Repost - 10 Things I Learned in Brazil During 2014 World Cup

I wrote this piece exactly two years ago as part of my Long Road to Rio. I'd just spent around four weeks in Brazil, mostly taking in the sights and sounds of the World Cup. In that time I saw Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paolo, Curitiba, Cuiaba, Iguazu Falls, and of course Porto Alegre.

At the time I  obviously didn't know I'd be back so quickly (only around 15 months later I arrived to start living here) but I knew I'd be back!

Originally published as 10 Things I Learned in Brazil at the World Cup on 27 June 2014.

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As I leave Brazil its time to reflect on the four weeks I've had in the country enjoying the people, the culture and the biggest sporting event in the world.

1. Brazilians know how to barbecue

Forget telling your mates to turn up to your house with a few snags and hamburgers, the Brazilians have thing thing down to a fine art. Hiring a specialty barbecue chef for the party, they'll have food coming off the grill all day long ranging from all kinds of skewered meats, including a few (like chicken hearts) that are a little odd. If you're ever in Brazil and get invited to a barbecue make it your first priority.

Brazilians know what they're doing with this thing

2. Brazilians like their beer cold

No, really cold. They don't even seem to care what kind of beer it is (mostly really light lagers) but if its not virtually frozen they'll send it back. It'll usually come served to the table in a large bottle with its own cooler, which you then pour into tiny glasses so as to keep it cold as long as possible. I can only imagine what they must thing when they go to the UK.

3. Tim Cahill is the greatest Socceroo of all time

This has to be a bit of a no brainer, but with five goals in three tournaments now - along with countless other heroics while wearing the green and gold - he has given his best performances when on national team duty. Hopefully he goes on to play for us for a few more years yet, but whatever the case, he's certainly proved his credentials to be regarded as the best ever.

Tim Cahill

4. Brazilian people are crazy friendly.

Look, I know I've said this about several other countries now (Burma, Mexico, Colombia) but the Brazilians have to go close to topping the list. It could well be that the celebration of the World Cup has brought out the best in the locals, but its hard to see how they're not this friendly all of the time. They're just great people. You couldn't go a moment without a local coming up and introducing themselves, offering advice, or wanting to join you for a drink. They're exceptionally warm, generous and I was lucky to meet countless great locals throughout my stay

5. Travelling Aussies are as bad as ever. 

Yeah I know I'm one and probably no exception, but it has to be said, the only negative experiences I had in four weeks of Brazil during the World Cup were caused by Aussies. I'm not in the "avoid other Aussies at all cost" camp of travellers, but nor am I in the "Australia is the greatest country on earth" cheer squad (usually spouted by people  who've been to very few other countries). 

Generally it was a combination of booze and boys hanging out in large groups thinking they could do or say anything in a developing country, but it was truly disappointing to see so many of these guys representing my country.

That isn't to say that is representative of the Aussie fans in Brazil as a whole. Far from it. The overwhelming majority of my country men and women I encountered were doing us proud, it is just a shame when a few bad eggs spoil it for everyone. 

6. This wont be my last World Cup

While the prospects of me going to Russia or Qatar are pretty slim, I'd like to think I'll get to another World Cup sometime in the future. Ideally, I'd love Australia to be able to host so that I could attempt to be as good of a host as so many of the Brazilians have been (difficult job!) and with any luck, something happens with the 2022 World Cup.

I want a chance to support our boys on the big stage again

7. Australia needs better chants/songs
Arriving in Cuiaba ahead of the first game one thing was perfectly clear - the Chileans had much better chants, cheers and songs to sing for their team. Never mind the fact they had us outnumbered about three to one. I'm not sure what it is with Australian sports fans, but we've never really been much for the singing and chanting, and when we get to a big stage like this it becomes obvious.

I'm sending out a challenge to anybody with more creative and musical ability than me (really low bar) to rectify this for the next world cup. We've got four years to think of some chants or songs, or even re working some Aussie classics so that they work in the football song environment. I'm thinking someone can do something with the Hunters & Collectors classic Holy Grail or John Farnhams, You're the Voice.

