Carnival of Brazil is an annual Brazilian festival held between the Friday afternoon 51 days before Easter and Ash Wednesday at noon, which marks the beginning of Lent, the forty-day period before Easter. On certain days of Lent, Roman Catholics and some other Christians traditionally abstained from the consumption of meat and poultry, hence the term "carnival," from carnelevare, "to remove meat."
Rhythm, participation, and costumes vary from one region of Brazil to another. In the southeastern cities of Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Vitória, huge organized parades are led by samba schools. Those official parades are meant to be watched by the public, while minor parades "blocos" allowing public participation can be found in other cities, like Belo Horizonte,also in the southeastern region.
The northeastern cities of Recife, Olinda, Salvador, and Porto Seguro have organized groups parading through streets, and public interacts directly with them. This carnival is also influenced by African-Brazilian culture. It is a six-day party where crowds follow the trios elétricos through the city streets, dancing and singing. Also in northeast, Olinda carnival features unique characteristics, heavily influenced by local folklore and cultural manifestations, such as Frevo and Maracatu.
The typical genres of music of Brazilian carnival are, in the Southeast Region in general, mostly cities of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo: the samba-enredo, the samba de bloco, the samba de embalo and the marchinha; and in the Northeast Region including Pernambuco mostly cities of Olinda and Recife: frevo and maracatu, and Bahia (mostly the city of Salvador): samba-reggae, pagode also a type of Sambaand the main genre axé music.
Carnival is the most famous holiday in Brazil and has become an event of huge proportions. Except for industrial production, retail establishments such as malls, and carnival-related businesses, the country unifies completely for almost a week and festivities are intense, day and night, mainly in coastal cities. Rio de Janeiro's carnival alone drew 4.9 million people in 2011, with 400,000 being foreigners.
Arguably, this cultural manifestation could be historically traced to the Portuguese Age of Discoveries when their caravels passed regularly through Madeira, a territory which already celebrated emphatically its carnival season, and where they were loaded with goods but also people and their ludic and cultural expressions.
Rio de Janeiro
In the late 18th century, the cordões were introduced in Rio de Janeiro. These were pageant groups that paraded through city avenues performing on instruments and dancing. Today they are known as Carnaval blocos (blocks), consisting of a group of people who dress in costumes or special T-shirts with themes and/or logos.
Blocos are generally associated with particular neighbourhoods; they include both a percussion or music group and an entourage of revelers. They eventually became the "fathers" of what everyone today knows as the famous and internationally renowned samba-schools in Brazil.
Samba-schools,not only in Rio de Janeiro, but in São Paulo and several other cities are the cultural epicenter of the Brazilian carnival, in terms of the "parading style". The first registered samba-school was called "Deixa-falar", but disappeared later and the first official samba-school contest happened in 1929, with only three groups, and "Oswaldo Cruz" group won the competition, with a samba written by Heitor dos Prazeres.
GRES Estação Primeira de Mangueira Samba-School, represented by Cartola, and Estácio de Sá samba School, represented by Ismael Silva, were the other 2 contestants. Eventually, "Oswaldo Cruz" became, Portela Samba School, the greatest winner of Rio's Carnival with 21 Titles.
Although many Brazilians tend now to favor other forms of national music culture to that of Rio's samba schools, the carnival of Rio de Janeiro remains the national festival par excellence, and the samba of Rio de Janeiro continues to be an agent of national unification.
Carnaval blocos, also known as Blocos de Rua "Street Blocks" occur in nearly every neighborhood throughout the city and metropolitan areas, but the most famous are the ones in Copacabana, Ipanema, Leblon, Lagoa, Jardim Botânico, and in downtown Rio. Organizers often compose their own music themes that are added to the performance and singing of classic "marchinhas" and samba popular songs.
Cordão do bola preta "Polka Dot Bloco", that goes through the heart of Rio's historical center, and "Suvaco do Cristo" Christ's statue armpit, referring to the angle of the statue seen from the neighborhood, near the Botanical Garden, are some of the most famous groups. Monobloco has become so famous that it plays all year round at parties and small concerts.
The formalized samba schools are very large groups of performers, financed by respected organizations as well as illegal gambling groups, who work year-round in preparation for Carnival. Samba Schools perform in the Sambadrome, which runs four entire nights and is overseen by LIESA.
They are part of an official competition, divided into seven divisions, in which a single school is declared the winner, according to ten judging categories that include costume, flow, theme, and band music quality and performance. Some samba schools also hold street parties in their neighborhoods, through which they parade along with their followers.
All performers at the Sambadrome have to wear a costume. Some honored members of the school or community may receive it free, but normally most will have to pay for their own costume. Tourists can have the same experience on the "Commercial Area" of some Samba Schools but need to buy their own costme from the school, or through an agent, either of which can be quite costly.
Bahia style
There are several major differences between Carnival in the state of Bahia in Northeastern Brazil and Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. The musical styles are different at each carnival; in Bahia there are many rhythms, including samba, samba-reggae, axé, etc., while in Rio there is the multitude of samba styles: the "samba-enredo", the "samba de bloco", the "samba de embalo", the "funk-samba", as well as the famous "marchinhas" played by the "bandas" in the streets.
In the 1880s, the black population commemorated the days of Carnival in its own way, highly marked by Yoruba characteristics, dancing in the streets playing instruments. This form was thought of as "primitive" by the upper-class white elite, and the groups were banned from participating in the official Bahia Carnival, dominated by the local conservative elite. The groups defied the ban and continued to do their dances.
By the 1970s, four main types of carnival groups developed in Bahia: Afoxês, Trios Elétricos, "Amerindian" groups, and Blocos Afros. Afoxês use the rhythms of the African inspired religion, Candomblé. They also worship the gods of Candomblé, called orixás. An Electric Trio is characterized by a truck equipped with giant speakers and a platform where musicians play songs of local genres such as axé. People follow the trucks singing and dancing.
The "Amerindian" groups were inspired by Western movies from the United States. The groups dress up as Native Americans and take on Native American names. Blocos Afros, or Afro groups, were influenced by the Black Pride Movement in the United States, independence movements in Africa, and reggae music that denounced racism and oppression. The groups inspired a renewed pride in African heritage.
Today, Bahia's carnival consists mostly of Trios Elétricos, but there are still Blocos Afros and Afoxês. Every year, about half a million tourists are attracted to Salvador. It's also possible to watch everything from the Camarotes (ringside seats) spread out along the way, offering more comfort to the visitors.
Pernambuco style
The North East state of Pernambuco has unique Carnivals in its present capital Recife and in its colonial capital Olinda. Their main rhythms are the frevo and the maracatu. Galo da Madrugada is the biggest carnival parade in the world, considering the number of participants, according The Guinness Book of World Records.
It means "dawn's rooster" and parades, as the name suggests, in the morning only. Frevo is Pernambucan-style dance with African and acrobatic influences, as it is fast and electrifying, often using an open umbrella and frequent legs and arms movements.
Unlike Salvador and Rio, the festivities in Recife, Olinda and Itamaraca do not include group competitions. Instead, groups dance and play instruments side by side. Troças and maracatus, mostly of African influence, begin one week before Carnival and end a week later. Some well-known groups have funny names, such as: Tell me you love me, damn eggymann (with a famous giant dancing doll that leads the group), Crazy Lover, Olinda's Underpants, and The Door. Held 40 days before Lent.
São Paulo style
The carnival in São Paulo takes place in the Anhembi Sambadrome on the Friday and Saturday night of the week of Carnival, as opposed to Rio's Carnival, which is held on Sunday and Monday night.
Various "samba schools" compete in a huge parade. Each school presents a different theme, which they expose through their costumes, dance, music, and the allegorical cars or "carros alegóricos", huge vehicles decorated according to the theme designed specifically for the parade.
The schools are responsible for choosing their own themes, which usually revolve around historical happenings or some sort of cultural or political movement.
The most famous (and usually the winners) samba schools are: Nenê de Vila Matilde, Gaviões da Fiel, Vai-Vai, Camisa Verde Branco, Peruche, Mocidade Alegre, Rosas de Ouro, Vila Maria, Mancha Verde, and Império da Casa Verde.
Vai-Vai is the oldest school and has been the First Division champion most times (15 total, including the 2015 championship). It also is the most popular, for it has the most fans.
Espírito Santo style
The Carnival in Vitória are performed one week before Carnival, more precisely in Sambão do Povo. The schools are responsible for choosing their own themes, which usually revolve around historical happenings or some sort of cultural or political movement.
