r/travel • u/[deleted] • Jan 22 '14
Images So, you want to come to Brazil for the World Cup?
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u/CaptainTyborc Jan 22 '14
I'm not saying that none of what you say is valid, I'm sure you know more about it than I do, but most of the newspaper links you put up are from the Daily Mail. The Daily Mail seems to think it's purpose as a newspaper is to terrify uninformed British people with lies and bullshit.
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u/bellusendus Jan 23 '14
This was my reaction also, and an excellent summing up of the Daily Racist.
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u/shinzzle Airplane! Jan 22 '14 edited Jan 22 '14
Another Brazilian here. Personally I'd rather not have World Cup here, we DO have another priorities, but yeah, it's gonna happen, so let's deal with it. I don't really recommend to come, nor to NOT come. Brazil isn't that mess as it looks, it's just "regular"; I've been in ~15 countries, lived a couple of years abroad - I have some knowledge on it, but by far not an expert.
Things will be overpriced and stuff, but currency exchange will help a lot. BRL is on a quite low price (about 2.4 per USD), and I don't think it'll change much. Stadiums might be OK AND SAFE. Tickets aren't for anyone, plus it'll certainly have a huuuuuge security around. I wouldn't be surprise if they even use the Army on it. Get around might be a pain, but it's likely to be doable. I suppose it wasn't much different in South Africa 2010. Food, Stay, ... it'll be pricey but most of people that already paid thousands of dollars to get into the country wouldn't mind about pay 15$ on a meal.
Another thing, it'll be during a dry season (winter). In some cities, like Rio, they're facing some heavy rains by now. Like flooding and shit. But it won't happen during the World Cup...
I'm not saying that you should come, nor that you shouldn't. This is a huge country, we have very decent things, and shit-hole level things. But it's likely that you can sort it out.
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u/farfarawayS Jan 23 '14
Chicagoan here. We (city taxpayers that pay attention) are so happy that the Olympics didnt pick our bid to be a host city. Its just an opportunity for tax payers to pay for BS we dont need while our service funding gets cut and politicians can give kickbacks to political donors. Seems like the social problems in Brazil may be worse and that money couldve done a lot of good giving ordinary people better lives and opportunities.
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Jan 22 '14
I saw a similar themed (sensationalist) BBC video about how you shouldn't go to the last EuroCup in Poland/Ukraine. You were just guaranteed to be beat to death by racist hooligans.
We went and had a great time, in Poland with Czech and Russian fans on all sides of us.
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u/camerajack21 Jan 23 '14
Yes but I can imagine the chance of being killed and dismembered in Poland/Ukraine is a lot lower than that of Brazil.
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Jan 23 '14
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Jan 23 '14 edited Jan 23 '14
Just remember, there is a much higher/better report rate in any US city than there is in Brazil. If someone disappears, it is likely it won't even get investigated. The police might just as easily decide it was a "runaway."
The fact that the U.S. has such high-on-paper crime rates is actually not such a bad sign, because it means we consider these things serious and work hard to document them. Kind of like how countries that have a strong patriarchal bias have extremely low or no rape rates. Rape isn't considered a crime, or if it is technically, socially it isn't.
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Jan 23 '14
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Jan 23 '14
Also, who the hell goes to Newark ON PURPOSE?
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u/SomePolack Jan 23 '14
My family did once. We rolled up to a strip club looking for food, because we thought it was a restaurant. NJ as a whole was pretty bad even though we were mostly just passing through.
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u/yogalates8 Jan 25 '14
Where in Jersey? The Newark area isn't great, and unfortunately, many visitors only pass through that part of the state on the way to NYC. The rest of the state has tons of natural beauty.
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u/Cubican Jan 23 '14
US national homicide rate per 100,000 is much lower than Brazil anyways... 4.7 (US) vs 27 (BRAZIL)
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u/BZGB Jan 23 '14
No one here in New Jersey even goes to Newark. It makes Philly look like Stockholm.
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u/basilect "Oh my god! That's *totally* going on instagram!" Jan 23 '14
But come on, who can say "no" to this smile?
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u/dudettte Jan 22 '14
I'm polish and can confirm, bunch of poles hated idea of hosting the game, and it cost load of money and some inconvenience, but try to take it away from them now..
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u/o99o99 England Jan 22 '14
I honestly don't understand the fuss about the World Cup. I'd much rather watch it on TV and then go and see the country, when it isn't so crowded.
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u/fuckyoulucasarts Jan 22 '14
Being in the country that is hosting the WC would be, I'd imagine, amazing. I have been to the European Championship and it was one of the most exciting experiences of my life. It's like you get to go away to this camp where all kinds of people from all different parts of the world are there to watch soccer together. EVERYTHING is World Cup and EVERYBODY is talking about it. It's like soccer porn for a few weeks.
Even if you don't have tickets to the game there are almost always huge viewings in town centers with hundreds of people watching the games together. If you have a place to stay and prepare yourself to live like a camper for a few weeks you can have a really good time. I see your point but when you go to the WC it's more about the people and the energy than it is the country/games themselves.
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Jan 22 '14
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Jan 23 '14
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u/captainLAGER Jan 23 '14
The world cup 2006 in Germany was AMAZING. So many great people, parties everywhere, it was my best summer yet.
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u/Baron_Wobblyhorse 23 down, loads to go... Jan 23 '14
I was living in Korea during the 2006 World Cup, and it was incredible. Being from Canada, where football means something utterly different and soccer isn't really a thing to nearly the same extent, it was amazing to be a part of a stadium (or street, plaza or parking lot) full of people, decked out in national colours, singing songs, clapping and just going nuts.
I can't imagine the insanity of attending a World Cup game live.
Then again, I can't even really imagine the insanity of attending a pro/international football game anywhere in general... :-)
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u/ju2tin Jan 23 '14
Korea shared the World Cup with Japan in 2002.
2006 was Germany.
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u/Baron_Wobblyhorse 23 down, loads to go... Jan 23 '14
Yeah I know. I was in Korea when the 2006 World Cup was going on. It wasn't there, but the atmosphere was still electrifying. That's what I meant.
Probably should've been clearer, though.
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u/PuglyTaco Jan 22 '14
Because the energy is part of the fun, as is the cluster fuck. Just like going to see a concert is better than a cd.
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u/layendecker Jan 22 '14
Exactly. It is a month long party around like minded people all wanting to have a good time.
I have been to two World Cups now (Germany and S. Africa) and they have been the best experiences of my life. Having to give Brazil a miss due to the crazy cost, but I am going to be so jealous of those who are there.
Even if you don't have tickets, the fanzones are some of the best places I have ever watched a game.
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u/PuglyTaco Jan 22 '14
I'm jealous. I've heard from friends who were at the S. Africa U.S. run that it was the best experience of their life. There's no other place where I can be extremely patriotic without feeling a little weird about it. All the insane lines, shitty cab drivers, crappy subway is all part of the experience.
When I look back at my travels my memories are almost always centered around something that didn't work out well. For example, almost being robbed by a Taxi driver in Amsterdam, and our train breaking down in Germany where I smoked a J with some random Germans on the side of the track. Challenges are what make an experience fun and rewarding.
