Pages For Salvador Bahia Brasil Resources for Travel in Brazil

Sunday

AMAZING FRUITS OF BRAZIL

Amazing Fruits of Brazil
Article by Sharif Ali 
mulher jaca women of brazil
Mulher Jaca


Brazil loves and appreciates its amazing variety of tropical fruits.  They love it so much that they name many of the beautiful women of brazil here after them, lol!  Check this out and you will see why Brazil girls are named after the tropical fruits.
mulher melancia
Mulher Melancia
mulher morango women of brazil
Bahia's Own Mulher Morango





This list isn’t extensive…if I tried to name everything the list would go on for days.  Seriously there is more variety found here than anywhere else on the planet.  Some enterprising people have picked up on this and started marketing some of the wonder fruits found here to the world, kinda like Tahitian Noni.

brazil girls mulher melao
Mulher Melao
People here in Bahia use natural remedies as often as possible versus prescription drugs.  Perhaps I could do a list on herbs and leaves found here and their healing properties.  I will have to research that one as the list will be extensive!  Anyone interested in that info please send a paypal donation to me at admin@mooraboutbahia.com.


Without further ado, here is the fruit list!

Abacaxí  (Pineapple)
Brazilian pineapples are the best I’ve ever had.  They are so sweet and juicy its ridiculous!  They are sweet even when green but even better ripe (bright orangish-yellow in color).  Beware though, do not eat the fruit near the stalk or bottom.  Doing so will lead to severe vomiting, and diarrhea and an overall painful feeling that will leave you wanting to die! I am not joking! Believe me we found this out the hard way.

Monday

BAHIA SPOTLIGHT: THE SMALL TOWN OF ITACARÉ


Itacaré
click here to see entire article

Gorgeous beaches, tropical forest, waterfalls, good waves for surfing, capoeira, adventure sports... Come to Itacaré!
Itacaré is a small town in the cocoa zone of the state of Bahia, south of Salvador, with beautiful beaches, good vibes and generous nature. © itacare.com The ambiance in Itacaré is unique. Surf culture is present everywhere. The Bahians are friendly and like to party. At night there’s an air of magic in the little bars in town.

With many people from all over the world who came to live in Itacaré, the atmosphere is cosmopolite, relaxed, typically Bahian and definitely different from any other place in Brazil.
The coast of Itacaré is a succession of beaches and hills covered with palms and tropical forest. The region is a perfect setting for Adventure Sports like white-water rafting, canyoning, biking, kayaking, paragliding...

© Fábio Coppola
ATLANTIC RAINFOREST
Besides more than 20 beaches, Itacaré has rivers, waterfalls and a great Atlantic Rainforest reserve. The harmony of forests with waterfalls and beaches is one of the most exotic and beautiful ever seen in Brazil.
© Fábio Coppola
The region in the south of Bahia, more specifically the band contained the Jequitinhonha and Contas Rivers, preserve the most significant parcel of Atlantic Rainforest in the northeast of Brazil. The forests of this region are characterized by tall trees with leaves that always remain green and the abundance of epiphytes. There you'll find species threatened with extinction like the yellow-breasted twig monkey and the ring-necked sloth.

The Atlantic Rainforest is considered by the worldwide scientific community one of the richest combined ecosystems in diversity of animals and plants species in the world and the second most threatened with extinction. Because of this fact, in 1991 UNESCO elevated the Atlantic Rainforest to the category of Biosphere Reserve, being today one of the three mayor conservation priorities in the world.

© Fábio CoppolaPARKS AND RESERVES

The principal conservations areas of the region are APA of Itacaré/Serra Grande and Serra do Conduru State Park.

The Area of Environmental ProtectionAPA of Itacaré/Serra Grande – is considered as a "Heritage of Humanity". Its limits are marked in the north by the mouth of the Contas River, in the south by Sargi Creek and in the east by the Atlantic Ocean; with an area of approximately 16,000 hectares (40,000 acres) of rich fauna and flora.

The Serra do Conduru State Park has an area of approximately 9,000 hectares (22,000 acres). It covers important sections of Atlantic Rainforest which are still preserved. A survey performed there by botanists from the New York Botanical Gardens identified 456 different vegetal species in a single hectare (2.47 acres), a world record.
© Fábio Coppola 
WALKING THROUGH FORESTS AND AMONG RIVERS

Nature is the main tourist attraction of Itacaré.

Friday

BRAZIL CONSULATE LIST FOR THE US & OTHER BRAZILIAN CONSULATE INFO

Complete Brazil Consulate List for the United States

This is the most comprehensive list for Brazilian Consulates in the United States.  For some reason the information online is spotty and incomplete.  Even the other Brazil Consulates do not have all of the correct info for each other.