I'm setting you this challenge Australia!

Chilean fans in full voice

8. Brazilians can dance - but I can't
Ok, admittedly I knew the latter already, but Brazilians really like to hit the dance floor. Whether it's samba or some cheesy "country" song with its own dedicated dance routine, you cannot stop a Brazilian from getting out there and shaking it.

9. Anyone can be Brazilian
More so than any other country in the region, Brazil has such a wide mix of cultures, backgrounds and ethnicities that literally (and I'm using this word properly) can look pass for being Brazilian. Part of what makes Brazil such a great place to visit is the diversity of backgrounds and the completely different feel from one city to the next. Walking down the street its virtually impossible to pick who is Brazilian and who is a foreigner - even for the locals.

That is, of course, until we open our mouths. While Portuguese may look on paper, a lot like Spanish, when it is spoken it sounds more like Russian. My feeble attempts at speaking the local language made it instantly clear to anyone I was talking to that I was a foreigner. Which wasn't necessarily a bad thing.

Rio is just one of many place to visit in Brazil

10. I have to go back
I loved my four weeks in Brazil, but it just wasn't enough. You could easily spend that time just in Rio and still feel there was more to see. Brazil is a very big country and there are so many other cities, like Recife, Salvador, Brasilia and Manaus that I didn't get a chance to see. If these places, and others are as diverse and interesting as the cities I did get to visit, coming back to the country that has treated me so well is merely a matter of when, not if.

 While I'll be in no position financially to commit to any travel in the forseable future, with Rio hosting the 2016 Olympic Games, it would seem like the perfect opportunity to combine another Long Road to Rio with seeing more of this beautiful country.

Repost - My First Time in Porto Alegre

I wrote this piece exactly two years ago as part of my 12 month Long Road To Rio trip as I travelled all throughout Latin America on my way to the 2014 FIFA World Cup. 

I think it is interesting to see my first impressions of Porto Alegre in this article are that it was cold (like it is now!) and that with it's cool bars and nightlife it felt more like home than any other place I'd been to in Latin America. I clearly had a feeling about this place! 

You'll see that I didn't mention anything about meeting the woman who is now my wife (and the reason I came back to Porto Alegre) - but give me a break I was playing it cool! 

Originally Published as Aussies Hot in Cold Porto Alegre June 20 2014

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If you ask any Brazilian their thoughts on the southern city of Porto Alegre and they'll generally all say the same thing: it's cold. While they'll tell you the city is nice, the people aren't as friendly as those in the rest of the country, especially the north. The only thing colder than the people they'll insist, is the weather.

Arriving in the city a couple of days ahead of the Socceroos clash against Holland, it was clear they were right about one thing - the weather is certainly much colder than our previous host city of Cuiaba. While the temperatures may be cold, the people are anything but, with thousands joining in street parties and the procession to the stadium on game day along with the hordes of travelling Aussie and Dutch supporters.

Yeah, I was there!

Porto Alegre certainly does feel different from any other city I've been to in Brazil (or other parts of South America) and with its cold wintry weather, park lined river and plenty of trendy night spots, it almost felt like being back home.

That feeling carried over to game day, where Aussies turned out in their thousands to support our boys. In Cuiaba we were completely outmatched by the fans of Chile (both in number and in voice) but against Holland we were able to match the travelling orange army in number and (I believe) better them vocally. It wouldn't be too much of a stretch to say it actually felt like a home game.

When the Socceroos gave up a goal early to the talented but sneaky Arjen Robben, many in our crowd feared we could be in for the sort of punishment the Dutch dished out to the Spanish in the opening game. If they could put five goals past the reigning world champs, what were they going to do to us?

All those fears were quickly swept aside just seconds later when who else but Tim Cahill scored one of the best goals of the tournament so far, volleying a great cross in to the back of the net. Cahill, who is normally known for using his head, showed he's just as talented with the ball at his feet and has ben applauded across the globe for his wonder strike.