I'd be going to Brazil if it wasn't my last semester of grad school. OP's pictures makes me want to go even more.
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u/layendecker Jan 22 '14
There is a very special atmosphere around the whole country, it is utterly bizarre how absolutely everyone gets into the swing of things. Around the cities every bar is filled with die hard fans from all over the world, you meet so, so many likeminded people and have the opportunity to talk football and philosophy with everyone.
One time in Germany (Nuremberg) I was with a big group of England fans who I met at the Trinidad game, we were in an outside bar area watching one of the knockout games when a group of Netherlands fans started singing their Football Anthem (banter directed at the locals), the Germans started singing theirs back- when us Barmy's interjected with our football songs.
After about 5 minutes of the three countries going back and forth the smaller fan groups started joining in. Mexicans, Americans, Portuguese, Brazilians and probably plenty of others joined the sing along. All in all it must have lasted over an hour, and if it were today I bet it would have a million hits on Youtube.
I remember Euro 96 in England, it was crazy the way it seemed like the whole world turned around football during those weeks. Makes me very sad that it will be held in Russia and Qatar over the next 2 cycles, which are not going to be that logistically easy.
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u/SunnyDuck Jan 23 '14
Being in Germany during the 2006 World Cup was incredible. Millions of people all enjoying the same sensation, we watched Germany loose the semifinals in Berlin on the fanmeile and saw nearly a million people in anguish. We then watched Germany win the bronze in Munich in the English garden, the party shenanigans that night were unforgettable. That is why people choose to see events like the World Cup in their hosting countries, it breeds lifelong incredible memories.
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u/badondesaurus Jan 23 '14
I was in Vietnam when some international football event was on a few years ago, its good fun drinking and cheering with the locals. They'd be having a wee party outside their shop and invite any passers by to get involved.
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Jan 23 '14
So, there's more tourists. But what sounds cooler:
I went to Brazil I went to Brazil for the World Cup.
Best part is the packing. It's about the only time in my life I'll get the excuse to where only jerseys for an entire month!
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u/Handyyy Finland Jan 22 '14
Most of your money goes to FIFA, everything will stay the same.
I get what you're saying, but you're stuck with the tournament anyway and the more people stay in your country, the more money your hotels, hostels, guesthouses, restaurants, bars, clubs, shops, ect get. When you're saying that stay out, you'd be hurting the people that own these businesses.
Money that your government has spent is already lost, it's wiser now to get at least some of it back to the people in Brazil.
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Jan 22 '14
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Jan 23 '14
That's an idiotic idea, I'm sorry to say. Why would you people think this is exaggerated or something? I live in Portugal and we see a LOT of Brazilians here. And with a lot, I mean hundreds. Do you think they enjoy it there? Of course it is a very rough life. When I was taking my license, I went with a brazilian woman who is married with my dad's barber and I spoke to her a little. I was intrigued with her homeland and asked her about security at one point. The woman said it was the worst. It really is like people think. Tons of robberies, tons of murders and she would never feel safe there. She said she couldn't even wear clean sneakers on the street because SHE WOULD get them stoled. She had to wear either some havaianas or some shabby, dirty sneakers. You CAN'T have nice clothes on the street or you'll get mugged. You CAN'T have a phone or phones or earrings, anything. You HAVE to look poor or you're not going to have a good time.
And murders? In one day you could say hi to your neighbor and in the other day he could be getting out of the house with a cloth on top of him.
What this person described here does not happen only during the world cup, it is the everyday life for thousands, if not millions of people. It's a very crowded country, so of course things like this happen all the time. And public transportations are pure shit.
She also said she missed her family, but she wouldn't trade Portugal for Brazil at any time. She was safe here and was happy to be able to wear nice clothes and shoes on the street, and never have the fear of getting robbed, kidnapped, raped or murdered every time.
I don't get what's so hard to believe about their reality. It's not like it's something never seen.
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u/the_masked_banana Jan 22 '14
this is a point that a lot of people are missing. It may have been a bad idea to host the cup in the first place, but it's a sunk cost. You should make decisions that are forward looking, and that means creating a great cup and an environment where people will want to spend a lot of money. That is what will help the local economies
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u/mattyramus Jan 22 '14
I see your point but do you think that this approach is just enabling/accepting the mistakes? Maybe it's better to stand up and make a short term sacrifice to stop this happening again. Just another point of view!
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u/Kadajski Jan 22 '14
South Africa is also a terrible place and there was also a lot of commotion before the world cup there and it worked out fine. I'm sure Fifa will ensure that there is sufficient transport and security for the major tourist hotspots
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Jan 22 '14
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u/autowikibot Jan 22 '14
Here's a bit from linked Wikipedia article about Crime in Brazil :
Crime in Brazil involves an elevated incidence of violent and non-violent crimes. According to most sources, Brazil possesses high rates of violent crimes, such as murders and robberies; depending on what source you believe, the homicide rate is 22 or 27 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants according to either the police or the health ministry. placing the country in the top 20 countries by intentional homicide rate.
It is believed that most life-threatening crime in Brazil can be traced back to drug trade and alcoholism. Brazil is a heavy importer of cocaine, as well as part of the international drug routes. Arms and marijuana employed by criminals are mostly locally-produced.
Picture - National Force of Public Safety vehicles in transit.
image source | about | /u/PIngp0NGMW can reply with 'delete'. Will also delete if comment's score is -1 or less. | Summon: wikibot, what is something? | flag for glitch
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u/herruhlen Jan 22 '14 edited Jan 22 '14
South Africa has about a 50% higher homicide rate than Brazil.
The reason that the comparison is made is because South Africa has even worse problems with crime.
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u/YoYoDingDongYo Jan 22 '14
During your stay here you are likely to get mugged, kidnapped, raped or murdered.
Uh, I doubt it.
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u/totheredditmobile Jan 22 '14
I interpreted that to mean that you're likely to get mugged, but you should also be alert to the fact that you may be subject to worse as well.
All it takes is a single, very brief lapse of judgement and your phone/passport/wallet is gone for good, especially in a country as unstable as Brazil.
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u/Frankie_FastHands Jan 22 '14 edited Jan 22 '14
Spot on, totheredditmobile. Also, when he says "You won't need more than R$50.00 a day" he's kinda lying. Because people will charge you more, since you're a foreigner. The best way to "driblar" this situation is to divide your money beneath your body. Something like R$20,00 in your socks, R$30,00 in your underwear and so on. Keep in mind that if some thug tries to rob you, he WILL take something, so keep some money that you can "lose" in your pockets. Also, people could "clone" your credit card and use it, so I wouldn't use it in shady stores/restaurants.
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u/acatisnotahome Jan 22 '14
He's being very sensationalist....
edit: if you stay here your whole life you are likely to get mugged once or twice...
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u/Dark_Prism Jan 22 '14
You'll only be murdered once, though.
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Jan 23 '14
I quess it would suck to be murdered twice
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u/scotbro Jan 23 '14
2/10 would not be murdered again
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u/othersomethings Jan 23 '14
Murder me once, shame on you, murder me twice....can't get murdered again!
