianian tourists every year. Hundreds more beaches lie ready to be explored as well. Volunteer edit ETIV do Brazil etivdobrasil. org A local NGO amp Non-Profit Organization that offers meaningful volunteer opportunities in a beautiful tropical surf town called Itacar, which is located on the coast of Southern Bahia. ETIV do Brasil offers projects in Youth Development, Environmental Conservation, Teaching English, Animal Welfare and Womens Empowerment. They can also offer housing, Portuguese, Samba and Capoeira classes to volunteers and well as Eco-Adventure tours to the exotic beaches, jungles and waterfalls in and around Itacare. Sports edit Soccer - Soccer is the talk of the town wherever you are in Brazil, and the country is brimming with great teams and great players. Rio de Janeiro has the world-famous Maracan Stadium . Mineiro in Belo Horizonte. Morumbi Stadium in So Paulo. Arena Grmio and Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre . Volleyball - While soccer is the main sport in Brazil, is very normal to find spaces on the beaches where you can play beach volleyball, but this version of the sport possess a different code of rules than indoor volleyball (for example instead of six players, only two players are allowed to play on each team). International Charter Group: - 30 - Yacht charter and sailing, one of the worlds largest yacht charter companies, can take care of all charter requirements, from bareboat to crewed in the Brazil. Operating from nine offices worldwide (USA, Spain, UK, Germany, Italy, France, Spain, Switzerland, Caribbean, Honk Kong and Dubai). Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu: One of, if not the most, effective martial arts ever created by the Gracie family of Rio de Janeiro . Olympics - The leading international sporting events will take place August 5 - August 21 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. 6177 athletes will be competing in 306 events in 28 sports. spectator passes can be purchased through the Official Olympic site: rio2016 Buy edit add listing Brazils unit of currency is the Real (pronounced hay-OW), plural Reais (hay-ICE), abbreviated BRL, or just R. One real is divided into 100 centavos. As an example of how prices are written, R1,50 means one real and fifty centavos. Be careful using credit cards at taxis, gas stations, newsstands and small outlets. Their owners arent so careful about checking employees and technicians who perform maintenance on card machines, so many people have their cards compromised and then over several days have money siphoned off their cards. A safer option is to use cash for small expenses (so you dont need to carry too much - just make sure you only withdraw from bank ATMs) and to go to bigger stores with multiple machines since their managers use to enforce security and checking protocols to prevent scammers from compromising card machines (gas station franchises being a sad exception). If you choose to use your credit card, keep an eye on your statement. Travellers checks can be hard to cash anywhere that does not offer currency exchange. Foreign currency such as US Dollars or Euros can be exchanged at major airports and luxury hotels (although at bad rates), exchange bureaus and major branches of some banks, where you need your passport and your immigration form. Look for an ATM with your creditdebit card logo on it. Large branches of Banco do Brasil (no withdrawal fees for credit cards) usually have one, and most all Bradesco, Citibank, BankBoston, Santander and HSBC machines will work. Banco 24 Horas is a network of ATMs which accept foreign cards (charging R 10 per withdrawal). Withdrawal limits are usually R 700 (Bradesco) or R 1000 (BB, HSBC, B24H), per transaction, and in any case R 1000 per day. The latter can be circumvented by several consecutive withdrawals, choosing different accounts, i. e. credit card, checking, savings. Note that most ATMs do not work or will only give you R 100 after 10 PM. In some smaller towns there is no ATM able to accept foreign cards. Be sure you carry enough cash if you intend to stay far from larger cities. There are many federal regulations for dealings with foreign currency, trading in any currency other than Real in Brazil is illegal, although some places in big cities and bordering towns accept foreign money and many exchange offices operate in a shady area. In addition, exchange offices are almost impossible to find outside of big cities. Currencies other than USD and EUR are hard to exchange and the rates are ridiculous. If you would like to exchange cash at a bank, be prepared to pay a hefty commission. Por exemplo. Banco do Brasil collects US15 for each transaction (regardless of amount). In May 2016 (just 3 months before Rio Olympic Games) Federal Government enacted