Coming to Brazil? Bring these basics

Hi all,

Well, I am better today. Still red and sunburned, but not glowing.

On Saturday, the weather was gorgeous – a warm (but not hot) fall day. We’ve had a lot of rain lately, and I was getting a bit pasty, so I grabbed a copy of Dracula and strolled down to Flamengo Beach. The breeze was steady, the scenery passing by was engaging, and – well, you know where this is going. Four hours later, I crept off the beach glowing like a red-hot ember.

That is, from my front. The back of me, which had been in contact with the beach chair, remains pasty white. So I have my project for next Saturday afternoon.

In fact, Rio is not considered tropical, but subtropical. It’s weather and temperatures could be compared to that of South Florida. But you certainly need to exercise care. O

With this post I’ll begin a series of posts on things visitors to Rio and Brazil should know – what my buddy Greg likes to call “Brazil Basics”.

So refer to the picture as I discuss a few items that you should bring along…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That large, amorphous black thing is an inflatable neck ring pillow. Most flights to Brazil from the US are red-eyes. That’s great in that you don’t kill a whole day of vacation getting here. But sleeping siting up can be tough, so buy one of these at Wal-Mart or your favorite pharmacy. You can wait and get one at the airport if you want to pay triple the price.

At bottom center, you will notice sunscreen, which, depending on when you plan to come, should top your list. Rainfall is highest in Rio in December, and then spikes again in April. But even in these wet months, there is typically strong sun for some of each day. Other parts of Brazil have completely different weather patterns (the northeast has almost monotonously perfect sunny weather), so check online before deciding what to bring.

While you can certainly find sunscreen here, it is expensive. Also, why spend your time looking for it? Bring it, and when your flight arrives a 7:00 AM and you find that your hotel room isn’t ready until noon, you can quickly change, store your bags, and trot across the street to the beach.

The weather in Rio can change quickly as it is situated between hills and the ocean. So bring a collapsible umbrella small enough that you can take it in your handbag or daypack. Even if the weather is clear, if going out for more than a couple of hours you should take it, or risk getting caught in a shower that came from nowhere. Should you be caught without, though, street vendors will be happy to sell you one. They tend to congregate outside the metro stations.

Bring a cheapie camera, ideally one that can handle a bit of water and sand. You may still want to bring a nice camera, but you don’t want to always have to worry about your digital SLR. If you bring one in a plastic housing like the one shown, you can even snap shots of the mermaids in the surf.

Finally, pick up a decent Portuguese-English dictionary. And shame on you if you thought they speak Spanish here. Spanish is similar enough to Portuguese that it will help you. Ask a question in Spanish, and Brazilians often will understand at least the gist. When they then reply in Portuguese, you’ll realize that the spoken languages are quite different. a good PORTUGUESE-English dictionary or phrase book is essential. Don’t worry too much, though. You can typically find someone who speaks English, and Brazilians are wonderfully patient people who will try their best to understand and help you.

Not pictured: Insect repellent. Bring a spray or lotion with DEET. Mosquito-borne illnesses can be a problem in parts of Brazil, even in parts of Rio.

Ate mais, guys!

John

 

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