Brazil Blog
About this blog
Thrill of Brazil is a travel blog all about Brazil written by Moon Brazil author Michael Sommers. Michael blogs about Brazil travel, culture, and more. He welcomes questions, comments, and story ideas.
Recent Posts
- Care for a Drink with your Film? (or a Film with your Drink?)
- Brazil’s Homegrown Tourism Boom
- Brazil's Best and Write-est
- Making House Calls in Rio (Part II)
- Making House Calls in Rio (Part I)
- The Dawning of Brazil's B&B Age
- Rio's Alternative Points of View
- Taxi Trouble in Santa Teresa
- Obamas Take to the Campaign Trail in Brazil
- Plans and Punctuality
- Reliving Tropicalismo - On and Off Screen
- Food and Lodging that Make the Grade
- The Making of Moon Living Abroad in Brazil
- U.S. is Number One Source of Immigrants to Brazil
- Best English-Language Blogs about Brazil
Making House Calls in Rio (Part I)
Whenever I travel to Rio de Janeiro I’m always seduced by the idea of living there. For this reason, I always love visiting homes of people who actually do live there.
Recently, I visited two fantastic Rio de Janeiro homes – both of which are located in leafy residential parts of the Zona Sul and both of which are open to the public. Mysteriously, and erroneously, both are also off the radar of most foreign tourists. more >>
The Dawning of Brazil's B&B Age
Earlier this week, I spent the night at O Veleiro, a bed-and-breakfast owned and lived in by a friendly Canadian-Brazilian couple. This B&B is noteworthy for its location – a sprawling house hugging one of Rio de Janeiro’s jungly mountainsides (iconic neighbors include both Sugar Loaf and the statue of Christ the Redeemer). However, it’s also remarkable for the fact that, according to its owners, it’s the first B&B not only in Rio, but in all of Brazil. more >>
Rio's Alternative Points of View
At the top of any To Do list for first-time visitors to Rio de Janeiro are two obligatory ascents:
1. To the top of Corcovado (to take in jaw-dropping panoramic views of Sugarloaf and the city).
2. To the top of Sugarloaf (to take in jaw-dropping panoramic views of Corcovado and the city). more >>
Taxi Trouble in Santa Teresa
I arrived in Rio de Janeiro last Saturday afternoon and, as usual, felt a sudden thrill as I stepped out of Tom Jobim International Airport and boarded a bus bound for the downtown district of Centro.
I can always count on Rio to send my dopamine levels into overdrive. Unfortunately, my pleasure at being in the Cidade Maravilhosa took an unexpected hit soon after my arrival. In Centro, no sooner had I climbed into a taxi bound for my hotel, when I was unceremoniously ejected from the vehicle by the driver. Prior to my being kicked to the curb, the following exchange took place:
Me: “Can you take me to Santa Teresa please?”
Cabbie: “Where in Santa Teresa?” more >>
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