Patricia's Brazil Travel Blog

Brazil has a new zero tolerance law for drinking and driving, valid all over the national territory. The law, which came into effect last June 19, has spurred the debate about the dangers of driving under the influence. Studies which informed Law 11.705, commonly referred to as Lei Seca, or Dry Law, conclude that there is no risk-free limit for blood alcohol content (BAC) in drivers.

The previous BAC to configure a DUI in Brazil was .06. The Dry Law goes beyond tackling drunk driving to crack down on impaired driving.

However, a great number of Brazilians feel that there is still more to be done. According to a national survey about alcohol consumption in Brazil, the heaviest drinkers in the country are people between 18 and 24 years of age. The legal drinking age in Brazil is 18, but the consumption of alcohol is growing among younger people, aided by a lax enforcement of laws against the sale of alcoholic beverages to minors.

Last week, several events were held in Brazil to mark one year since the crash of TAM flight 3054 at Congonhas Airport, in São Paulo. On July 17, 2007, 199 people and two unborn children died when the Airbus A320 coming from Porto Alegre was unable to stop at landing and exploded after hitting a TAM building.

The accident caused the highest death toll in the history of Brazilian aviation. The second worst death toll was caused by a a mid-air collision over Mato Grosso on September 29, 2007, which killed the 154 people on Gol Flight 1907.

What has changed in Brazil air travel since the two crashes? For one, deficiencies in the administration of air travel in Brazil have been exposed, enabling society to debate problems. A key force in the push for change has been the associations of families and friends of victims of the two plane crashes. While fighting for justice, they have also kept close track of governmental decisions and persistently demanded solutions for air travel safety in Brazil.

July is an ideal time to start planning for the top celebration of German heritage in Brazil: Oktoberfest.

The official websites (in Portuguese) for three of the top Oktoberfests in Brazil are already out, with schedules, suggestions for hotels, and photos which will give you an idea of what the festivals are like. They take place in the southern Brazilian states, where the German influence is strongest.

The Oktoberfest in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, is second only to the Germany Oktoberfest in Munich. Which one is better? Don't try to choose - take both. Enjoy the wonders of Germany travel in the fall one year, then add the Brazilian Oktoberfest to the next year's spring travel planning, including in it Florianópolis beaches, Iguassu Falls or Rio Grande do Sul attractions.

The more relaxed pace of weekends in São Paulo opens up all kinds of fun opportunities for travelers. With lower rates and special packages at some of the city's best hotels, great nightlife and fewer crowds in the streets, São Paulo reveals its friendlier face and it gets easier to understand its magic.

A great way to visit is Turismetro, a totally affordable subway tour - all you pay is the price of the train tickets you need. There are several options which will take you to museums, cultural centers, and historic buildings.

Some of the attractions are in the downtown area, where you can shop at the Sunday fair at Republica Square and view the city's skyline from the top of the Italia Building. You can take the subway tour and come back to your favorite spots for a more leisurely visit.

Photo of the Sao Paulo subway on Sunday - Patricia Ribeiro

Campos do Jordão, in the Mantiqueira Mountain Range in São Paulo State, has winter attractions that appeal to many travel styles. Climbing and hiking lure nature lovers to the grand surroundings. VIP youth from São Paulo need not worry about doing without night clubs, as some of the best open seasonally in the Capivari district, the hub of all the tourist action.

The Campos do Jordão International Winter Festival, one of the most important music events in Brazil, is the season's cultural highlight.

No matter how attractive the city may be at this time, the best thing to do if you want to save some money (or avoid the crowds) is to wait till the July hype is over. On August weekdays, after Brazilian kids go back to school from winter break and the festival is over, it will still be winter and there will be more accommodations available. Besides, Campos do Jordão is beautiful year round.

Photo of Capivari: Campos do Jordão City Administration.

Last night a friend and I took a taxi in Rio and the driver told us about how he dreads nights when temperatures drop around here, since his car doesn't have heating. To him, low 60s can already be considered extreme lows.

