I often get asked the question “What should I bring with me for my trip to Brazil?” It’s really hard to answer because what’s essential for one person may be completely unimportant to someone else. So I decided to put a weekly post together of some of the top gadgets and essentials I enjoy having with me during my trips to Brazil. See if they also make sense for you…

My top Brazil travel essential this week is the Sony S Tablet.  My Sony S comes with me on every trip to Brazil and it’s a lot more convenient than having to lug around my Mac Book.  I have bought and tried most of the major tablets out there including the iPad, Motorola Zoom, and Samsung Galaxy, but with the Sony S Tablet it was love at first sight.

I like the folded magazine design of the Sony S that fits naturally into my hands. This makes it a lot easier to hold than the standard flat tablet designs, especially while reading or surfing the web for long periods of time. I also like the fact that the Sony S takes normal SD cards and not those little micro SD’s, which makes it real convenient to be able to just pop in my memory card and easily see all of my photos and videos of the day.

With about 8 hours of battery life the Sony S Tab makes a great travel companion for all kinds of trip. I can do everything from watch movies on the plane or long bus rides, update the blog, edit photos, read my Kindle and Google books, and even record and post HD videos to share with family and friends while on the road. I even bought an iHip Discovery Waterproof Bag for it that will protect it from water up to 33 feet, which comes in real handy when i’m chillin at the beach or on adventure trips.  The only complaint I have about my Sony S is that it can only be charged by AC power, you can connect it to a USB device like your laptop, but it will not charge it.  Other than this small thing I love my Sony S.  Click here for more on the Sony S Tablet.

See all of my Top Brazil Travel Essentials

See larger image Sony SGPT111US/S Wi-Fi Tablet (16GB) (Personal Computers) List Price: Price Not Listed New From: Check Amazon For Pricing In Stock Used from: $244.79 In Stock Release date April 17, 2012.

Not only am I a Brazil Geek I’m also a tech geek so I was excited when I found out that one of Google’s latest projects is taking place in Brazil’s Amazon Jungle. Google has brought its popular Street View Maps to parts of the Amazon River Basin. Google’s cameras captured the area by boat and special trikes which allow viewers to explore parts of the Amazon just like they would a normal Google Street View map.

Interact With The Amazon Street View Map Below

View Larger Map

See More Amazon Street View Collections Here…

I often get asked the question by first time travelers planning to visit Brazil “Should we visit Rio de Janeiro vs Salvador da Bahia for our first trip to Brazil?”  Rio and Salvador are very different cities and each has its own unique flavor and character.  Both fun, both amazing, and both beautiful, but if I had to generalize and lump every first time Brazil traveler into one category I would say Rio should be first on your list to visit.

Rio de Janeiro is more of a world class tourist destination. It not only has one, but two of the world’s most famous beaches (Copacabana and Ipanema). It’s home to one of the New Seven Wonders of the World (Christ Redeemer Statue), and has several other world famous attractions including Sugarloaf Mountain. Rio also has an infrastructure that is a lot more tourist friendly and you will find many more activities, restaurants, and nightlife that cater to tourist, especially Western tourist in Rio than in Salvador. Rio is also great for first timers to South America, it’s different enough to feel like your in another world, but it’s still a modern cosmopolitan city that feels kind of familiar.

Salvador is a great destination that should be at the top of your list of Brazilian cities to visit, probably right after Rio. Its nickname is the “Happy City” and it fits Salvador perfectly. I can’t really explain it, but you feel a noticeable difference in the vibe of Salvador and its locals. Salvador doesn’t have all of the world famous attractions as Rio does, but it makes up for this in its history and preserved culture. Salvador is one of the oldest cities in the Americas and considered by many to be the culture capital of Brazil and the center of Afro-Brazilian culture. Almost 80% of Salvador’s population is either black or brown, which gives the city a lot of its character and flavor.

If you have a couple of weeks to spend in Brazil I would recommend checking out both for the ultimate Brazil experience. Spend a week in Rio then hop a flight to Salvador and spend a week there. The flight is less than two hours and will cost you around US$200 roundtrip. I fly from Rio’s domestic airport Santos Dumont (SDU) and usually use Azul Airlines.

For more info on Salvador check out Wiki Travel Salvador.  I haven’t went through all of the info on their page yet, but most of it seems pretty accurate so far.

(Hanging out in Salvador's Lower City section)

Rio de Janeiro is by far one of my favorite cities in the world to meet women. The women of Rio are some of the most beautiful, exotic, sexy, exciting, and friendly women on the planet. I get asked all the time about the women here – What are they like? Are they easy to meet? etc. so I decided to post some tips from my personal experience on meeting women in Rio.