new taxes over currency exchange: 1.1 for bill (species) transactions and 6.38 for travellers check and credit card ones. Wiring money to Brazil can be done through Western Union 31 transfers to be picked up at a Banco do Brasil branch in most cities, and also quite a few exchange offices. A majority of Brazilian shops now accepts major credit cards. However quite a few online stores only accept cards issued in Brazil, even though they sport the international logo of such cards. It is also very common for credit cards being used like debit card. When you pay using card commonly you will hear the question: Crdito ou dbito (Credit or debit). Using debit card is like paying in cash, the difference is, the cash was in your bank account - not in your wallet. Some places put signs stating a minimum card value payment. This is illegal. Every commercial establishment that accepts card is required to accept payment regardless of the amount. If the merchant that accepts cards refuses to receive the payment due to the low value, call the police or PROCON (consumer protection agency). It is also illegal to pay change for cents with candies (for example, R 0,05 or R 0,10) without asking the customer in advance. You have the right to refuse the candies and demand true money. Coins are R0.05, R0.10, R0.25, R0.50 and R1. Some denominations have several different designs. Images from the central bank of Brazil 32. And more 33. Bills come in the following denominations: R2. R5. R10 (still a few plastic red and blue around), R20. R 50 and 100. Images from the central bank of Brazil 34. Since 2010 Real bills were redesigned and are replacing old ones. Still, you are likely to find some older bills circulating. Souvenirs edit Similar to the rest of Latin America, hand-crafted jewelry can be found anywhere. In regions that are largely populated by Afro-Brazilians youll find more African-influenced souvenirs . including black dolls. Havaianas jandals are also affordable in Brazil and supermarkets are often the best place to buy them 8212 small shops usually carry fake ones. If you have space in your bags, a Brazilian woven cotton hammock is a nice, functional purchase as well. Another interesting and fun item is a peteca . a sort of hand shuttlecock used in a traditional game of the same name, similar to volleyball. Shopping edit Its not a bad idea to pack light and acquire Brazilian clothes within a couple of days of arrival. It will make you less obvious as a tourist. Brazilians have their own sense of style and that makes tourists - especially those in Hawaiian shirts or sandals with socks - stand out in the crowd. Have some fun shopping, and blend in. Store windows will often display a price followed by X 5 or X 10, etc. This is an installment-sale price. The price displayed is the per-installment price, so that, R50 X 10, for example, means 10 payments (typically monthly) of R50 each. Make sure any appliances you buy are either dual voltage or the same as in your home country. Frequency in Brazil is 60Hz, so dont buy electric clocks or non-battery operated motorized items if you live in Europe or countries like Argentina, Australia or New Zealand. Voltage however varies by state or even regions inside the same state. (see Electricity below). Brazilian-made appliances and electronics are usually expensive or of poor quality. All electronics are expensive compared to European or US prices. Brazil uses a hybrid video system called PAL-M. It is NOT at all compatible with the PAL system of Europe and Australia. Television began in black and white using the NTSC system of the USA and Canada, then years later, using PAL for its analogue colour - making PAL-M a totally unique system. Nowadays, most new TV sets are NTSC compatible. However the newly-introduced digital TV standard is not compatible with that of most other countries. Digital video appliances such as DVD players are also compatible with NTSC (all digital colour is the same worldwide), but make sure the DVD region code(s), if any, match your home country (Brazil is part of Region 4). Prices for imported electronic goods can be quite expensive due to high import tax, and the range of domestic electronic gadgets is not very wide. Also, be aware that the term DVD in Brazil is both an abbreviation for the disc itself and for its player, so be specific to avoid confusion. There are plenty of bargains to be had, especially leather goods, including shoes (remember sizes are different though). Clothes in general are a good buy, especially for women, for whom there are many classy items. Street markets, which are common, are also a cheap option, but avoid brand names like Nike - you will pay more and its fake. Dont be afraid to feel an item. If it doesnt feel right, most likely it isnt. Beware of