My Brazilian Experience

March 17, 2011 by Featured Guest Writer

Travel Blog by Buchule Jack

So a friend of mine I knew from varsity called me a couple of months before we were to depart for Brazil and asked if I wanted to go to Brazil for the carnival and the obvious answer was OFCOURSE! Now I had to get the money together to pay for the trip. After digging through my savings I managed to get together the R20, 000 it costs for accommodation (4-star) and flights. I mean in hindsight this is peanuts for a 5/6 day stay in Rio de Janeiro!

Brazil

So we took a flight heading to Sau Paulo on Friday the 4 of March 2011. We got to Sau Paulo and took a connecting flight to Rio de Janeiro which took 1 hour. We got to the airport only to find our bags were not in Rio but were still in Sau Paulo. So after the initial shock and promises of our bags being there the next day we went to our hotel. We stayed on the beach front at an area called Copa Cabanna. This is like the Camps Bay of Brazil, with restaurants, bars and even clubs right there by the beach side. When we get to the hotel we were told we could not check in till 12pm and the time then was 4am. And so our adventure started:

Brazil

We had a good 8 hours to kill so we tried catching a cab, 98% of the taxi drivers can’t and don’t speak English, only Portuguese! It was hella frustrating. After making countless hand gestures for beer and dancing, he took us to this place called Dolce Vita. We chilled there for a bit until we met a local guy called Younik! This guy hustled (and I mean hustled) us into going with him to a 24 hour party down town. So we thought, we got time to kill, why not? Does this guy not take us to a Brazilian ‘kasi’ and most probably thee shadiest place you’ve ever seen. It was like the Hillbrow of Brazil.

So we get to this place and sit around and drink with no problems, playing music out the jukebox and chatting with our new friend Younik. After a while this guy tells us he is charging us R$120 (R480) for him taking us to this place. Hahahahaha. It was classical. Anyway after paying him we told him to take us to our hotel. He made us walk around the whole of down town for a good 2 hours before taking us to their Metrorail. We ditched him after getting sick and tired of him and caught a bus to our hotel. That was our first night, imagine!

We went there for the Carnival, so Sunday we set off to go see this big event. The carnival is held in a stadium especially built for it. Thousands and thousands and thousands of Brazilians and foreigners gather for this amazing event. It is basically like a parade through the stadium by six ‘schools’ or groups.

Each school has floats, costumes, dancers, carnival ladies and thousands of members who participate in the parade. The one school even had Ronaldinho as part of the parade which was pretty cool to see. It is one of the most amazing things you will ever see in your life. Everyone has theories about what the carnival is like but seeing it with your own eyes is priceless.

We did a bit of sight-seeing of course. The one highlight was Christ the Redeemer (Cristo Redentor), a statue of Jesus Christ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; considered the second largest Art Deco statue in the world. The statue is 39.6 meters tall, including its 9.5 meter pedestal, and 30 meters) wide. It weighs 635 tons, and is located at the peak of the 700-metre Corcovado mountain in the Tijuca Forest National Park overlooking the city. This is a breathtaking sight. A must see.

Another highlight was going to the ‘ghetto’ which are called farvellas. We got to see the locals and see where they live, chill, play etc. I really felt like those tourists who go to Soweto and take pictures. It is a typical ‘lokishi’ place but the locals are happy and stress free. Well, atleast that’s what I saw.

The only difference between this farvella and our locations is that theirs are stacked up on top of each other. The place we went to is where Michael Jackson shot his video ‘They don’t really care about us’ and hence there is a life-like statue of him there.

Apparently they loved MJ out there. So all in all, when you’re out in Brazil there is plenty to see in terms of sight-seeing.

So the girls… Hmmmnnnn. Simply put Brazil has the hottest women in the world! I know it might seem like I’m over exaggerating but this is a true statement. I swear I saw a girl there who looks exactly like Nicole Scherzinger! The Brazilian ladies are all tanned with amazing bodies. 90% of the ladies are well toned and are beautiful. But for anyone looking for a hot Brazilian lady, you need to speak Portuguese as most of the ladies there don’t speak English. So if you plan on going to Brazil anytime soon learn some Portuguese!!!

Now, Rio is the 5th most expensive city in the world so it’s no joke. Our currency is 4 times weaker than the Brazilian Real (as it’s called). So for example a Red Bull would be R$15 which is R60. A pizza would be R$35 which is R140. So yep it is quiet expensive but it is all worth it. You need about a good R10, 000 to R20, 000 spending money to have fun.

