Australians and Brazilians should be friends

Recently there has been a bit of tension between Australians and Brazilians. The Australian Olympic team were among the first countries to check out the new Athletes Village in Rio ahead of the Games starting next week - and they didn't like what they saw. 

Problems with electrical and plumbing meant that the Aussies who were supposed to move in Sunday didn't - instead moving to nearby hotels until the issues were resolved. The tension went even higher when the mayor of Rio, in an attempt to make light of the situation, told a press conference that the Australian team just needs to be given a kangaroo to be make the situation OK. 

Australia's team leader, Kitty Chiller, on the problems with the accomodation

While Australians generally have a good sense of humour and can laugh at ourselves about most things - you don't mess with our sport. Sport is like religion to us in Australia. Competing - and winning - on the world stage is very important to us. OK, its probably too important but I won't get into that now. The point is, preparation for our sporting teams is no laughing matter.

Fortunately, the problems that the Aussie team brought up have now been addressed, the athletes have begun moving into the Rio Athletes Village.

It got me thinking about the relationship between Australians and Brazilians though. While they're clearly two very different countries (seriously, why don't Brazilians like brunch?) there is a lot of common ground. From my personal experience there's a lot of reasons why people from both countries should get along.

Brazilians and Australians love the outdoors

Pretty much the first thing that people from other countries think of when they hear Australia or Brazil is the scenery. Both countries are well known for their beautiful beaches and people who love to spend time on those beaches. More than that though, both countries being so large mean that they have a huge range of natural features such as rain forests, mountains and beautiful coastline. 

People from both Australia and Brazil love to get out and spend time in the outdoors too. Whether its on the beach, or as is the case here in Porto Alegre, in a park, residents of both countries love to take advantage of the natural beauty.

Brazilians and Australians love a Barbeque

While the type of meat and the style of the barbeque might be different, the result is generally the same. Aussies love to get together on weekends and stand around the "barbie" with a few beers in the backyard, at the beach or in the local park. Brazilians, with their churrasco, are very similar although many buildings have their churrasco pit built in to a special room rather than in the backyard. 

Brazilians and Australians drink a lot of bad beer

While it is possible in both countries to find some good beer, the majority of beer consumed in both countries is awful. 

In Australia until less than 20 years ago, each state was dominated by one local beer producer which meant each brewery had its own little monopoly. While each brewery produced a few different brands, they were mostly the same week tasting lager that needs to be served very cold - so that you cant taste it. More recently the beer market in Australia has opened up, with breweries competing all over the country and craft breweries popping up everywhere. Despite this, the big brands such as VB, Tooheys, XXXX and Carlton still dominate. 

Here in Brazil there is a similar situation, though the craft beer market is considerably newer. Most of the big brands here are little more than frozen corn water and a served "estupidamente gelado" (stupidly cold) to ensure you can't taste it. In the last few years with the economy doing a bit better (er, when it was) a huge amount of craft breweries and brew pubs has opened up. Unfortunately they still need to import a lot of the ingredients, which means that, while you can get a good beer here, you'll be paying a lot more for it. Still worth it!

Brazilians and Australians love thongs

Brazil is the birthplace of the Havaianas - the simple rubber "flip flops" worn by beach bums around the world. With Australia sharing a similar love of the beach, we're also big fans of the pluggers. We may never get the level of passion they have for them here in Brazil - people often give their guests custom Havaianas at weddings in here - you'll be guaranteed to find someone wearing them anywhere you go in Australia.

In Australia we buck the trend and call them "thongs", rather than flip flops. I was going to change the heading of this section but realised that Brazilians beach bums of a different kind are also fans of thongs. 

Brazilians and Australians love sport

Like Australians, Brazilians love their sport. While they don't get behind as many types of sports as Australians do, those that they do support they are die-hards for. The sporting king here is obviously football, but there is big support for Volleyball too, and then anything else that you can turn into a beach sport - Beach football, beach volleyball, foot volley and even beach rugby!