the dreaded Made in China label, and be in mind some Brazilian-made products are less robust than their American or European counterparts. Eat edit add listing Cuisine edit Brazils cuisine is as varied as its geography and culture. On the other hand, some may find it an unrefined melange, and everyday fare can be bland and monotonous. While there are some quite unique dishes of regional origin, many dishes were brought by overseas immigrants and have been adapted to local tastes through the generations. Italian and Chinese food in Brazil can often be as baffling as Amazonian fare. Brazils national dish is feijoada . a hearty stew made of black beans, pork (ears, knuckles, chops, sausage) and beef (usually dried). Its served with rice, garnished with collard greens and sliced oranges. Its not served in every restaurant the ones that serve it typically offer it on Wednesdays and Saturdays. A typical mistake made by tourists is to eat too much feijoada upon first encounter. This is a heavy dish 8212 even Brazilians usually eat it parsimoniously. The standard Brazilian set lunch is called prato feito . with its siblings comercial and executivo . Rice and brown beans (in Rio de Janeiro there is only black beans, other types are rare) in sauce, with a small steak. Sometimes farofa, spaghetti, vegetables and French fries will come along. Beef may be substituted for chicken, fish or others. Excellent seafood can be found in coastal towns, especially in the Northeast. Brazilian snacks, lanches (sandwiches) and salgadinhos (most anything else), include a wide variety of pastries. Look for coxinha (deep-fried, batter-coated chicken), empada (a tiny pie, not to be confused with the empanada - empadas and empanadas are entirely different items), and pastel (fried turnovers). Another common snack is a misto quente . a pressed, toasted ham-and-cheese sandwich. Po-de-queijo . a roll made of manioc flour and cheese, is very popular, especially in Minas Gerais state - po-de-queijo and a cup of fresh Brazilian coffee is a classic combination. Regional cuisines edit Southern - Churrasco is Brazilian barbecue, and is usually served rodizio or espeto corrido (all-you-can-eat). Waiters carry huge cuts of meat on steel spits from table to table, and carve off slices onto your plate (use the tongs to grab the meat slice and dont touch the knife edge with your silverware to avoid dulling the edge). Traditionally, you are given a small wooden block colored green on one side and red on the other. When youre ready to eat, put the green side up. When youre too stuffed to even tell the waiter youve had enough, put the red side up. Rodizio places have a buffet for non-meaty items beware that in some places, the desserts are not considered part of the main buffet and are charged as a supplement. Most churrasco restaurants ( churrascarias ) also serve other types of food, so it is safe to go there with a friend that is not really fond of meat. While churrascarias are usually fairly expensive places (for Brazilian standards) in the North, Central and the countryside areas of the country they tend to be much cheaper then in the South and big cities, where they are frequented even by the less affluent. Black beans stew ( feijao ou feijoada ) is also very popular, particularly in Rio de Janeiro, where most restaurants traditionally serve the dish on Saturdays. It comprises black beans cooked with pork meat accompanied by rice and farofa (manioca flour with eggs) and greens fried with garlic. Mineiro is the miners cuisine of Minas Gerais. based on pork and beans, with some vegetables. Dishes from Gois are similar, but use some local ingredients such as pequi and guariroba . Minas Gerais cuisine if not seen as particularly tasty, has a homely feel that is much cherished. The food of Bahia . on the northeast coast has its roots across the Atlantic in East Africa and Indian cuisine. Coconut, dende palm oil, hot peppers, and seafood are the prime ingredients. Tip: hot (quente) means lots of pepper, cold (frio) means less or no pepper at all. If you dare to eat it hot you should try acaraj (deep fried edible black bean soup) and vatap (prawn-filled roasties). Esprito Santo and Bahia have two different versions of moqueca . a delightful tomato-based seafood stew prepared in a special type of clay pot. Amazonian cuisine draws from the food of the indigenous inhabitants, including various exotic fish and vegetables. There is also a stupendous variety of tropical fruits. Cear s food has a great sort of seafood, and is known to have the countrys best crab. Its so popular that literally every weekend thousands of people go to Praia do Futuro in Fortaleza to eat fried fish and crabs (usually followed by cold beer). In the coastal cities of Paran like Morretes and Antonina. the dish