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u/andrelvb Jan 22 '14
Been here in Brazil for 20 years, my whole life. Been robbed 5 times.
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Jan 22 '14
Once every four years sounds reasonable.
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u/compre-baton Jan 23 '14 edited Jan 23 '14
Every election year, if I'm permitted to jest.
EDIT: He lives in Brasília, Distrito Federal. Makes even more sense.
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u/Ogawaa Jan 22 '14
Yeah, I'm brazilian and I'm not really satisfied with my country, but this OP is exaggerating a lot of issues.
Airports - not much to say here, they are smaller than they should be and will be full of people. But that's about it, it shouldn't be that hard to follow some directions to the exit.
Transportation - while getting the rental car really is advisable, the taxis aren't as bad as op says. As long as you get in the ones right at the airports, because those are better regulated. And OP obviously doesn't use taxis much, the fare can easily go over R$ 50 inside the city, specially if there's bad traffic. Public transportation is mainly bad during rush hours, only some specific bus/train lines are filled with people all the time. Subway will almost always be quicker than a car, due to traffic issues, but they serve very limited locations. Those pictures he linked are from during rush hour, on a very bad day when there are technical issues and the services stop for a while. It usually isn't that bad.
Traffic - yeah it sucks, if you're in São Paulo and it rains it might be faster to get to your destination by walking. Or renting a bicycle. Probably holds true for other big cities too.
Roads - Just check if the road is a concession or maintained by the government. If it's the government it will most likely be in bad shape. Otherwise it should be fine.
Interstate buses - They're fine. Stops are usually every 3~4 hours, and they're pretty comfy. If you pony up the money for the ones that have beds, you're gonna have a good time.
Stadium violence - only happens in between brazilian teams, during the world cup we kind of unite, meaning fights are not likely to happen.
Mugging/Security - It really depends on where you'll be walking around. And it's pretty easy to spot if you're in a bad place or not. Just don't walk around waving 100$ bills and you should be fine. A tip: separate your money, carry some in your wallet, and some in your pockets. If you do get mugged, give only the wallet, this way you lose less. Also don't keep important documents in your wallet. This is not that common of an issue though, and it's certainly not plausible that you will be kidnapped, since those people don't know english and won't know how to make demands.
Hospitals/Health care - Yeah, go to private ones. Avoid public health care like the plague.
TL;DR: things aren't as bad as OP tries to make them look
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u/endubs Jan 22 '14
Public transportation is mainly bad during rush hours, only some specific bus/train lines are filled with people all the time. Subway will almost always be quicker than a car, due to traffic issues, but they serve very limited locations. Those pictures he linked are from during rush hour, on a very bad day when there are technical issues and the services stop for a while. It usually isn't that bad.
so you don't think an extra million people coming into your cities would be as bad as or worse than rush hour?
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u/dratyan Jan 22 '14
Seriously. Tourists should obviously do some research and be extra careful, but that's what you always do when traveling. It's not nearly as bad as OP's sensationalist post makes it out to be. I've been living on a major city(a World Cup host) for years and I've never even been mugged. I take the bus everyday, there's always a place to sit, and it's fast enough. This post is just trying to scare people away with extremes. With OP's mentality someone could make Norway look like hell itself.
Obviously, Brazil is far from perfect. The subject of wether or not this World Cup should happen here is still up to debate, but it's going to happen, regardless. Seeing someone that lives here actively trying to push tourists aways is, at the very least, disheartening.
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u/IlIIllIIl1 Jan 22 '14
I'm not from Brasil, but I didn't interpret the things OP said as trying to scare people away. More like he's warning people to be on their toes, because they can be ripped of if they don't get informed about accommodation and travel well in advance.
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u/Kadajski Jan 22 '14
Yup, the same was said about South Africa. The crime rate in SA is just as bad as Brazil. There were no major problems in SA...
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u/eScapLaY Jan 22 '14
There were no major problems in SA...
Then you clearly don't remember the constant abuse I was enduring
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u/alana116 Jan 22 '14
I understand your view and can completely see this being the case with so many tourists flocking to the country for the world cup. It will for surely be chaos. However, these are the types of things I read about Brazil before travelling there in September/October of 2012. I was terrified, thought for sure I was going to be mugged or kidnapped along the way.
Turns out I lost sleep and was worried about NOTHING. Definitely noticed that next to no one can speak english, taxis will rip you off (as will other vendors, children, etc.), you will get stuck in traffic to and from soccer games and public transportation is crowded. However it compared the same to other major cities in Europe we had visited in the past.
I'm not saying that you don't need to be careful or cautious. We still didn't wear or bring any jewelery or electronics, we spent A LOT of time researching areas of the cities we were in where it was safe to walk around at all hours of the day, hotel locations, how much taxis would cost (we probably took a total of 20 taxis the whole time we were in Brazil) and the Portuguese language (mostly numbers, ordering food, negotiating with taxis, asking for directions, etc.).
If you are going to Brazil for the world cup I am EXTREMELY envious! Hopefully everyone can remember that the world cup is about bringing the world together to celebrate the beautiful game. Enjoy!
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u/neubourn Jan 22 '14
And Taxis ripping tourists off is pretty common for any major city in any country. In fact, most people should just assume that a taxi driver is going to milk you for as much money as possible, so you should plan accordingly (i.e. know routes ahead of time)
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u/alana116 Jan 22 '14
Exactly! In most places I go I try to google and search forums to find out about how much taxis should cost between certain destinations. This definitely helped me out in Egypt and Brazil!
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Jan 22 '14
Post exaggerates the problems, comments under-exaggerate the problems, almost no one gets a good idea of what it's actually like. Solid work reddit.
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u/Amster2 Jan 22 '14
I live in Rio de Janeiro and I can tell most of this is bullshit. The image on a "normal day" in the airport is not a normal day at all, it was a VERY crowded day, you very rarely have to past through this situation. The bus picture was also in a very crowded day and it depends a lot on what time and which bus do you catch, 60-70% of the time there will be a place to sit, if not it would have very few people standing. The fact that the bus fare is expensive is false, in Rio at least the bus fare is R$2, 75 or about US $0, 87.
There are a bunch of other mistakes on this post, OP is probably an Brazilian that thinks it is "cool" to hate thr country they live. Sure, it is not perfect, not even above average, but it is not hell like he "shows". You can ask people who have been to Brazil, 9 out of 10 will say they liked it or loved it.
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u/IlIIllIIl1 Jan 22 '14
I don't think that the period during the matches will account to a "normal day". I'd say it's fair that people get an idea what a crowded day looks like because they will probably experience it during their stay.
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u/andyhpmartin Jan 22 '14
I've lived in São Paulo (I'm from the UK) for two years and I've not been the victim of one robbery, assault, rape etc. Of course, that may just be my luck, but the problem with this post is that it is very reflective of 'complexo de vira-lata' (stray dog complex) that seems to exist amongst a particular class of Brazilians (mainly rich elite ones).
Granted, Brazil does have various problems but the way these Brazilians go no makes it sound like Brazil is the only country that does. Everything outside of Brazil is always better.