One of the things I enjoy most about Brazilian women in Rio is their diversity. No matter what your taste in women is you will most likely find it in Rio. Rio has every flavor of woman imaginable. From vanilla, caramel, to deep dark chocolate and everything in between it’s here. The styles are just as varied with everything from sexy beach barbie doll types, cute artsy hippy chicks, to beautiful afro-centric queens. You can pretty much stand on any corner of the city, from the favela slums to the upscale areas of Ipanema and see beautiful women.

Most girls here in Rio de Janeiro are really friendly and approachable.  Although it helps to know some basic Portuguese, a good amount of the women here speak some English. One of the things I like most about Brazilian women is that they are definitely not shy about making the first move if they are interested. The first move can be anything from a lot of eye contact and smiles to walking right up to you and starting a conversation.  Brazilian women are used to aggressive and confident men so don’t be shy about flirting back and making a move. Say Hello (Ola or Oi) and ask her if she speaks English (Fala Inglis?).  If she doesn’t speak any English and you don’t speak any Portuguese it’s probably going to be a dead end, but don’t worry at least you have started building your skills in meeting Brazilian women.

Another thing I really enjoy about Brazilian women is that they are very warm, friendly, and touchy feely. They are not cold or stand offish at all. If you meet a cold Brazilian woman it’s best to probably keep it moving because unless she is just having a bad day she is definitely not into you at all. Brazilian women like to drink, dance, and have fun and they also like to be with fun animated guys with personality so If you’re the I’m sooooooo fucking cool, sunglasses in the club type of guy who likes to stand around and pose more than likely you’re not going to be too successful in meeting Brazilian women. If you do meet a Brazilian girl in a bar/club and she is attracted to you and you are making her laugh, keeping her attention, and showing her a good time don’t be surprised if she ends up making out with you right there.  Brazilian girls love to make out. WARNING!!! making out does not mean you are going to necessarily get laid, but it does mean you’re off to a great start.

Another important thing to keep in mind when meeting Brazilian women is that unless you’re some HOT male super model or millionaire rock star, if you meet a girl that is coming on EXTRA hard, more than likely they’re garotas de programa (working girls). Trust me when I say this because no matter how good you think you look, how much game you think you have, or how many push ups you did before going out that night, if a Brazilian girl is asking you about going back to your room after only 10-15 minutes of meeting her she’s on the program. Most will not just come right and tell you that they are working. Prostitution is pretty much legal in Brazil though, just in case you want to indulge. Hey I don’t judge :) Most of the time it’s pretty easy to tell if they are working girls. If I’m unsure and the girl is coming on extra-hard I will usually just ask the girl straight up if she is working or not. I know it might be kind of a messed up question to ask, especially if she’s not “working” but it’s a lot better than flirting and buying drinks with a girl all night then finding out that she wants money to hook up.

Another important thing to be aware of is to not go around around Rio acting like a stupid gringo with the attitude that all Brazilian girls are prostitutes and you can offer any girl money for sex.  The majority of Brazilian women are beautiful, intelligent, normal “non-working” girls that are out having a good time.  By the way this is not to say that the “working” girls are not smart and intelligent either because a lot of them are I’m just trying to make a point because I sometimes see gringo guys come here with the attitude that Brazilian women are whores and they can all be bought.

If you speak a good amount of Portuguese it will be easy for you to meet women all over Rio, but if you don’t speak the language then one of the best places to meet Brazilian women are at the “gringo bars.” Most of the women that hang out in those places speak English and like gringos. Just beware that some of the gringo bars tend to attract the garotas de programa (working girls). Try and learn at least some basic Portuguese though it will help you out a lot. (Learn Brazilian Portuguese Easy) I also have the perfect book for those who want to step up their game with some slang, flirting and dirty phrases. It’s called Dirty Portuguese. I’m actually working on creating a list of some of the best places in Rio to meet Brazilian women and will post that for you guys soon, but just off the top of my head some good places to check out are Melt Nightclub in Leblon, Shenanigan’s Irish Pub and Emporio Bar both in Ipanema, and Rio Scenarium in Lapa.

Another great way to meet women here in Rio is to hit on your service staff. It may sound a little crazy but there are plenty of single and sexy Brazilian girls working in Rio’s service industry.  The good thing about this move is that they will usually speak really good English, they either like or are used to dealing with foreign men, plus they tend to know all the best places to hang out in the city.  You can also hit the ground running by meeting Brazilian women online.  Chat them up and get to know them a little before you even get here.  One of the best sites to meet Brazilian women online is Brazil Cupid.

So whatever your pleasure Rio de Janeiro is one of those cities you can just let go.  You don’t have to front, lie, or try to impress the women here.  Just be yourself and have a good time meeting some of the most beautiful and exciting women you will ever meet in your life. By the way if you have any of your own personal tips to add feel free to leave them in the comments section.

