Brazil Travel

Bahia, one of the top touristic destinations in Brazil, will be showcasing its many attractions during the 1st Tourism Fair of Bahia (I Salão Baiano de Turismo), taking place May 17-19 at Centro de Convenções da Bahia in Salvador.

Preparations are under way at the Convention Center for the event with a 120-square-meter area featuring the state's 13 travel routes; shows representing the best of regional music; food courts and concept restaurants serving typical culinary; and workshops on crucial themes for Bahia and Brazil tourism at large, including FIFA World Cup 2014.

A particularly interesting workshop for international visitors will be the one with Brazil travel pros Ricardo Freire of Viaje na Viagem, Alison McGowan of Hidden Pousadas Brazil and photographer Tony Galvez. The theme of the workshop is "The Independent Traveler".

Another highlight at the Salão will be the presentation of a study carried out by the Fundação Instituto de Pesquisas Econômicas (Fipe), the largest study of its kind ever, based on 17,000 questionnaires applied in 44 Bahia touristic destinations and revealing the latest on the state's tourism statistics.

The study will be presented by Fipe coordinator Wilson Rabahy. According to Bahia Tourism Secretary Domingos Leonelli, the document follows up on studies carried out between June 2008 and June 2009. "We are building a solid database for the implementation of an economic observatory for Bahia tourism," he said in a press release.

The study shows that tourism in Bahia is on the rise. Some of the strongest trends in local travel will be widely showcased at the fair, among them Ethnic Tourism.

I've been invited to the Fair by Bahiatursa and am looking forward to the event, a press trip to Morro de São Paulo and meetings with the other travel buffs, including reunions with Alison McGowan and colleagues I met during a recent press trip to Chapada Diamantina. I'll have updates soon!

I Salão Baiano de Turismo:

Centro de Convenções da Bahia
Salvador-BA
May 17-19, 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Open to the public; admission free. Present a photo ID for sign-up.

Upcoming Event in Bahia:

• São João da Bahia, a statewide celebration of Festas Juninas

Photo of Morro by Rita Barreto/SETUR; photo of the São Roque Festival by Elói Corrêa/ SECOM.

Two of the world's best-known sun and beach destinations are to become sister cities (or twin towns) today. Paraty, on the Southeastern coast of Brazil, and Capri, the main town on Capri Island, Italy, will become officially connected during a ceremony at 5 p.m. today at the Sala Consiliare del Comune di Capri.

The event is taking place during the Italy-Brazil Moment, a celebration of the friendship and cultural ties between the two countries.

Capri Mayor Ciro Lembo, Paraty Mayor José́ Carlos Porto Neto, the rector of Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Ricardo Vieiralves de Castro, and Maurizio Siniscalco, a lawyer who promoted the initiative and is an honorary citizen of Capri, will attend the ceremony.

The official relationship between the two cities - a gemellaggio culturale, in Italian - will reinforce their cultural, artistic, technical, scientific, commercial and touristic ties.

Among the many traits in common which lure tourists to Capri and Paraty are their scenic beaches and sea escapes, quaint architecture, and charming hotels and restaurants.

Capri-Paraty, Sister Cities:

• Capri Island Travel
• Capri Island Pictures
• JK Place Capri Review
• Paraty Travel
• Paraty Pictures
• Casa Turquesa, Paraty Review

Photo of Paraty by Patricia Ribeiro.

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Brazil's largest culinary event is Brasil Sabor (May 3-June 3, 2012), a sort of Restaurant Month promoted by Abrasel, the Brazilian Association of Bars and Restaurants, and with participating restaurants from all over the country. This year's edition is celebrating the Italy-Brazil Moment.

This year's slogan, "Quem tem boca vai a Roma", is a saying meaning, literally, "If you've got a mouth you'll get to Rome", and which applies to every situation in which you get the information you need by asking.

Portuguese speakers will do better in finding the information they need to choose participating restaurants in Brasil Sabor, since the event's official website is, unfortunately, still not available in other languages.

Italian restaurants are a natural choice for this year's theme and one of the top picks - lucky you if you're in Ceará - is Trattoria do Alfio. Italian chef Alfio De Santis, who said in this TV interview that his real name is Giuseppe Franco De Santis, is a living legend in Brazil culinary and a trailblazer in Fortaleza's Italian cuisine who started out in the 1980s with La Trattoria on Iracema Beach.

In 2007 he opened this cozy place serving his famous homemade pasta in the Varjota district, where he works surrounded by his children and loyal employees. For the festival, he's serving Fettuccine ai Gamberi (R$ 35,90, photo), pasta with shrimp, refried in olive oil and garlic.