I am leaving Brazil soon to work in Peru but can say that I've loved every minute of living here.
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Jan 22 '14
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u/MuggyTheRobot Norway Jan 22 '14
Checking in from Norway. During the busiest hours, our buses look like that too (in the large cities). I would imagine that's the case in most large cities, in any country.
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u/sgtoox American in Japan; Jan 23 '14
Coming from Japan; none of you have a clue what "crowded buses/trains" really,means...
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u/whitew0lf Airplane! Jan 22 '14
I have lived in South America and I currently live in Canada. BELIEVE ME, c'est ne pas la meme chose bro. Nowhere near it. Here I feel safe walking down the street. There you wouldn't leave your room.
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Jan 23 '14 edited Jan 24 '14
When you know where you are walking, usually you don't have to care that much about safety.
I haven't spent enough time on any other South American country, but I am from Brazil and live in Brazil, and usually when I'm walking to a friend's house I know the safest way to get there, and the last and single time I've been robbed was more than 5 years ago.
Of couse, I've been to Europe and I know how it feels to walk on street when you have nearly 0% chance of being robbed, but it's not as bad as someone that have never been here usually think it is.
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u/pointlessbeats Jan 23 '14
If someone does get robbed, like you did, how is the best way to act so you get away safely? Is there a risk they will kill you? Or if you give them all your valuables, will they let you go?
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u/Ogawaa Jan 23 '14
Don't get mad, don't scream, keep calm. It would be easier to try and con the people trying to rob you if you knew portuguese, but usually they want to make it quick. So if you quickly give them your money/wallet/phone, they'll just run away.
If you start taking too long, or acting weird, they might get violent. It's very unlikely they'll kill you unless you react violently - if you comply there's no reason for them to do so.
Also don't try to tell them what to do. Don't tell them to calm down or anything, just give them what they want and let them move away.
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u/Alikese I don't actually live in the DRC Jan 22 '14
That's what I was going to say. Go on a public bus during rush hour in Europe or North America in any big city and it will be just as crowded. If you require a seat rent a car.
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u/BCSteve Jan 22 '14
I've been to Brazil, and I agree, this is blown way out of proportion. Except for maybe the airport part, when I was flying out of Rio it took me three and a half hours to get from arriving at the airport to my gate. But other than that, it's all exaggerated; yes, there are higher rates of crime than other places, but if you keep your wits about you, don't do stupid things, and don't make yourself a target, you'll probably be fine.
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u/acatisnotahome Jan 22 '14
Although there are a few useful points there, I feel this is very sensationalist. It's not even close to that bad.
I have lived in Rio, Sao Paulo, and now I live in Recife. Sure we are a mess, crowded, disorganized... and just like any other country, there will be people wanting to take advantage of you, rip you off etc. Just be careful like you normally are on trips. I've had more problems with this in Europe than all my international friends have had in Brazil.
Plus, during the world cup, it will be practically a holiday. There won't be as many people on the streets doing their daily commutes. Although on game day, leave early because you WILL take a while to get there, especially if you are staying far from the stadium.
I recommend going to Recife, Rio and Salvador. They are coastal cities with awesome beaches and food, and so much fun stuff to do! São Paulo is a good place, but I believe it will be insufferable during the world cup.
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u/morte7 Jan 22 '14
I've travelled in Brazil for around three weeks using only busses and metro. I was primarily in Sao Paulo and Rio, and I don't think that the traffic is as bad as portrayed in those pictures. Besides it's nothing compared to the conditions in neighboring Bolivia or many places in Asia.
Just wanted to ask; what does the average Brazilian stand to gain from people staying away from the world cup? The money has already been spent on preparations.
I loved my time in Brazil, but security was concerning to me, and living expenses were surprisingly high.
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u/_Pasc Jan 22 '14
Didn't expect to find such a hostile post in /r/travel.
I was in Brasil a few years ago with my family and it was a beautiful holiday where no one ever felt in danger. Of course, there are parts in the big cities where you wouldn't want to go as tourists, but that's not something unique to Brasil.
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u/rhyslowe Jan 23 '14
I've spent quite a bit of time in Brazil and when I first saw this I was like WTF??? Then as kept reading I began to understand your point. And you're right. Yes, airports are crowded, the public infrastructure is woeful, and there are some thinks you need to be careful of and some dodgy areas that tourists just shouldn't go. Getting to your hotel is probably not going to be fun. But you also have to understand that this isn't the United States, it wasn't all that long ago that Brazil was considered a third world country. But more importantly I think you're missing the point of why most people travel. We don't travel to see the airports or transport infrastructure, they're just minor inconveniences involved in traveling. We travel to see the sites, which are breathtaking in Brazil, and more importantly we go to experience the culture and meet the people. And that's something you neglected from your little story there. The Brazilian people (the overwhelming majority of them) are an amazing people; so fun and friendly, and just have a great outlook on life. This culture, these people, are worth getting to know, you can't blame the people because of the shortfalls of a slowly maturing government. And as I said, I agree with you, taxes are extremely high, and the public infrastructure is struggling to cope with the growing population, and yes, with government corruption a lot of money is not going where it is needed. Keep in mind though, the government is getting better fast, considering only 30 years ago it was a military dictatorship with a out-of-control inflation, the progress in Cardoso's & Lula's governments were phenomenal, and yes both governments have been plagued by corruption scandals as well, but with projects like the Bolsa Família project, poverty is rapidly falling (Bolsa Família dropped poverty levels by over 25% if I recall correctly), and Brazil is beginning to stand on it's own two feet. Without this progress Brazil would have never even won the bid. When I was in Rio, I was watching the new stadium being built, and I thought to myself there's a lot better things that could be done in this country with R$1.2 billion. Not to mention the other stadium projects. But maybe the tourist money will make up for it? Not sure. But at the end of the day any tourism is better than no tourism. Yes, a lot of ticket money goes back to FIFA, but your hotel costs, you're ridiculously over priced taxi fare, the money paid for fake sunnies on the beach, the money you spend over the bar on Caipirinhas, all this money that goes back into the community. Yes it's highly taxed and some of that may not, but it will swell the economy which is always good, and well, the larger portion is going back into the pockets of the people. A lot more than if I watch the game from home that's for sure.
So to anyone thinking of going, it is going to be plagued with in conveniences, I won't lie, and you should do a bit of homework before you go, travel responsibly, have caution, but at the end of the day Brazil is a truly amazing place and Brazilians are truly amazing people, and it was an experience that has changed my life forever, and I'm sure it would have some effect you yours as well. Go, and have fun, I know you will :-)
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u/betabandzz Uruguay Jan 22 '14
I was traveling Brazil for over a month back in 2012. Even I speak a little bit of Portuguese I was having so much hard time trying communicate with people. You either speak Portuguese with the right accent or you're fuck.
The airport was a horrible experience. Is exactly like that photo or worst and I was there on a normal day not a holiday. You have to take a bus to get to the terminal you going to. I'm a big soccer fan and the stadium only had few tiny doors to get in or get out. It was so pack that we had to be standing by the stairs with probably 20 more people. I actually left early as I was afraid that once everybody decided to leave it was going to get very dangerous.