With fellow Aussie fans

Australia was back in the contest and the fans were in full voice. As the game continued Australia stood strong. Not only were we competing, we were a real chance here and everybody knew it. Early in the second half this game was still up for grabs and those of us in the stands were dreaming whether we could in fact grab the chance to go ahead - and then we did. A Dutch penalty led to Aussie Captain Mile Jedinak calmly slotting home a penalty and putting the Socceroos ahead 2-1, and sending the Aussie crowd into hysterics.

Unfortunately that wouldn't last very long. Like with Holland's first goal which Australia answered almost immediately, the Dutch were able to get back to level almost immediately, and at 2-2 this game was back up for grabs. When Holland scored again to put them up 3-2 moments after the Socceroos squandered a chance of their own at the other end, Australia had ran out of gas. With Cahill and Bresciano already on the bench after giving everything they had, the young side battled hard to get back to level in the dying minutes, but were unable to do so and once again fell short.

While disappointed, the masses of Aussies in the stands let our boys know how much we appreciated their efforts. The applause received by the vanquished side as they completed their lap of honour was every bit as equal as those given for the victorious Dutch who had booked their ticket to the next round.

Super Timmy Cahill

The biggest applause was saved once again for Tim Cahill. As I wrote about last week, Cahill has to now be considered the greatest player ever to wear the green and gold. The way he gives 100% every time he puts on that Socceroos jersey and not only competes but delivers time after time is unparalleled. Cahill, who was the last Aussie on the park was clearly soaking up every moment. A yellow card in the first half (along with a terrible refereeing decision which gave him one in the opening game) means he wont be able to play in Australia's final match against Spain. Cahill, a man who has given everything for his country will have to watch while Australia battles for its first points of the tournament. It also means we've seen the last of Cahill at the World Cup, an event he's scored at three consecutive times and shown just how good football in Australia can be.

Hopefully he can be convinced to play for Australia at least one more time - at the Asian Cup in Australia in January 2015. While the crowd may have felt like a home crowd at times, I can think of no better for Cahill to finish of his national team career than chasing some silverware in front of his actual home fans.

Aussie fans getting behind the Socceroos

For now I'm off to Curitiba to see Australia play its third and final game against Spain. The people of Brazil have told me similar things about Curitiba as they did about Porto Alegre.

So I'm sure that means I'm gonna have a great time.

Go Socceroos!

Porto Alegre - A Buffet of Buffets

I wrote recently about how Porto Alegre lacks a little when it comes to variety of cuisine offered in its restaurants. But while variety may be a problem, quantity certainly isn't. It seems as if every restaurant in Porto Alegre is some kind of buffet.

Every day at lunch time office workers pile into restaurants all over the city that offer buffets, which are either all you can eat (buffet livre) or by the kilo (buffet a quilo / grama). A lot of places offer both, with small amounts being weighed and then if you go over the maximum, it simply becomes an all you can eat situation.

Now, for a foreigner like me, all you can eat is often seen as a challenge. We don't have many of these kinds of restaurants back home and when you do get a chance to go to one, you usually want to make sure you maximise the value by eating as much as possible. The thought “if I eat a lot now, I won't need dinner” controls your actions as you stuff your face.

It is different here though. Gaúchos do this every day and just eat what they need. Weird.

Many buffets have a lot of options. Salads, vegetables, fruits, pastas and meat. Of course, Gaúchos still load up half of their plates with rice and beans, but there's always a lot of different meat options meaning they can generally get some variety. Some of the very good buffets will have someone offering meat straight off the grill, which is generally where you'll find me. While most buffets offer more or less the same food there are some that offer speciality menus including vegetarian or sushi dishes.

It isn't just the buffets where you can get “all you can eat” though, as many other restaurants operate on a similar model. My favourite of which being churrascarias.

Is there anything better than grilled meat?

Many churrascarias operate as a kind of buffet as well, with one price covering the consumption of as much of the grilled meat as you want. Strangely, you generally have to pay extra for sides of breads or salad, meaning that if you're like me, you'll stick to the carnivore option. I've found it very difficult to control myself any time I've gone to a churrascaria. The waiters are constantly coming to the table with a never ending supply of tasty steak, sausage, ribs, lamb and other meats and it is difficult to say no. My only advice is to pace yourself. Some of these restaurants will have a huge variety of meats available on any given day, and if you're like me you want to try as many as possible – so take only small amounts of each one. You will not go hungry.

