SP GLBT Pride - the best places to dance

São Paulo´s LGBT Pride - the best parties and discos to dance

Avenida Paulista, where every year, at june, the São Paulo gay pride is celebrated

As the São Paulo´s gay pride celebration aproaches, I´ve been searching for the best parties, as many friends have asked about it.

So, let´s post about it!

First of all, GLBT people comming from around the world will meet at sunday´s june 18th at Avenida Paulista for the biggest gay pride of the world!

The Museum of Art of São Paulo - MASP, meeting point for the Gay Pride Parade

The Week, the most famous brazillian gay disco and gay parties promoters, is promoting itis traditional Eterna Festival, which hosts lots of parties beggining this weekend until sunday 18th.

Tickets can be bought at www.theweek.com.br and www.ticket360.com.br   

    

If you are already at SP, those sites list places where tickets can be bought personally, generally with cash.    

Eterna Festival is composed by the parties Safado at Unique hotel, Marathon, Girassol and Circuit at The Week.

Searching today, SAFADO party at Unique hotel seems to be sold out at the internet.              

Ticket 360 says to call during weekdays. 

                        

On saturday, The Week is promoting Girassol, a pool party which begins 5pm saturday and Circuit, 23h30pm at TW place (Rua Guaicurus, 324 - Lapa, São Paulo - SP).

Girassol is yet 40 reais and Circuit is 50 reais (today´s prices). 

                        

The Dutch mega-party Milk Shake will be held in SP for its first time, and tickets are available starting from 170 reais plus 17 reais convenience fee. It begins friday 6pm until saturday morning. The proposal is a mega-party with brazillian and international music, open to all tribes, not just LGBT. It will be held at Francisco Matarazzo Avenue, at Barra Funda neighbourhood (rechable through the red line subway, Barra Funda station, taxis, uber etc).                        

   

As long as tickets are sold, prices get higher, so better hurry up. 

Another option is to go to regular clubs, off the festivals.                 

                  

For those who don´t want to spend that much with festivals, or simply prefer a regular kind-of-disco, some options are very good, but for sure there will be huge entrance lines.

Eventually dresscode is demanded, but here in Brazil hosts cannot reject people from getting inside a club without an objective reason such as dresscode. So, if you fit, and if you pay, for sure you´re gonna get in, no matter how long it takes. 

For gay man, Lions Club on friday´s is a very good option. Saturdays hosts more mixed-people events. Located at the the old city centre, it has a big terrace with a lovely view of the Metropolitan Cathedral´s dome.

                          

Yacht is more for pop music and diva lovers. Located at Bexiga, one of the oldest italian neighbourhoods, it has a beautifull light system, and handsome barmen dressing as sailors. 

                  

And Bubu, at Rua dos Pinheiros, 791 - Pinheiros, São Paulo -, is granted fun for singles. Fridays are the gay men nights, and saturdays, the lesbian nights - just look at the prices to see the night you will suit the better. Thursday 15 there will be a special lesbian night.

PanAm, at the rooftop of Macksoud Plaza hotel is also a very nice disco-bar, with an astonishing view of the city.     

São Paulo skyline, view from PanAm Club

If you survive all these parties, get ready for the Parada on sunday, starting by 11 am at the MASP (MASP-Trianon subway station at the green line 2).                    

São Paulo skyline, view from PanAm Club

Inhotim - getting there

Inhotim - getting there

Artwork at one of Inhotim´s Galleries

Inhotim is located at Brumadinho, a city in the southern outskirts of Belo Horizonte, or simply BH, Minas Gerais´State capital. It is about 30km south of BH, an half-hour drive. 

Though the artcenter provides shuttles departing from the fancy Savassi neighbourhood in BH (see the official site info: http://www.inhotim.org.br/en/visit/getting-here/), to calmly know and enjoy Inhotim, the best is to stay one or two nights at Brumadinho, or at a hotel, B&B, hostel, or pousada in the surrounding cities, such as Mario Campos. 

Lined palmtrees at Inhotim

The main buildings of the world are melting by candle light - Inhotim´s artwork

Brumadinho lacks enough hotels, but for sure the attraction caused by Inhotim will change this reality in the future. It is really unbelievable major hotel chains didn´t get buildings here, since the tourism to Inhotim is increasing at quite high rates. 

