São Paulo

 

A Place to stay

 

São Paulo is a great place for you to visit. The ideal time for you to go is July. However, I went there the first week of January. The negative aspect about January is the rainy weather, so if you don´t like the rain, go in the middle of the year. Nevertheless, I had a great time there because heavy rains started the week after. As for a place to stay, I recommend JARDINS PAULISTA. (Note that photo 13 is exactly the hotel we stayed in, which is LONDON CLASS & COMFORT). In case you stay there, tell the taxi driver it´s in Alameda Jaú via Brigadeiro. It´s very well located, so you can go practically everywehere on foot. MASP is very near, hospitals are near, supermarkets and many stores. There are many other hotels around, of course. Have your pick!

 

Although I´m not the physical type, I enjoyed walking around the streets a lot. In some cases, I had to take a taxi, though. If you´re not willing to walk, you can take the subway, the bus or a van. I remember paying 4,50 reais for a van to take me to Parque Ecológico do Tietê. Very expensive!!! But if it´s just once, it´s worth it. The subway is cheap, so that´s the way to go. In case you don´t like the subway and prefer the taxi, remember to have a lot of money in cash. From the airport of Guarulhos to the hotel in Jardins, it will cost you at least 75 reais. An option is to take a bus to Praça da República, which is a 20-30 minute trip, and then a taxi. It will be cheaper. Another possibility is to take a bus to the Tietê Bus Station and then, a taxi. 

 

 

 

Where to eat 

 

We´ve been to an Italian restaurant called CANTINA DO PIERO. They have a van that can pick you up at the hotel and then take you back with no charge. It´s open 24 hours. The  price ranges but the expensive dishes are worth trying. Another great option is BELLA PAULISTA, a charming bakery that serves sandwiches and desserts for all tastes and for reasonable prices. Delicious! There were some other places but I will post as soon as I remember them. 

 

 Bella Paulista: The menu

(More than 40 different types of sandwiches and a lot of other things)

 

 

Where to go

  

We´ve been to TIETÊ ECOLOGICAL PARK. It´s a beautiful place with many interesting things to do. There, you can have a snack at the food stands, take a ride on a paddle boat or ride a tricycle around the park, where you are be able to see birds, ducks, monkeys and ant-eaters. As for the monkeys, in particular, you are advised not to come too close because they might attack you. When we were there, they ran after us. We had to run, otherwise they would have caught us. It was fun, though.

 

           

                             Tatiana, my friend, and I in the paddle boat. Three letters: OMG!!!!!!!!

            (I can´t swim, so activities in the water are not my cup of tea...except for the shower of course)

 

 

 After some time, I got used to it.

 

We also visited the SOCCER MUSEUM in PACAEMBÚ STADIUM. Unfortunately, we are not allowed to take any photographs, except for the façade and the field. Nevertheless, it was really interesting to know about the history, the idols, and also the people that cheer while watching a game. There are very interesting facts, images and installations. The technology used to lead the viewer into this journey is mindblowing!!!!!!!! There are different moments covering different aspects of the sport. (And I´m not into sports huh!?) You have to go. At the end of the tour, you can stop by the souvenir store, a sports store actually. 

 

  

 

 

At the PACAEMBÚ STADIUM entrance

(On thursdays, admission is free)

 

 

Another option is the many plays the city offers.

 Tatiana and I at the BRADESCO THEATER for the play

 "GAIOLA DAS LOUCAS" with Diogo Vilela and Miguel Falabela.  

    

  

Campos do Jordão

 

A Place to stay

 

Campos do Jordão is 3 hours away from São Paulo (167 km). We took a bus from the Brown Bird company. The fare ranges between 32 to 35 reais, I don´t remember exactly. I get uneasy when I travel by bus, so the solution for me is to take a nap until it´s over, but you may choose to enjoy the view through the window. The view when you arrive is breathtaking. The streets look small and cozy, it looks as if you were somewhere abroad actually. The air you breathe is different, it´s just great. You had to be there! We stayed at a place called SAHA, a super cozy and charming inn, which is very well located, 5 to 10 minutes from the center.

 

 

                              SAHA: At the balcony                                  A cozy and charming place to be

 

 

            

                               The view from the balcony the next morning is impossible to ignore

 

Where to eat

 

For the sports enthusiasts, they can walk everywhere from this place. We walked around the streets looking for a place to have lunch, and we found CAPIVARI street, the tourist center. We ate at a steak house called CHURRASCO AO VIVO.

 

Picanha served chimishu sauce, rice and fries

 

It is so called because they display the meat, which is from Argentina, as it is in a butcher´s and the customers come to the counter, choose the piece they want and the chefs make it in front of them. You can choose from picanha, fraldinha, chouriço, etc... It takes awhile to be served, about 20 minutes, but it´s absolutely delicious!!!! The atmosphere is also a plus, although the music was not my favorite. They played the Gipsy Kings during the whole time I was there, but the food paid off. 

