IBIRAPUERA AND OTHER PARKS IN SÃO PAULO

If you ask someone in São Paulo which is the best park in town, you will probably hear the name Ibirapuera (the weird name comes from the original indigenous language and means ‘rotten wood’).

So yes, Ibirapuera is one of the largest parks in São Paulo, and it was chosen the 8^th best park in the world by a recent survey conducted by Tripadvisor. SEE MAP
 

Aerial view of the park

Practical info:

The park is open from 5am to midnight.

Pedestrians may get into the park via gates 2, 3, 4, 6, 7A and 10.

 

The park is home to several museums, such as the Museum of Modern Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Afro Brazilian Museum; it also owns two major exhibition spaces, the OCA and the Bienal Building. The park has a large lake, a plant nursery and an auditorium, designed by Oscar Niemeyer (as many other of its buildings) where concerts are held regularly.

Ok, so let’s say you want to go there… unless you are staying nearby, there are no subway stations nearby and it’s not within easy reach from the center of São Paulo. The best suggestion is to take a bus. Check on this website the bus lines (numbers and names)  that get to the park, and see which one runs next to where you are: http://www.parqueibirapuera.org/como-chegar/

Other nice parks in São Paulo are:

- Parque Trianon – easy to reach, in front of the Trianon/MASP subway station, right on Avenida Paulista

- Parque da Água Branca – near the Barra Funda subway station/bus terminal


- Parque da Juventude – near the Carandiru subway station, the park occasionally hosts music concerts

- Parque do Povo and Parque Villa Lobos – reachable by train using Line 9 – Esmeralda –

 

Souvenirs from São Paulo - Where to find

São Paulo is not a touristy city, so you will not come across a souvenir shop on every corner. Actually you may want to buy a souvenir after all, no matter how kitsch it might be, and not find anything. So I’ll give you some suggestions in case you want to make the effort to take something back home.

Two arts and crafts markets that are usually recommended to tourists are the ones that are held on Praça da República (held during the day on Fridays and Saturdays), which is easy to reach with the subway (Red and Yellow Lines, República station), or the one held in front of Parque Trianon, just across MASP on Avenida Paulista (just off the Trianon subway station), which is held on Sundays. Both have several stalls selling mainly things crafted in wood; though not extremely creative, they are bound to please tourists.

I would suggest a more ‘sophisticated’ arts and crafts market, whose exhibitors are young artists or designers. This is the fair called “Como Assim?”; it is held every Sunday from 10am to 10pm in the corridors of the Shopping Center 3, also located on Avenida Paulista (close to the Consolação station). Though you have a bit of everything, custom jewellery and clothes occupy a large part of the market, so most probably it will please girls, or boys wishing to purchase creative gifts to their loved ones. Specifically on the lower floor there is a stall with souvenirs (t-shirts, mugs, etc) using São Paulo as their theme.

For some reason, foreigners are usually drawn to objects made of Brazilian gemstones. You can find a wealth of these (from kitsch to really delicate items) on some shops near Praça da Liberdade. Though Liberdade is São Paulo’s ‘Chinatown’ so to speak, these shops are easy bets – and you can take the chance to taste a legitimate Japanese Brazilian dish. Try the shop Ho Kim Do, on Praça da Liberdade, 276, right on the corner with the main street in the area, Rua Galvão Bueno. Easy access with the subway – take the blue line to the Liberdade station.

 

 

 

Finally, if you have some energy left, walk down Rua Augusta to #2795 (just after it crosses Rua Oscar Freire) and visit the shop called Arte Tribal. Brazilian souvenirs, popular art, crafts from Brazilian indigenous tribes are available at the shop. To have an idea, access their website www.artetribal.com.br (available in English).