The most famous (and usually the winners) samba schools are: Unidos de Jucutuquara, MUG, Andaraí, Independentes de Boa Vista, and Novo Império.
Minas Gerais style
Minas also holds some important carnival parades, mainly in the historic cities of Ouro Preto, Mariana, São João del Rei, and Diamantina. They are held mostly by students' houses, which attract a majority of young people from the neighbor states. There are also other major parades in the region, such as the one in Pompéu.
Carnival in Minas Gerais is often characterized by blocos carnavalescos with varying themes and costume styles, almost always accompanied by a brass and drums band. However, Minas Gerais carnival was first influenced by the Rio de Janeiro Carnival (several cities have their own samba schools). Later, some Axé groups from Bahia came to play in the state every carnival season.
The Carnival of the city of Ouro Preto is very popular with college students in the area. The city has a large proportion of students, who during the year live in places called Repúblicas (a rented house maintained and ruled by themselves). During carnival, the Repúblicas are literally packed with residents and many visitors coming from all over the country. The hills prevent traffic of heavy sound trucks, but don't stop people from feasting all night and day.
However, some view the Ouro Preto carnival festivities as a threat to the old and historical harmony of the region. According to one such person: the recent emergence of industry from the surrounding localities, population growth, and a spike in street traffic have jeopardized Carnival as older citizens remember it. One cause for alarm is the street carnival of Ouro Preto, which attracts thrill-seeking students from across Brazil. The students crowd the streets while playing loud and arguably disruptive music.
Some southern cities such as Uruguaiana, Florianópolis, Manaus, and Porto Alegre have smaller samba school groups or blocos, but like São Paulo state towns, they seem to prefer balls to street dancing. Curitiba hosts modest carnival celebrations similar to those of other Brazilian cities and events such as Curitiba Rock Festival and a carnival Zombie Walk, all supported by Cultural Foundation of Curitiba which operates under supervision of government of Curitiba.
Sambódromo
The Carnival parades in Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo take place in the Sambodromo, located close to the city center. In the city of Rio, the parades start at 20:00 or 21:00 (depending on the date) and end around 5:00 in the morning. The Rio de Janeiro Metro (subway) operates 24 hours during the main parade days.
The actual amount of spectators in the Sambodromo may be higher than the official number of seats mentioned below. Sector 9 is an exception. Actually the word 'seat' is not relevant. In Sector 1, access is given to the local community at a symbolic cost. Sectors 6 and 13 are the cheapest. Sectors 3, 5, and 7 have equally good views (even though there is a price difference between them). Sector 9 has marked seats and is therefore less crowded. Dress Circle and Boxes are the best, and priced accordingly.
Samba
Originated in Bahia, but developed in Rio de Janeiro between the end of the 19th century and the first years of the 20th century, the samba is still one of the most popular music styles of Brazil. From intimate samba-canções (samba songs) sung in bars to explosive drum parades performed during carnival, samba always evokes a warm and vibrant mood. In the 1930s, a group of musicians led by Ismael Silva founded in the neighbourhood of Estácio de Sá the first samba school, Deixa Falar.
They transformed the musical genre to make it fit better the carnival parade. In this decade, the radio spread the genre's popularity all around the country, and with the support of the nationalist dictatorship of Getúlio Vargas, samba became Brazil's "official music."
In the following years, samba has developed in several directions, from the gentle samba-canção to the drum orchestras which make the soundtrack of carnival parade. One of these new styles was bossa nova, a musical movement initially spearheaded by young musicians and college students from Rio de Janeiro. It got increasingly popular over time, with the works of João Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim.
In the sixties, Brazil was politically divided, and the leftist musicians of bossa nova started to draw attention to the music made in the favelas. Many popular artists were discovered at this time. Names like Cartola, Nelson Cavaquinho, Velha Guarda da Portela, Zé Keti, and Clementina de Jesus recorded their first albums. In the seventies, the samba got back to radio. Composers and singers like Martinho da Vila, Clara Nunes, and Beth Carvalho dominated the hit parade.
In the beginning of the eighties, after having been sent to the underground due to styles like disco and Brazilian rock, Samba reappeared in the media with a musical movement created in the suburbs of Rio de Janeiro. It was the pagode, a renewed samba, with new instruments, like the banjo and the tantan, and a new language, more popular, filled with slang.
The most popular names were Zeca Pagodinho, Almir Guineto, Grupo Fundo de Quintal, Jorge Aragão, and Jovelina Pérola Negra. Various samba schools have been founded throughout Brazil. A samba school combines the dancing and party fun of a night club with the gathering place of a social club and the community feeling of a volunteer group. During the spectacular Rio Carnival, famous samba schools parade in the Sambódromo.
Frevo
Frevo is a wide range of musical styles originating from Recife and Olinda, Pernambuco, Brazil, all of which are traditionally associated with Brazilian Carnival. The word frevo is said to come from frever, a misspeaking of the Portuguese word ferver (to boil). It is said that the sound of the frevo will make listeners and dancers to feel as they are boiling on the ground. The word frevo is normally used interchangeably either to mean the frevo music or the frevo dance.
The frevo music came first. By the end of the 19th century, bands from the Brazilian Army regiments based in the city of Recife started a tradition of parading during the Carnival. Since the Carnival is originally linked to religion, they played religious procession marches and martial music, as well.
A couple of regiments had famous bands which attracted lots of followers and it was just a matter of time to people start to compare one to another and cheer for their favorite bands. The two most famous bands were the Espanha (meaning Spain), whose conductor was of Spanish origin, and the 14, from the 14th regiment. The bands started to compete with each other and also started playing faster and faster, louder and louder.
Axé
Axé is not exactly about a style or musical movement, but rather about a useful brand name given to artists from Salvador who made music upon northeastern Brazilian, Caribbean, and African rhythms with a pop-rock twist, which helped them take over the Brazilian hit parades since 1992. Axé is a ritual greeting used in Candomblé and Umbanda religions, and means "good vibration."
The word music was attached to Axé, used as slang within the local music biz, by a journalist who intended to create a derogatory term for the pretentious dance-driven style.
As singer Daniela Mercury began her rise to stardom in Rio and São Paulo, anything coming from Salvador would be labeled Axé Music. Soon, the artists became oblivious to the derogatory origins of the term and started taking advantage of it.
With the media pushing it forward, the soundtrack of Carnival in Salvador quickly spread over the country (through off-season Carnival shindigs), strengthening its industrial potentials and producing year-round hits along the 90s.
Tested within the height of Carnival heat, Axé songs have been commercially successful in Brazil throughout the past decade. The year 1998 was particularly fortunate for the artists from Bahia: together, Daniela Mercury, Claudia Leitte, Ivete Sangalo, Asa de Aguia, Chiclete com Banana, Araketu, Cheiro de Amor, and É o Tchan sold over 3.4 million records.
The Brazilian Carnival Parades were first broadcast in the late 1960s on television on Rede Globo, which brought the Rio celebrations live, bringing the celebrations to more people all over the nation.
By the 1970s, color broadcasting and satellite transmissions made the broadcasts to be beamed to other parts of the nation in real time, by then featuring the top schools under, since 1984 the Liga Independente das Escolas de Samba do Rio de Janeiro - also known as the Special Group since 1990, and formerly under the Associação das Escolas de Samba da Cidade do Rio de Janeiro. Now defunct, Rede Manchete broadcast the event on several occasions and mounted a joint broadcast with Globo for the 1987 event.
Now dubbed Globeleza since 1991 Globo's broadcast of the parades at the Sambodrome in Rio and São Paulo has become the center of national and international attention. Fans of the samba schools on parade also expect a short preview of the performances of the schools involved to be broadcast during the duration of the event.
Globo acquired also the rights to air the parade of samba schools of São Paulo in 1990, and victory parades there were later aired in other local TV channels. Parades belonging to the Access Group (5th Division) and the B Series schools in Rio were also broadcast on several TV stations and are still the case today (in 2015 Rede Record and NGT aired the parades of the lower level schools).
Since 2014, Globo also has full rights to the Series A (Rio) and Paulista parades, which were co-shared with the Viva Channel before its closure in 2015 (which aired lower-level parades and the victory parades of the two cities' winning schools for the year) and regionally, RBS airs the Carnivals of Florianopólis and Porto Alegre, and since 2015, cable channel TVCOM display the gaucho parades in the south.
The Rio parade can also be heard on radio and seen via online streaming as well (thru TVG Rio and from 2015 in G1, which offers an online live streaming of the victory parade).
The Carnivals of Recife and Salvador are shown by Band since the early 2000s, and Band also holds broadcast rights for the victory parade. Both fall under the Band Folia brand.
