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Published: November 30th 2010
Lush, Exotic, Expensive
Succulent and divine tropical fruit--mangoes, papayas, guavas, pineapple; lush vegetation of the Atlantic rainforest with platter-sized leaves and weird and wonderful flowers and pods; exotic, colorful birds and beautiful cities, landscapes and people--I was in love. Brazil's spring was unusually cold and gray this year--great for walking and exploring, but my photos don't convey the beauty and magic of the country. I was given only one sunny day in each city.
I would have loved to stay longer, but the booming economy of Brazil was expensive; thus, I only visited five fabulous cities in a small circle along and above the Costa Verde (Green Coast) in the southeast during my six weeks there. Dorm beds in the cheaper hostels were generally $18/30 reals--almost the same as those in San Francisco or Manhattan (or at least in Harlem where I last stayed).
Brazil is also expensive for its residents, and I saw all sorts of items even clothing and shoes sold on the installment plan. One reason everything is so expensive is the very high, regressive, hidden sales tax on everything including food. In progressive Curitiba, a university group had an exhibit on the main shopping street,
educating people about the fact that sugar is taxed at 33%, electrical services at 48%, beer at 55%, and cigarettes at a hopefully prohibitive 80%. Most are completely unaware of this, and it's only with education that they can eliminate at least the tax on food that hurts the poor the most.
While the Brazilian hostels were double the price of those in Argentina, they made up for this with their breakfasts. No more instant coffee and white bread that drove me to my own yogurt, oats and bananas. Sweet-toothed Brazilians served cakes, rolls, cheese and ham, and best of all, tropical fruits and juices. My breakfasts were leisurely affairs and often held me for most of the day! Later, I could always get fresh juice or an acai berry and banana slushy on any corner.
A popular but gross snack was a pastel--rather like Navajo fry bread but with a filling. I took a bite of one with cheese in it-- tasty, but I'm sure I would have been ill had I eaten a whole one. But why bother when tropical fruit, unavailable just across the border in Argentina, is everywhere?
As the second largest country
in our hemisphere, after the US, distances are huge, transport prices high and overnight buses often the only ones to be had. While some travelers splurged on the luxury buses with served meals and wine and seats that folded flat into beds, I went with the cheapest seats. After all, as an insomniac, I'm not going to sleep anyway, so why pay double to watch my breath go in and out all night?
Sizes, Shapes and Ages
I had a stereotype of Brazilians as thin and sexy and wearing little more than dental floss and handkerchiefs on the beaches. I also knew that plastic surgery was extremely popular and found a magazine that promoted beauty through liposuction, nose jobs and other nips and tucks. Yet the beach crowd turned out to be a more varied lot. On the few warm days, all sizes and ages stuffed themselves into tiny bikinis and speedos. It seemed rather healthy that people accepted whatever shape they were in and flaunted their wares at the beach.
In Rio, city buses even acknowledged the existence of obese passengers and reserved seats for them along with elderly, pregnant and disabled passengers. While there were a
Order and Progress
the Brazilian flag designed by a generalfew seats in the very front, most had to squeeze through a rather narrow turnstile to get on the bus. It was always interesting to watch people finagle packages, purses, non-paying small children and big stomachs through the turnstiles. However, in this way, with the turnstiles, they managed to get everyone to pay.
Brazil also really respected people of the "third age," that is, over 60. I didn't have to pay to use toilets, museums were often free or at reduced prices, and for those over 65, buses were free. Moreover, polite young people often gave me their seats on the metro and helped me carry my suitcase up steep metro stairs--things that had never happened before; I was quite impressed and jazzed to be old.
God and Politics
Here, God and politics are everywhere and often married. Brazil is the world's largest Catholic country, but evangelicals are making huge inroads, especially with the poor, as they are all over the world. There are storefront churches all over--even next to the popular, by-the-hour "love" hotels.