As I said earlier, Australians take sport seriously. It's often said Aussies which watch two flies crawling up a wall if you could bet on it. We watch and play anything - Australian rules football, three kinds of rugby, actual football, cricket, basketball, swimming, sailing, cycling etc. During the Olympics we all pretend we also know about things like diving and gymnastics too.

So while Australians and Brazilians do have a lot of differences, there are a few things that mean Aussies and Brazilians are generally a good match for friendships (or even more!)

I hope all of the Australians and Brazilians (and everyone else) enjoy the Olympics and if you're going (like I am), take care and I hope you have fun. Just a week to go! 

10 Tips For People Coming to Brazil For The Olympic Games

The Olympics are coming!

After what seems like an eternity, the games are just a few weeks away. Is Brazil completely ready? Probably not! 

Is there a chance it can all turn into a giant nightmare? Speaking honestly, yes.

I think though in all likelihood it will be much like what happened with the World Cup two years ago. Things won't be perfect, but the games will go on. I have some advice for people that will be coming to Brazil for the first time for the Olympic Games.

I arrived in Brazil just before the start of the 2014 FIFA World Cup and had no idea what I was getting into. I've since returned and now lived here for nine months. While I don't live in Rio de Janeiro where the Olympics will take place, I do have a good idea of what it's like to arrive in Brazil for a big event and feeling a bit overwhelmed. 

1. Don't believe all of the doomsayers 

If you were to listen to the major news outlets of the world, Brazil currently resembles a mix between The Walking Dead, Mad Max and Venezuela. It certainly isn't as bad as all that.

While there are some real problems here and a fair bit of political and economic turmoil it isn't as bad as a lot of the reports have you believe. 

2. Be Safe

That being said, like any developing country, you have to make sure you take care when you're in Brazil. There are some parts of Rio (and every other city in Brazil) that are genuine no go zones, and theft and robberies are relatively common. 

The important thing is to remember to use your common sense and take notice of your surroundings. My advice is to take out good travel insurance and not put up a fight if you are robbed. 

3. Plan ahead – things will take time

Nothing in Brazil is ever quick, and it won't change just because the Olympics are here. Be prepared for long delays. Traffic, queuing to buy tickets or to get into stadiums or even waiting for food. Some of this will be because the infrastructure promised for the games won't be completed on time. But it is also just part of being Brazilian.

True to Brazilian style, the metro line connecting the Olympic District to Copacabana is set to open only days before the Games open.

Lateness is kind of a way of life here. For Brazilians, when you organise a time to meet, its really just a suggestion or a start point, not a strict time to meet. 

Just be prepared and be patient. 

4. See the rest of Rio

Aside from the beach volleyball which will be happening on the beautiful Copacabana beach, most of the events are happening away from the usual hot spots of Rio de Janeiro. 

While the focus of the games will be on the sporting events and the competitors, you should definitely spend a few days checking out the rest of the sights Rio has to offer. Copacabana and Ipanema beaches, Christ the Redeemer, the Sugar loaf, the Santa Teresa Neighbourhood and even downtown are definitely areas worth checking out. There are some good free walking tours that are always a good place to start.

5. Get out of Rio

Brazil is more than just Rio de Janeiro. While all of the events (aside from the Olympic Football) are based in Rio, if you've got some more time before or after the Olympics I would definitely recommend getting out of the city to see some of what the rest of Brazil has to offer. 

I had never heard of Porto Alegre before following the Australian Football team here in 2014 and now I live here. Cities like Fortaleza, Florianopolis, Parati, Manaus, Olinda, Recife and Salvador offer history, culture and beaches, while Foz do Iguacu has one o the most stunning natural wonders of the world. Brazil is a big country – try to see some of it!