This is also the case for SBT which also broadcasts the events under the SBT Folia banner and is also, since recently, seen via live streaming on YouTube. Globo also has its own broadcast team and crew for the broadcasts of the late night Galo da Madrugada in Recife since 2008.
Tourism, Travel, Hospitality, Conservation: News,Stories And Experiences From Allover The World
Showing posts with label copacabana. Show all posts
Showing posts with label copacabana. Show all posts
Saturday, 4 March 2017
Sunday, 21 August 2016
BRAZIL: Rio de Janeiro Is Ready For Guests
The upcoming 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games this August and September in Rio de Janeiro will draw hundreds of foreigners to Brazil, who will be keen to explore other parts of the country as well.
'These tourists are known to be cultured and above-average spenders when it comes to tourism,' said Brazilian Ministry of Tourism’s director of Economic Studies and Research José Francisco Salles Lopes. The Games are expected lead to an increase in average foreign traveller spending in Brazil and in average stays, as well as double the tourism revenue.
The latest Tourism Ministry survey shows that the average per capita spending by tourists in trips to Brazil is $1,290 and the average stay is 17.7 days. But the numbers are from 2014, when the country hosted the FIFA World Cup.
According to Lopes, most of the people coming for the Olympics will be from the United States, Japan, France, Australia, Europe and Canada. In South America, most will be from Argentina. Arab visitors are expected, but not in significant numbers. The Consulate General of Lebanon in Rio de Janeiro will provide 30,000 printed copies of Rio de Janeiro’s official Quick Guide of Useful Tips and Tourist Information in Arabic for the incoming Arab guests.
Travel agencies selling packages to Brazil are experiencing high demand due to the Olympics and Paralympics. EGP Viagens, located in São Paulo, is being contacted by foreign clients who are planning to visit Brazil during the Olympics and want to extend their stay for leisure. According to EGP Viagens’ owner, Egyptian Mohammed Darwich, tourists visiting Brazil in August are interested in destinations such as Foz do Iguaçu, Northeast cities such as Natal, Rio Grande do Norte and Fortaleza, Ceará, in addition to Fernando de Noronha and Pernambuco. 'These people want to get to know the country to the fullest, they want to feel the places, meet the people, the culture, they want places with cafés and bars', said the business owner. He described them as being young, up to 40 years old, and sharing Lopes’ opinion, are not looking for resorts.
TTN spoke to Dr Michel Alaby, secretary general and chief executive officer of Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce, for more insights into the Olympics frenzy:
How many guests are coming to Brazil for the Games?
The Brazilian Ministry of Tourism has confidently forecasted the arrival of around 300,000 to 500,000 tourists coming from all over the globe to attend this year’s Olympics.
Do you think the growing Zika problem will be a hindrance to tourism in the next year for Brazil?
The Brazilian Ministry of Health has been working closely with the World Health Organization (WHO) in addressing this issue. The WHO has provided us with technical advice in how to implement a disease control strategy should there be virus outbreak. According to them, a change in the location of the events, games and activities will not substantially decrease the risks of a potential world epidemic.
Is the Brazil government doing anything special for the Arab tourists – are there any halal restaurants in the country and do the hotels have any Arab-speaking staff?
As far as the Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce knows, the Marriott Hotel in Rio de Janeiro is prepared to receive Arab tourists and there will be halal catering. Besides the hotel, we know that the Copacabana neighbourhood, there will be two halal restaurants. During the games, Brazil is also prepared to have tourist guides who speak Arabic.
What activities has ABCC undertaken in the past to increase cooperation between Brazilians and Arabs?
The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce is always trying to promote relations between Brazil and the Arab countries. We are always present at the Big 5 and Gulfood exhibition in Dubai, every year we bring buyers of food products from Gulf to Brazil and Tunisian exporters to showcase olive oil and dates at the biggest Supermarket Trade Show in Brazil. We promote economic forums, cultural exhibitions and trade missions.
What is planned in the future?
The Arab Brazilian Chamber of Commerce is actively working to increase cooperation through the Business Councils, the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between institutions of Arab governments and chambers of commerce, and promoting greater exchange of Brazilian delegations to the Arab countries and vice versa.
Friday, 4 March 2016
BRAZIL: About Brazil
These towering granite mountains protect the island´s wondrous beaches like silent sentinels
Capital: Brasilia
Size: 8,547,403 km²
Population: 170m
Currency: Real
Language: Portuguese
Visas: Not required for UK nationals.
Food: The most famous dish is the feijoada completa: several meat ingredients (jerked beef, smoked sausage, smoked tongue, salt pork, along with spices, herbs and vegetables) are cooked with the beans. Manioc flour is sprinkled over it, and it is eaten with kale (couve) and slices of orange, and accompanied by glasses of aguardente. Churrasco is a mixed grill, including excellent steak, served with roasted manioc flour. It is normally served in specialized restaurants, churrascarias or rodízios (or espeito corrido) – make sure you are hungry when you visit!
Drink: Caipirinha – a deceptively gluggable glass full of the local spirit topped up with pounded ice and limes. One is delicious, two even more so, after that – well, over to you! Caipiroska is the same thing made with vodka, consequently a shade less overwhelming. The fruit juices are fantastic as well.
Festivals: Brazilians need little excuse to hold a party and there are plenty of options throughout the year. The most famous festival in Brazil is Carnaval, particularly that of Rio de Janeiro, although Carnival in other cities can be equally interesting. Dates vary between February and early March. Semana Santa, which ends on Easter Sunday, is celebrated with parades in many cities and towns. Bahia has many festivals throughout the year but some of the most interesting are the Lavagem do Bomfim in January, the Presente para Iemanjá in February and the Festa da Boa Morte in August. In the south, the Festa Nacional da Uva, a grape and wine festival, is held in Caxias do Sul during February. Towards the end of the year in October the Oktoberfest is held in Blumenau, whilst the Círio de Nazaré festival takes place in Belém. The festival year ends on 31 December with the hugely popular beach-based Reveillon.
When to go: Brazil as a destination can be visited at any time of the year depending on your priorities and where you are travelling. Most of the country is tropical, but given its sheer size, weather patterns vary.
Described as the sexiest people on earth, Brazilians are seduced by the sounds of their music and the lure of the beach. Along its 7,250km coastline, there is a stretch of sand for every volleyball player, capoeira dancer, surfer, dune-buggy driver, and the national sport could as easily be flirtation as football.
But Brazilians have a spiritual side to match their hedonistic streak. Many exotic religions flourish, most notable Candomblé, based on African traditions, which exist alongside Catholicism. Artistically Brazil also has a rich vein that goes back to the 16th century when, prosperous from gold and diamonds, the Portuguese colonialists invested in what are some of the most beautifully preserved baroque buildings found anywhere.
As the world’s fifth largest nation, Brazil has a wide diversity of attractions and sights. Brazilians say that God created the world in six days, and on the seventh, he created Rio de Janeiro. Few who have been to Rio would argue, given the city’s spectacular mix of mountains, rainforest and beaches, and its eclectic mix of cosmopolitan city and tropical resort. Corcovado, Sugar Loaf, Copacabana, Ipanema and Maracanã are all names and images that make Rio special. As does the spectacular Carnaval.
Brazil is much more than Rio. The north-east is growing in popularity as a destination led by the state of Bahia, often dubbed ‘Africa in exile’. This was the heart of colonial Brazil and the architecture of the period is best found in the state capital of Salvador where over 800 buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries can be found in an area considered a world heritage site by UNESCO.
The north-east offers a heady blend of cultures, cuisine, ethnic groups, as well as many natural wonders such as the national park of Chapada Diamantina or the stunning beaches. Other popular destinations in the north-east include the states of Alagoas, Ceará, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte and Sergipe.
Brazil is also home to the Amazon river that flows through northern Brazil to the Atlantic Ocean, feeding along the way the biggest expanse of rainforest in the world. Visitors can explore and experience the astonishing natural variety of the Amazon’s flora and fauna through gateways such as Belém or Manaus, both cities famous for their opera houses.
Offering a more visible display of flora and fauna is the Pantanal, a collection of ecosystems that is the largest wetlands in the Americas and in which can be found an immense diversity of bird and wildlife.
Brazil’s southern states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná are equally full of contrasts and surprises that include outstanding beaches for surfing, dolphin and whale-watching around Florianópolis; towns such as Blumenau with its distinct Bavarian architecture; the Itaimbezinho canyon, the largest in Latin America; and the falls at Iguaçu that stretch almost three kilometres across the mighty Iguaçu river that borders Brazil and Argentina. One of the falls, the Devil’s Throat, is the largest waterfall in the world in terms of volume of water per second.