From BH´s International Airport, the ride is a bit longer, about one hour drive. But cars can be easily rented at the Airport. Car-rental companies have desks at the airport´s main concourse, at the old terminal. 


Renting a car with a good GPS (or using the cellphone´s GPS) is totally advisable. Roads are ok, but heavy traffic can be annoying at rush hours (early hours and 5pm to 9pm weekdays), and the driver must be careful with the trucks, since the trip from the airport to Brumadinho takes highways mostly at BH´s nearby cities. 

The main buildings of the world are melting by candle light - Inhotim´s artwork

If taking a car, it is advisable the best time to go is during the day, since it is a rural area, and some parts of the track are poorly enlighted at night.

BH´s airport has been recently renovated, so it is verty convenient. The sole problem is the lack of public transportation to BH, but there´s an executive bus which takes to downtown. But to Brumadinho, starting from the airport, only taxis and rental cars will be avilable. 

The airport has some international flights from and to the US and to Europe. 

Inhotim - an incredible place

Inhotim - an incredible place

 It is very hard to describe what Inhotim is. It is easier to put adjectives: astonishing, unbelievable, fantastic, esplendorous.

Gardens at Inhotim

Beheaded sculptures at Inhotim

Inhotim is a synestesic place. It mixes with our senses. The smell of trees, the view of the landscape and artwork, the sounds of birds, the music and beating of interactive pieces of artwork. The possibility of touching many sculptures and getting inside the galleries´rooms. Darkness and light. Monocromatic versus colourful pieces. Huge modernist buildings which seems to float over the grass in the middle of the most perfect jungle. 

Art work at one of Inhotim´s galleries

A huge contemporary art center, surrounded by lush gardens, open to the skies. 

Art galleries and sculptures share a huge espace in an imense botanic garden, flowered and colourful, with species from all over the world, and - of course - from the entire Brazil.

Artwork related to bus stops in Brazil, at Inhotim

Located at Brumadinho, a city some 30km south of Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais capital), Inhotim is a park for nature and arts lovers (see future post about how to get to Inhotim). 

Sculpture at Inhotim

The galleries and works of art can be reached through three suggested pathways, embelished and shadowed by palmtrees, which help the visitor face them on hotter days.

Fotography at Inhotim, questioning poverty and abandon

If you get too tired, you can take a rest on the banks made with trunks of huge dead trees.

I think each pathway can be done in a day, for an average adult in good shape and without any disability. 

Younger people could do it in two days. Older and people with some disability can take the eletric cars, for an approximate fee of 30 reais (about 10 dolars), hop-on hop-off service at all galleries and major artworks. Or you can rent one for your family for 500 reais (about 160 dolars). 

On the next posts I´ll comment my favorite galleries and works of art, made by artists from around the globe. 

Also, I´ll write some posts regarding the awesome gardens. 

Beheaded sculptures at Inhotim

For artlovers and botanic lovers, Inhotim cannot be missed on a trip to Brazil. It is also a hotspot for birdwatching. Well, Inhotim can be the sole purpose for a visit to Brazil. 

Lençóis Maranhenses - When to go

Lençóis Maranhenses - When to go

Lençóis Maranhenses - dunes and blue lagoons at the northeast of Brazil

Lençóis Maranhenses - dunes and blue lagoons at the northeast of Brazil

As the Lençóis are very close to the Ecuator line, weather is always hot or warm in this region of Brazil, all year round. It is very windy, so it isn´t an unbearable hot. Sea water is also warm. 

Rains are expected to fall from january to may, so in may the lagoons will reach its maximum water level. Up to the beggining of september, fun is granted, if rains fell substantially during the previous months. 

So, the ends of may untill the beggining of september are the best time to go, since sunny days are expected and the lagoons are suposed to be full. 

Lençóis Maranhenses - dunes and blue lagoons at the northeast of Brazil

Lençóis Maranhenses - dunes and blue lagoons at the northeast of Brazil

November is supposed to be the month when the level of the lagoons is lower, but it depends on rain levels, which can vary. 

However, climate change is obviously modifiyng rainfall in Brazil. Unexpected weather can happen, and nowadays nobody can grant a rainfall period or a dry season in advance. 