Like churrascarias, galetarias have loads of waiters bringing you seemingly endless loads of food – all covered under one price. While a churrascaria focuses on grilled meats, a galetaria can best be described as an Italian chicken restaurant. Starting with things like bread, cheese, salami and olives, the servers will start bringing out different kinds of pasta along with chicken cooked in virtually any style you can think of.

A Cafe colonial in Gramado

Another option with seemingly endless food is a café colonial which are common in country areas of Rio Grande do Sul and other southern parts of Brazil. My first experience with a café colonial came when my wife and I took a day trip to Gramado. After a longish drive I was ready for some lunch and when my wife said we would go to a café for some food I wasn't terribly impressed – I wanted a full meal, not just some coffee and snacks. After seeing what was served up, I admit that I had no reason to be worried. For just two of us the table was literally covered in cakes, pastries, chicken, coffee, ham, bread and many other things. While it wasn't strictly “all you can eat”, the food laid out was far more than my wife or I could eat and certainly cured my hunger.

If all of those buffet options still isn't enough for you, there are even ice cream buffets. You get a bowl and a scoop and get to add as much of any flavour of ice cream (as well as candy and toppings) as you want and simply pay by weight (the bowl, not you) at the end.

So while variety may not be Porto Alegre's strongest point when it comes to food – quantity certainly is, and if you know where to go there is plenty of quality available too.

I'm still working hard to control myself at these places, but at least my family knows I wont go hungry!

Throwback Post: Arriving in Brazil - The Perfect Travel Week

I wrote the following post almost exactly two years ago when I first arrived in Brazil shortly before the 2014 FIFA World Cup. I was full of excitement about what the following month in Brazil would hold. Little did I know how much my time in this country would change my life forever!

Originally posted 04 June 2014 on Long Road to Rio

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In the last seven days I've had possibly the perfect travel week. I visited Machu Picchu in Peru, Iguazu Falls in Argentina and Brazil and “Christ the Redeemer” in Rio De Janeiro. All three of these appear on at least one of the “Seven Wonders of the World” lists and are all just as amazing as advertised.

Machu Picchu

Oh, and I also picked up my tickets for all three of Australia's group matches at the World Cup. 

I found out the night before boarding the flight that tickets could be picked up from Rio Airport, and from that moment I decided it would be my first task as soon I stepped off the plane. 

Turning up at the ticket booth I was expecting a large wait, but found myself the only person there and proceeded to pick up my tickets (from some quite nervous staff, suggesting maybe not many people had been through at all yet) before being interviewed by Chilean TV about my experience - as well as some gentle banter about our upcoming game the 13th. I've since been a part of another interview, this time for a Brazilian weekly magazine.

Shortly after picking up my tickets at Rio Airport

If this wasn't the perfect travel week, it was pretty close.

Ok, so the idea of “perfection” is highly subjective and not really possible, but I've got to say from a purely tourist perspective, this has been the best week of travel of my life.

Iguazu Falls

When you're spending a long time on the road, you tend to space out such awe inspiring attractions and rarely get to see so many of them in quick succession, but sometimes it just works out, well, perfectly.

I hear what you're saying though, given my blog is called Long Road To Rio, surely arriving in Rio means its the end. This is far from the truth, however, as arriving in Rio is merely the beginning of what is set to be one of the biggest parties the world has ever seen.

Clearly though, I should have come up with a better name for the blog.

Rio is this awesome

Things are just getting more and more exciting in Rio (and Brazil as a whole) as the Cup edges nearer. Virtually every other foreigner you meet now is going to be attending the matches, or at least hoping to soak up some of the atmosphere while cheering their favourite teams on from the dedicated fan zones.

While it's hard to imagine any week topping this last one on this trip, if the World Cup all goes well then this will surely be one of the most exciting months of my life.

And if Australia can win a game it may even be, for lack of better word, perfect.