Capital: Brasilia
Size: 8,547,403 km²
Population: 170m
Currency: Real
Language: Portuguese
Visas: Not required for UK nationals.
Food: The most famous dish is the feijoada completa: several meat ingredients (jerked beef, smoked sausage, smoked tongue, salt pork, along with spices, herbs and vegetables) are cooked with the beans. Manioc flour is sprinkled over it, and it is eaten with kale (couve) and slices of orange, and accompanied by glasses of aguardente. Churrasco is a mixed grill, including excellent steak, served with roasted manioc flour. It is normally served in specialized restaurants, churrascarias or rodízios (or espeito corrido) – make sure you are hungry when you visit!
Drink: Caipirinha – a deceptively gluggable glass full of the local spirit topped up with pounded ice and limes. One is delicious, two even more so, after that – well, over to you! Caipiroska is the same thing made with vodka, consequently a shade less overwhelming. The fruit juices are fantastic as well.
Festivals: Brazilians need little excuse to hold a party and there are plenty of options throughout the year. The most famous festival in Brazil is Carnaval, particularly that of Rio de Janeiro, although Carnival in other cities can be equally interesting. Dates vary between February and early March. Semana Santa, which ends on Easter Sunday, is celebrated with parades in many cities and towns. Bahia has many festivals throughout the year but some of the most interesting are the Lavagem do Bomfim in January, the Presente para Iemanjá in February and the Festa da Boa Morte in August. In the south, the Festa Nacional da Uva, a grape and wine festival, is held in Caxias do Sul during February. Towards the end of the year in October the Oktoberfest is held in Blumenau, whilst the Círio de Nazaré festival takes place in Belém. The festival year ends on 31 December with the hugely popular beach-based Reveillon.
When to go: Brazil as a destination can be visited at any time of the year depending on your priorities and where you are travelling. Most of the country is tropical, but given its sheer size, weather patterns vary.
Described as the sexiest people on earth, Brazilians are seduced by the sounds of their music and the lure of the beach. Along its 7,250km coastline, there is a stretch of sand for every volleyball player, capoeira dancer, surfer, dune-buggy driver, and the national sport could as easily be flirtation as football.
But Brazilians have a spiritual side to match their hedonistic streak. Many exotic religions flourish, most notable Candomblé, based on African traditions, which exist alongside Catholicism. Artistically Brazil also has a rich vein that goes back to the 16th century when, prosperous from gold and diamonds, the Portuguese colonialists invested in what are some of the most beautifully preserved baroque buildings found anywhere.
As the world’s fifth largest nation, Brazil has a wide diversity of attractions and sights. Brazilians say that God created the world in six days, and on the seventh, he created Rio de Janeiro. Few who have been to Rio would argue, given the city’s spectacular mix of mountains, rainforest and beaches, and its eclectic mix of cosmopolitan city and tropical resort. Corcovado, Sugar Loaf, Copacabana, Ipanema and Maracanã are all names and images that make Rio special. As does the spectacular Carnaval.
Brazil is much more than Rio. The north-east is growing in popularity as a destination led by the state of Bahia, often dubbed ‘Africa in exile’. This was the heart of colonial Brazil and the architecture of the period is best found in the state capital of Salvador where over 800 buildings dating from the 17th and 18th centuries can be found in an area considered a world heritage site by UNESCO.
The north-east offers a heady blend of cultures, cuisine, ethnic groups, as well as many natural wonders such as the national park of Chapada Diamantina or the stunning beaches. Other popular destinations in the north-east include the states of Alagoas, Ceará, Paraíba, Pernambuco, Rio Grande do Norte and Sergipe.
Brazil is also home to the Amazon river that flows through northern Brazil to the Atlantic Ocean, feeding along the way the biggest expanse of rainforest in the world. Visitors can explore and experience the astonishing natural variety of the Amazon’s flora and fauna through gateways such as Belém or Manaus, both cities famous for their opera houses.
Offering a more visible display of flora and fauna is the Pantanal, a collection of ecosystems that is the largest wetlands in the Americas and in which can be found an immense diversity of bird and wildlife.
Brazil’s southern states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina and Paraná are equally full of contrasts and surprises that include outstanding beaches for surfing, dolphin and whale-watching around Florianópolis; towns such as Blumenau with its distinct Bavarian architecture; the Itaimbezinho canyon, the largest in Latin America; and the falls at Iguaçu that stretch almost three kilometres across the mighty Iguaçu river that borders Brazil and Argentina. One of the falls, the Devil’s Throat, is the largest waterfall in the world in terms of volume of water per second.
Thursday, 8 October 2015
Sin Cities Of The World
The seven deadly sins of the world are what we haves been told to stay away. But the forbidden fruit was the doom of mankind. We tend to follow our history and magnify the acts which fall in grey area. This ‘area ‘are most visited most loved and most frowned upon by all. The stress level has risen and so has the need of stress busters. As the saying goes, once we have broken the egg best thing to do is get a mighty good omelet out of it. We dance at the edge knowing we can fall off but the joy of this dance is inexplicable. One place we think of in this scenario is Vegas but the world has changed and we have many more dance floors today. Man has built beauty entwined in vice and these places have made life lot more bearable. The break taken to this land takes you out of the mundane routines. The never-land for grown-ups is cropping up all over the world. The let’s hop into the best sin-lands of the world.
10 Berlin, Germany
With the first Institute for sexual studies in the world established in in mid-1900s, the legalization of prostitutes and sheer possibility of all sleazy dreams of the world this city makes it to our list easy-peasy. With the open attitude towards sex, the cabaret and burlesque shows have come up everywhere. The easy availability of cocaine vials, the KitKat clubs have made this a true blue sin city. The frowned upon movies are available in a volume which will put any hidden stash of teenager to shame. This is one place where your dark dreams are welcomed and put to reality if you are ready to loosen the strings of your wallet. It’s called ‘the most Fetish-free city of the World’ for a reason. So while planning a trip with buddies, keep Berlin in mind.
Bring out das gimp! Latex pants, tops, chains, whips and S&M are all the rage in Berlin, one of the world's most fetish-friendly sin cities. Need to be punished? Turn yourself in to any of the city's sex dungeons for rehabilitation. Want to dance at a club you can also have sex at? The KitKat Club will oblige. Between the First and Second World Wars, Berlin established the world's first institute for sexual science, which, among other things, had a porn collection that puts every teenager's hidden stash to shame. This openness inspired cabaret and burlesque shows. Plus, at a popular nightclub of the time, patrons could even send cocaine vials by pneumatic tube to other patrons.
In modern-day Berlin, prostitution is legal everywhere. So, if handcuffs and zipper masks don't do it for you, working women will be happy to oblige.
9 Amsterdam, the Netherlands
The international destination for weed/Harold and Kumar fans everywhere, Amsterdam has tonnes of cannabis cafes where you can buy hash and marijuana, smoke it and then order food to curb your munchies. Once you've peaked, walk over to the city's red light district where you can look at prostitutes who are on display for anyone who's interested. Finish up your day by checking out a live sex show where various acts are performed on stage, including couples doing the real thing. The greatest part: It's all legal. Not only can you sin, but you can do it paranoia-free.
One reason that makes the Netherlands famous is this tailor made sin city. Let’s take a look at it. How about a morning cup of tea with a generous hash? Marijuana Cakes and brownies to go with it? Well you can enjoy this all legally euphoria inducing breakfast in the cafes of the city. When you have reached your high, step out for some window shopping. This is no carry the bags get bored shopping; it’s literally prostitutes on sale. The choice is window shopping or take away with bargaining and haggling. This Sin city also offers all kinds of shows for you to enjoy. The other famed attraction is the red-light districts where the lights are literally put to red to show that the show is all set to begin. What a wonderful way to say that it’s all legal isn’t it?
8 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
For a moment,Think about Gisele Bundchen, Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima The grace of Brazil is vouched by these exotic beauties. The Brazilian women are known to have magical effect which makes man swoon. Add to the list the topless beaches of Copacabana and Panama and you have the perfect destinations that define sin. Think this is pretty good but not enough to make it to this list then add the legal brothels with just as exotic menu as the ladies. This place has been the infamous for its nights and days. The weeklong feast is the culminating point of the life here for the masks and parades and costumes brings the wildness to its pinnacle. The perfect week for perfect fun. If you do it right, you won’t remember the half of it.