Brazil is gearing up for a MASSIVE increase in American tourists from all over the United States from Hawaii to Alabama and everything in between.  Brazil has nearly doubled the amount of consulates located in the US in the last year!

Soon the US and Brazil will be removing the visa required to visit each other for their citizens. This means that you will be able to visit Brazil (or if you are Brazilian visit the US) without first paying for a visa stamp in your passport from the Brazil Consulate.

Okay if you live outside of the United States jurisdiction just do a Google search for your country and the words "Brazil Consulate".  This is a list for all the Brazil Consulates in the US.  The Consulate you are supposed to go to depends on what state or territory you live in.  This list will get you pointed in the right direction.

This List Has Been Updated to Include the Honorary Consulate Locations in The United States As Well!
Just Scroll Down to View The Honorary Consulate Info.

If you have any questions contact me here: admin@mooraboutbahia.com

Brazilian Consular Jurisdiction in the USA
Consulate General of Brazil in Miami, FL

80 SW 8th Street - 26th Floor
Miami, FL 33130-3004

Phone: (305) 285-6200

Fax:     (305) 285-6229

www.brazilmiami.org

 


miami brazil consulate
Jurisdiction: Florida, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands


Consulate General of Brazil in Atlanta, GA


3500 Lenox Road, suite 800

Atlanta, GA 30326


Phone: (404)949-2400/2470

Fax:    (404)949-2402
www.atlantaconsulatebrazil.org

Email: info@atlantaconsulatebrazil.org   -   consuladoatlanta@gmail.com


atl brazilian consulate

Jurisdiction: Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi and Tennessee
Consulate General of Brazil in Boston, MA

20 Park Plaza, Suite 1420
Boston, MA 02116
Phone: (617) 542-4000
Fax:     (617) 542-4318
www.consulatebrazil.org

Email: cgbos@consulatebrazil.org

Jurisdiction: Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont
boston brazilian consulate building 

Thursday

Orishá Statues at Dique Do Tororo | Orixás Candomble in Bahia Brasil



The orishá live in Bahia, Brasil. They are alive and well. This is especially evident in Salvador, the state capital of Bahia. Depictions of the orishá (orixás alt. spelling), are found in the various ruas (streets) and plazas of Salvador, Bahia, Brasil. They are literally visible throughout the city.  The Orishá are the deities of the Afro-Brazilian religion Candomble.

Orishá Statues at Dique Do Tororo | Orixás Candomble in Bahia Brasil
One example is the painted mermaid statue in the neighborhood of Rio Vermelho associated with Yemanja, mother goddess figure, which overlooks the sea. Another example is the statue of Exu, the orishá who manages all types of communication and guardian of the crossroads, which is located, fittingly, in front of Salvador’s central correiro (post office).

impressive orishá statues of candomble at dique do tororo
One of the most impressive depictions of the orishá, however, is located on a big lake and recreation park in the middle of the city called Dique do Tororo, which contains a group of orishá statues dancing in a circle on the surface of the water. Dique do Tororo looks just as impressive as it sounds.
boat tour of the orixás candomble at dique do tororo

Throughout this article you will see photos taken by my wife while visiting Dique do Tororo with a friend. She took a boat tour that is available daily for only $20 reais. We definitely recommend the boat tour for anyone visiting Bahia, Brasil. Be sure to check out our Bahia Tour site to schedule any tours in Bahia.


First let’s talk a little about "The Most African City of Brazil", Salvador, Bahia.

Sunday

WORLD TRAVELER: INTERVIEW WITH DJ ETC LIVE FROM BAHIA




An interview with DJ ETC live from Salvador, Bahia in Brazil. Listen to his parting take on the country and his advice for the Brothers and Sisters out there interested in widening their horizons and traveling abroad.

Friday

HOW TO CASH AN INTERNATIONAL CHECK: TRAVEL IN BRAZIL EXPAT INFORMATION


how to cash an international check, brazil expat and travel to brazil advice

Great info on how to cash an international check for a Brazil expat, people planning to travel to Brazil, or just looking for Brazil information in general.  Here’s what to do if you get paid in a foreign currency and you live or travel in Brazil.

 How to Cash an International Check the Hard Way


travel to brazil, cambio foreign exchange in bahia brasil
As for me, I learned the hard way but I use my blog here to share my experience with all you great readers out there so that you don’t have to make the same mistakes I did.  I didn’t think cashing an international check would be a big deal since I have more than one Brazilian bank account.  I even have a corporate account with the central bank here (Banco do Brasil) so I figured this would be an easy thing to do.