Bars in Vila Madalena - How to get there

If you are a foreigner in São Paulo, so surely someone has already told you Vila Madalena is the place to go if you want to go to a bar, have fun, meet people... in other words, to have a real night out.
Just to support this argument, check this search on Google Maps for the word "bar" in the neighborhood:

But you can also see on the map that the buzz is quite far from the nearest subway station, which is called Metrô Vila Madalena, but is actually in a neighboring area (indicated by the green arrow on the top of the image). Although you could say "I don't mind walking", you can see that most streets in the area are not straight. This was originally a very montainous area, so you will have lots of steep streets to go up and down. If you risk it on your way there, it will be impossible on your way back, after some drinks...

So I'll tell you another route to get to the same spot. You can check from the map above that the bars concentrate around some blocks of streets, between Rua Mourato Coelho, Rua Wisard, Rua Girassol and Rua Inacio Pereira da Rocha. If you get to these parts, you can simply walk around and find the bar or nightclub that suits you best, or where you spot more interesting people going in.

Focus on these two streets that lie to the east of the hub of bars: Rua Cardeal Arcoverde and Rua Teodoro Sampaio (to the right). On the map below you can see they are quite close to the location of bars, and, better still, only straight and plain streets connect them to the desired area. (Yes, the green area near the "A" is a cemetery). Av. Rebouças, that you see on the bottom, to the right, is also a good alternative for buses.

These are main streets served by many bus lines. Rua Cardeal Arcoverde runs from the top of the map to its bottom, so it will be perfect if you are coming from Centro, or from somewhere near Av. Paulista. Rua Teodoro Sampaio runs "up", so it will work for you if you are coming from some neighborhood in the south of the city of São Paulo. (From somewhere near Av. Brig. Faria Lima, for example).

To find which bus line might work for you, go to this website: www.sptrans.com.br

You will see this on the top of the page:

Click on LINHA DE ÔNIBUS (which means 'bus line' and this is what you want to know), then insert your address in the first slot, in front of DE/Endereço. Put an approximate number of your location. On the second part, complete like me: R. Cardeal Arcoverde N° 1600. Then click on "Buscar".

You will get some bus lines that will take you there, and their routes.


GOOD LUCK!!!



Shopping Streets in São Paulo

As I have mentioned before, I don't really appreciate malls... I think shopping outdoors is much more interesting. To help you out if you believe the same, I'm listing below some of the main shopping streets in São Paulo:

• Rua 25 de março - the main shopping street in Brazil. In November and December, no cars are allowed, as the streets are literally taken by the sheer number of avid shoppers. Estimates say that in this period of the year, more than 1 million people visit is shops every day. However, going at other times of the year, of an early morning, can be quite a fun experience, as you will find shops selling practically everything, but especially custom jewellery, costumes, decoration, fabrics, and household appliances. It is the right place if you are organizing a party.

• Rua Augusta - see a more detailed post about Rua Augusta here. From Av. Paulista towards the region called Jardins, there are mainly clothes stores, the occasional shoe store and snack bars; towards the city center, movie theaters, bars, shops selling vinyls and other vintage stuff. Great to hang around just browsing and sitting down for the occasional beer.

• Rua Teodoro Sampaio - three very clear sections: going up from Av. Faria Lima, up to the corner with R. Fradique Coutinho, there are shops selling popular clothes, but mainly shoes. From this point on, there are dozens of shops selling home furniture, and a good number selling mattresses. Going further up, beyond Praça Benedito Calixto, the street is the site for musicians! Several shops selling musical instruments sit side by side along both sidewalks. See map here: http://goo.gl/maps/OME1z

• Rua Santa Ifigênia - Electronics! In the heart of a dilapidated area in the city center, Rua Santa Ifigênia and its neighbors are home to virtually hundreds of shops selling everything from lighting, CD/DVD players, HD TV monitors, videogames, audio and sound equipment, computer and any IT accessories, AC adaptors, you name it. Prices are usually very good, but you must also check if products are legal, as some shops may sell smuggled goods. Always ask for a receipt. Also beware of pickpockets. This area is quite close to an area in town where crack users gather, so you are very likely to spot some heavy users around.