6. Eat Churrasco

A lot of people have heard of “Brazilian BBQ”, known as Churrasco. The best stuff comes from here in Porto Alegre, but you'll definitely be able to to find some in Rio and other cities as well. It is a carnivores delight with beautifully seasoned meat cooked to perfection. If you're luck, you may be invited to a locals home to enjoy a private churrasco, otherwise look out for a restaurant run by “Gaúchos” (people from Porto Alegre) and you'll be on the right track!

7. Learn some Portuguese

Portuguese is a tough language to master. It looks like Spanish but sounds like Russian. 

I've been living in Brazil for nine months and I'm still barely more than a beginner, but you should definitely try to learn the basics. While there will be plenty of people available to speak English and other languages around Olympic venues, if you want to get away from that at all you'll find the levels of other languages drops off dramatically. 

And here's the thing, Brazilians love it when you try to speak Portuguese. So many people don't try – or speak Spanish to them because they think that is close enough. It isn't. You'll make local friends a lot quicker by trying to say at least something in the local tongue.

8. Stay away from the water

I'm actually genuinely surprised that they're allowing the sailing and rowing events to go ahead at the Olympic Games. The water is filthy. Its a shame too because Copacabana and Ipanema are two the most iconic beaches in the world, but you'll just need to settle for some sun bathing or beach volleyball – its just not worth going into the ocean.

In some Brazilian cities, like here in Porto Alegre, the water is actually safe to drink. Rio de Janeiro is not one of those cities. Buy bottled water and save yourself the hassle.

9. Don't come if you're pregnant

While the chances of getting the Zika virus are still pretty remote, the potential problems caused by it for new borns are just not worth taking the risk. Even if you're trying to get pregnant it is best to stay away. Even for men, current advice suggest you'll need to wait up to several months before thinking about fathering a child.

10. Have fun - you're in Rio de Janeiro! 

The Olympic Games brings people together from all over the world which can only ever be a good thing. You're there to watch the best athletes in the world as well as meet people from all over, so try not to get bogged down in the negatives. 


That isn't to say you should ignore the problems of the country, but by being respectful, spending your money wisely (buy from local shops and restaurants as much as possible as opposed to those affiliated with the giant corporations) and try to engage and try to engage with locals you can leave a positive mark.

Let the Games begin! 

The Olympic Flame Comes to Porto Alegre, Brazil

Brazil certainly has its problems at the moment. Between the political trouble, economic trouble, the zika virus and the mess that is their national football team, things haven't been going great for the country.

For the next couple of months the eyes of the world are going to be focused on Brazil even more than usual, with the Rio 2016 Olympics now less than a month away. Now these games could go either way. It could become a force to unite the country and push towards a great spectacle as it did in 2014 with the World Cup with similar dire warnings beforehand. Or, it could be a catalyst for the complete collapse of the country. More than likely it will be somewhere in the middle, with a half hearted effort to keep things together until the world moves on to something else – like the US elections.

As someone who loves big events, I'm choosing to see the coming Olympics optimistically, and was very excited by the Olympic Flame coming through Porto Alegre last Thursday. I'd missed out on a couple of attempts to see the Olympic flame in other countries in the past, so I wanted to make sure I made the most of this chance.

Along with a few thousand other people, we crammed into Parcão (Moinhos de Vento Park) to wait for the flame to arrive. And we waited, and we waited - true to Brazilian style. Even the Olympic flame, which had travelled all the way from Greece on a tight schedule, couldn't get Brazilians to make something run on time.

As is usual at these kinds of things a local politician got up and spoke about himself and all of his colleagues as if any of them had any real impact on what was happening on the day. And because it is Brazil, there was a small but spirited group of protesters, calling for the ousting of current 'caretaker' president, Temer. But even they got bored and left before the flame arrived.

Finally, after over two hours waiting, the flame arrived and it was chaos. The small security team were pretty over-matched by dozens of photographers and other spectators ignoring their instructions to stay back. This meant for the most part we could only see the top of the flame as it poked out the top of the media scrum. But it was there.

As the flame bearer began to re start the journey the craziness continued. Hundreds of people followed the runner along with a convoy of officials and runners in at least a dozen cars and buses.