Brazil’s women have a mythical beauty that consistently puts them at the top of the world's supermodel list. Think: Gisele Bundchen, Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima. Rio is one of their biggest playgrounds. Pick a beach - Copacabana to Ipanema - and stare at topless women all day. Of course, this is all a prelude to when the fun begins at night. Slip into any of the city's nightclubs to grind with Brazil’s best over-powering bass lines and bossa nova. Rio also makes our sin cities list because it has legal brothels with a menu of services. To truly experience Rio, however, visit during its annual Carnaval, a weeklong festival of parades, music and masquerades that brings Rio’s flesh and fantasy culture to a boiling point. Bring plenty of sun and fun protection.
7. Moscow, Russia.
Tochkas! The one word that puts Moscow into this list. The open market for prostitutes. The clinch here is that this is illegal here but the Rubles go a long way. The coveted land Russian Vodka ensures enough fuel for the party. The clubs and pubs are extravagant and give a feel of recently unchained wildness. This sin land has proposition to get tie you in holy matrimony as well. Visit one of the many places to find your better half. It carters to women’s needs as well and is a perfect sin land.
What happens when a culture that has been bottled for decades finally gets uncorked? Insanity. You’ll find every kind of nightclub - from hardcore techno to rock to trance - jammed with people from across Europe. Do you want to find a longterm thing? No need to mailorder when you can meet a wife at the clubs and strip clubs near Red Square. Prostitution is illegal, but punishments are often paid off with rubles. You'll see prostitutes out in the open at tochkas (outdoor markets for prostitutes) or at the city's clubs.
Also check out The Hungry Duck. A bar that runs ladies' night three times a week with male strippers for two hours, and then lets men into the club once the strippers are offstage. It has been shut down repeatedly for lewdness and public sexual acts. And your party fuel? Only one of the best vodkas in the world. Comrade, your revolution starts here.
6 New Orleans, Louisiana
If dancing, feasting on one best French cuisine, drinking is on your list this is the place. It has been so for over 100 years today. The famous city is the North Americans go to land for the Mardi gras. The history vouches for its sins. The past and present mix today for the experience which is the USP of this land. The prostitution is illegal here but the history begs to differ. With many shows to gratify the visitors this city is worthy of the 6th rank of this list.
5. Macau, China
Have you been to the Venetian, Wynn and MGM hotel casinos in Las Vegas? Now try the ones in China. Located in South China, Macau's legalised gambling laws have made big money for the country and gotten it ranked as one of our top 10 sin cities. It has already surpassed Las Vegas twice for total gambling revenue and boasts the world's largest casino, the Venetian Macau. In all, it packs 33 casinos into 11 square miles with plans for plenty more to come. Like Las Vegas, Macau also advertises tons of women for extracurricular entertainment. While the prostitution laws contradict themselves in the books (it is legal, but procuring it is not), it’s practiced more and more out in the open.
The Las Vegas attractions of The Venetian, Wynn and MGM with twice the gambling! This puts Macau in our top 5. The Chinese and Portuguese cultures mix here to give the feeling of being out of the world. The unique festivals and events and free laws has made life at Macau picture perfect for the title of sin city. Women are available for various extracurricular activities with law forbidding the trade and legalizing the action. The revenue in gambling had out Vegas behind in the race, twice. The south Chinese destination has the largest casino of the world, The Venetian Macau. This is one rising Sin-city to keep a tab on, the offers are irresistible.
4. Tijuana, Mexico.
Cross one international Border from USA to Mexico and watch the wildness quotient multiple times infinity. The dollar is much more popular here for it can get you more for less. The lowering of drinking age to 18, legalizing of prostitution and free flowing cheaper than water alcohol makes it an easy on pockets larger than life holiday destination. Similar to the Amsterdam’s Modius-operendi, the Mexican version is ‘la Cauhuil’. This is one hot spot for the earl 20s for it has all the ingredients of sin.
Cross one of the busiest international border stations in the world and you may think you've crossed into the Wild West. The 21-year-old US drinking age drops to 18, illegal prostitution is now legal and zoned in its own red light district called "La Coahuila", people on the street solicit prescription drugs and illegal drugs for sale, strip clubs encourage a "hands on" policy with its strippers and tequila is dirt cheap. These reasons alone make Tijuana No. 2 on our list of sin cities and a huge party spot for American college kids at the city's various nightclubs on Revolucion Avenue. Take note, however, that Mexican police hold no quarter with gringos. Make sure to keep your head about you while you sin to avoid paying bribes or serving jail time for bad behaviour. Sinning the rest of the time is easy; just say, "Dos cervezas, dos disparos de tequila y dos mujeres por favor".
3. Las Vegas, Nevada.
If this were a list for the top 10 Sin cities of United States, Vegas would defiantly win it hands down. The city is built on sins and for sins. The fun begins right from the airports where you can start gambling right away. The shows, the massages, the alcohol on streets and ‘Escort Services’ are all the vices of Vegas. The best part is the 24/7 gambling. Enjoy the night life in day and win or lose your dime, you will have the time of your life. The city prides itself on being a reputable destination for tourists. No raised eye brows on this particular land. It is the true Never-land.
Las Vegas is every sinner's paradise. You can gamble all day and night (even in the airport) and prostitution, while not technically legal, disguises itself in the form of "escort services". You'll see plenty advertised on magazine stands and guys will snap escort service cards at you as you walk The Strip. Other available vices in this sin city include taking your drinks outside and finding lurid sex shows at strip clubs or tamer ones at well-known casinos.
Have you ever wanted to shoot an Uzi or a handgun? No problem. Just walk into a local gun shop with a driver’s license. You can even indulge your taste for sinful wine and food at many of the city's celebrity restaurants, like Thomas Keller’s Bouchon. The greatest part of this sin city, however, is that no matter how dubious the culture, people respect Vegas as a legitimate destination. Go on and sin. It’s an industry here.
2. Manama, Bahrain
Welcome to the party oasis of the Middle East. Connected by a causeway to nearby Saudi Arabia, Manama is a popular spot for Saudis to kick back from their country's restrictive laws. Here they can get hammered, go clubbing, mingle with the opposite sex, and if they're really daring, they can pick up prostitutes - a practice that's illegal but widely available. While Manama is still largely a Muslim city, a third of its residents are foreigners, so it has led to a much more liberal culture that gave women the vote in 2001, and let them drive cars. For many Saudi males this proximity to an open culture is irresistible and many jam the causeway and fill flights to the city every weekend.
Do you want to see what happens when Saudis cut loose and leave the rules behind?
The 33% of European population mixed in the Middle-Eastern region this is the only one country in the world which allows alcohol openly. The European influence on the region has led to relaxed atmosphere here. The kick back from the stern Saudi laws is this wonderland where one can drink, gamble and easily mix with fairer sex. The weekend here is jammed with the Saudi Males looking to blow of some steam. The sin city has brought some relief to the strict region as due to the European presence women experience freedom more than the surrounding areas. The sin has led to a virtue in Manama, Bahrain.
1. Pattaya, Thailand.
The winner of this list is Pattaya, whereas the above cities give you one or two of this list this is the whole package. Here sin is equivalent breathing and this land is apt if you want to take in a sinful gulp of air. Here Sex is dubbed entertainment and is available as easily as water. The massages, the hourly hotels, the clubs the beach are all part of this entertainment legend. If you get bored of the women, the men can watch men beat each other to pulp in Thai boxing matches that are held at the outdoor bars. This land is paradise for the Guy community. This land boasts of easy access to all the sins and easily wins this list. Here we conclude the tour of the most sinful lands of the world. The amusement at humans going to lengths to satisfy the devil inside is valid. We fight for the virtues and gratify the struggles in these sin cities. The lights are mirage away from life and everyone who experiences this world wishes to go back just one more time.
From "happy ending" massage parlors, brothels, go-go bars and cabarets with transsexuals to ping-pong dancing theatrics, everything is on display at this beachside resort city. Sex is the No. 1 activity (it's called "entertainment" in Thai), and if you can imagine any variation, you'll probably find it on Walking Street, a hub in South Pattaya. While you’re walking, prostitutes will call out to you and some will likely try to pull you into their brothel for services. If you're tired of sex shows, however, you can always sit down to watch guys beat each other to a pulp in a Thai boxing match hosted at the outdoor bars. Since the city is right on the beach, you can sleep off your hangover and sin from the night before and get a tan - just in time for the next evening’s "entertainment".