The Real (pronounced rey-al) is Brazil’s modern currency which has been in existence since 1994. The word real means both “royal” and “real” in Portuguese. The real comes in 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 bills. There is also a 1 real coin and 5, 10, 25, and 50 cent pieces called centavos. When traveling in Brazil you will need to exchange your local currency into Brazilian Reals. Bank and exchange agencies can be found all over the place. Be sure to check the current exchange rates online to make sure you’re not going ripped off. Just keep in mind that the rates you are offered can slightly differ from the Reals current exchange rate. At the time of this post the current exchange rates are:

1.00 USD = 1.82 BRL
1.00 GBP = 2.89 BRL
1.00 EUR = 2.41 BRL

I often get asked the question “What should I bring with me for my trip to Brazil?” It’s really hard to answer because what’s essential for one person may be completely unimportant to someone else. So I decided to put a weekly post together of some of the top gadgets and essentials I enjoy having with me during my trips to Brazil. See if they also make sense for you…

My top Brazil Travel essential for this week is the Sony TX10 Digital Camera. I love my Sony TX10. This is probably one of my most used essentials and goes with me EVERYWHERE! I love capturing random pictures while on the road and never pass up a good photo opportunity. The great thing about the TX10 is that it really is a go anywhere camera. Not only is is it sleek, slim and compact it’s also waterproof and shockproof, which comes in real handy in a country like Brazil. So whether I’m hanging out on Ipanema beach or partying it up in Lapa it’s always in my pocket and ready to go. The picture quality is really good at 16.2MP, it does panorama photos, and it also shoots full 1080 HD video.

I remember one night after partying in Ipanema with some friends at like 4am we decided to hit the beach right after the club. We were drunk so that would explain why we jumped in the ocean fully clothed. Later that morning when we all sobered up, everyone went “OH SH#T” realizing that their cameras had been in their pockets and were now ruined by the water and sea salt. Guess who’s camera was still working just fine :)

See all of my Top Brazil Travel Essentials

See larger image Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-TX10 16.2 MP Waterproof Digital Still Camera with Exmor R CMOS Sensor, 3D Sweep Panorama and Full HD 1080/60i Video (Black) (Camera) List Price: $309.00 USD New From: $302.50 In Stock Used from: $215.99 In Stock Release date April 3, 2011.

There is no doubt that learning the proper way to speak Brazilian Portuguese is a good thing, but in certain situations speaking properly could cause you to lose a few cool points. Let’s say you’re at the club and you want to ask that beautiful Brazilian girl to dance. Saying the equivalent of “How do you do my fair lady, would you care to engage in a dance with me?” is NOT COOL!!! Of course being a tourist the locals would cut you some slack and you could probably get away with speaking properly even in casual environments, but why not also add some cool street cred to your Brazilian Portuguese vocabulary. Proper language has its place, but definitely not in the bars or nightclubs.

Whether you don’t know any Brazilian Portuguese at all or you’re a seasoned vet who just doesn’t know much slang, I have the perfect book for you. The book is called Dirty Portuguese and I came across it on Amazon the other day. Don’t be turned off by the title either thinking all you are going to learn is a bunch of a dirty Portuguese words that will have you sounding like a Brazilian sailor. Sure the book will teach you how to say “oh shit the condom broke” or “I think if i eat you out you will be happy” but the book also teaches you a lot of useful slang words that can be used in normal everyday situations like “what’s up” – “you’re totally ripping me off” – “the food was crap” – “i don’t want to fight you” – “nice tan line” (by the way this is actually a compliment in Brazil).

The book is hilarious and really comes in handy I definitely recommend getting a copy…

See larger image Dirty Portuguese: Everyday Slang from "What's Up?" to "F*%# Off!" (Dirty Everyday Slang) (Paperback) By (author) Alice Rose, Nati Vale, Pedro A Cabral List Price: $10.00 USD New From: $5.40 In Stock Used from: $5.85 In Stock

Here are some basic flight time estimates when traveling from Rio de Janeiro to other cities in Brazil.

Rio de Janeiro to Belo Horizonte: 50m
Rio de Janeiro to Brasília: 1h 30m
Rio de Janeiro to Campo Grande: 3h 30m
Rio de Janeiro to Curitiba: 1h 30m
Rio de Janeiro to Fortaleza: 4h 25m
Rio de Janeiro to Foz do Iguaçu: 3h
Rio de Janeiro to Manaus: 5h
Rio de Janeiro to Natal: 3h
Rio de Janeiro to Porto Alegre: 2h
Rio de Janeiro to Recife: 2h 45m
Rio de Janeiro to Salvador: 2h
Rio de Janeiro to São Paulo: 55m

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