Transportation and security is another big topic. I travel all around the east cost of the country. That means I'm not only talking about the mayor cities but other small cities too.
I met a lot local people and even themselves where not sure how the world cup is going to happen as the country is not ready for that. I love Brazil and I will recommend anyone to go but, do your self a favor don't do it over the world cup.
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Jan 22 '14
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u/alana116 Jan 22 '14
I was in Salvador in 2012. Beautiful place! That was definitely the location where the least amount of people spoke English. So brush up on your Portuguese :)
A taxi from the airport to the Barra area should only cost about 60-75 Reas. Don't get ripped off like we did. We paid about 120-130 Reas!
We stayed in the Barra area, which turned out to be very safe. It has some nice beaches with a good variety of food, people and culture. TRY THE MOQUECA! I can't stress that one enough!
Oh, one other thing that took us a while to figure out is that most meals you order at sit down restaurants, will be enough for two people.
Let me know if you have any other questions, I'd be happy to try to help. I know I lost a lot of sleep before we left for Brazil and I would have appreciated some of the tips I now know!
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Jan 22 '14
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u/alana116 Jan 22 '14
Nope! Spanish won't work! I downloaded an ap on my Iphone before we left Canada to learn portuguese (mind snacks presents portuguese). It took us 3 flights to get to Salvador so by the time we got there I knew most of the numbers and a few other phrases that got us by while we were there. The one phrase I learned before we left was "Voce fala inglese?" which of course means, "Do you speak English?". I used it a lot but definitely didn't have a lot of YES responses!!
We were in Salvador for 5 days. We spent most of our time in the Barra and Pelorihno (historic centre). If I remember correctly, a taxi between the two was about 10-15 Reas ($5-7 CAD). In those two areas it felt safe. Once it got dark in the Pelorihno area, we felt a little less safe as there was more (what looked like) homeless drunk people wandering around begging for money and 20-30 year old guys hanging out around the taxi queing area trying to "help" you get a taxi for a tip (of course). Try to ignore them, say no thank you and just get in the cab and go.
A tip would be to carry a map of Salvador with you, to show the cab driver where you want to go. We got into one taxi where he didn't understand our pronunciation and we had to basically show him which way to go (would have been an issue if we weren't paying attention the first time!).
Having only really spent time in those two areas I can't really tell you the other areas to avoid. If you walk along the seaside boardwalk from Barra towards the North I've heard the scenery is amazing and it should be fairly safe. As always just be cautious, don't carry anything you wouldn't by OK parting with and watch each others backs!
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u/agtk Jan 22 '14
That's pretty cool that you were able to learn that while on your way down, however I'd definitely recommend brushing up well before leaving, as you never know what could happen on the way or how hard it'll be for you. If you are planning on knowing some Portuguese (or whatever relevant local language), I would not count on learning it just on the way there.
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u/pinerider62 Jan 22 '14
The world cup is like the Olympics. Corrupt and a profit based enterprise. Those committees could give a fuck about the Countries hosting.
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u/Danneyh Jan 22 '14
Quit my job to volunteer at a hostel in Sao Paulo. I'm leaving in a week. Didn't need to see this :(
Tell me happy things
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u/Haffapee Jan 22 '14
My experience is Brazil was 100% different from this. The airport wasn't bad, the traffic wasn't bad, the people weren't bad, being in public wasn't bad. Everything was nice, beautiful and I would go back.
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u/Bru7171 Jan 23 '14
I agree with this guy. Source: Born in Brazil and moved to USA at 10 years old. Planned on working there for a year after university. Left early after being robbed at gunpoint.
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Jan 30 '14 edited May 27 '14
I'll agree with the guys in here and say OP is seriously distorting the image of Brazil.
Have you done any research before you posted this? And honestly, do you believe you're saying something new? Let's stop to think about it: When was Brazil ever seen as something positive, guys? Mass media is always portraying us as partying, sexual, violent... That's it. It's rare to be displayed as a serious nation who happens to be the 7th Largest Economy in the whole world. You're not adding anything, news everywhere are doing the job for you, for free.
OP, please, stop. We don't need one more person with a inferiority complex. USA and Europe might have smaller rates of social inequality that results in crime, but life there was never a dream either. There is no public transportation and welfare programs in many american areas, and NYC has one hell of a traffic jam. You'll also see people complaining of chaos in LAX too often (with all respect to my fellow Americans)
If you wanna tell the world about the struggles Brazilians are facing, please, do use real facts at least. You painted us as one big shithole even though life is "ok" (but it's too much for any Brazilian to admit, because they hate themselves and believe anywhere else is better, right?)
Let them come to World Cup and Olympics if they feel like. Like any big event, there is gonna be heavy security and ways to prevent traffic jams. Allow people to see what this country is, instead of reading silly hateful posts on the Internet, please.
Nothing will ever change if you make people believe we're trash. We have issues, but not the way you put it. And keep in mind foreigners can't do anything for us, but we can do for our own people.... So, shall we begin?
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u/iam_bigblackboots Brazil Jan 22 '14 edited Jan 22 '14
I've lived in Rio most of my life. I understand my country is not the most organized, responsible, corruption free country in the world. But it is nearly not as bad as this makes it to be.
Sure traffic is crazy. Sure the airport is not the best in the world.
My biggest problem is how expensive everything is. Food, housing is pretty terrible. I assume it will be even worse during the World Cup and the Olympics. And I'm sorry.
Safety in city centers is as big as a problem as it is in any big city. Go to slums and small communities and there you'll have problems. Go to Rio, São Paulo, Recife (in the city centers) and you'll mostly be ok.
I take public transportation daily and it's not as bad as it sounds. It's just like other major cities. Try taking the subway in NY, or Chicago, or Paris in hush hour. You're in for a treat.
The main problem is that the corruption we usually face is exponential since the money that's being invested in our country is exponential too. So Brazilians are frustrated and mad.
But I guarantee you'll have a good time in Brazil. :)
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u/rulebreaker 19 countries and counting... Jan 22 '14
No, things are exactly as OP has stated.
I've got out of Brazil 6 years ago, after living 25 years on it. Let me tell you something, the safety issues on Brazil's big cities are nothing like any other big city in the world. You know how many times I've heard of crimes like "Saidinha de banco" (criminals keeping watchers inside bank branches in order to report to their partners outside any big whale coming out of the branch with money, just so that their partners can rob the poor soul who decided to gasp withdraw his own money) leaving abroad? Well, I've never heard of it. In Brazil laws prohibiting the use of mobiles inside bank branches had to be created in order to try to mitigate this situation.
You can't even use a fucking watch in Brazil. My heart still jumps every time I hear someone running behind my back, even after so long. As somebody have said to me, you can take the man out of Brazil, but you can't take Brazil out of the man.
Public transportation in Brazil is a mess. Don't compare Paris' or NYC's metro with Sao Paulo's. In Paris you can get the RER from CDG airport and be at the city centre in about 45 minutes, without any problem. You can trust the public transport system to get anywhere safely and on time. In Sao Paulo, the metro stations are sparse and buses are a joke due to traffic jams. In other state capitals things aren't any different.
