 |
|
Brazilians only carry a towel, sun tan oil or sun block and a small amount of money to the beach. We suggest you to do the same. Avoid swimming far from the shore and be careful with overexposure to the sun, if your skin is sensitive, you should avoid the beach from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Remember, you are in a tropical country.
Most offices and stores are open from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday. Stores are also open on Saturday from 9am to 1pm while most of the large shopping centers open Monday to Saturday from 10:00am to 10:00pm. Banks are open from Monday through Friday.
Most of Brazil lies one the South of the Equator. As a result there is very little seasonal variation. The climate is comfortably temperate in most of the country, and refreshing sea breezes often blow along the coast almost all year round. With the temperatures usually ranging from 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit (18 to 30 degrees Centigrade), casual spring and summer clothes are appropriate for almost every region and occasion. In Rio , Summer runs from December though March with temperatures ranging from 25º C (77? F) to 42º C while winter runs from June though to August when temperatures can drop to around 20º C (68º F) in the day and cool 16ºC (60ºF) at night.
Brazilians, even in the major cities, dress casually outside the office. None of the country's top restaurants insist on collar and tie although the occasional club does. Collar and tie still predominate in formal office and business surroundings in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro and most working women wear dresses or skirts. Ladies should remember to pack a jacket or shawl when coming to Brazil as some of the buildings and restaurants can be a little over enthusiastic with the air conditioning. When packing, keep in mind that cities like Rio and Sao Paulo are big, fashionable, cosmopolitan cities and not a small tourist resorts. If you forget to bring some item of clothing with you, you will certainly be able to find what you forgot in any of the big shopping centres. If heading further south in South America, remember to pack some warmer clothes, especially during the Southern Hemisphere's winter months (July/August).
Hotels offer safety deposit boxes in their rooms, It is recommended that jewelry, air tickets, documents and money are kept in them. Keep only what is necessary for your daily use with you.
Portuguese is the national language, although the Brazilian people give different accents and semantics to the Portuguese language spoken in Portugal. English and Spanish are the foreign languages spoken in most areas, especially in hotels, shops, restaurants and other tourist places. English and Spanish are part of the school curriculum. Roman Catholic is the predominant religion all over Brazil. The rituals of Protestant church are also followed. Rituals and ceremonies brought from Africa by slaves in previous centuries are also found regularly in the "terreiros" of Candombl, Macumba and Umbanda.
The currency in Brazil is the Real (R$). You can change Dollars at exchange shops or hotels front desk. However other currencies are not wildly available, so you are advised to bring U$ Dollars or travellers checks. There are three usual exchange rates - commercial, tourist and free. There are coins of one, five, ten, twenty-five, fifty centavos, and one Real and there are bills of one, five, ten, fifty and one hundred Reais. Foreign currencies and travelers checks can be exchanged at hotels, banks and tourist agencies. Most international credit cards are accepted.
Restaurants, taxis and hotel tips are 10% - 15% over your bill. Most restaurants include 10% on their bill s it is up to you to leave an extra tip.
Brazil is the largest of the Latin American countries. Covering nearly half (47.3 percent) of the continent of South America, it occupies an area of 3,286,470 sq. miles (8,511,965 sq. km). It is the fifth largest country in the world after the Russian Federation, Canada, China, and the United States. The Equator passes through the north of the country near Macap?; the Tropic of Capricorn passes through the south near S?o Paulo. Brazil's greatest width, 2,684 miles (4,319.4 km), is almost the same as its greatest distance from north to south, 2,731 miles (4,394.7 km). Brazil has ten neighbours: the Department of French Guiana and the countries of Suriname, Guyana, Venezuela, and Colombia bound Brazil on the north. Uruguay and Argentina are on the south, and on the west are Paraguay, Bolivia, and Peru. Ecuador and Chile are the only two countries of continental South America that do not share a border with Brazil. The Atlantic Ocean extends along the entire eastern side of the country, giving it a coastline of 4,578 miles (7,367 km).
Voltage
Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo have 110 or 120 Volt 60 cycles alternate
current (AC). Salvador and Manaus have 127 Volts. Recife, Brasilia and
a number of other cities have 220-Volt Service. Most Hotels, however,
provide both services and/or adapters for guests.