• Rua dos Pinheiros - Even though the neighborhood in itself is already served by a good number of restaurants, Rua dos Pinheiros gathers so many of them you would probably take about a week to taste them all... not to mention the cafés and sweet shops. There are Italian, Brazilian, Mexican, Japanese, Portuguese restaurants... Just walk around and feel the smell.

This map can give you an idea...

 

Shopping Malls in São Paulo

I certainly would not recommend a Shopping Mall if you want to experience the city, but I must admit they may come in handy in some occasions, particularly if you want a cheap no-hassle meal.
Among the 53 (and counting), these are some of the most centrally located malls in São Paulo:

Shopping Light - right in the heart of the city - www.shoppinglight.com.br

Shopping Pátio Higienópolis - in a very traditional and upscale neighborhood, though in a very central area - www.patiohigienopolis.com

Shopping West Plaza - large, doesn't have much character, but is easily accessible via innumerable bus lines and still within walking distance from the Barra Funda subway station - www.westplaza.com.br

Shopping Bourbon - one of the newest malls in the city; a little bit dark, but offers a good mix - www.bourbonshopping.com.br

Shopping Center 3 - small compared to the others in this list, but very well located. Ample choice of fast-food restaurants, and an extremely interesting 'designers market' held in its corridors on Sundays - www.shoppingcenter3.com.br

Shopping Patio Paulista - nice location, near several cultural centers and the Paraiso subway station - www.shoppingpaulista.com.br

Shopping Eldorado - large, very interesting variety of shops, cafés, restaurants. It also has a large supermarket inside its premises - www.shoppingeldorado.com.br

Shopping Iguatemi - the most sophisticated mall in the city, home to several international top brands - www.iguatemisp.com.br

See link below for map with locations:
https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zwEE05c03lno.k6bobxIUn9t0



...

Intercity/Interstate/International Bus Terminal

Rodoviária do Tietê

Train services are virtually nonexistent in Brazil, therefore traveling from city to city must be done by bus (if not by plane). Intercity bus services in Brazil are quite reliable and punctual. 

São Paulo has 3 intercity bus terminals: 

Terminal Rodoviário Jabaquara - connected with the Jabaquara subway station on the blue line - buses to Santos and the southern coast of the state of São Paulo.

Terminal Rodoviário Barra Funda - connected with the Barra Funda subway station on the red line - buses to the west of the state of São Paulo, Center-west region of Brazil, and Bolivia.

And the largest bus terminal in Brazil, most commonly known as "Rodoviária do Tietê": 

Terminal Rodoviário do Tietê - Connected to the Tietê subway station on the blue line, it serves 65 bus companies that operate 300 lines, heading to 1,033 cities in 21 of the Brazilian states, and going as far as 4 countries in South America (Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay). 

If you are going by car or by bus, the address is:

Av. Cruzeiro do Sul, 1800 
Santana - 02030-000
São Paulo 
subway station: Portuguesa-Tietê
Phone number: 11 3866 1100


The bus terminal is quite clean and organized, and offers a good choice of souvenir shops and eateries. Toilets are also ok (you must pay to use them). However, it is also very large. To avoid getting lost or losing time, visit it some day before your actual trip (for example, go there to buy your tickets), so you find your bearings and do not get exasperated on the day of your trip. And it is not too much to say to keep your belongings close to you at all times. 

For a list of the cities served by the buses, see here .

For a map of the terminal, click here.

Boarding gates at the underground level

Some bus companies sell tickets online... try it here:

http://rodoviariadotiete.net/

To conclude, one warning: check the calendar of Brazilian holidays and avoid at all costs to travel in the evening before a long holiday... the Rodoviária will be overwhelmingly crowded! Just do it if your humor is above average!

And have a nice trip!

RUA AUGUSTA - Walking Along

RUA AUGUSTA – Downtown

Right next to the Consolação subway station, Avenida Paulista is crossed by Rua Augusta. Going all the way from the city center to the sophisticated (and snobbish) area of São Paulo called Jardins (“Gardens”), Rua Augusta has nothing in itself that could attract much attention; it is not wide nor beautiful. However, it offers several interesting options.