I had friends on gunpoint because of 10 reais (about U$ 4). I had people threatened with knives on traffic lights, at the middle of the day, in one of the most affluent neighbourhoods of the city I used to live in.
There's something seriously wrong in a place where armoured cars are becoming something for the middle class.
Things don't change in Brazil because people are always waiting for thing to blow over and diminishing the real impact those problems have on their lives.
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u/rodrigoj42 Brazil Jan 22 '14
Listen to this man, people. He speaks nothing but the truth.
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u/Peterpolusa Jan 22 '14
Isn't Sao Paulo the city where a lot of the wealthy commute in helicopters?
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Jan 23 '14
I don't know why, but most of the people who say Brazil is not like OP portrays it are always from the big cities. But what about the rest of the Brazil? They say this because maybe they're in a relatively safe area, but that is not the reality of many people.
And if people travel to the nice touristic places, OF COURSE they will have a nice time! At least most of them. It's like some people live in a dream and refuse to believe there are actually bad parts of a country and good parts.
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u/lgmetzger Jan 22 '14
THANK YOU! I couldn't agree more! I'm sick and tired of this shithole. My main goal in life is to live in a decent country. There's got to be something wrong with that.
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Jan 22 '14 edited 10d ago
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Jan 23 '14
So a country with 41% taxation, endemic corruption and no law and order of any merit is what libertarians yearn for now?
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u/percussaresurgo United States Jan 23 '14
No, but the cause of the government having no money isn't relevant. Tea Partiers (different from Libertarians) want a country where taxes aren't collected beyond the amount needed for a skeletal government that provides almost nothing other than national defense.
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Jan 22 '14
As a Canadian who just spent a couple months in Brazil, I strongly agree that it gives the worst case scenario of Brazil, not the norm that myself and other travelers experienced while there.
We seen the improvements happening. New major roadways in Rio. New stadiums which are going to bring in millions of dollars in taxes over the course of the buildings life.
We found taxi's to be very fair, especially in Rio. There are set prices to most major spots and a reasonable meter for elsewhere. Cab drivers were always good at giving us an estimate of what the meter would be and always came within a couple Reals from that.
After hearing stories like this multiple times before leaving, we went there prepared for the worst and hoping for the best. Our first day we had a Brazilian named Jai on Barra Beach in Salvador give us tips to protect ourselves. Other Brazilians always wanted to practice their English with us. Even in airports we always found someone who spoke enough English or at least were good at charades so that we got the information we needed. We did find Brazil, Salvador and Praia Forte mainly, to have very little English speakers. After-all, that is why we went there. If I wanted it to be like home I would have stayed here.
To be honest, the only problem we had the entire time was while we were sitting in Garota De Ipanema and had a guy messed up on drugs come by yelling and acting sketchy too close to us. Sadly but not surprisingly, he was from Quebec.
It is going to be busier during the world cup. Hotels are going to be expensive and hard to come by. Even with the improved roads you are still going to see delays. Airports will be packed. These are all things you have to expect when you are visiting the worlds biggest sporting event. If this is disappointing news to you, you should sell me your tickets and crawl back in the hole that caused you to not know that.
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u/dalmatianmouse Jan 22 '14
I agree that OP is very sensationalist, but it's definitely not true that safety/traffic in Brazil is the same in any big city around the world.
I've never felt unsafe in any European city and I've never heard of any of my (German) friends being mugged. ALL of my Brazilian friends have been mugged multiple times and a few of them even told me stories about intruders in their homes. When I was staying in Rio for 2 months, I witnessed a few muggings myself, have been shoved/harrassed until I paid some money (not in a bad district but in Ipanema), saw 2 dead bodies, had to run from a gang after the graduation party of a friend in the center of Rio.... Nevertheless I've heard many Brazilians saying that the crime is just as bad as it is in Paris or other big cities.
And the public transportation is much worse, too. There aren't any time tables for busses, for example, nor are there bus stop names, so it's almost impossible for tourists to know how to get anywhere by bus. And there aren't enough subway stations in Rio to get to the most important places. And the traffic jams are the worst I've ever seen. I've never been to the U.S., but at least in Europe it's not common to be stuck for 4 hours in a traffic jam IN the city.
Brazil is great and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, but it's not like any other country and you definitely have to take more precautions than do for trips to first world countries.
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u/Baelorn Jan 23 '14
ALL of my Brazilian friends have been mugged multiple times
I've talked to a few people from Brazil and it is insane to me how they talked about being mugged like it is just something that happens.
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u/abasss Jan 22 '14
I went to Rio three years ago, except a street vendor, people were very nice, awful drivers but no traffic jams.
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u/The_Director Jan 22 '14
Well... if you only go to Ipanema and Copacabana, nothing can go wrong. (that's what I did)
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u/abasss Jan 22 '14
Although our hotel was in Copacabana, we visited other parts of the city and while we didn't enter the favelas, we went around them and we had no problem.
What is really odd, is that we happened to be there during a huge war between the narcs and the police, we only found out about it when we left Rio, watching Impacto Chiche in Buzios.
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u/dildostickshift Jan 22 '14
I live near and visit Detroit often. I'm a white guy, not terribly intimidating, but I'm rarely worried about any kind of crime. There are not roving gangs of bandits that just rob everyone in sight, the crime here is not so organized that they make official announcements of future violence, and if you can find a cop, they're usually pretty helpful. Traffic isn't to bad, and the airport it's pretty nice.
Now Detroit has a real bad rap, as far as American cities go, and rightfully so, a day without a murder is an anomaly that we'll be reported on the news. If the stuff op posted is even half true, I would not want to visit Brazil for the world cup as at sounds way worse than Detroit.
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u/acatisnotahome Jan 22 '14
The same way americans make a real bad rep for Detroit, Brazilians do it for Brazil....
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u/herzog1 Jan 22 '14 edited Jan 22 '14
This. OP painted the worst possible scenario for everything in Brazil. This is likely not how things will go for the majority of people that come. You may experience a couple of the problems in that list, but not all of them together.
Regarding the violence it's also very region based, even within a single city, you will have neighborhoods where you should be careful and neighborhoods where you can take out your smartphone and wear a gold and shiny necklace if you want, without problems.
Plus, we already spent all the public money with the World Cup. The ones that are going to benefit from the tourists coming now are small business owners, restaurant workers, waitresses, drivers, etc. So we should welcome the tourists ant not try to paint the most negative image of the country, because of some self-hatred or ideology.
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u/MiNombreHector Jan 22 '14
I travelled Brazil for 5 weeks from Fortaleza to Sao Paulo and spent a week in Rio (I got back last month). iam_bigblackboots is spot on and OP is highly exaggerating! Just have common sense and you'll have a great time.
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Jan 22 '14
You could make posts like this about a lot of places. While there's some truth to everything said, the overall post is a lot of fearmongering. The reality will of course be somewhere between this post and the greatest soccer party of all time.
This isn't the first Brazilian I've come across who has strongly encouraged me not to come to the World Cup ... so much so that I have to wonder if there is some kind of ulterior motive for this group of people.