named barreado is served. Its a meat stew thickened with manioc flour and served with slices of banana, slowly cooked for at least 12 hours on hermetically-sealed clay pots. Brazilian cuisine also has a lot of imports: Pizza is very popular in Brazil. In So Paulo, travellers will find the highest rate of pizza parlours per inhabitant in the country. The variety of flavours is extremely vast, with some restaurants offering more than 100 types of pizza. It is worth noting the difference between the European mozzarella and the Brazilian mussarela. They differ in flavor, appearance and origin but buffalo mozzarella (mussarela de bfala) is also often available. The Brazilian mussarela, which tops most pizzas, is yellow in color and has a stronger taste. In some restaurants, particularly in the South, pizza has no tomato sauce. Other dishes of Italian origin, such as macarro (macaroni), lasanha and others are also very popular. Middle-eastern (actually Levantine i. e. mostly Syrian and Lebanese ) food is widely available. Most options offer high quality and a big variety. Some types of middle-eastern food, such as quibe and esfiha have been adapted and are available at snack stands and fast food joints nation-wide. You can also find shawarma (kebabs) stands, which Brazilians call churrasco grego (Greek Barbecue) So Paulos Japanese restaurants serve up lots of tempura, yakisoba, sushi and sashimi. The variety is good and mostly the prices are very attractive when compared to Europe, USA and Japan. Most Japanese restaurants also offer the rodizio or buffet option, with the same quality as if you ordered from the menu. Sometimes, however, it can be quite a departure from the real thing. The same can be said of Chinese food, again with some variations from the traditional. Cheese-filled spring rolls, anyone. Japanese restaurants (or those that offer Japanese food) are much commoner than Chinese and can be found in many Brazilian cities, especially in the state of So Paulo. Restaurants edit All restaurants will add a 10 service charge on the bill, and this is all the tip a Brazilian will ever pay. It is also what most waiters survive on, but it is not mandatory and you may choose to ignore it, although is considered extremely rude to do it. In some tourist areas you might be tried for extra tip, but you dont need to tip more - Brazilian tourist almost never do it. There are two types of self-service restaurants, sometimes with both options available in one place: all-you-can-eat buffets with barbecue served at the tables, called rodzio . or a price per weight ( por quilo ), very common during lunchtime throughout Brazil. Load up at the buffet and get your plate on the scales before eating any. In the South theres also the traditional Italian galeto, where youre served different types of pasta, salads, soups and meat (mostly chicken) at your table. Customers are allowed by law to visit the kitchen and see how the food is being handled, although its uncommon. Some Brazilian restaurants serve only meals for two. The size of the portions might not say in the menu, so its recommended asking the waiter. Most restaurants of this category allow for a half-serving of such plates ( meia-poro ), at 60-70 of the price. Also, couples at restaurants often sit side-by-side rather than across from each other observe your waiters cues or express your preference when being seated. Fast food is also very popular, and the local takes on hamburgers and hot-dogs (cachorro-quente, translated literally) are well worth trying. Brazilian sandwiches come in many varieties, with ingredients like mayonnaise, bacon, ham, cheese, lettuce, tomato, corn, peas, raisins, french fries, ketchup, eggs, pickles, etc. Brave eaters may want to try the traditional complete hot dog (just ask for a completo ), which, aside from the bun and the sausage, will include everything on display. The ubiquitous X-Burger (and its varieties X-Salad, X-Tudo, etc.) is not as mysterious as it sounds: the pronunciation of the letter X in Portuguese sounds like cheese, hence the name. Large chains: The fast-food burger chain Bobs is found nationwide and has been around in the country for almost as long as McDonalds. There is also a national fast-food chain called Habibs which despite the name serves pizza in addition to Arabian food (and the founder is a Portuguese migrant, by the way). Recent additions, though not as widespread, are Burger King and Subway. Drink edit add listing Caipirinha and cachaa bottles Alcohol edit Brazils national booze is cachaa ( cah-shah-sah . also known as aguardente (burning water) and pinga ), a sugar-cane liquor known to knock the unwary out quite quickly. Mass-produced, industrial cachaa is cheap and has 40 alcohol. Rural, tradicional cachaa made on small distilleries