I will start our Brazilian tour in the south. The southern region of Brazil is composed of three states: Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná.
Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state is Brazil, is my home state and we are very proud to have a quality of life comparable to European countries! We have some similarities with Texas: We are proud, have fought on many wars and were once an independent nation. We chose to be part of Brazil as Texas did with the USA.
The capital of Rio Grande do Sul is Porto Alegre, my hometown and where I live. Porto Alegre, a big city with over 1.6 million inhabitants, is reputed to have one of the most beautiful sunsets in the world and to be the city with most trees in the world. Check these pictures:
Here you see Porto Alegre in the background with the islands of the Guaiba River delta in the front:
Porto Alegre has a beautiful downtown, full of squares and historical buildings:
You will feel safe in Porto Alegre and Rio Grande do Sul (the southern region in general), no one will know you're a foreign tourist, because some 90% of the population here is white and almost half of us have green or blue eyes. You will be "invisible" here.
If you come to Rio Grande do Sul you should visit our highlands. Gramado, for instance:
As you can see, gentlemen, it snows in Gramado during the winter. But the weather is so mild, it snows at night and by mid-morning the sun will have melted it all! You will never have problems with the snow there.
Other options in Rio Grande do Sul include the Vale dos Vinhedos (Vineyard Valley) a 50 sq miles area all covered in vineyards that produce excellent wines, comparable to those of Chile and Argentina!
You could also visit our Estancias (ranches), where cattle has been raised for centuries, and they give you an idea of life in the old Rio Grande do Sul:
Several Estancias are also hotels these days, and they are an excellent option to relax in complet peace a quiet.
You shouldn't miss the churrasco (barbecue Rio Grande do Sul style). It's an orgy for the taste, actually. Good churrascarias offer 40+ kinds of meat (including such wonders as wild boar and lobster), a dozen different kinds of bread, a dozen different kinds of salads, 20 + dishes (both hot and cold). You can confortably sit back for 4 or 5 hours and eat at your leisure...
The meat is served by waiters, Rio rande do Sul style:
It's also a very cheap experience, food is outrageously cheap here. Expect to pay US$25.00 or $30.00 at a first class churrascaria.
Now, that's only a sample of Rio Grande do Sul, I will continue with the other southern states later.
Cheers...
Uthred