Boy was I wrong!

I make money online and one of my payment methods is through ClickBank (yes ClickBank really pays out!).  With a US bank account you can just get direct deposit, no worries.  However if you receive physical checks in the mail in Brazil, like I did then cashing the check becomes a little more tricky.  I first attempted to cash the international check at one of my personal Brazilian bank accounts with Banco Itau.  That did not work.  I couldn’t even deposit the check!  Noone seemed to have any idea what to do.  One of the employees had a senior bank manager come to help me.

I was told to try the mesa do cambio (foreign exchange desk) at the main bank for Itau in the commercial district.  I went all the way to the other side of town to no avail.  They were not able to cash my international check or deposit it into my checking account.  I left feeling disappointed but not before getting the runaround from bank employees.  They told me that Banco do Brasil down the street would be able to do it com certeza (with certainty).

I then went to Banco do Brasil thinking they could handle the transaction but was told by an employee that I would need to go to the branch located on the other side of town (closer to my house).  Before I went to the other bank location I tried at least 8 different foreign exchange shops.  None of them could cash my check.

I finally went to the other Banco do Brasil closer to my house and was again told that they could not cash my international check.  However I was told that they could deposit the check.  The wait for the check to clear could take a month or more though because they have to mail the check to the US and wait for it to clear and be returned (or something along those lines).  The bank employee who I spoke with was very helpful though because he actually sent me to the place that was able to cash my international check!

Take notes, because this type of banking Brazil information could prove invaluable to any Brazil expat or people looking to travel in Brazil.  How to cash an international check in Brazil was like the million dollar question that day for me.  I asked nearly a hundred people and only one knew the answer.  These weren’t just random people off the street either, I was talking to bank employees and people who exchange foreign currencies every day (cambios) and nobody knew the answer.

How to Cash an International Check the Easy Way

Brazil expat information and advice on how to cash an international check, Confidence Cambio in bahia brasilSo the place I went to cash my Clickbank check (drumroll please) was a loja (store) called Confidence Câmbio.  That’s it!  That is how you cash an international check in Brazil.  As far as I know of Confidence is the only place that will do this.  You can also go there to exchange cash as well.

The one I went to was in Salvador, Bahia – Brasil.  It was in a small shopping center at the bottom of a skyscraper called "ondonto" something…  I think it was filled with dentists’ offices.  The neighborhood it was in is called Itagaira.

How lucky was I to finally talk to the banker at the last branch I visited who pointed me in the right direction?  I don’t really believe in luck or chance.  In actuality my first thought was to go to that bank before I spent a whole day and a half searching around the city for a place to cash my check.

If I would have listened to my inner voice I would have saved myself a lot of hassle but eventually I came around and the answer to my predicament found me.

I think things have changed recently with Confidence though.  I was able to take my checks to them and get them cashed right there on the spot.  It usually took about 30 minutes or so for the check to clear and then they would cash it for me.  Things went a little differently the last time I went though.  Instead of cashing my checks they took my checking account info so they could deposit the money straight into my account.  They said that they stopped giving cash on the spot for the checks.

It took a while almost two weeks for the transaction to go through.  Also, you may be required to have a Brazilian bank account now.  I’m not sure because I used my Brazilian checking account.

That’s my experience if anyone knows any differently or has any questions feel free to comment below.

Sharif

Sunday

AFRO BRAZILIAN HERITAGE TOURISM IN BAHIA FREE PUBLICATION

salvador bahia brasil, afro brazilian woman in bahia
I recommend this online book to anyone with interest in Brazil, in particular the state of Bahia. This is a great publication in English with beautiful pictures and descriptions of Bahia.  It is a great read, whether you make the trip to Bahia, Brasil or not you will have a thorough understanding of the beautiful culture of this mystical place.  Filled with great info and pictures on Salvador, Bahia and this Mecca of Afro Brazilian culture.


afro brazilian culture parade in bahia


This is a publication from the Secretary of Tourism for the State of Bahia in Brasil.

Visit us at Bahia Brasil Tours


olodum school drum practice in bahia brasil

Tuesday

PITUACU PARK: ATLANTIC RAINFOREST IN THE BIG CITY

chillin in pituacu salvador bahia

Pituaçu Park brings together in one space the exuberance of coastal rainforest vegetation and the wonder of works of art by renown Bahian artists.


pituacu in salvador bahia brasil

Pituaçu Park  is situated across from Pituaçu beach (as can be seen in the photo above).  It is next to the Atlantic Ocean and contains a 1,000-acre-plus reserve of Atlantic rainforest.

Click read more to see more pictures and video footage

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