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u/AnselmoTheHunter Jan 22 '14
Haha well - this looks exactly like Istanbul! Good thing we didn't get the Olympics, sure plenty of these posts would have popped up too. Eh - developing. I hope it gets better in the future for both countries.
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u/ElPotatoDiablo Jan 22 '14
tl;dr version: Don't go to Brazil as it is full of uncivilized degenerate subhumans. Stay home and thank your lucky stars you aren't in the festering abscess of a country that is Brazil.
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u/eckmann88 United States Jan 23 '14
I went to Brazil for World Youth Day, a Catholic pilgrimage, in Rio this July.
At the times when there were many of us in one place (walking to a certain part of the city, for instance) the military police presence (who carry army weapons) was incredible, and I felt nothing but safe. This was during the protests, may I add, although Rio didn't get nearly as bad as São Paulo.
A few friends of mine were pickpocketed, and this was in a large crowd, so definitely don't carry anything with you that you can't bear losing. But honestly, the government has been really stepping up security for WYD, the World Cup, and the Olympics to follow.
Also, for public transportation (which IS NOT expensive, at least by a more-developed world standard) they have a card which allows you unlimited rides in a certain span of time (so, probably during the games in whichever city you're in.) I was very satisfied with the bus system in Rio.
Just don't go anyplace alone, and don't do anything that would make you seem like you have money (in rough neighborhoods, that means don't speak English.)
But this post does exaggerate the issues. The issues are there, but you most likely will not be murdered.
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u/Voidjumper_ZA South Africa Jan 23 '14
I'm South African, and that's pretty much exactly what happened here in the last world cup U_U
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u/WIZARDBONER Mar 23 '14
Saw this get posted in /r/WTF by someone else, so just wanted to give the credit where it was due. Lots of great info in here. Thanks for posting this.
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u/fishfuhlay Jan 22 '14
I'll give credit where credit is due... those gang bangers have some trigger discipline.
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u/n1c0_ds Canadian, long-term German resident Jan 22 '14
Came here to make sure I was not the only one to notice.
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u/fellipec Jan 22 '14
Brazilian here. All I have to say about that: Anybody that will be here for the world cup is making a huge mistake. And I'm already planning go away, at least during the cup. But things are not so bad for tourists, afterall, they will be able to go home in a decent place. Brazilians will stay living with our ridiculous infrastructure, corrupt government and violent streets.
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u/PEengineer Brazil Jan 22 '14
Jesus, you're a fucking idiot.
- It's not a small airport at all
- A bunch of people that work for the airport speak english. I was stuck there this month (January) because of the blizzards in the NE, being Brazilian, I was fine with the communications. And you know who else was fine with it? The Americans behind me because the ladies at the counter spoke English
- Don't rent a car. What are you fucking stupid? Sao Paulo traffic jams are horrible, best thing for you to do is take a shuttle provided by the hotel. If your hotel doesn't have a shuttle, there's a cab stand right outside the airport that speaks english and that you can pay the EXACT amount to where you're going before even getting in the cab, so there's no reason for the cabbie to stiff you.
- You can call a private cab company, these guys are professionals and will help you big time, they're even listed in Guarulhos airport's website so you know you won't be ripped off
- I kind of agree with not using public transportation, but mainly because you would be new to a metropolis, not because they suck. I would prefer to take a cab in NYC than the subway cause i'd be more likely to end up in Queens than downtown
- Yes, the money to building the stadiums would be better used to replace infrastructure somewhere else. But do you know how much money Brazil is going to make off of this world cup? It's gonna pay for itself and turn a profit
- FIGHTS DO NOT HAPPEN EVERY DAMN GAME. Stop trying to make like Brazilians are these uncivilized douchebags that fight at every soccer match. Those fights are rare, but you ask anybody that comes from a soccer country, there's always a little brawl outside or in a pub, never something of this magnitude. The one that happened in Brazil at the end of last year was the first one in how long?
- The Brazilian government already has notified that the Military Police, the special forces (BOPE) and the army are going to be out in the streets in the main cities, so don't give me this shit about it's gonna be super dangerous everywhere.
- You're saying don't walk around with flashy jewelry, wads of money, fancy clothing. THAT'S A GENERAL TRAVELING TIP! Only idiots asking to be robbed do that, be if they're traveling to London or Singapore
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u/shutdafrontdoor Jan 23 '14
If you don't know why the favelas are dangerous and why you should never ever go anywhere near them, watch "City of God".
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Jan 23 '14
What bothers me is...how much of that was true?
I have a feeling that quite a bit was.
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u/occupybourbonst Jan 22 '14
I am surprised this has as many upvotes as it does, clearly there is a unseen agenda at play here.
Ridiculous quotes include:
"You will have a bad time here"
"During your stay here you are likely to get mugged, kidnapped, raped or murdered"
I recommend you view at your own discretion.
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u/ABC_FYH Jan 22 '14
Did Brazil get so crowded and violent in the last 10 years? Cause when I was in Sao Paulo I used busses and trains a lot...and only had problems during rush hour ( it's the same in Germany) and I wasn't feeling threatend at all, and I am blond and white, so everybody could see I'm not Brazilian...
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u/Notdrbarq Jan 22 '14
Dang this was crazy. Thanks for the information. Where do you live in Brazil?
How do people feel about the Olympics in 2016? I would assume similar feelings.
If the people are so against the World Cup, how did the world cup AND the summer Olympics get approved? Corruption?
Think there is any chance if the world cup is a disaster, they will move the Olympics?
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u/getjustin United States Jan 22 '14
Think there is any chance if the world cup is a disaster, they will move the Olympics?
I don't think there's even the slightest chance of that happening. There's nearly a decade of momentum going into 2016 and I don't think it's possible to simply move an event that large. That said, if/when the shit hits the fan, the IOC will likely swoop in, make cities take out bonds, and oversee the work to make sure it's up to par for the Olympics. Think of it as a dry run.
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u/shifty1032231 United States Jan 22 '14
So much negativity that it makes me not want to go to the World Cup until I saw the picture of the dog.
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u/PlutoISaPlanet Jan 22 '14
A lot of the pictures and descriptions you posted could be avoided simply by staying out of Sao Paulo
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u/brian890 Jan 22 '14
I want to experience the world cup one day. I love football and there is 0% chance my country will ever get it (Canada). That being said, I have no desire to go to a country that I dont believe can handle it. I want to visit Brazil as well, but not during the world cup with all the stuff I have read over the last year.
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u/BenjaminTalam Jan 22 '14
So if I don't care about sports at all can anyone suggest the safest country to visit while also maximizing the fun? I went to Australia over the summer and had a pretty good time,(outside of almost getting in a fight with some guys being too aggressive with a girl who was on the trip with me but it was a minor incident (they were thrown out by security as they were holding pool sticks towards me and thus seen as the instigators) and smooth sailing the rest of the time). I was able to roam the streets of Melbourne and Sydney all night long with no issues. However, it was expensive as hell and I had not a dollar to my name by the end of the trip (thank god for school being back in session). So I suppose safest, funnest, cheapest is what I'm looking for.