While the scenes were very typical of Brazil – they love a street party here – it was good to feel that people were actually excited about flame and the Olympic Games it represents. At times it can feel like the negative can overpower the positive here, so its good to see at least I'm not the only one trying to enjoy this.

Bring on the Olympics! 

Why Don't Brazilians Like Brunch?

Where's The Brunch? 

I wrote a few weeks ago about how the cafe culture here in Porto Alegre is getting better and better all of the time. I've found a few cafes that I love and visit them very regularly to get my caffeine fix.

The situation isn't perfect though. While quality coffee is clearly one of the biggest factors in judging a cafe, it isn't the only one. One thing that seems to be lacking from Porto Alegre cafes is brunch.

Melbourne is Brunch King

Back in Melbourne, where great cafes are on almost every corner, a huge part of their business is made up of the weekend brunch crowd. There's nothing better than getting up late on a Saturday or (preferably) a Sunday and heading to your favourite cafe for some great coffee and a huge plate full of eggs, bacon, sausages, beans, potatoes and maybe some smashed avocado. I find it hard to go past eggs benedict if its on the menu.

It has become a ritual for many, commonly using it to 'debrief' the night before. Who did what with who? You said what? And what happened to Mike?

Sometimes you'll need a bit of 'hair of the dog' (for my Brazilian friends, this is when you need to drink some alcohol in the morning to make you feel better) with a Bloody Mary or a Mimosa. I've even been to a brunch which offers endless brunch sangria, which can turn your brunch into a full on bender.

Mostly though, you're there to get some good food and have a laugh about the night before. For a lot of people brunch in Melbourne is the best time to go to a restaurant.

Brazilians Don't Even Eat Breakfast

It isn't really a thing here in Brazil though. For that matter, neither is breakfast. Known as cafe da manha (literally, coffee of the morning) it is a bit of a non event here – especially if you're trying to find somewhere to eat out. Most Brazilians that I know barely eat anything in the morning. Maybe some juice or a piece of fruit. Many cafes here – even the good ones that I like – don't open until after a traditional breakfast time. Even those that are open early barely have more than some bread or granola for breakfast. If you're looking for something a bit more substantial, you're generally out of luck.

It might be because they tend to eat big lunches (often buffets with rice, beans, salad and steak) and dinners that they choose to forgo breakfast. A great big brunch on a weekend can mean you don't even need lunch, but it hasn't taken off here yet.

There Are Good Brunch Spots in Porto Alegre

That isn't to say it doesn't exist. So far we've found two cafes in Porto Alegre that offer brunch and they're both pretty good.

Eggs Benedict

The first one we found is Priscilla's Bakery (Rua Vasco da Gama 514). This place could fight right in to the Melbourne brunch scene with a huge list of brunch classics like waffles, pancakes, croque madame and eggs benedict. They also have a big range of cakes and pastries that you can have there or take away. On the day we went the service was a little slow, however the food was really good quality which always helps you forget your wait. The biggest problem with this place is that they're not open Sundays. While Saturday is a good brunch day, Sunday is the best and not opening Sundays is going to make it harder to make the brunch thing take off in Porto Alegre.

A Cruffin!

The other brunch spot we've tried so far is Ló Patisserie &Chocolaterie (Rua Vasco da Gama 915). Unlike Priscilla's, these guys are open on Sundays which is a massive plus. While they specialise in chocolates, cakes and pastries, they offer a brunch menu on weekends which revolves around the croissant. They have a number of croissants, including sweet and savoury options, and some that are even a combination of croissant and muffin – the cruffin! As well as being able to buy individual items, they have a few set menus which generally include a sweet and a savory item, a juice and a coffee. The food is absolutely delicious. The only downside is if you're feeling like something other than a croissant there isn't as much variety.

The search for the best brunch spot in Porto Alegre continues. My hope is one day Porto Alegre combines their love of the buffet livre with a new found love of brunch and creates brunch buffets! 

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!