Atins - another small city close to Lençóis Maranhenses National Park

Atins - another small city close to Lençóis Maranhenses National Park

If you want to stay even more further away from civilization, once visiting the Lençóis Maranhenses, you can try accomodation in the fishermen´s village of Atins, in the mouth of Preguiças river. You can only get there by speed-boats, which departs from Barreirinhas. 

(above, a surfer-dog enjoying its trip alongside the Preguiças river)

These speed-boats can also ride you to the Praia do Caburé, a beach located at a peninsula formed beetween the mouth of Preguiças river in the sea and the ocean, or to the Farol da Preguiça, a lighthouse belonging to Brazillian navy located in the same area. From its top, it is possible to see the river, the sands, the small village and the dunes. 

Brazillian navy lighthouse at Atins, Maranhão

I did a simple day-trip, but resting there for some days wouldn´t have been a bad idea at all.....

Brazillian navy lighthouse at Atins, Maranhão, view from atop

A curitosity in Maranhão state is the declination of the beaches: the slope is very gentle, so you have to go far from the beach to get deep. But speacially in Caburé, the beach is very long and without life-savers, so it is better not to take any risks. 

Brazillian navy lighthouse at Atins, Maranhão, view from atop

Brazillian navy lighthouse at Atins, Maranhão, view from atop

Brazillian navy lighthouse at Atins, Maranhão, view from atop

Brazillian navy lighthouse at Atins, Maranhão, view from atop

Brazillian navy lighthouse at Atins, Maranhão, view from atop

Brazillian navy lighthouse at Atins, Maranhão, view from atop

Lençóis Maranhenses National Park

The Lençóis Maranhenses National Park

The Lençóis Maranhenses Natioal Park official website is available only in portuguese: 

http://www.icmbio.gov.br/parnalencoismaranhenses/guia-do-visitante.html) 

To enter the national park, it is only possible whith tour guides, who are provided by many tour companies at the small town of Barreirinhas. They take tourists in trucks with high suspension wheels, called "jardineiras", which can pass over the sand tracks that leads to the first point where the dunes and the lagoons can be seen. 

Before that, the jardineiras crosses the Preguiças river over ferry-boats. Tourists aren´t allowed to walk alone within the dunes, because its very easy to loose the sense of direction. 

These tours departing from Barreirinhas can be done in just one day, but for more brave and physically prepared people, it is possible to cross the dunes with a guide, and even sleep inside the dunes, which will take, of course, more than one day.  

(above, the Preguiças River)
(under, the hanging roots of the trees in the mangroves of Preguiças river)

LENÇÓIS MARANHENSES

LENÇÓIS MARANHENSES

Getting there

Lençóis Maranhenses - dunes and blue lagoons at the northeast of Brazil

I decided to split the post and repost our tour at Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. Also, I put the marker Lençóis Maranhenses at the scroolbar to the right.

Lençóis Maranhenses - dunes and blue lagoons at the northeast of Brazil

  The closest city to the national park is Barreirinhas, where there are many hotels. It is just a base-village to get to the dunes, so its advisable to take money and all you need, speacially sunblock and mosquito repellent. 

Lençóis Maranhenses - dunes and blue lagoons at the northeast of Brazil

Barreirinhas is 3 and a half hours from the capital of the state of Maranhão, São Luiz do Maranhão (Saint Louis). The SLZ airport is mainly a domestic airport, so to get to Maranhão you´ll probably need a conection in São Paulo, Rio, Brasília or Manaus. There are tour operators which takes tourists from SLZ airport to Barreirinhas, but renting a car can also be a good idea, with a GPS - and caution in the road to Barreirinhas, since it crosses many small villages with many speed-bumps. 

Another option is to come from the state of Ceará and its capital Fortaleza, although it is farther and you would have to cross a small part of the state of Piauí. In this case, trip would be very beautifull and at least two other stops should be added: Jericoacora, the most famous beach in Ceará state, and the "Delta do Parnaíba", the river Parnaíba mouth, in a delta shape. 