 

There are also italian restaurants and many cafés, where you can have some hot chocolate or delicious fondue at night. SAFARI CAFÉ is an excellent option. The fondue there costs 45 reais, the cheapest we found. It usually ranges between 75 to 85, which is kind of expensive. There is always someone or a band playing somewhere, so be prepared to pay at least 7 reais for this extra service.

 

 

Where to go 

 

Campos do Jordão is not a big place, so three days is enough for you to get to know the place and the things it has to offer. CAPIVARI street, the tourist center, has many restaurants, a few shopping malls (I remember seeing three of them), and many stores. Some stores don´t accept credit card, only cash, so be prepared. In case you´re not, there are a few ATMs around. There is HSBC, Itaú and a 24hour ATM.  

 

 

            

 

  You can go shopping for winter clothes or souvenirs. There are gift shops everywhere. In January, the prices vary. There are many expensive things, usually clothes and shoes, but if you are patient enough and search carefully, shopping can be very fun. 

 

 

 

One of the three shopping centers I saw

 

 

  One of the many cafés on Capivari Street

(Across the street, another shopping center, Aspen Mall)

 

 

Another option on a sunny day is to go on a CHAIRLIFT ride. The view is gorgeous and if you are brave enough, you can take a few pictures or make a film of it to show everyone back home. The lift takes you to the top of a place where you will find restaurants and stands that sell all kinds of souvenirs.

 

          

                                                         Taking the chairlift

                                         (As you can see, I´m not the adventurous type)

 

When you reach the top and you are about to get off the chair, a man takes your picture, which you can buy as a keychain for 8 reais. There are also workshops, where you learn to do stuff, for example, pottery. There is also a lifelike white elephant and tourists climb and sit on it to have their photos taken. No charge for that. After you see everything you want, you take the chairlift ride back.    

 

 

           

                                                                        Enjoying the view 

 

 

Other attractions are the train ride - popularly known as MARIA FUMAÇA, which costs 20 reais or the CABLE CAR ride, which costs 15 reais. The first one, which is the one we chose, takes 45 minutes and takes us around the main streets.

 

      The train ride 

 

I don´t recommend this ride after lunch, because you can get really sleepy and you don´t enjoy the view. I was told the CABLE CAR takes longer. You can get all this information at the counter, when buying the ticket.

 

 

The FLAG SQUARE is beautiful and there are atractions for the children.  There are also vehicles that look like trains and take tourists for a ride. There are two catholic churches, São Benedito´s church and Santa Terezinha´s church. A curious thing about São Benedito´s church is that there is a little market right next to it, where you can buy souvenirs.

 

 St. Benedict´s church

(There is a mass at 10:30, so if you go to the church on Sunday, you don´t have to wake up so early)

 

 

           

                                             The little market next to the St. Benedict´s Church 

 

 

 Trolleys for the kids

 

 

 Let´s take a ride!

 

 

          

There are many of these to choose from

 

 

There are guided tours to the top of Boa Vista, the highest land in Campos. There, you will find the Governor´s Palace (5 reais the ticket to get in). Unfortunately you are not allowed to take photos inside the palace, only outside and in the patio. 

 

                     The façade of the Governor´s Palace                         The patio of the Governor´s Palace

 

 

You will also be able to visit the Baroness´s house, the Benedictines´ Monastery and the Claudio Santoro Auditorium and right next to it the  Felícia Leiner Museum (1 real the ticket to get in) , which is outdoors. Beautiful view......take a camera! 

 

                                        

                                               The Baroness´s house                                          

(Tourists usually get in the house but on this day in particular, the house was closed.)

 

 

           

                                                                    The Benedictines´Monastery

 

The monastery is beautiful and peaceful. There is this little pond and a lot of trees. The chapel is large but divided in two, one side for the nuns and the other side for the tourists. It is divided in a way that the tourists can´t see the nuns. Tourists should arrive at 5:50, so they can take their seats. At 6 o´clock p.m. sharp, nuns come in silently and sit down, and start singing gregorian chants. It´s beautiful. I recorded a few songs, but I accidently deleted them from my ipod. During the singing, there is a moment when they stand up and walk towards us (that´s when we can see them), standing and praying. When they finish, they return to their seats and then, leave silently.  

 

 

            

                                                      The Letícia Leiner´s outdoor museum

 

 

If you´re planning to travel but you haven´t decided where to go yet, São Paulo and Campos do Jordão have to be in your list of possible destinations . I garantee you will love it as much as I did.