A Portuguese Progress Report
Just like in high school, I’m learning to use a lot less tongue and focus more on the movements of my mouth. This is one the major pronunciation differences between Spanish and Portuguese, and I’m starting to pick it up. I still have a heavy Spanish accent and often use Spanish to fill in for Portuguese […]
How to Extend Your Tourist Visa in Rio
This post isn’t for everyone but for those who are in need of renewing (or extending) their tourist visa here in Rio de Janeiro, I hope this helps. It has been almost 90 days since I arrived in Rio and that means it was time to take a trip to the international airport to extend […]
Rio Favorites – Sugarloaf Mountain
A trip to Rio de Janeiro isn’t complete without a visit to the world famous Sugarloaf Mountain. Located in the quiet neighborhood of Urca, this iconic mini-mountain is home to some of the most beautiful views in all of Rio. There are actually two levels, Morro da Urca (Urca Hill) and Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf Mountain), […]
FIFA 2014 World Cup Update: 65 Days
The dust has finally settled after Carnival in Brazil and now all sights are set on the FIFA World Cup this summer! The buzz here in Rio is an interesting mix of excitement and dread, with a heavy coding of nervous anticipation on all sides. While World Cup sponsors have already begun slinging merchandise and […]
Robbed in Rio
99 out of 100 times I look around before I take my phone out in public. 99 out of 100 times I put my back against a wall or object if I have it out for any longer than a quick snap. 99 out of 100 f#¢&ing times I’m aware, cautious and more than a […]
Rio Favorites – Parque Lage
Rio de Janeiro has a million and one things to do in and around town so I decided to start creating short videos (T2T Quickies) to feature some of my favorites. If you like the idea, please don’t hesitate to like, comment and subscribe to my second YouTube Channel, Travel Deeper. Think of it is […]
10 Must See Brazilian Movies to Understand Life, Culture, and History
Before I moved to Brazil, I filtered my Netflix and searched the Internet for Brazilian movies and documentaries to gain some perspective on life here in Brazil. Although many of the Brazilian movies were based on drug trafficking, poverty and favelas (much like Colombian movies), I managed to find a few good ones that portray […]
Brazil Carnival – Highlights from Sambadrome
Carnival in Brazil is celebrated all over the country, especially in Salvador de Bahia and Rio de Janeiro, however, the most famous visuals from carnival come from the Sambadrome (Sambodromo) stadium here in Rio, where samba schools from all over the city compete in a two day parade to determine a grand carnival champion. Here […]
Brazil Carnival Behind the Scenes (Part 2)
Day Three (cont’d) – After the blocos and the beach, it was time to head to Sambodromo to watch night one of the Carnival parade. The energy of the stadium could be felt from the moment I stepped off the metro as the cheering crowd and beating drums echoed across the night sky. I found […]
Brazil Carnival Behind the Scenes (Part 1)
I decided to document the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro experience for two reasons; The first was to show you all just how epic the celebration is here in Brazil, and the second was so that I could remember what happened the night before. DAY 1 – We started the “official” Carnival celebration with a bloco in […]