Although the notion of "cold" is relative, it's definitely winter in Rio de Janeiro right now and your packing should not be the same as around Carnival or New Year's Eve. Men will need sweatshirts and sweaters. Kids should have a raincoat - not because it rains more than in the summer, but because when it does, the rain is cooler.

I think I packed my suitcase smartly before coming to Rio last Friday. Now, as I get ready to leave, I realize I wore everything I brought and that I was ready for almost all the weather conditions I got - sunshine on the beach, warm mornings and afternoons, and cool evenings. I just wasn't ready for the heavy rain that fell today. Read these suggestions about women's style essentials for winter travel in Rio and consider visiting around this time of the year - it's just wonderful.

Late winter afternoon in Copacabana. Photo by Patricia Ribeiro.

Although Brazil struggles against illiteracy, Brazilian readers are passionate enough to bring a literary festival to the forefront of the country's events.

Besides being a forum for the finest contemporary authors, Flip - the International Literary Festival in Paraty, Rio de Janeiro, also offers reasons to hope that the country can win the battle against illiteracy. The festival's community-oriented educational projects have yielded a library composed of children's works and had a major positive impact in the area's schools.

One of the international authors invited to this year's edition is Tom Stoppard.

Paraty is one of the most charming colonial towns in Brazil, and Flip is the kind of event that makes it more attractive than ever.

One of the most beautiful beaches in Rio de Janeiro, Leblon is also a neighborhood with great nightlife, restaurants and shops.

On Avenida Delfim Moreira, which follows the shoreline, you can join cariocas as they run and walk for fitness, or just take a leisurely stroll, taking in the sights as I did yesterday during the first morning of my winter Rio trip.

Join me on a walking tour of Leblon to the west end of the beach and up a block on Avenida Niemeyer, where a lookout point will grant you one of the most beautiful views in the Wonderful City.

Tonight, all over Brazil, people are celebrating St. John's Festival, one of the highlights of Festas Juninas, which usually start on June 13, St. Anthony's Day, and go to June 29, St. Peter's Day.

Square dancing in clothing that represents rural folk from the past is a fun part of the events, which take on local characteristics depending on each region. Tonight is a time to eat such treats as barbecue, curau and paçoca.

In the northeast, Caruaru, PE, and Campina Grande, PB, dispute the title of greatest St. John in the world. But the festivities are great in all regions and persist through the centuries as one of the most creative and lively times on the Brazilian festival calendar.

On the last three days of June, a unique event draws thousands of people to Parintins, an island city in the Amazon. Keep this festival in mind, as it is becoming as famous as Brazilian Carnival.

Photo: St. John square dancing in Recife, Pernambuco. Courtesy of Prefeitura Municipal de Recife.

One of the most important events for Brazil travel started yesterday at Anhembi Park, in São Paulo: the third edition of Salão do Turismo (June 18-22, 2p-8p weekdays, 10a-8p weekends), a gathering of travel-related organizations promoted by the Brazilian Ministry of Tourism. The event is open to travel industry professionals and the general public. Admission is free upon online request until today. Tickets at the door cost R$ 10 (about $ 6).

Some exciting areas of the event are the Tour Fair, where every state presents the best suggestions for exploring their top destinations, and Vitrine Brazil, where visitors will find a display of Brazilian products from all the country's regions. The theme for Vitrine Brazil this year is "Brazilian Product: A Treasure the Tourist Takes Home". Artistic presentations, culinary, arts and crafts demonstrations and a business area where people can purchase travel packages are some other attractions.

I'm off to Anhembi, feeling very excited about this opportunity to learn more about what Brazil has to offer travelers. I recommend the Ministry of Tourism's Brazilian Tourism Portal as a great resource for anyone who is planning a trip to Brazil, especially first-time visitors.

If you're in São Paulo, an additional reason to visit Anhembi is the Brazil-Japan Cultural Week, also through June 22, which is part of the celebrations of the Japanese Immigration Centennial.