We definitely had the time of our lives. It is non-stop partying over there and I would recommend that people visit this lovely city, especially around carnival time which is Feb/March.

By Buchule Jack for Just Curious. ©

Twitter: @BuchuleJack

This really is cool. I was always fascinated by the lokishi in Brazil, how the “houses” are built on top of each other and how the people survive there. It’s really amazing. Gosh, I need to give over my phobia and actually just start travelling. So unDIVArish of me to be so scared of looong flights the way I am.

Thanks for taking us to Brazil Mfethu.

lwandie on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 8:59 am

lol @ soulsista the mind is a funny thing,it just shot straight to the other Brazilian and forgot there is actually a whole country called Brazil!

GTI on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 9:01 am

Nice one Buchule. You really enjoyed yourselves.

Alex looks better than farvellas *SMH*

Lela on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 9:03 am

Wow! But nami I want to go to red light district first. Mina im very impatient it would really be a struggle to be at a place where people dont speak english,how will i enjoy if i still have to thing of what sign language to do.

sya on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 9:45 am

it is typical of a majority of black people, not to pick up a book or pamphlet with information on the country they are traveling to, just to learn a little about that country, before getting there.

some people even go so far as getting bilingual dictionaries, just so that they ensure that they can communicate with the locals of the place they are traveling to. why can’t we do the same? let us stop being afraid of reading!

MsTeee on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 9:56 am

Kwaaaa I can just picture this ——->>After making countless hand gestures for beer and dancing
would luv to travel shame but mali ayikho
‘one day baba’ #That’s all

Bongani on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 10:07 am

that looks like fun..but hey i dont think i would go to a country where English is not spoken. yeses i dont want to be shayad by their mashayaz.

but ke for somebody like me who has never left SA (apart from going to swaziland and lesotho which i consider to be part of SA) i think the first countries to visit would be those that are here in africa espesheli those who have a lower currency than our rand. i want to feel like a millionaire when i have R10 000.00 as for abo Brazil nabo Paris ngzobabona second half

Lady gaga on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 10:11 am

mmmmmmmh would love to go too!!! so this is BuchuleJack?!cool!!!

GA on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 10:30 am

LMLO…@Lwandie with your “confession”…erm…uhm…i uhm ..also thought the same thing when i logged it for a JC lullaby midnight. I thought someone had gone to do it after THAT article and was sharing their experience. #reaaly realy need that spiritual expedition now.

Would defs enjoy Brazil from what i read. Lokshin eo and the MJ memoirs. Some …i suppose dude related his experience in Brazil and said that Brazilian women are not as hott, …but i suppose he may have been trying to be politically correct seen as it was on TV.

Brown Shuga on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 10:39 am

“….Can these Brazilians please re work on MJ’s statue? That doesn’t look like MJ @ all…” LOL I agree KIKI

posh on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 11:06 am

when travelling to none-english speaking countries its best to get yourself a dictionary of english to that language…to help construct sentences or to at least know key words like ‘cerveja’ for beer ‘agua’ for water, ok that’s about all I know…

mamamia on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 11:11 am

Buchule i’m soo jealous!! It seems like fun especially if you are in a group. Would love to go but eish those women are threatening to my body insecurities. Thanks for blogging about the trip, abo Youniks of this world aren’t to be trusted vele, they might turn me into a drug mule!!
Nice one.

GA on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 11:14 am

“Thad doesnt look like MJ @ all..”….i agree with you ladies. Interesting enough, the album that had “they dont realy care about us had one of the awesumest (to my memory) MJ promotional statues…MJ should have donated THAT statue to Brazil when he did that “they dont care about us” video…thats some gorgeous statue i think. That millitary image of MJ that i easily recall….:)

Biskiti on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 11:18 am

Thanks for a differently cool article Meneer!

Ba re “the world is your oyster”, tjo i’m soo traveling somewhere in afrika late this year. 2 years ago me & my mates we went to Mozambique ka Bus, no planning whatsoever and we ended-up having a blast for a full week for under R3500.00, went to Maputo & Ponto d’oura! Was amazing, i’d love to do Kenya.

