Fodor's Brazil 2000 [Paperback]

Fodor's (Author)

Book Description

Series: Fodor's Gold Guides | Publication Date: December 28, 1999

Fodor's Brazil"Fodor's guides are always a pleasure." - The Chicago Tribune

"Teeming with maps and loaded with addresses, phone numbers, and directions." - Newsday

Experienced and first-time travelers alike rely on Fodor's Gold Guides for rich, reliable coverage the world over. Completely up-to-date, Fodor's Gold Guides are essential for any kind of traveler.

Insider info that's reliable and smart
Local experts show you all the things to see and do -- from top sights to off-the-beaten-path adventures, from sports to shopping, from nightlife to recommended walks.

Hotels and restaurants in all price categories
From B&Bs to luxury hotels, from casual eateries to elegant restaurants, we list hundreds of detailed reviews that show what is distinctive about each place.

Practical info that's completely up-to-date
Useful maps and background information; key contacts; how to get there and get around; when to go; what to pack; local do's and taboos; costs, hours, and tips by the thousands.

Here's a suggested complement to Fodor's Brazil. To learn more about it, just enter the title in the keyword search box.Fodor's South America

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

Fodor's Brazil"Fodor's guides are always a pleasure." - The Chicago Tribune

"Teeming with maps and loaded with addresses, phone numbers, and directions." - Newsday

Experienced and first-time travelers alike rely on Fodor's Gold Guides for rich, reliable coverage the world over. Completely up-to-date, Fodor's Gold Guides are essential for any kind of traveler.

Insider info that's reliable and smart
Local experts show you all the things to see and do -- from top sights to off-the-beaten-path adventures, from sports to shopping, from nightlife to recommended walks.

Hotels and restaurants in all price categories
From B&Bs to luxury hotels, from casual eateries to elegant restaurants, we list hundreds of detailed reviews that show what is distinctive about each place.

Practical info that's completely up-to-date
Useful maps and background information; key contacts; how to get there and get around; when to go; what to pack; local do's and taboos; costs, hours, and tips by the thousands.

Here's a suggested complement to Fodor's Brazil. To learn more about it, just enter the title in the keyword search box.Fodor's South America

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Destination: Brazil

A Land of Contrast and Diversity

Brazil is truly a land of contrasts, and any visit here is likely to be a sensuous adventure. A variety of cultures, beliefs, and topographies make this warm nation a showcase of diversity. An array of nature's bounty -- from passion fruit and papaya to giant river fish and coastal crabs -- has inspired chefs from all over the world to come and try their hands in Brazilian restaurants (adding lightness and zest to the country's already exquisite cuisine). Spas -- with bubbling mineral water and soothing hot springs -- all over the land offer the best that both nature and technology can offer. Whether you travel to the Amazon rain forest, the mountain towns of Minas Gerais, the urban jungle of São Paulo, or the immense central plateau surrounding Brasília, you'll plunge into an exotic mix of colors, rhythms, and pastimes.

Beaches

Brazil's Atlantic coast runs more than 7,300 km (4,600 mi), edging the country with sandy, palm-lined shores as well as some dramatic, rugged stretches. Many northeastern praias (beaches) offer sweeping, isolated expanses of gloriously high dunes; warm, aquamarine waters; and constant breezes. Of course Rio's famous beaches seem to embody the Brazilians themselves: vibrant, social, joyful, and beautiful. São Paulo's cleanest and best sands are along the North Shore, where mountains and bits of Atlantic forest hug small, sandy coves. In the south, some glorious sands and slightly cooler climes can be found in Paraná State as well as on Ilha de Santa Catarina; still farther south the Mata Atlântica gives way to cliffs that run into the sea. Not all the best beaches are on the ocean. The banks of the Amazon and its tributaries also have splendid sandy stretches.

Carnaval

Carnaval (Carnival) is the biggest party of the year. In some areas, events begin right after Reveillon (New Year's) and continue beyond the four main days of celebration (just before the start of Lent) with smaller feasts and festivities. At Carnaval's peak, businesses close throughout the country as Brazilians don costumes -- from the elaborate to the barely there -- and take to the streets singing and dancing. These four explosive days of color see formal parades as well as spontaneous street parties fueled by flatbed trucks that carry bands from neighborhood to neighborhood.

Music

The music for which Brazil is most famous, samba, has its roots in lundu (a Bantu rhythm that's reminiscent of a fandango yet is characterized by a free-form, hip-swiveling style of dance) and maxixe (a mixture of polka as well as Portuguese and African rhythms). The more mournful samba (from the Bantu word semba, meaning "gyrating movement") originated in Rio de Janeiro in the early 20th century but wasn't refined until the 1940s, when Rio's Carnaval competitions began. Contributions by performers in Bahia led to further transformations. Today its many forms include the pure samba de morro (literally "of the hill," figuratively "of the poor neighborhood"), which is performed using only percussion instruments, and the samba cançao (the more familiar "samba song").

Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: Fodor's (December 28, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679004599
• ISBN-13: 978-0679004592
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 2.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,325,805 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars poorly written and lacking in information, February 7, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Fodor's Brazil 2000 (Paperback)

leave this badly written guide on the bookshelf and buy the lonely planet guide to brazil instead.

6 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Fodor's Brazil, December 6, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Fodor's Brazil 2000 (Paperback)

The book, frankly speaking, stinks. All it does is it creates dead weight for you to be carrying. You'll definitely be better off using other travel guides (e.g., Lonely Planet) or even inquiring at your hotel desk. Only about 10% of the information in the book is actually somewhat useful. It is otherwise rather USELESS!

5 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars To see the real Brazil - Written by those who know, May 19, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Fodor's Brazil 2000 (Paperback)

What a great guide to this wonderful country - not just a listing of tourist trappings, rather a substantial guide to the real Brazil. If you're interested in going beyond the tours and hotels, you should use this guide.