Monthly Archives: November 2009

The Zones & Bairros of Belém

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On Wikipedia, I came across a page (in PT) showcasing the bairros (neighborhoods) of Belém and as an added benefit, it broke them down by zones (not sure what to call them, perhaps municipalities). I’ve heard all but the first zone used in daily conversation as the bairros that make up the Zona Central are just referred to by their name.

Zona Central

Batista Campos | Campina | Cidade Velha | Nazaré | Reduto | São Brás | Umarizal | Marco

Entroncamento

Águas Lindas | Aurá | Castanheira | Curió-Utinga | Guanabara | Mangueirão | Marambaia | Souza | Val-de-Cans | Universitário

Guamá

Canudos | Condor | Cremação | Guamá | Jurunas | Terra Firme

Icoaraci

Águas Negras | Agulha | Campina de Icoaraci | Cruzeiro | Maracacueira | Paracuri | Parque Guajará | Ponta Grossa | Tenoné

Mosqueiro

Aeroporto | Ariramba | Baía do Sol | Bonfim | Carananduba | Caruará | Chapéu Virado | Farol | Mangueiras | Maracajá | Marahú | Murubira | Natal do Murubira | Paraíso | Porto Arthur | Praia Grande | São Francisco | Sucurijuquara | Vila

Outeiro

Água Boa | Brasília | Itaiteua | São João do Outeiro

Benguí

Benguí | Cabanagem | Coqueiro | Parque Verde | Pratinha | São Clemente | Tapanã | Una

Sacramenta

Barreiro | Fátima | Maracangalha Miramar | Pedreira | Sacramenta | Telegráfo

As a bonus, each bairro page gives a tiny history of each bairro as well as principal streets to be found there and the linhas de ônibus (bus lines) that pass through there (a fact which I will add to the bus post I recently did).

Solar do Leitor – The thinker's bookstore

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Last night, before seeing Lenine play live at the Book Fair, I went to see a friend of a friend at a book stand inside the Hangar. His name is Wagner and he not only seems like a great guy but he works for a great company, Solar do Leitor, here in Belém.

What makes Solar do Leitor different from other run-of-the-mill bookstores? They are selective with their inventory. What I mean by that is they don’t sell best-sellers just to make a buck and also they take care in only having in stock the kinds of literature that can really teach you something about the world.

If you are in Belém and want to check them out, here is their address (also on their site above), phone and email.

Solar do Leitor
Trav. dos Tupinambás, 431
Batista Campos
66033-815
Belém – Pará
(91) 3087 9684
livraria.bc@solardoleitor.com.br

Taking the Bus in Belém

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Taking the bus in Belém can be a bit confusing, if you don’t know the city. The government site for the city has you covered though…for the most part. On their Public Transport page, they offer a way to track down which bus goes where and then they offer you (if you scroll down) a text version of the route or a map of the route. Either way, there are no times associated with the routes, just the street names in the text version.

The first field says “Passando em” (Passing by), the second field says “Saindo de” (Leaving from) and the third, “Chegando em” (Arriving at). From there, you enter the street you are on into one of the fields and a drop-down list will appear for you to choose the correct street. Once you’ve chosen the street, a results section will appear below where you’ll find the bus lines and an option to choose text or map.

To help you a little more in your planning, my post on the zones and bairros of Belém offers a tip on knowing which bus lines go through which neigborhoods.

Street Smart Brazil is now 2.0!

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Hi folks, I received a message from Street Smart Brazil (which I wrote about last year, and which receives some of the most click-throughs from my site) with the news that they’ve totally redone their Portuguese learning site and that it’s better than ever! Here’s the message below!

I am so excited to share the news with you: Street Smart Brazil’s new website is up! We are fully 2.0. The new features include:

  • A totally new look – o site está lindo!
  • A “Meet the Team” page where you can meet our expert instructors
  • Information on our Skype lessons and how Street Smart Brazil makes distant learning personal
  • An integrated blog with video lessons and tips on the Portuguese language and the Brazilian culture
  • An updated store with books, movies, music, and Street Smart Brazil merchandise

AND

Discussion Forums on everything that is Brazilian

Pan-Amazonian Book Fair in town!

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One of the largest literary fairs in the country is in Belém at the Hangar (Center of Conventions & Amazonian Fairs) starting tomorrow November 6th, 2009 and lasting 10 days. In accordance with Brazil’s Year of France, the Book Fair will be the official closing event which promoted French culture in Brazil and several notable French authors will be in attendance. The 13th edition of the Fair will include 176 stands and the participation of 112 expositions (57 of which are national and 55 being regional). Over half a million people are expected and R$25 million is expected to exchange hands, in accordance with last years numbers.

The event will also include Literary Meetings with the likes of Ariano Suassuna, Emir Sader, Moacir Scliar, Zeca Caramago, Frei Betto, Zuenir Ventura, Laurentino Gomes, Cristovam Tezza and Sérgio Nogueira. Each event will happen at 8PM in the auditorium on the 2nd floor. Also, pocket shows with musical guests Lenine (the 6th) and João Bosco (the 14th) are scheduled.

Entrance is free and the Hangar is open from 10AM to 10PM everyday. The Hangar is located at Av. Dr. Freitas, S/N (Sem Número meaning no number).