10 Berlin, Germany
With the first Institute for sexual studies in the world established in in mid-1900s, the legalization of prostitutes and sheer possibility of all sleazy dreams of the world this city makes it to our list easy-peasy. With the open attitude towards sex, the cabaret and burlesque shows have come up everywhere. The easy availability of cocaine vials, the KitKat clubs have made this a true blue sin city. The frowned upon movies are available in a volume which will put any hidden stash of teenager to shame. This is one place where your dark dreams are welcomed and put to reality if you are ready to loosen the strings of your wallet. It’s called ‘the most Fetish-free city of the World’ for a reason. So while planning a trip with buddies, keep Berlin in mind.
Bring out das gimp! Latex pants, tops, chains, whips and S&M are all the rage in Berlin, one of the world's most fetish-friendly sin cities. Need to be punished? Turn yourself in to any of the city's sex dungeons for rehabilitation. Want to dance at a club you can also have sex at? The KitKat Club will oblige. Between the First and Second World Wars, Berlin established the world's first institute for sexual science, which, among other things, had a porn collection that puts every teenager's hidden stash to shame. This openness inspired cabaret and burlesque shows. Plus, at a popular nightclub of the time, patrons could even send cocaine vials by pneumatic tube to other patrons.
In modern-day Berlin, prostitution is legal everywhere. So, if handcuffs and zipper masks don't do it for you, working women will be happy to oblige.
9 Amsterdam, the Netherlands
The international destination for weed/Harold and Kumar fans everywhere, Amsterdam has tonnes of cannabis cafes where you can buy hash and marijuana, smoke it and then order food to curb your munchies. Once you've peaked, walk over to the city's red light district where you can look at prostitutes who are on display for anyone who's interested. Finish up your day by checking out a live sex show where various acts are performed on stage, including couples doing the real thing. The greatest part: It's all legal. Not only can you sin, but you can do it paranoia-free.
One reason that makes the Netherlands famous is this tailor made sin city. Let’s take a look at it. How about a morning cup of tea with a generous hash? Marijuana Cakes and brownies to go with it? Well you can enjoy this all legally euphoria inducing breakfast in the cafes of the city. When you have reached your high, step out for some window shopping. This is no carry the bags get bored shopping; it’s literally prostitutes on sale. The choice is window shopping or take away with bargaining and haggling. This Sin city also offers all kinds of shows for you to enjoy. The other famed attraction is the red-light districts where the lights are literally put to red to show that the show is all set to begin. What a wonderful way to say that it’s all legal isn’t it?
8 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
For a moment,Think about Gisele Bundchen, Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima The grace of Brazil is vouched by these exotic beauties. The Brazilian women are known to have magical effect which makes man swoon. Add to the list the topless beaches of Copacabana and Panama and you have the perfect destinations that define sin. Think this is pretty good but not enough to make it to this list then add the legal brothels with just as exotic menu as the ladies. This place has been the infamous for its nights and days. The weeklong feast is the culminating point of the life here for the masks and parades and costumes brings the wildness to its pinnacle. The perfect week for perfect fun. If you do it right, you won’t remember the half of it.
Brazil’s women have a mythical beauty that consistently puts them at the top of the world's supermodel list. Think: Gisele Bundchen, Alessandra Ambrosio and Adriana Lima. Rio is one of their biggest playgrounds. Pick a beach - Copacabana to Ipanema - and stare at topless women all day. Of course, this is all a prelude to when the fun begins at night. Slip into any of the city's nightclubs to grind with Brazil’s best over-powering bass lines and bossa nova. Rio also makes our sin cities list because it has legal brothels with a menu of services. To truly experience Rio, however, visit during its annual Carnaval, a weeklong festival of parades, music and masquerades that brings Rio’s flesh and fantasy culture to a boiling point. Bring plenty of sun and fun protection.
7. Moscow, Russia.
Tochkas! The one word that puts Moscow into this list. The open market for prostitutes. The clinch here is that this is illegal here but the Rubles go a long way. The coveted land Russian Vodka ensures enough fuel for the party. The clubs and pubs are extravagant and give a feel of recently unchained wildness. This sin land has proposition to get tie you in holy matrimony as well. Visit one of the many places to find your better half. It carters to women’s needs as well and is a perfect sin land.
What happens when a culture that has been bottled for decades finally gets uncorked? Insanity. You’ll find every kind of nightclub - from hardcore techno to rock to trance - jammed with people from across Europe. Do you want to find a longterm thing? No need to mailorder when you can meet a wife at the clubs and strip clubs near Red Square. Prostitution is illegal, but punishments are often paid off with rubles. You'll see prostitutes out in the open at tochkas (outdoor markets for prostitutes) or at the city's clubs.
Also check out The Hungry Duck. A bar that runs ladies' night three times a week with male strippers for two hours, and then lets men into the club once the strippers are offstage. It has been shut down repeatedly for lewdness and public sexual acts. And your party fuel? Only one of the best vodkas in the world. Comrade, your revolution starts here.
6 New Orleans, Louisiana
If dancing, feasting on one best French cuisine, drinking is on your list this is the place. It has been so for over 100 years today. The famous city is the North Americans go to land for the Mardi gras. The history vouches for its sins. The past and present mix today for the experience which is the USP of this land. The prostitution is illegal here but the history begs to differ. With many shows to gratify the visitors this city is worthy of the 6th rank of this list.
5. Macau, China
Have you been to the Venetian, Wynn and MGM hotel casinos in Las Vegas? Now try the ones in China. Located in South China, Macau's legalised gambling laws have made big money for the country and gotten it ranked as one of our top 10 sin cities. It has already surpassed Las Vegas twice for total gambling revenue and boasts the world's largest casino, the Venetian Macau. In all, it packs 33 casinos into 11 square miles with plans for plenty more to come. Like Las Vegas, Macau also advertises tons of women for extracurricular entertainment. While the prostitution laws contradict themselves in the books (it is legal, but procuring it is not), it’s practiced more and more out in the open.
The Las Vegas attractions of The Venetian, Wynn and MGM with twice the gambling! This puts Macau in our top 5. The Chinese and Portuguese cultures mix here to give the feeling of being out of the world. The unique festivals and events and free laws has made life at Macau picture perfect for the title of sin city. Women are available for various extracurricular activities with law forbidding the trade and legalizing the action. The revenue in gambling had out Vegas behind in the race, twice. The south Chinese destination has the largest casino of the world, The Venetian Macau. This is one rising Sin-city to keep a tab on, the offers are irresistible.
4. Tijuana, Mexico.
Cross one international Border from USA to Mexico and watch the wildness quotient multiple times infinity. The dollar is much more popular here for it can get you more for less. The lowering of drinking age to 18, legalizing of prostitution and free flowing cheaper than water alcohol makes it an easy on pockets larger than life holiday destination. Similar to the Amsterdam’s Modius-operendi, the Mexican version is ‘la Cauhuil’. This is one hot spot for the earl 20s for it has all the ingredients of sin.
Cross one of the busiest international border stations in the world and you may think you've crossed into the Wild West. The 21-year-old US drinking age drops to 18, illegal prostitution is now legal and zoned in its own red light district called "La Coahuila", people on the street solicit prescription drugs and illegal drugs for sale, strip clubs encourage a "hands on" policy with its strippers and tequila is dirt cheap. These reasons alone make Tijuana No. 2 on our list of sin cities and a huge party spot for American college kids at the city's various nightclubs on Revolucion Avenue. Take note, however, that Mexican police hold no quarter with gringos. Make sure to keep your head about you while you sin to avoid paying bribes or serving jail time for bad behaviour. Sinning the rest of the time is easy; just say, "Dos cervezas, dos disparos de tequila y dos mujeres por favor".
3. Las Vegas, Nevada.
If this were a list for the top 10 Sin cities of United States, Vegas would defiantly win it hands down. The city is built on sins and for sins. The fun begins right from the airports where you can start gambling right away. The shows, the massages, the alcohol on streets and ‘Escort Services’ are all the vices of Vegas. The best part is the 24/7 gambling. Enjoy the night life in day and win or lose your dime, you will have the time of your life. The city prides itself on being a reputable destination for tourists. No raised eye brows on this particular land. It is the true Never-land.
Las Vegas is every sinner's paradise. You can gamble all day and night (even in the airport) and prostitution, while not technically legal, disguises itself in the form of "escort services". You'll see plenty advertised on magazine stands and guys will snap escort service cards at you as you walk The Strip. Other available vices in this sin city include taking your drinks outside and finding lurid sex shows at strip clubs or tamer ones at well-known casinos.
