The monster city

São Paulo – the biggest city of South America – the monster city – the place of ideas and possibilities! It will eat you! Never have I intended to visit it so much, but then it winked to me and I liked it. I liked it all – its pace, its rules, its taste, its people and Paulista! Then I liked the art, oh, art is the soul of the monster! Brazil – a country-continent  – has so much beautiful nature, but this gigantic city is the brain, the place of ideas! São Paulo reminded me of Joburg, they should be twin cities!

You can have a look over the city from Banespa Tower (Altino Arantes Building) and other high buildings in the city center. Pollution, maaaan … no time for that:(. As grey as it looks from above, down on the streets you will meet an amazing vibe of positive energy! Among it all, there is a lot of crime and violence, which shouldn’t be overestimated, but be careful at night, it DOES happen daily – the monster is hungry!

It is amazing how Brazilians grew into being alert all the time. They lock their doors with several lockers, they have gates everywhere, they don’t travel alone! Trust is on a low stake here! The risk of being robbed at the door of their house is scary, but then it made them be aware and prepare for that. You should be alert too, look people in the eyes and let suspicious kids pass in front of you, they know you are a foreigner! Being alert cuts from the pleasure of traveling and enjoying the place, it is tiring and irritating, but that is the way in Brazil… and the rest of South America.

This huge tree from Ibirapuera park is not far from the Afro-Brazil museum (with free entrance on Thursdays). Although São Paulo is a forest of skyscrapers, there are a lot of green too. Ibirapuera is huuuuuge.

Before, São Paulo was just São Paulo, but then I’ve been to so many saint’s cities in Brazil, that São Paulo started to slowly become St.Paul’s city in my mind.

Regarding nuts (especially the ‘Brazilian nut’), it is hardly possible to buy them in the north-east, where they come from, but in São Paulo you can find anything Brazil is famous for. The municipal market is an awesome place to visit. They will let you try some unknown yummy staff there! Fruits are fresh, however as everything else in São Paulo, way too expensive!

Brazilians are meat lovers! No meal is a meal without meat! Strangely enough, many of them dislike fruits …

Every Brazilian wants to come to this place to make it in life. It pays well. It also eats a lot of your energy, sucks it all, sometimes carefully, but sometimes without blinking!