Brasil Sabor 2012

Trattoria do Alfio:

Rua Prof. Dias da Rocha 303
Fortaleza - Ceará
Phone: 55-85-3082-2522
Wheelchair-accessible

Photo courtesy of Abrasel Ceará

The pros know: Barra da Tijuca, Arpoador and Canto do Recreio are some of the best spots for surfing in Rio. That's why they're hosting one of the city's top surfing events - the Billabong Rio Pro 2012, which started yesterday at Arpoador, between Ipanema and Copacabana.

If you're in Rio today, head on to the beach or to the Arpoador Rock, which affords a pretty amazing view of the beach and the competition.

Keep up with the next rounds on the Billabong Rio Pro 2012, which also has many photos of the event. There are also lots of great photos on the Riotur Flickr. Take note of the mild, sunny weather in Rio: fall is a wonderful time to visit, and despite some special events like this one, still low season and therefore more affordable.

• Arpoador
• Arpoador (En Brasil, About.com en Español)
• Recreio
• Top Hotels in Barra da Tijuca

Hone Your Surfing Skills:

• About.com Guide to Surfing

Photos of Billabong Rio Pro 2012 by Alexandre Macieira/Riotur

Accor has rebranded the Sofitel São Paulo Ibirapuera, which is now the Mercure Grand Hotel São Paulo Parque do Ibirapuera.

Brazil's first representative of Mercure's upper midscale Grand Hotel concept retains the building's attractive features, such as the staircase and the sumptuous lobby, yet has all-new attractions such as Privilege Rooms with exclusive services and the Boulangerie Mercure.

No São Paulo hotel in this category has such privileged views of Ibirapuera Park. Though strongly geared towards business travel, thanks to superb facilities for corporate events, the hotel also caters to romantic travel (honeymoon packages could include a helicopter ride).

You don't even need to be a guest to enjoy some of the hotel's perks, for example the Aboo Wine Lounge Bar.

• Mercure Grand Hotel São Paulo Parque do Ibirapuera

Photo courtesy of Mercure

More About Hotels the World Over:

• About.com Guide to Hotels & Resorts

May 12, 212 Update: The International Forum on Accessibility and Citizenship which was scheduled to take place during the Iguassu Falls Tourism Festival in Brazil June 13-15 has been postponed to 2013, according to forum organizer Gilmar de Lima in a message sent to inclusive tourism advocate and author Scott Rains and other participants.

Successful experiences and new trends in inclusive tourism, the importance of inclusive tourism as a driving force in the development of local communities, and related themes such as regional priorities and education were some of the topics on the agenda.

Besides Rains, other expertes involved in the forum were Carlos Tavares, Tourism Secretary in Socorro, one of Brazil's top references in inclusive tourism; Jorge Luiz, creator of Brazil's first accessible jangada; and Silvana Cambiaghi, an expert in Universal Design and the author of Desenho Universal.

The cancellation of the forum leaves a vacuum in the festival program, as none of the other parallel events focuses as specifically and strongly on inclusive tourism. Some of those events are EIBTUR, a travel blogger meeting; a sustainable travel show; and a gourmet event promoted by Abrasel, the Brazilian Bar and Restaurant Association.

Recife has top-notch museums and Instituto Ricardo Brennand is one of the best for visitors interested in the history of Dutch Brazil.

The institute holds the world's largest private collection of works by Frans Post (1612--1680), an artist who arrived in Brazil in 1637 by invitation of Maurice of Nassau, governor of Dutch-occupied Northeastern Brazil, and was the first European artist to paint landscapes of the Americas.

But there's a lot more, especially a comprehensive collections of weapons, at the complex built in medieval style by entrepreneur Ricardo Brennand to house and display all the works of art he's amassed over decades.

The institute, named after the founder's uncle and not himself, is one of two laboriously created Brennand venues in town. At Oficina Brennand, Francisco Brennand, Ricardo's cousin, displays his paintings, drawings, sculptures and ceramic art in a setting transformed over the course of 40 years from the ruins of a brick and tile factory founded by his father.

• Instituto Ricardo Brennand, Recife, Brazil

Photo courtesy of Brazil's Ministry of Tourism.

The diversity of Rio de Janeiro's musical scene has moved up several notches since the start of Santa Música Faz!, a project which aims at creating a "cultural belt" around the city with shows in favelas which have UPPs, or Police Pacifying Units.

Until 2013, all the favelas involved in Santa Música Faz! will host an eclectic blend of classical music, jazz, rap, samba and other musical styles in shows featuring renowned musicians alongside talents from each one of the communities involved.

Produced by Roda de Produção Ilimitada and Coletivo Santa Música and sponsored by the Rio de Janeiro State administration in a partnership with several NGOs and radio stations, Santa Música Faz! aims at forming 300 musical producers in the participating communities. The project is also involved in World Music Day in Brazil.