Have you ever wanted to shoot an Uzi or a handgun? No problem. Just walk into a local gun shop with a driver’s license. You can even indulge your taste for sinful wine and food at many of the city's celebrity restaurants, like Thomas Keller’s Bouchon. The greatest part of this sin city, however, is that no matter how dubious the culture, people respect Vegas as a legitimate destination. Go on and sin. It’s an industry here.
2. Manama, Bahrain
Welcome to the party oasis of the Middle East. Connected by a causeway to nearby Saudi Arabia, Manama is a popular spot for Saudis to kick back from their country's restrictive laws. Here they can get hammered, go clubbing, mingle with the opposite sex, and if they're really daring, they can pick up prostitutes - a practice that's illegal but widely available. While Manama is still largely a Muslim city, a third of its residents are foreigners, so it has led to a much more liberal culture that gave women the vote in 2001, and let them drive cars. For many Saudi males this proximity to an open culture is irresistible and many jam the causeway and fill flights to the city every weekend.
Do you want to see what happens when Saudis cut loose and leave the rules behind?
The 33% of European population mixed in the Middle-Eastern region this is the only one country in the world which allows alcohol openly. The European influence on the region has led to relaxed atmosphere here. The kick back from the stern Saudi laws is this wonderland where one can drink, gamble and easily mix with fairer sex. The weekend here is jammed with the Saudi Males looking to blow of some steam. The sin city has brought some relief to the strict region as due to the European presence women experience freedom more than the surrounding areas. The sin has led to a virtue in Manama, Bahrain.
1. Pattaya, Thailand.
The winner of this list is Pattaya, whereas the above cities give you one or two of this list this is the whole package. Here sin is equivalent breathing and this land is apt if you want to take in a sinful gulp of air. Here Sex is dubbed entertainment and is available as easily as water. The massages, the hourly hotels, the clubs the beach are all part of this entertainment legend. If you get bored of the women, the men can watch men beat each other to pulp in Thai boxing matches that are held at the outdoor bars. This land is paradise for the Guy community. This land boasts of easy access to all the sins and easily wins this list. Here we conclude the tour of the most sinful lands of the world. The amusement at humans going to lengths to satisfy the devil inside is valid. We fight for the virtues and gratify the struggles in these sin cities. The lights are mirage away from life and everyone who experiences this world wishes to go back just one more time.
From "happy ending" massage parlors, brothels, go-go bars and cabarets with transsexuals to ping-pong dancing theatrics, everything is on display at this beachside resort city. Sex is the No. 1 activity (it's called "entertainment" in Thai), and if you can imagine any variation, you'll probably find it on Walking Street, a hub in South Pattaya. While you’re walking, prostitutes will call out to you and some will likely try to pull you into their brothel for services. If you're tired of sex shows, however, you can always sit down to watch guys beat each other to a pulp in a Thai boxing match hosted at the outdoor bars. Since the city is right on the beach, you can sleep off your hangover and sin from the night before and get a tan - just in time for the next evening’s "entertainment".
Friday, 28 August 2015
BRAZIL: Ipanema Beach Sexiest Beach In The World
Ipanema Beach Panorama.
Ipanema is a neighbourhood located in the South Zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between Leblon and Arpoador. The beach at Ipanema became widely known by the song "The Girl from Ipanema" ("Garota de Ipanema"), written by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes.
The word "Ipanema" comes from the Tupi language and means "stinky lake", from upaba ("lake") and nem ("stinky"
Most of the land that Ipanema consists of today once belonged to Jose Antonio Moreira Filho, Baron of Ipanema. The word "Ipanema" did not refer originally to the beach, but to the homeland of the baron at Sao Paulo.
Ipanema gained fame with the start of the bossa nova sound, when its residents Antnio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes created their ode to their neighbourhood, "Girl from Ipanema." The song was written in 1962, with music by Jobim and Portuguese lyrics by de Moraes with English lyrics written later by Norman Gimbel. Its popularity has seen a resurgence with Diana Krall's song "Boy from Ipanema" released in 2008
Ipanema is adjacent to Copacabana and Leblon Beach, but it is distinct from its neighbour. It is relatively easy to navigate because the streets are aligned in a grid. Private investment has led to the creation of world-class restaurants, shops, and cafes. Ipanema is one of the most expensive places to live in Rio. At the forefront of the beach culture are the many surfers and sun worshippers who socialize daily at the beach. Every Sunday, the roadway closest to the beach is closed to motor vehicles and local residents and tourists use the opportunity to ride bikes, roller skate, skateboard, and walk along the ocean.
Ipanema has played its own role in Rio's culture since its beginning. It has universities, art galleries, theaters and cafes. Ipanema holds its own street parade during Carnival festivities, separate from Rio de Janeiro's. Banda de Ipanema attracts up to 50,000 people to the streets of Ipanema for Carnival.
The beach of Ipanema is known for its elegant development and its social life. Two mountains called the Dois Irmãos (Two Brothers) rise at the western end of the beach, which is divided into segments by marks known as postos (lifeguard towers). Beer is sold everywhere, along with the traditional cachaça. There are always circles of people playing football, volleyball, and footvolley, a locally invented sport that is a combination of volleyball and football.
In the winter the surf can reach nine feet. The water quality varies with days of light-blue water to a more murky green after heavy rains. Constant swells keep the water clean. The often treacherous beach break regularly forms barrels.
Just west of this colorful section and towards Leblon, Rio de Janeiro is another popular stretch of sand known as Posto 10 (10th lifeguard tower).
The beach is one of many areas that suffers from the city's poor waste treatment. In its waters, 'fecal coliform bacteria sometimes spike at 16 times the Brazilian government’s “satisfactory” level.'
The Travel Channel listed Ipanema Beach as the sexiest beach in the world.
Large amounts of pollutants are dumped into the sea through the marine outfall pipe located near Ipanema, a matter of increasing concern to ecologists.
Beachgoers often applaud the sunset in the summer.
Posto 9's tradition began around 1980 when the present deputy Fernando Gabeira, came back from his political exile in France and was photographed there in a thong. He had been a political terrorist who, with his MR-8 mates, kidnapped the American ambassador in the sixties to release some political prisoners in Brazil, that was under a dictatorship at that time. In the eighties he became a political celebrity and his picture appeared on the front pages of all Brazilian newspapers together with his declarations that he was bisexual. His going to the beach at that spot made it famous throughout the country.
It inherited the status of a "cool and alternative" space in Ipanema beach from the area next to a pier that was demolished in the seventies, near Farme de Amoedo Street. It has a long history of pot smoking (illegal in Brazil), police raids, and left-wing, as well as alternative, gatherings.
Beach
Beach is where the summer happens in Rio. This page is dedicated to showing you why. Get ready for your virtual tan with dozens of original photos, insider's tips, and local gossip.
The Beach Tour sequence starts on the West side of Ipanema Beach, at the border with Leblon. We picked out some favorite spots of the beach to share with you. When you come to Rio in person, you may even run into a familiar face or two. We are walking East, towards Arpoador and Copacabana.
There's much more to do at the beach than just working on your tan. You may join locals on a match of beach soccer, or beach volleyball. Foot-volleyball is a little harder if you're a novice, but you could always try. If you never tried surfing, bodyboarding or skimboarding, you're welcome to watch. The day to see Capoeira is Sunday, when the beach lane is open for pedestrians only. The sports and action series features exciting sequences of photos.
More Pictours of Ipanema highlights like the main street, spots of interest, people, moods, and even pets that help give Ipanema its very special character. Watch children playing at squares, or go the Hippie Fair for Brazilian handicraft, art, and musical instruments, and original souvenirs. To see Ipanema in a party mode, don't miss our Street Carnival festivities with the hilarious Drags from Ipanema.
Ready for more? From the beach it's 10 minutes on foot to Lagoa Park. Go west past the Canal, and you are in Leblon - our charming beach neighbor. And out west after Arpoador it's only another 10 minutes on foot to Copacabana. Learn your way around Ipanema , and use reviews, rates and free reservations at the best hotels and flats.
If you're looking for action, this is where you start. Enjoy beach sports in Rio's favorite setting - Ipanema Beach! Start on the sand, and choose from beach soccer to volleyball, beach tennis, or foot volleyball. Go on to the sea for great surfing, skimboarding or bodyboarding, bodysurfing, or just swimming.
Joggers, cyclers and skaters rule on the bicycle lane, and along the beach on Sundays. This is the right day to watch an exciting roda de capoeira! And when you get tired from all the activities, grab a cold drink, and go people watching at Cap Ferrat.
