I have been wandering around downtown Sao Paulo - or Sampa as its known - today and dont really know how to start to describe it. The city is elegant in parts, but mostly shabby, the people are generally friendly, but can appear quite menacing - whether or not thats just the reputation putting ideas in my head its hard to say, but I would not return after dark.
This is the first ethnically diverse place I have been in South America. As well as the Latinos, there are a lot of Asians, Caucasians and Blacks, which is refreshing. The city has a history of being a home to immigrants and is known as the gateway to Brazil. Its very poor, with a lot of tramps and street sleepers and people searching through the bins for whatever they can find. However there is practically no begging. Its strange how poverty manifests itself differently in different places.
In contrast to the city centre, the area I am staying in is safe, fun and friendly. There are more bars than you can shake a stick at and they were all so full last night people were queuing to get in and there was music blaring out of every corner. Its more of a place to live than visit, but I can imagine it being a lot of fun.
I have two more nights here than I head to Paraty and Ille Grande - I think thats what they are called - before completing my trip in Rio.
This is the first ethnically diverse place I have been in South America. As well as the Latinos, there are a lot of Asians, Caucasians and Blacks, which is refreshing. The city has a history of being a home to immigrants and is known as the gateway to Brazil. Its very poor, with a lot of tramps and street sleepers and people searching through the bins for whatever they can find. However there is practically no begging. Its strange how poverty manifests itself differently in different places.
In contrast to the city centre, the area I am staying in is safe, fun and friendly. There are more bars than you can shake a stick at and they were all so full last night people were queuing to get in and there was music blaring out of every corner. Its more of a place to live than visit, but I can imagine it being a lot of fun.
I have two more nights here than I head to Paraty and Ille Grande - I think thats what they are called - before completing my trip in Rio.
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