Liberdade: A Taste of Tokyo in São Paulo

Liberdade is a traditionally Japanese neighborhood located near the center of São Paulo. It makes for an interesting exploration of Brazil’s diverse population and history of immigration. History Brazil and Japan established diplomatic relations in 1895. A little over a decade later, the first boat of Japanese immigrants, the Kasato Maru, arrived in Brazil with 790 people, many of them farmers escaping hardships in the … Continue reading Liberdade: A Taste of Tokyo in São Paulo

Ten Memorable Experiences in Stunning Salvador, Brazil

Salvador, the capital of the Brazilian state of Bahia, enchanted me with its history, colorful colonial buildings, stunning seaside setting and delicious food.  I visited Bahia after spending a few months in the south of Brazil and found this part of the country quite different from that region, which is more European in character.  The Northeast of Brazil is much more African in ethnicity, character … Continue reading Ten Memorable Experiences in Stunning Salvador, Brazil

Why I Decided to Spend Six Months in Brazil

One of the frequently asked questions I receive from people I meet here in Brazil is why I decided to come to Brazil and spend six months. The answer to this question is somewhat complicated and not something I can express in 140 characters with a couple of hashtags, so I am devoting this post to answering this question, a question I am not sure … Continue reading Why I Decided to Spend Six Months in Brazil

São Paulo’s Ibirapuera Park: Leisure and Culture in One of the World’s Finest Urban Parks

Ibirapuera Park should be the top of most must-see lists for visitors to São Paulo.  Ibirapuera actually means “rotten tree” in the indigenous Tupi language, but, in spite of this unfortunate name, the park teems with arboreal life.  At times, especially on Sunday afternoons, people actually outnumber the trees in this urban park.  As evidence of this, Ibirapuera Park was found to be one of … Continue reading São Paulo’s Ibirapuera Park: Leisure and Culture in One of the World’s Finest Urban Parks