Christian evangelists also have a strong influence on politics. Newspaper polls report the statistics for the candidates, not by political party, race,
Beauty at any cost
magazine on the benefits of plastic surgery age or gender, but by religious affiliation: Catholic, Evangelical Pentecostal, Evangelical not Pentecostal, other and no religion.
I arrived in Rio a week before the election. Supporters of all parties were marching in the streets, plazas and beaches with banners, loudspeakers and reams of fliers.
Unlike the American system where we have pitiful election turnouts and the poor barely vote, here and in Argentina, most everyone turns out because voting is mandated by law. As an added incentive, proof of voting is required to obtain a driver's license and all sorts of state benefits.
Because the poor vote, candidates of the left (who are more likely to grant them benefits and educational and work programs) are benefited. However, as in all Latin American countries, there is a certain amount of corruption and vote buying (bags of groceries, TVs and even cash) undertaken by all sides. Of course, in America, wealthy candidates buy slick ads that scare people into voting for them--a more subtle, but equally effective method of buying votes.
The outgoing president, Luiz Ignacio Lula da Silva, was from the Workers' Party, a party he founded. Not only did this mean a third party candidate
Installment spikes
5 monthly payment of 35 reales/$20 had won the election, but also he won the election the fourth time that he ran--as the I Ching says, "Perseverance furthers." He came from a working class background and many of his supporters are from the poorer economic classes. It was so touching and inspiring to see poor people working for their candidates and feeling a part of the system.
During his eight years in power, Lula's government raised 19 million people out of poverty through job, education, and social service programs. Some complained that he gave too many handouts, and not enough job training. Yet though his Zero Hunger and Family Purse programs, there wasn't as much hunger and dire poverty, and the urban poor in favelas now lived in sturdier brick houses rather than in slapped together boards and cardboard that too-often collapsed in the tropical rains.
He developed a program to keep poor kids in school by giving a stipend to parents.This program, to help the next generation escape poverty through education, is being considered in Santa Barbara and all over the world. Many of the medical and graduate students I met in Rio's dorms (there for exams or short courses) were in school
because of the government's support of public universities which the conservative candidate opposed.
Not only was there a Workers' Party that was in power,but also the Green Party got 20% of the vote in the election. Even better, two of the three front runners for president were women of color. The Green Party was headed by an inspiring African-Brazilian woman, Marina Silva who sought to halt the horrendous destruction of the Amazon rainforest among other issues.
However, Marina is also an evangelist and strongly against abortion (currently legal only in cases of rape and the mother's health). Her strong showing forced a run-off between Lula's successor in the Workers' Party, Dilma Rouseff, a dark-hued woman, and Jose Serra, a very white male from a conservative party.
The two biggest issues in the run-off election became abortion and privatization of industries, such as the huge gas and oil reserves discovered somewhat recently. One might think that the Green Party supporters would vote on the left, but many were anti-abortion evangelists who went to the right.
Dilma said abortion should be treated as public health issue, not a religious one. On the day of the first debate, a newspaper
supporting her reported on the front page the tragedy of the hundreds of women who die annually from botched amateur abortions.
In the end, Dilma won, and this huge country and economic powerhouse is now headed by a woman of color from the Workers' Party. What a miracle! Hopefully, she can keep Brazil strong economically, while also helping to reduce the gap between the rich and poor, one of the largest in the world, as well as protecting the environment.
The rather frightening, militaristic words on the Brazilian flag (designed by a general) declare, "Order and Progress," and indeed there are police and military everywhere; as in Argentina, many of them are women. While many of us foreigners are aghast at such a fascist-sounding slogan, Brazil has sometimes thrived under benevolent monarchs and dictators (though not the repressive one it suffered through, 1960s to 1980s). Yet certainly it's because of this increased police presence that Brazil is much safer than it was in the past--who knows, it may be ready for the World Cup and the Olympics.
All I know is that I had an enchanted time for six weeks in a fabulously beautiful, friendly country.
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kaye
non-member comment
where to next?
Tara, Your adventures and commentary on S Brazil is intriguing. Thanks for the update. I had been wondering. Is it Bolivia next? Take care of yourself!