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Destinations: Rio De Janerio | Sao Paulo | Brasilia
Brazil occupies nearly half the continent of South America and is the fifth largest country in the world. The Atlantic Ocean runs along its entire eastern coast, where two-thirds of its population lives. Ruled by Portugal since the 1500s, Brazil is the only country in the whole continent that speaks Portuguese; all its neighbours speak Spanish.
BRAZIL VISA
Brazil VISA is required for Indian Travellers
CULTURE AND HERITAGE OF BRAZIL
The culture of Brazil is primarily Western, but presents a very diverse nature showing that an ethnic and cultural mixing occurred in the colonial period involving mostly Indigenous peoples of the coastal and most accessible riverine areas, Portuguese people and African peoples. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, together with further waves of Portuguese colonization, Italians, Spaniards, Germans, Levantine Arabs, Nipponics, Poles, Helvetians and Ukrainians settled in Brazil, playing an important role in its culture as it started to shape a multicultural and multiethnic society.
Cuisine of Brazil
The cuisine of a nation is determined largely by the societies, customs and traditions within that culture as well as by accessibility and availability to certain foods and ingredients.
Because Brazil is such a melting pot of colours, languages and customs, its cuisine is similarly varied. In addition, the various types of dishes and ingredients used depend on the geographical location within Brazil.Appetisers
Appetisers refer to the starters of a meal. However, in Brazil, they also refer to the food commonly available from street vendors. Popular Brazilian appetisers include: ⢠Acarajé - fried balls of shrimp, black-eyed peas and onions. ⢠Bolinhos do Arroz â deep-friend balls made from a rice-based batter. ⢠Empadinhas de Palmito â a bread or pastry stuffed with palm hearts. ⢠Coxinha â chicken croquettes
Main Courses
Main courses are varied, filling and very tasty. They may include the likes of:
⢠Feijoada â black bean stew with smoked meats. This is a time-consuming dish and generally served to friends and family that are staying overnight.
⢠Vatapá â a shrimp and cashew nut dish.
⢠Pastel de Acelgas - swiss chard and chorizo sausage tart.
⢠Moqueca de Peixe â a fish stew with plenty of coconut flavouring.
⢠Cururu de Camarao â a gumbo (stew or soup) made from shrimp and okra.
⢠Pizza â the Brazilians have adopted pizza as one of their own unique foods, using a variety of toppings to enhance its flavour.
⢠Chancaca - Glazed salmon with pineapple salsa.Accompaniments
Breads and pastries are often used to enhance and bulk up the main course of the meal. Some of these traditional accompaniments include:
⢠Pao de Queijo - cheese bread.
⢠Farofa - toasted manioc meal.
⢠Couve a Mineira - garlicky collard greensDesserts
With the variety of fruit available in Brazil, the desserts are truly delicious. Some of these are:
⢠Banana Frusta Com Canella Angular - fried banana with cinnamon sugar.
⢠Bolo de Minho Carioca - Carioca cornflakes.
⢠Crème de Papaya - cream of papaya (made with ice cream).
⢠Passion fruit mousse cake
⢠Quindin â mini coconut flans.
Festivals in Brazil
Whether celebrating their cuisine and culture, marking the anniversary of a religious date, or donning elaborate costumes for street-side revelry, the Brazilians know how to party! Indeed, events and festivals take place year-round throughout Brazil, and are known across the world for a number of exciting features.
Rio Carnival
The Rio Carnival is one of the worldâs most famous festivals, held over five revelrous days in Rio de Janeiro every year. Taking place during Easter, from the Friday to the Tuesday preceding Ash Wednesday, it sees enormous parades featuring elaborate costumes, as well as drummers and dancers making their way through the streets. Visitors have long been welcomed to join in the fun, with free open-air concerts and masquerade balls taking place throughout the city. With Samba as your soundtrack, and a caipirinhas in hand (made of lime juice, sugar, ice and cachaca) youâll be in the party spirit in no time!
Festa do Peao
Festa do Peão means âCowboy Festivalâ in English, and has proven a popular Brazilian festival for almost 60 years. Held across the country in the likes of Maraba, Uberaba and Barretos, festivals usually feature a series of rodeo bulls and horses, accompanied by country-style music. By far the largest and best known of the Festa do Peao is held in the Sao Paulo state of Barretos every August, to coincide with the anniversary of the first recorded festival in 1955. Held in an enormous park with a stadium large enough to hold over 35,000 spectators, the festivalâs highlight is undoubtedly the rodeo showdown.
Oktoberfest
When you think of Oktoberfest, youâre likely to envisage Germany, but Brazil hosts its own in the wonderful city of Blumenau. Founded as a German colony in 1850, today the Santa Catarina city sees over 1 million tourists flock to its centre, to enjoy German and Brazilian cuisine, music and culture. One of the best places to stay during the October festival is the beach paradise of Balneário , from which you can easily reach Blumenau via public transport links. So don your most colourful costumes, grab your party hats, and join the hordes of revellers at one of Brazilâs most exciting events.
Celebration of Yemanja
Paying homage to the Goddess of the Sea, the Celebration of Yemanja is a beautiful event in Salvador, a city otherwise known as Brazilâs âcapital of happinessâ. Held at the beginning of February each year, it sees locals throw gifts into the sea, be it flowers, perfume or costume jewellery! The largest celebration takes place along Praia Vermelha, culminating in a celebratory evening on the beach with music, partying and food. Make your way to Salvador early, and you could even catch the cityâs most important religious ceremony: at the end of January, hundreds of women in traditional costume come to wash the steps of the Bonfim Church.
Cirio de Nazare
On the second Sunday of October each year, one of Brazilâs greatest religious festivals is held along the River Amazon, in Para's beautiful city of Belem. Known as the Cirio de Nazare, the festival revolves around a statue of Our Lady of Nazareth, which is believed to have performed miracles when it was found and brought home by a farmer called Placido Jose de Souza. It is said that the statue, after being brought to Belem, would return to its home in Icoraraci of its own accord. Today, the statue doesnât travel by itself: carried from the Catedral da Se to the basilica in Icoaraci, it's accompanied by hundreds of colourful boats, filled with singing, dancing crowds.