Praia do Porto da Barra

Praia do Porto da Barra The best beaches of Bahia State are not in Salvador, but it doesn´t mean you can´t have a deserved sea bath after some hours strolling through the city. In this case, take the chance if you are in Barra neighbourhood, or if you are visiting the three fortress, to stop by Porto da Barra beach.  Boys diving at Porto da Barra beach, in Salvador. It seems one of the favorite sports practised by young people at this coastal city of Brazil As it lays inside the All Saint´s Bay, its waters are calm enough for stand up paddle practitioners, kayaking, diving into the sea from the remnants of a stone pier of the stronghold, and other sports.....or simply laying at the beach drinking a beer or a caipirinha.  Some tents rent chairs and beach umbrellas, and sell the drinks you need, so you don´t have to carry anything with you, unless beachwear, to enjoy the sunset by the Porto da Barra beach.

Cannons at the Santa Maria Fortress, with the Porto da Barra beach, to the left, and Forte São Diogo, atop. The Porto da Barra beach is the most visited by the LGBT community, where, by night, some bars welcomes gay-friendly visitors.

Salvador - Forte Santa Maria

Salvador - Forte Santa Maria

Salvador - Forte Santa Maria

Getting inside the Bahia de Todos os Santos, west to the Farol da Barra, is the Forte Santa Maria, the second stronghold protecting All Saint´s Bay. 

Cannons and a small museum welcome visitors. Nice pics can be taken of the Farol da Barra and the Forte São Diogo, the third fortress in line. 

Farol da Barra, view from Santa Maria Fortress

Just 650m separate Farol da Barra from Santa Maria Fortress. 

Forte São Diogo

Forte São Diogo

Forte São Diogo, at Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

The Forte São Diogo, is the third fortress on the entrance of All Saint´s Bay, just some meters from Forte Santa Maria. 

The two strongholds are separated by the Porto da Barra beach (see next post). 

The fortress is still kept by the Brazillian Army, and has a nice view from atop, for those willing to climb it. 

Built between 1626 and 1635, after the dutch invasion of Salvador (1624-1625), it granted the defense of Salvador in 1638, when a new atempt of foreign invasion was expelled. 

Also, a permanent art exposition of the argentinian artist Hector Julio Paride Bernabó, also known as Carybé, is held inside the fortification and can be visited under payment of 20 reais (about 6 US dollars). 

Carybé fell in love with Salvador, and made good friendship with Jorge Amado, Bahia´s most famos writer. Both are dead, but the Jorge Amado´s house in Pelourinho works as a museum which tells the history of the writer (see future post). Carybé died in Salvador, where some of its artwork can be found, as in this small museum inside Forte São Diogo.

Mercado Modelo de Salvador

Mercado Modelo de Salvador

(Salvador´s Central Market)

The Mercado Modelo in located at Cidade Baixa (Down City), accesible from Cidade Alta (High City) through Elevador Lacerda (Lacerda´s lift, see previous post). 

The lift works as a regular public transportation, and its tariff is less than 50 cents of real, really cheap. Unfortunatelly, at Cidade Baixa there´s no much to see besides the Mercado Modelo, as basically the Cidade Baixa helds the seaport, the customs and trade companies. 

The Elevador Lacerda (Lacerda´s lift, to the left) and the Mercado Modelo, at the Cidade Baixa (center)
 Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

The Mercado, however, is pretty much focused on tourists, where you can buy local stuff, food, and craftsmenship. 

It closes by 7 pm, but one hour before there´s a nice sunset view on the 2nd floor, at the bar facing the sea. A good place to take your favorite brazillian juice, soft dringk, beer or caipirinha, as the sun goes down.

Between the Mercado and the sea, there is the touristic harbour, from where boats departing to Morro de São Paulo (see previous post) and other touristic attractions can be taken. 

Farol da Barra - Salvador´s most remarkable landmark

Farol da Barra - Salvador´s most remarkable landmark

Farol da Barra (Barra´s Lighthouse) has now a very beautiful night lighting. During the day, inside its fortress, it is possible to visit a navy museum. In fact, the other next two fortress, going west towards the Bahia de Todos os Santos ("All Saints Bay"), have received night lighting and a urban refurbishment of its sidewalks, rendering a very good spot for a stroll, day or night.

As capital of Brazil during colonial times, all the fortress served as the city´s protection against pirates and foreing forces. 

At night, the sidewalk is full with restaurants and bars, ranging from simple options to sophisticated ones. 

See next posts about the other fortress at Barra.