I wish to do Brazil before the worldcup cause everything will be a rip-off ka 2014. Bo-mashaya are everywhere, i guess you need to be streetwise and not do stuff you wouldn’t do in your own country alone, I mean if you can go to Hillbrow alone, haayi nama favellas you can rock them too.

Lol on the Brazilian wax, did you get any Buchule? I hear bo magosha ba baie too…

Buchulejack on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 11:28 am

Lol… No it doesnt look like Michael Jackson at all. Thats the first thing i said when i saw it.

Ya going in 2014, i think, is a mistake because remember how stuff was expensive in SA last year? 2014 will be the same. I suggest you go next year or 2013. 2014 prices will be inflated.

@posh… Ya first word i learnt was cervaja. If you read a book ‘Portuguese for dummys’ for example for about a month you should be cool.

@biskiti… There are alot of prostitutes in Rio indeed.

Buchulejack on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 11:30 am

@mamamia Ya Younik was a classical guy. He told us he hadn’t slept for 7 days and was basically surviving on cocaine and Red Bull. Kwaaaaaa

cijimpi on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 12:04 pm

agree with Buchule..Brasilia has hot mommies..but be careful eh, some have had sex change + they r men in female bodies!!

popeye on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 12:43 pm

I remember when I was still in school whenever I was asked which country I would love to visit when I grow up, the answer was always BRAZIL dont know why maybe I watched too much dirty dancing, and the girls sure looks good.

MissAN on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 12:44 pm

Lol @ Lwandi…I also thought the same thing…Brazilian wax…

@ Zida… can I hold your bags in Brazil?

@Buhle … which travel Co. organised the whole thing? It must have been great fun!!!

SihleMlambo on Thu, 17th Mar 2011 4:58 pm

To the person that’s seen such a wrecked Umlazi, wow, I’m sure it was a typo coz aint no place like that Emlazi

Bankerchic on Fri, 18th Mar 2011 1:00 pm

Buchule, one word…Gym.

MissAN on Fri, 18th Mar 2011 1:02 pm

Lol @ Bankerchic… JC Bloggers niyaphapha…

garmin yaseJozi on Fri, 18th Mar 2011 1:08 pm

LoL Bankerchic. that MJ statue is sooo wrong tjo, letsogo leo haino!!!

sexymm on Fri, 18th Mar 2011 1:21 pm

Hawu Bankerchic ?????????

Bankerchic on Fri, 18th Mar 2011 8:44 pm

Guys, I know Buchule from our Wits days and I’m just dissapointed at the state he has allowed his body to morph to…so I’m not just being mean to a random fat guy.

SilentBloggar on Fri, 18th Mar 2011 10:50 pm

Hayi I have to lol at——–>’I'm not being mean to a random fat guy’.

ME4U on Fri, 18th Mar 2011 11:40 pm

Have been always a silent blogger but just couldn’t help myself with this article, Rio is a very nice city. I went there alone, I bought a Portugese tape just learn the basics of the language but my colleague told me Rio is a tourist destination so they speak English….. that was the worst advice ever! I went there during festive and people were friendly (the problem was the language), I had one of those basic dictionaries thou so I would look for the expression I want to use and the problem will start when they talk back. I’ve persuaded my friends that we go in 2014 coz I don’t want to lie I had a great time there and definitely wanna go again.

mlungisi on Mon, 21st Mar 2011 1:07 am

Thanks dude. Nice travel report. I definitely feel more motivated to go to Brazil in 2014 if South Africa qualify. I definitely have to learn some Portuguese and brush up my street-wise skills as well. Mlungisi

Nalizo on Tue, 22nd Mar 2011 11:21 am

Lemme start saving and make sure that I go there in 2013.
I don’t think I will afford it ngo 2014.Looks very interesting.

Mmaditaba on Tue, 22nd Mar 2011 1:49 pm

#dead @Bankerchic. Mara u mustnt start other children,if u want their meat ask nicely tlhe

Bea_Pushy on Mon, 28th Mar 2011 2:23 pm

NICE…Buchule!
So this is where you’ve been hiding yourself.
Anyway my boyfriend’ bother was there for the first week of March, although he didn’t end up attending the actual festival he says the atmosphere in Rio was totally amazing!
Him and his friend had no rest what-so-ever, partying day & night! His experience there was much like yours with the language barrier, first day drama the works!

Enkosi wethu for showing us Rio de Janeiro through your eyes

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My Brazilian Experience

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