If you're in Rio this coming Saturday, add this great show at Morro da Providência - which, by the way, is free - to the list of best things to do in town; if you can't be there, plan for upcoming editions of the event, which has already been to Morro da Mineira, Chapéu Mangueira and Babilônia.

Providência, located behind Central do Brasil (Central Station, featured in the eponymous movie) and near the port zone, is considered Rio's - and Brazil's - first favela. One of the goals of the UPP installed in the area in 2010 is to create a greater connection between tourists and this community rich in history and culture, including Afro-Brazilian heritage. Some of its attractions are the house (in great need of restoration) where Machado de Assis, one of the greatest Brazilian writers of all time, was born, and the Nossa Senhora da Penha Church. The favela also has some lookout points with extraordinary views.

The term favela in its current use actually had its origin at Providência; former soldiers in the Canudos War who moved to the area in the late 19th century thought the hill reminded them of a hill in Bahia where favela trees (Cnidoscolus phyllacanthus) grew.

One of the headliners this Saturday will be Rodrigo Santos, playing hits from his solo career and from his Barão Vermelho years, alongside Os Lenhadores.

Leo Gandelman, one of Brazil's greatest saxophone players, will also be there.

Other performers scheduled: Zé da Velha and Silvério Pontes, Paulinho Trompete, Marlon e Helo and musicians from Providência's percussion band showing how much samba the favela's got.

Santa Música Faz! at Providência:

Admission: Free

At Praça da Toca (Rua Ebroino Uruguai, Gamboa):
Free Stage (4 p.m.), Rodrigo Santos (6 p.m.), Zé da Velha and Silvério Pontes (7 p.m.).

At N. S. da Penha Church (Ladeira do Barroso, Gamboa):

Paulinho Trompete (7 p.m.) and Leo Gandelman (8 p.m.)

At Cruzeiro: (Av. do Cruzeiro 70 - Gamboa)
Free stage (4 p.m.), Marlon e Helo and Escola de Percussão (6 p.m.)

Keep up with Santa Musica Faz on Facebook

Photos of Rodrigo Santos and Leo Gandelman courtesy of Santa Música Faz!. Photo of Leo Gandelman by Luiz Garrido.

Today Brasília is commemorating its 52nd anniversary with nearly 30 shows, a hot air balloon festival and more.

Not all is shine - the federal capital is one of the cities where Marcha contra a Corrupção, a protest against corruption in Brazil, was scheduled to take place today.

Despite Brazil's political and social maladies, there's much to be celebrated about life and tourism in the country's capital. Local newspaper Correio Braziliense is celebrating the anniversary with a special in its printed edition about the city's nightlife, which is brimming with new spots such as the sizzling hot Balcony 412, winner of a 2012/2013 Revelation of the Year award from Veja Brasília, and old faves such as Calaf.

The newspaper, launched on Brasília's inauguration day, is highlighting the fact that Lucio Costa's city plan restricted the height of buildings just so people could freely enjoy the cerrado's magnificent sunsets and skies.

Oscar Niemeyer's world-famous designs for the capital (which inspired today's Google Brazil doodle) were not even all materialized when Brasília was inaugurated on Tiradentes Day. For example, Our Lady of Aparecida Cathedral, which had its cornerstone launched in 1958, would only be completed in 1970.

The semi-finished capital did have enough substance to be inaugurated, after less than four years of construction, with festivities which included a gala for 3,000 at Palácio do Planalto (photo).

It all started with a solemn midnight Mass, for which the same iron cross used for the first Mass in Brazil in 1500 was brought over from Tesouro-Museu da Sé de Braga in Portugal. A bell used to announce the execution of Tiradentes in 1792 rang in the ceremony, during which President Juscelino Kubitschek broke down and cried.

If you read Portuguese, enjoy one of the best online resources about the events leading up to that big day in Brazil history: Veja's special Brasília 50 Anos, launched for the city's 50th anniversary.

Great Photos of Brasília:

• Brasília, Brazil by Flávio Cruvinel Brandão on Flickr

The ongoing National Indigenous Culture Festival in Bertioga is Brazil's best-known celebration of its kind. The festival is a super opportunity to discover the traditions of several indigenous groups from different regions and a fun time to visit this beautiful beach town in São Paulo State.

This year, the guest groups are Kayapó, Karajá do Norte, Kisêdjê and Mamaindê. Their hosts are the Guarani from the Rio Silveira reservation in nearby Boraceia.

If you would like to come to the festival next year, keep in mind that it takes place around April 19, a date in which Brazil commemorates indigenous groups (not a bank or school holiday). April 21, which is a national holiday (Tiradentes) will fall on a Sunday.

Photo by Renata de Brito/Prefeitura do Município de Bertioga