Trip to Brazil

I recently returned from a 3 week long trip to Fortaleza Ceará Brazil to visit with some relatives.

Many things have changed since we had visited 4 years prior.  For one the slow down in the world economy had occurred, and thus the repercussions were being felt everywhere.  However, from everything I've been able to read it seems like Brazil was one a roll starting back then and has been buffeted a bit from the over all slow down.  They did not have a house crash like the in the USA.  They don't have a massive debt debacle hanging over their head like Greece.  In fact they were having 6-7% growth as late as two years before.  It has markedly dropped off recently.

What seems to have changed so much in part is how expense things have become.   We found that toys in general are nearly double the price.  Oddly it includes products from Brazilian companies as well as brand names more familiar to us in the US.
Also we found that there has been an increase in car ownership.  Motorcycles for that matter too.  Thus an increase in the over all traffic in the area.  Since most commerce happens downtown it sure has made a mess of things.   The light at the end of the tunnel is the fact that more shopping centers are being built further out from the city center, and more super markets are being built.

Unfortunately, it is apparent that the infrastructure has not been keeping up with the changes.  The amount of additional traffic on the street where we stayed was just amazing.  Tons of people walking, or jogging early in the morning or just before dark to beat the heat.   Tons of extra cars, and the noise.  Lots of extra noise.

Another main thing that has changed is the perceived and real crime that is occurring daily.  It may not be as bad as some would lead you to believe, but, with just a few reports on TV about it you never know.  It has gotten so bad that some people will leave their cell phone home if they are going to certain parts of town which might include downtown.

Many people who want to take advantage of the beach do so at locations outside of town due to this phenomena.  The local beaches have been left to the unsuspecting tourist.  A said state of affairs though I'm not sure it is any worse then being in certain parts of Los Angeles or New York City.


There has also been an increase in the number of people traveling within Brazil.  This is in part due to the fact that there are now several budget air lines within the country.  Sadly, by all reports many of the airports have not been updated to handle the increased traffic.  In some cities that have gone off and built a new airport.  Then one of the budget companies will use the old one to help keep the airfare down.  This appears to be the case with AZUL, that was founded by the former head of Jetblue.
We happened to fly on GOL inside of Brazil and had a mixed experience.  These companies have helped to change the way things are done int he airline business in Brazil.  Both are less then 15 years old.  They are new millennium companies.  Thus taking people from using buses as the main mode of transportation between cities and changing it to flying.


Brazil is without a doubt a country in development.  It can not longer be called a 3rd world country.  It's been 2nd world country for quite some time.  it still has a long way to go and hopefully due to the World Cup in 2012 and the Olympics in Rio in 2016 things will change for the better.

Eles defitivamente estão um País em disenvolvemento.  Nâo pode mais dizer que estão do triceiro mundo.   O gigante finalmente acordo.   Infelizmente acordo com certas dores de cabeça.

Viva Brasil!  

Buaidh - NO - Bas

Things are changing for Brasil (Nossa viagem no Consulado)

Ontem tivemos a necessidade de ir no Consulado Brasileiro em Los Angeles. Quatro anos atrais a experiencia foi bem diferente. Esta vez muito mais da applicação de passaporte é electronica, e o consulado em si mudo muito também.

Brasil e consulado está fazendo tudo para que pode entre como parte do Primeiro Mundo. Com uma economia que está crescendo quando Europa está morrendo, oportundidades que não tem em outro lugar algo tinha que mudar.

O consulado em Los Angeles é a face do Brasil para o exterior na maioria dos estados oeste do Rocky Mountains. No passado a gente sentiu que ninguém importou e tudo era difícil de fazer. Eles fizeram tudo para estar mais trabalhoso. Bem diferente agora. Os cores nas paredes, a sala de espera, as janelas de atengimento, a sistema de espera, e os funcionários mesmo fez com que a gente sentiu que Brasil chegou no primeiro Mundo. Os passaportes e vistos estão mais caro agora do que no passado mas, também estão Biometrico que inclui pegando as marcas dos dedos nas duas maos.

Vamos ver se pegarimos os documentos, passaporte, e tudo em menos de 20 dias.

Para que quer saber -

• Para passaporte de menores tem que fazer um novo documento autorizando viagems. Ombros os pais tem que assinar e autorizar que a criança pode viajar. Eu tinha que fazer minha assinatura no notário devido que estou estrangeiro. Brasileiros assinim papelado no consulado em frente do funcionário. 

• Todos os pagamentos agora tem estar em MONEY ORDER os correio EUA. Nemhuma forma de pagamento estaria aceita. Bem diferente do passado. 

•  Applicações por passaporte etc estao feito electronica e só tem que entregar um papel com barcodes e o foto. Bem simplificado.

No consulado mesmo usa um kiosk para pegar um numero de espera. Bem mais organizado, e a sala tem melhorada muita também.

Em tudo a experiencia melhorou bastante desde que fomos ali no última vez.

Para Bems Brasil - Entrando no Primeiro Mundo.




Yesterday we had the need to go to the Brazilian Consulate in Los Angeles. Four years ago the experiences was very different. This time around more of the application for the passport was electronic, and the consulate itself is also very different.

Brazil and consulate is doing everything to show it is part of the First World. With an economy that is growing while Europe is dying, and opportunities that exist no where else something had to change.

The consulate in Los Angeles is the face of Brazil for the outside world in the majority of the states West of the Rocky Mountains. In the past the people felt that nobody mattered and everything was difficult to get done. They did everything by the more laborious means. Very different now. The colors on the walls, the waiting room, the service windows, to the system of wait prioritizing, and the way the workers dealt with that the people made you feel that Brazil has arrived in the first World. The passport and visa are more costly now then in the past but, also they are Biometric which included getting finger prints of the fingers on the two hands.

We are going to see if we receive the documents, passport, and everything in less of 20 days.

For those that want to know -
For passport for minors you should fill out a new document authorizing travel.  Both the parents should sign and authorize that the child can travel. I had that do my signature in the notary because I am a foreigner. Brazilians sign paperwork in the consulate in front of the member of staff.

All of the payments now must be in USPS MONEY ORDER. NO other forms of payment will be accepted. Much different then the past.

Applications for passport etc now are made electronicly and you only have to deliver a paper with barcodes and the picture.  Really simplified.

In the consulate you even use a kiosk to sign in and get a number to wait your turn. Much more organized, and the room has improved a lot also.

In everything the experience improved significantly since we were there the last time.

Congratulations Brazil - Entering in the First World.


If you want to know where the best beaches in the world are look no further. Brasil and especially the Northeast has them. Fresher fruit - look there as well. Want to experience fruits you have never heard of? head to the North or Northeast..... they make them into some of the most amazing ice cream and many are wonder as whole fruit or in juice form.



  The ConsulateBrasil Consulate - Los Angeles    Buaidh - NO - Bas