usually has about 20 alcohol, but is highly praised nationwide for its superior taste. This also means its far more costly, but its worth each Real. It can be tried in virtually every bar in the country. Famous producing regions include Minas Gerais. where there are tours of distilleries, and the city of Paraty. Pirassununga is home to Caninha 51, Brazils best-selling brand. Outside Fortaleza there is a cachaa museum ( Museu da Cachaa ) where you can learn about the history of the Ypioca brand. Drinking cachaa straight, or stirring in only a dollop of honey or a bit of lime juice, is a common habit on the Northeast region of the country, but the strength of cachaa can be hidden in cocktails like the famous caipirinha . where it is mixed with sugar, lime juice and ice. Using vodka instead of cachaa is nicknamed caipiroska or caipivodka with white rum, its a caipirssima and with sake its a caipisaque (not in every region). Another interesting concoction is called capeta (devil), made with cachaa, condensed milk, cinnamon, guarana powder (a mild stimulant), and other ingredients, varying by region. If you enjoy fine brandy or grappa, try an aged cachaa . Deep and complex, this golden-coloured spirit is nothing like the ubiquitous clear liquor more commonly seen. A fun trip is to an alambique - a local distillery, of which there are thousands throughout the country - not only will you be able to see how the spirit is made from the raw cane sugar, you will probably also get a better price. Well worth a try is Brazilian whisky Its actually 50 imported scotch - the malt component - and approximately 50 Brazilian grain spirit. Dont be misled by American sounding names like Wall Street. It is not bourbon. While imported alcohol is very expensive, many international brands are produced under license in Brazil, making them widely available, and fairly cheap. You can buy booze in the tax-free after landing at Brazilian airports, but it generally is more expensive than buying it outside the airports. Beer edit Beer in Brazil has a respectable history because of the German immigrants. Most Brazilian beer brands tend to be way less thick and bitter than German, Danish or English beer. More than 90 of all beer consumed in Brazil is Light Lager type, like Standard American Lager, here called Pilsner, and it is usually drunk very cold (direct from refrigerator). The most popular domestic brands are Brahma . Antarctica . and Skol . Traditional brands include Bohemia . Caracu - a stout - . Original and Serramalte . They are easily found in bars and are worth trying but are usually a little bit more expensive than the popular beers. There are also some national premium and craft beers that are found only in some specific bars and supermarkets if you want to taste a good Brazilian beer, search for Baden Baden . Colorado . Eisenbahn . Petra . Theresopolis . Coruja and others. There are also some international beers produced by national breweries like Heineken and Stella Artois and have a slightly different taste if compared with the original beers. There are two ways of drinking beer in bars: draft or bottled beer. Draft lager beer is called chope or chopp (SHOH-pee), and is commonly served with one inch of foam, but you can make a complaint to the bartender if the foam is consistently thicker than that. In bars, the waiter will usually collect the empty glasses and bottles on a table and replace them with full ones, until you ask him to stop, in a tap charging system. In the case of bottled beer, bottles (350ml, 600ml or 1l) are shared among everyone at the table and poured in small glasses, rather than drunk straight from the bottle. Brazilians like their beer nearly ice-cold - hence, to keep the temperature down, bottles of beer are often kept in an insulated polystyrene container on the table. Wine edit Rio Grande do Sul is the leading wine production region. There are a number of wine-producing farms that are open to visitors and wine tasting, and wine cellars selling wine and fermented grape juice. One of these farms open to visitors is Salton Winery 31. located in the city of Bento Gonalves. The So Francisco Valley . along the border of the states of Pernambuco and Bahia. is the countrys newest wine-producing region. Brazilian wines are usually fresher, fruitier and less alcoholic than, for instance, French wines. There are also the popular, rot-gut brands like Sangue de Boi . Cano and Santa Felicidade . In Minas Gerais. look for licor de jabuticaba (jabuticaba liquor) or vinho de jabuticaba (jabuticaba wine), an exquisite purple-black beverage with a sweet taste. Jabuticaba is the name of a small grape-like black fruit native to Brazil. Coffee and tea edit Yellow Catua Coffee, a variety of coffea arabica, town of Manhuau, Minas Gerais State