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Jan 22 '14 edited Jan 23 '14
This submission has been linked to in 3 subreddits (at the time of comment generation):
- /r/soccer: Eye-opening post in /r/travel about going to the World Cup in Brazil
- /r/wc2014: /u/BeeArr posts in /r/travel about traveling to Brazil for the World Cup
- /r/Anarcho_Capitalism: So, you want to come to Brazil for the World Cup? : travel
This comment was posted by a bot, see /r/Meta_Bot for more info.
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u/jonzaaa Jan 22 '14
bollocks. i've been on plenty of inter city buses at night in brazil, they know how to do coach travel there! semi-cama (half bed) or full-cama (full bed), meals, tvs, toilets in those buses were clean and perfectly functioning, take this guy's post with a grain of salt.
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u/morosco Jan 22 '14
Eh, I'd still want to go. Challenges and risks are a part of international travel. I know it's impossible for some people to understand, but that's actually part of the allure of traveling for those with a adventurous spirit.
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u/DavenIII Jan 22 '14
I'm gonna go and assuming this is over the top and not "normal" at all, if it is as over the top as I think I could do the same thing for New York City.
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u/ziggie216 Jan 22 '14
Every time my coworkers and the managers are sent to Brazil for work events, they're offered an armored car. Hope that would answer your question about going there.
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u/IceCreamMage Jan 22 '14
Although OP brings up some rather good points tips fedora, I do still find this post to be rather sensationalist IMHO I went to brazil once with my family of 4 and my wife and daughter only got raped twice. My son was murdered but hey, couldn't pass up that airfare! Overall I still feel that brazil is one of the greatest(if not the best of all time) countries on the planet Earth. Don't listen to OP, brazil is amazing and it's the best third world country you could ever hope to visit!
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u/Chef_Lebowski Romania Jan 23 '14
Hey, I've seen City of God, OP. I have no intention to visit Brazil, whether it's the world cup or for anything else. And no, the movie was not the only thing to dictate that decision, before any of you jump to silly conclusions (but is it not an accurate portrayal of Brazil?) I have heard stories and seen videos that I wish I never did. It's like Brazil and Mexico are always competing with each other on who's country is more fucked up!
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u/kindfulness Jan 23 '14
This was one of the best post I've seen in this subreddit. Thank you so much for taking the time to give us a detailed, balanced, first-hand perspective.
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u/witoldc Jan 23 '14
I wonder why so many of the Latin American countries are so damn violent and the criminals are so brazen.
It would be easy to say it comes down to poverty, but this is clearly not the whole story. There is much more poverty in Asia than in a country like Brazil, but the crime rate is a tiny fraction. And foreigners are rarely targets... maybe for some property crimes like bag/camera snatchings, but nothing serious. Read the tourist crime stories from Rio and compare to any Asian tourist city and you will find nothing comparable. (Maybe Manila or Karachi?)
PS. I did end up getting chased down by four knife wielding robbers in South America, too.
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u/bonnielou Jan 23 '14 edited Jan 23 '14
Portuguese girl here, so I'd rather go for portuguese for the OP. From Portugal to, not a former colony, but a world potency.
Olá, Partilhei isto com os meus amigos. E antes de ver este teu post, já me perguntava sobre estas questões, até quando levantadas por amigos meus Brasileiros. Vocês são uma Potência, vocês deviam ter um nível de vida anos-luz daquele que mostras nas imagens das vossas metrópoles. É inacreditável este retrato. Para muita gente na Europa o vosso país é o Paraíso na Terra. Não é mentira nenhuma, mas o povo tem de fazer por isso. É difícil quando Governo tem uma influência tão negativa sobre o país, reduzindo à miséria (em Portugal passa-se algo de semelhante). Estou farta de pessoas apaixonadas pelo falso Brazil. Hotéis, praias luxuosas, luxo, luxo, luxo. O Brazil é mais que isso. Estou convosco no boicote ao Mundial. E tenho a certeza que muitos portugueses e outros europeus vos ajudariam nesta causa. Desejo-vos a maior das sortes. Este bocadinho de Portugal que é o meu está convosco.
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u/awalias United Kingdom Jan 23 '14
Not long got back from brazil, can confirm that this post is nothing but fear-mongering bullcrap.
I got plenty of buses and even the metro in sao paulo at rush hour and was no where near as bad as the london tube at 5pm.
Being in brazil for the world cup would be an amazing experience, the locals ARE doing their best to learn english (the government currently have funny adverts on national tv promoting learning english) and above all they LOVE football! They are going to party like crazy.
The best part is, if you're in Rio, they set up a huge tv screen on copacabana beach showing all the games, so you can chill on the beach with a beer and watch the games for free.
The only downside will be the expensive hostel costs, but thats the same for any country hosting the world cup.
TL;DR: OP is fear-mongering, you'll have a great time.
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u/gabrielsfarias Jan 25 '14
For all the foreigners reading this: please, read the article until the end, it has TRUTH written on it's entirety, every single coma, period and image shows the TRUE BRAZIL, the country OP, myself and many others see everyday. You, with your dollar/euro can avoid (partially) some of the annoyances showed, but you're risking your life and I don't think any world cup in the can buy it back for you.
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u/Ph0ton Jan 27 '14
In BH (Belo Horizonte) right now. The airport is hilariously small. I am not familiar with the games at all but that airport can't handle more than one flight at a time it seems. Prepare to have fun with that. Also the buses are fucking awesome. With the steepness of the hills and the bus drivers who don't give a shit, the buses usually feel like a roller coaster rides (actually a positive note by me). Taxis will definitely long-haul you if you speak English and with the maze-like roads you won't even be able to tell staring at a GPS. Get a Brazilian friend if you can. Always dress down, try to carry as little as you can, and don't wander alone. I think Savassi is best for foreigners for bars but I dunno. Stay clear of favelas of course and you will probably have a good time here. Just please try not to make a mess here, their infrastructure kind of sucks and the citizens will suffer for it.
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u/workguy 50 Countries Jan 22 '14
Fuck, you make it sound pretty bad. I do hope to visit Brazil one day, I'd want to come for Carnival. But sounds like I need to stay away from Sao Paulo.
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u/tomen United States Jan 22 '14
For what it's worth, I'm an American who's been to Rio, São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, and a few other places, and I remember being a bit concerned about all the bad things I had heard about Brazil (particularly issues with crime), but I never felt even a little unsafe or frustrated with a lack of good infrastructure. Haven't been during Carnival, though...
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u/AleLionheart Brazil Jan 22 '14
It's not as bad as this stupid brazilian circle-jerk makes it. This is a common mindset in the brazilian population, to think (and make others think) that Brazil is very bad and messy and all that. God, lots of places are messy and this is not really a bad thing. Just a thing.
I'm from Brazil and I've already visited many of the cities that will hold matches and they are pretty ok. Sure, it's not going to be like a clockwork, but nothing here is like it.
Brazil has MANY lovely things and the people here is very warm and happy. Do come! I know lots of americans and europeans that are spending some time in Brazil and they just adore it!
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u/starfirex United States Jan 22 '14
The first few photos made me want to go, and then the ~35 photos in between persuaded me otherwise, but then that dog made me want to go all over again.