Official Site: http://www.feiradolivro.pa.gov.br/

Official Schedule (PDF. in Port.)

Mini observations

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Being in Belém now means observing daily life and noting the differences with other cities in Brazil and with where I come from. Here’s a few I’ve noticed in the last week.

Ègua – In a post I did on common phrases here (in the Language section), I mentioned égua as a way to say something is really good or surprising. What I didn’t realize is how much it would be used once I got here. Perhaps at some point I may tire of it, but at this point, it’s quite nice to hear and I’m waiting until I catch myself saying it on the regular. Recently, I asked a friend what it actually meant and it seems to be the word for a female horse, or mare. Let’s translate that real quickly. “That book is (the father of) a female horse!”

Rain – After a week here, it seems the chuva das 2 means every 2 weeks, not at 2PM. You see, it has only rained once so far. They tell me to just be patient and in the coming months I will wish I never wished to see more rain.

Buses – As opposed to Rio buses, the buses here go by name, not number…but either way, it doesn’t really help me at this point as I don’t even know all the names. Perhaps a repeat of a Rio bus ride is in order (getting on and praying I go in the right direction).

Doca – No, I’m not talking about the Estação das Docas but rather the unofficial neighborhood (that some call a street) called Doca, which houses countless bars and clubs. There’s a little something for everyone there. It’s opposite the avenue where the extra large Líder supermarket is (the one with a huge Z on the side and front) and then one street beyond.

Well, that’s it for now. Hope you learned a little!

Whats the best beach in Rio?

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First take a look at this picture to get a sense of what you’ll see when approaching Prainha.

It really comes down to personal preference when trying to decide which is the best beach in Rio, although I usually keep hearing the same answer to that question. Many have told me time and time again that Prainha is ‘where its at’.

Prainha is said to be one of the prettiest beaches of the Rio that most people pass up. The majority of those who frequent this beach are surfers as the best waves in Rio are found there. As the name says, Prainha is small and squeezed in between the sea and the mountains (which the picture above doesn´t fully show). The website RioOn has a wider variety of shots.

To arrive at Prainha, one must pass through Barra, Recreio and Praia da Macumba yet it is not as far as what is considered Rio´s last beach, Grumari. If you are looking for peace and quiet, try making your trip out there on any given weekday.

Rio for Partiers, Women for…sex?

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The clip below deals with the image of the Brazilian woman and in this case, the carioca and how that image is presented in a sexual manner to foreigners. It reached the point where postcards and other images which were of a sexual nature were prohibited from being sold in Rio. I remember being in Rio and watching a debate on the matter on a news show and while I’m supportive of the right to express yourself how you want, there are limits, of course. To promote the women in Rio as sex fiends or anything of the sort is not right. I personally know many Brazilian women and none of them are hypersexual in the way they are portrayed to the rest of the world.

As for the tourist book they refer to in the news piece, I’ve seen it and took a look through it. There were corrections I would have made to the content and I do remember taking note of the page on Brazilian women. Secondly, I wouldn’t write a short colorful book explaining Brazilian culture to a foreigner as it is a complex subject to being with. When writing about where to go or what to do, that’s fine…as long as you aren’t saying “the women in this club are easier” (well, I suppose if you are talking about Help Discoteca, then it would be factual).

To sum it up, I think if you fall for some surface article or book that says certain women are easier than others, you are probably lacking more than a few brain cells. And if you are going to say “but look at what they wear (on the beach, on the street, etc)”, I will tell you that Brazil is a hot and humid country and if you lived in Alaska, I’m sure you’d do the opposite and wear sweaters and jackets.

That being said, I absolutely love the Brazilian woman, only my love is a reflection of the culture they grow up within, and not some false notion that I pulled out of thin air.

Boteco Belmonte – Full of charm & chopp

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(source)

I love the Boteco Belmonte and apparently, so does everyone else I talk to. It’s a real bar’s bar, from its wooden decor and good lighting to its young and happy clientele, it’s full of charm and chopp (draught beer). Back when I was living in Rio, I believe there was only one and that was at the end of Oswaldo Cruz on the border between Botafogo and Flamengo (Praia do Flamengo, 300). These days, it’s a chain with 7 or 8 locations and it can be found in the following locales:

Lapa (Rua do Lavradio, 116)
Ipanema (Rua Teixeira de Melo, 53B)
Jardim Botânico (Rua Jardim Botânico, 617)
Copacabana (Rua Bolivar, 28)
Urca (Avenida Portugal, 986)*
Leblon (Rua Dias Ferreira, 521)
Barra (Rua Armando Lombardi, 800)

* – Can anyone confirm the Urca location?

The boteco is included in Rio Botequim, a small-sized photo book of the top 50 bars in Rio, which I happily own (the book, not the bars, unfortunately). Gema Carioca wrote a positive post (in PT) on the chain with a picture of the Urca location. A strange fact, in the urinals in the Leblon branch, there are giant ice blocks. Unfortunately, if you are looking for images or videos on Belmonte to get a feel for what its like, you’ll come out empty handed (except for a few images here). My suggestion is to see the place yourself and have a great time!