Welcome to Rio's favorite neighborhood. Start with the beach tour, and learn what is the right spot for you to hang out. From families with babies, to teens, jocks and beach goddesses, to university students and artists, gays and lesbians, all are welcome. Take your time to watch the dogs on parade, meet the beach people. And, of course, don't miss all the beach sports!
Enjoy a special Sunday at the beach, and leave in time to check out the Hippie Fair. Go on a shopping spree on the main street, starting at Bar 20. Catch your breath watching the children play at the Peace Square, or the plants for sale in the streets.
Rio de Janeiro's Princess of the Sea, Copacabana certainly has something for everyone. You will find everything from landmark art-deco building to strip clubs, from posh hotels along the beach to sex hotels that you pay by the hour, from millionaires living in mansions, to working class families sharing tiny studios.
Add a gorgeous beach where everybody gets together, a main street where you can buy everything you can think of, and you will start to appreciate some of its charm. It will become a permanent love affair when you find about the New Year's festivities, that attract 2 million people from all over the world!
You've already mastered two of Rio's favorite neighborhoods, Ipanema and Copacabana. Now it's time to expand your horizons. Let us introduce you to Ipanema's next door neighbors: Arpoador, Leblon and Lagoa. Another part of the city you cannot miss is Downtown, Rio de Janeiro's historical Centro.
Our next spotlight is on Rio's major events. New Year's Eve is when 2 million people get together at Copacabana Beach to celebrate. Proceed to Carnival, the greatest show on earth. Learn about the interesting backstage action, and have a few laughs with the hilarious Drags from Ipanema
Ipanema is a neighbourhood located in the South Zone of the city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between Leblon and Arpoador. The beach at Ipanema became widely known by the song "The Girl from Ipanema" ("Garota de Ipanema"), written by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes.
The word "Ipanema" comes from the Tupi language and means "stinky lake", from upaba ("lake") and nem ("stinky"
Most of the land that Ipanema consists of today once belonged to Jose Antonio Moreira Filho, Baron of Ipanema. The word "Ipanema" did not refer originally to the beach, but to the homeland of the baron at Sao Paulo.
Ipanema gained fame with the start of the bossa nova sound, when its residents Antnio Carlos Jobim and Vinicius de Moraes created their ode to their neighbourhood, "Girl from Ipanema." The song was written in 1962, with music by Jobim and Portuguese lyrics by de Moraes with English lyrics written later by Norman Gimbel. Its popularity has seen a resurgence with Diana Krall's song "Boy from Ipanema" released in 2008
Ipanema is adjacent to Copacabana and Leblon Beach, but it is distinct from its neighbour. It is relatively easy to navigate because the streets are aligned in a grid. Private investment has led to the creation of world-class restaurants, shops, and cafes. Ipanema is one of the most expensive places to live in Rio. At the forefront of the beach culture are the many surfers and sun worshippers who socialize daily at the beach. Every Sunday, the roadway closest to the beach is closed to motor vehicles and local residents and tourists use the opportunity to ride bikes, roller skate, skateboard, and walk along the ocean.
Ipanema has played its own role in Rio's culture since its beginning. It has universities, art galleries, theaters and cafes. Ipanema holds its own street parade during Carnival festivities, separate from Rio de Janeiro's. Banda de Ipanema attracts up to 50,000 people to the streets of Ipanema for Carnival.
The beach of Ipanema is known for its elegant development and its social life. Two mountains called the Dois Irmãos (Two Brothers) rise at the western end of the beach, which is divided into segments by marks known as postos (lifeguard towers). Beer is sold everywhere, along with the traditional cachaça. There are always circles of people playing football, volleyball, and footvolley, a locally invented sport that is a combination of volleyball and football.
In the winter the surf can reach nine feet. The water quality varies with days of light-blue water to a more murky green after heavy rains. Constant swells keep the water clean. The often treacherous beach break regularly forms barrels.
Just west of this colorful section and towards Leblon, Rio de Janeiro is another popular stretch of sand known as Posto 10 (10th lifeguard tower).
The beach is one of many areas that suffers from the city's poor waste treatment. In its waters, 'fecal coliform bacteria sometimes spike at 16 times the Brazilian government’s “satisfactory” level.'
The Travel Channel listed Ipanema Beach as the sexiest beach in the world.
Large amounts of pollutants are dumped into the sea through the marine outfall pipe located near Ipanema, a matter of increasing concern to ecologists.
Beachgoers often applaud the sunset in the summer.
Posto 9's tradition began around 1980 when the present deputy Fernando Gabeira, came back from his political exile in France and was photographed there in a thong. He had been a political terrorist who, with his MR-8 mates, kidnapped the American ambassador in the sixties to release some political prisoners in Brazil, that was under a dictatorship at that time. In the eighties he became a political celebrity and his picture appeared on the front pages of all Brazilian newspapers together with his declarations that he was bisexual. His going to the beach at that spot made it famous throughout the country.
It inherited the status of a "cool and alternative" space in Ipanema beach from the area next to a pier that was demolished in the seventies, near Farme de Amoedo Street. It has a long history of pot smoking (illegal in Brazil), police raids, and left-wing, as well as alternative, gatherings.
Beach
Beach is where the summer happens in Rio. This page is dedicated to showing you why. Get ready for your virtual tan with dozens of original photos, insider's tips, and local gossip.
The Beach Tour sequence starts on the West side of Ipanema Beach, at the border with Leblon. We picked out some favorite spots of the beach to share with you. When you come to Rio in person, you may even run into a familiar face or two. We are walking East, towards Arpoador and Copacabana.
There's much more to do at the beach than just working on your tan. You may join locals on a match of beach soccer, or beach volleyball. Foot-volleyball is a little harder if you're a novice, but you could always try. If you never tried surfing, bodyboarding or skimboarding, you're welcome to watch. The day to see Capoeira is Sunday, when the beach lane is open for pedestrians only. The sports and action series features exciting sequences of photos.
More Pictours of Ipanema highlights like the main street, spots of interest, people, moods, and even pets that help give Ipanema its very special character. Watch children playing at squares, or go the Hippie Fair for Brazilian handicraft, art, and musical instruments, and original souvenirs. To see Ipanema in a party mode, don't miss our Street Carnival festivities with the hilarious Drags from Ipanema.
Ready for more? From the beach it's 10 minutes on foot to Lagoa Park. Go west past the Canal, and you are in Leblon - our charming beach neighbor. And out west after Arpoador it's only another 10 minutes on foot to Copacabana. Learn your way around Ipanema , and use reviews, rates and free reservations at the best hotels and flats.
If you're looking for action, this is where you start. Enjoy beach sports in Rio's favorite setting - Ipanema Beach! Start on the sand, and choose from beach soccer to volleyball, beach tennis, or foot volleyball. Go on to the sea for great surfing, skimboarding or bodyboarding, bodysurfing, or just swimming.
Joggers, cyclers and skaters rule on the bicycle lane, and along the beach on Sundays. This is the right day to watch an exciting roda de capoeira! And when you get tired from all the activities, grab a cold drink, and go people watching at Cap Ferrat.
Welcome to Rio's favorite neighborhood. Start with the beach tour, and learn what is the right spot for you to hang out. From families with babies, to teens, jocks and beach goddesses, to university students and artists, gays and lesbians, all are welcome. Take your time to watch the dogs on parade, meet the beach people. And, of course, don't miss all the beach sports!
Enjoy a special Sunday at the beach, and leave in time to check out the Hippie Fair. Go on a shopping spree on the main street, starting at Bar 20. Catch your breath watching the children play at the Peace Square, or the plants for sale in the streets.
Rio de Janeiro's Princess of the Sea, Copacabana certainly has something for everyone. You will find everything from landmark art-deco building to strip clubs, from posh hotels along the beach to sex hotels that you pay by the hour, from millionaires living in mansions, to working class families sharing tiny studios.
Add a gorgeous beach where everybody gets together, a main street where you can buy everything you can think of, and you will start to appreciate some of its charm. It will become a permanent love affair when you find about the New Year's festivities, that attract 2 million people from all over the world!
You've already mastered two of Rio's favorite neighborhoods, Ipanema and Copacabana. Now it's time to expand your horizons. Let us introduce you to Ipanema's next door neighbors: Arpoador, Leblon and Lagoa. Another part of the city you cannot miss is Downtown, Rio de Janeiro's historical Centro.
Our next spotlight is on Rio's major events. New Year's Eve is when 2 million people get together at Copacabana Beach to celebrate. Proceed to Carnival, the greatest show on earth. Learn about the interesting backstage action, and have a few laughs with the hilarious Drags from Ipanema
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