Brazil Beckons

winetravel WORDS ELISABETH KING GAME ON - BRAZIL BECKONS I FIRST visited Brazil, a country that makes as baianas de acaraje and the signature dish a $2 chopp (beer) in the web of bars near up half of South America, on a crackpot is moqueca - a spicy seafood stew. the main uni or head for an upscale dinner week-long itinerary that included daily flights Like Sydney, Recife is an ocean-loving in the Asa Sul district. ranging from three to five hours. Brazil’s city of four million and the 9km long Boa Most tourists come to Curitiba, the “Green geography isn’t an opt-out choice. Twelve Viagem beach is the longest urban seafront Capital of Brazil”, to board the Serra Verde of its major cities were showcased during in Brazil. It’s best to dive into the upmarket Express train through the Atlantic rainforest. the FIFA World Cup and getting around the bars lining the crowded strip because Polish, Italian and Japanese immigrants sprawling nation - 825,000 square kilometres shark attacks are frequent - more than came here to avoid the heat and humidity of larger than Australia - is easier and more double the global average. Recife Antigo the coast. Several open-air markets filled with seductive than ever. If you are sorry you (old town) is a safer bet, too, with all-hours food stalls reflect the city’s mixed European missed the final match at Rio’s Maracana bars and restaurants tucked into Dutch heritage and serve as feeding stations for the stadium, you still have two years up your and Portuguese colonial buildings. The city’s army of joggers. sleeve to explore Brazil’s amazing diversity, chef’s name to note is Rivandro Franca of With its large German-speaking community, food and wine scene before the crowds Cozinhando Escondidinho, who specialises the state of Rio Grande do Sul has a rich, descend again for the 2016 Olympics. in modern updates of the local cuisine based upholstered feel. It’s the spiritual home of Beaches, Carnaval, cariocas and samba on yucca, goat and sun-dried meat. Brazil’s gauchos - so steak is mandatory. So give Rio one of the most fantasy-soaked Hemmed in by three of Brazil’s greatest is the beer, naturally, and the local Coruja brand images in the world. Even though natural wonders - the Pantanal wetlands, brews are rated among Brazil’s finest amber many of the hillside favelas have been drops. A few hours from Porto Alegro is the “pacified”, it’s a smart strategy to stay Industrial strength Vale dos Vinhedos, the most prestigious in the posh Zona Sul district, including wine-growing region in the country, and the world-famous Copacabana and Ipanema mozzie repellent is a Aparados da Serra national park, bisected beaches. Packed with bars and restaurants, by the spectacular Itaimbezhino Canyon. notably in Lapa, Rio is also a magnet for non-negotiable for a trip Industrial strength mozzie repellent is a extreme sport enthusiasts. Most tourists non-negotiable for a trip to Manaus. Once take the cable car to the peaks of Sugarloaf to Manaus. nicknamed the gaudiest city in the world Mountain and Corcovado, topped by the for the mad spending sprees of its 19th iconic statue of Christ the Redeemer, but century rubber barons, the no-expense- hundreds of rock climbers prefer to get to the Amazon rainforest and the Cerrado spared Teatro Amazonas opera house is a the summits the hard way. savannah - Cuiaba is known as the Southern lasting legacy of the days when horses were Sao Paolo is the biggest city in South gate to the Amazon. Its relative isolation “watered” with champagne. Located at the America and boasts a similar population to has preserved its Amerindian heritage, in meeting point of two major tributaries of the Australia - 22 million. The economic capital spite of a booming economy which has Amazon River - the Rio Negro and Solimoes of Brazil, Sao Paolo is packed with cool bars studded the cityscape with shopping malls - Manaus is the jump-off spot for eco-tours and is the centre of New Brazilian cuisine. and office buildings. The local bars all claim up the largest blackwater river in the world Wealth also buys culture (art exhibitions, they make the best caipirinhas in the country by canoe or expensive clipper boat. theatres and concerts) and open space but Chopao is the place for Rodizio de Book-ended by beaches, including the (dozens of parks). Escaldado - a chicken and egg soup famed picture postcard Ponta Negra and Genibapu, Brazil’s first capital city, Salvador, is as for its ability to soak up alcohol. Natal is a reef diver’s paradise. The closest famous for its surrounding bay - Todos os Like any planned city, Brasilia has attracted landfall to Europe, the capital of Rio Grande Santos - as Rio. The capital of the state of a lot of snide criticism. But, as locals do Norte is enjoying a major tourist boom and Bahia, the city’s World Heritage-listed old constantly remind you, Brazil’s capital is the is currently building the largest international town pulls in the crowds. But South and North only city built in the 20th century with a World airport in South America. Officially ranked as Americans also flock here to enjoy the longest Heritage listing. It’s not a knee-jerk defence; the safest city in Brazil, American tourists are stretch of coastline in Brazil, punctuated much of the soaring architecture of the major also much in evidence. Ponta Negra is one by the Costa do Sauipe, one of the most government buildings is the work of Brazil’s long bar and restaurant crawl for people of luxurious coastal resorts on the continent. The legendary star architect, Oscar Niemeyer, all ages to enjoy live music performances vibrant African-influenced cuisine is known and resembles the set of a sci-fi movie. Grab from samba to forro. 24 WINESTATE November/December 2014.

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