Sao Paulo or Rio is not the Capital of Brazil
Despite of been was born in Brazil I never paid so much attention to how rich and colorful our culture really is. I grow up near Brasilia (the capital of Brazil) so vacation was always on my list but never with the sole intention of learning the different parts of the country and their way of living.
Brazil is the largest country in South America and with hidden gems that one can only dream off, much to the contrary of what news report shows (favelas, gangs, poverty) yes we have all that, but so does every country, what I am talking about is history and the paradise that Brazil display in a picture-perfect calendar.
I made a transition to North America in my mid-twenties, and my immediate family follows right after. So my trips to Brazil were frequently, but usually to the same places, and families always played a priority and it should be, and I wanted my daughters to learn about their mom’s roots.
After so many years of traveling to the same locations and same routine, now with my kids grown it was time to see my country with different eyes. Feel the vibe experience each and every territory one at a time.
So my unexpected trip was to Brasilia, very close to my home town, and yet pretty unknown to me, I have always known that city was planned to be exactly what it is today architectural and historical speaking. Very Powerful names are associated with massive monument from the ground zero.
The weather in Brazil gives anyone an opportunity to dress up or down, the temperature changes without warning.
It is very easy to find a coffee shop in almost every corner and all the temptation of their hand made delicacies. Coffee to go is not something that Brazilian do well, they seat and enjoy their very small cup of coffee. Grab a coffee and go is very much a North American style.
No one can help but fall in love with the fashion there, like any other place in the world prices is according to location. It very much reminded me of Real Estate Location Location Location.
So after savoring our coffee, we were ready to face the afternoon and move on. Brasilia city is not small and is very crowded, traffic jams, and traffic sometimes moves at such a speed that one may think that they are getting ready to take off. Not counting the motorcycles that zig-zag with such precision that they actually manage no to hit your rearview mirrors. Driving a motorcycle is almost an art form. so needless to say that we spent most of the day up on our feet, exploring.
There was no stopping, photos needed to be taken, a museum to visit, government building to be admired. And the street vendors were everywhere, I was in a hurry to absorb as much of the experience as possible. But I must confess the street vendors took a lot of my time, a true artist showcasing their creation, from painting to handcraft jewelry, pottery, and the list goes on.
The street vendors.
The next stop was street vendors (Feira) Since we first arrived in Brasilia that was on thing that I really wanted to do, they are known for their creativity, vibrant colors, and affordable prices.
One good thing about traveling to another country with a local is the language barrier is not a problem, so my friends were able to enjoy and understand the language easily. Brasilian people are very enthusiastic so gestures and smiles made it easy and sometimes no need to translate.
Visiting art galleries and museums was what preoccupied us for the rest of the day and only when our feet were aching but we did not go back to the hotel instead we both bought one pair of their most famous Havainna sandal (flip-flop) and easy-flow dress to complete the look, and we changed cloth in one of their pop up tent especially for trying cloth in a public area. As comfortable as I was when the day started, by the time evening hit, I could barely stand but not ready to stop just yet.
That is when the night begins.
We made a few more stops before arriving at our hotel. Upon on entering the hotel, we heard this amazing music, and decided to check it out, it was a live band with such energy that was almost impossible to stand still, and in our flip flop we were seated and drinks came (caipirinha) and that was the end of our amazing than the last in the Capital of Brazil. What a beautiful was like entering a whole new world even for me as a native of Brazil, filled to the brim with history.
Beautiful Brasilia
It may have been a very touristy thing to do- visiting each and every attraction, so we spent the last day getting lost through the small streets of the city. There is a lot of graffiti behind buildings and each one felt meaningful to me. It was as if each one was designed with a goal in mind and it wasn’t just some random scribbles by local vagrants, it was more than that. That night, when we went back to the hotel, I found myself thinking why did it take me so long to see the beauty in my own country, I know more about other countries than my own, but this is going to change.
I can’t help but think back on all the beautiful memories I’ve obtained through it. Knowing that was there the entire time and I never made it a priority is life-changing for me. Each walk through the city, each museum visit, I can easily say Brasilia is radiant with history and life. I would recommend anyone to travel to Brazil and take time to see what the Capital of Brasil has to offer. A lot more time is needed to see all that is has to offers, museums, churches, theatres, historical monuments that changed people’s lives. All that I can say is that my journey has just begun, next will be Fernando de Noronha with is another paradise to be explored, a trip to Fernando de Noronha must be planed in advance since the Island is controlled by how many visitors can get in on a daily basis. And this is what makes it possible to keep Fernando de Noronha preserved as of one of the best places to visit in Brazil.