The half of Augusta that leads to the city center (signaled by the Banco Safra building on the corner) is called “Baixo Augusta” on its first blocks. This is probably the area where you will meet all the interesting, alternative and exotic types of São Paulo. A clearly gay-friendly area (the parallel Rua Frei Caneca and the shopping mall of the same name are commonly referred to as ‘Gay Caneca’), it is also full of intellectual types, tattooed girls, not to mention prostitutes and transvestites that can be seen at night.  If you have no money to spend on a club but want to have a night out, this is the place to go. Going down from Avenida Paulista, the first blocks are full of laid back bars in which people sit on plastic tables on almost every corner; going further down, you reach the area called Baixo Augusta, full of clubs. But actually most of the party takes place on the street… on Saturday night cars can barely move. At 4am the street has probably more people circulating than at 4pm…

These are some of the highlights:

·    At number 1611 is the side entrance to Shopping Center 3, a small mall which offers several fast food options, but more interestingly, an arts and crafts market on its corridors every Sunday. But these are not traditional/boring crafts, but quite modern and creative stuff.

·    A Mexican fast food called Tollocos is located at # 1524

·    A cool movie complex, Espaço Itau de Cinema, at Rua Augusta, 1475 is famous not only for the modern audience, but also for opening its doors for not-so-commercial flicks, such as European or arts movies.

·    After the film, why not go for a slice of pizza? The first place to sell pizza by the slice in São Paulo is nearby, at 1463; it is called “O Pedaço da Pizza”.

·    Cross the street and walk down some steps for a different option: an Indian fast food. Nice, varied and cheap food – approved by my Indian friend. Madhu, Rua Augusta, 1420.

·     At #1372 is a cool store housing several ‘boxes’ (literally) where designers may sell their objects, among which are glasses, costume jewellery, and clothes.

·     If you are into music and movies, and looking for something old or sold out, this might be a place to spend one or two hours… all kinds of Brazilian and imported CDs and DVDs on sale.

·     The modern, healthy-looking and attractive fast food at 1360 reminds me of “Pret a Manger”, where I used to eat in London… here it is called “Pic Nic”.

This should be enough to have you walking down some blocks further, and you will come across hair salons, bars, clubs, as well as one of the major comedy clubs in São Paulo… If you enjoy people watching, you will have tons of fun.

RUA AUGUSTA - Walking Along

RUA AUGUSTA – Southward

Right next to the Consolação subway station, Avenida Paulista is crossed by Rua Augusta. Going all the way from the city center to the sophisticated (and snobbish) area of São Paulo called Jardins (“Gardens”), Rua Augusta has nothing in itself that could attract much attention; it is not wide nor beautiful. However, it offers several interesting options.

The southbound half of Augusta (signaled by the Banco do Brasil building on the corner) is also called “lado Jardins”. Amid several clothes and shoes shops, and the kilo restaurants, the highlights on this stretch of the street are:

·  On the block between Avenida Paulista and Alameda Santos lies a group of buildings and shopping arcade collectively known as Conjunto Nacional.  On the ground floor, among some clothes shops, drugstores, candy stores and the like, lies the most beloved bookstore in São Paulo: Livraria Cultura. It has branches in other shopping malls, but it was born here and it has expanded its empire. Cultura has now five separate shops in the area, including one for geeks (with videogames and other geek paraphernalia), one for art books and a deliciously cozy megastore, with a nice café inside. It also holds a theater (Teatro Eva Herz) and a movie theather (Cine Cultura).

Apparently a regular street

·   Going down for one more block you will find a McDonald’s, a Habibs (local fast food restaurant which offers a good cost/benefit relation – and probably the cheapest ice cream in town, a scone for R$ 2,50), a Subway (near #1954) and a Starbucks (at # 1967, on the corner with Alameda Jau).

·  Just opposite, at number 2014 lies a shop selling funny and alternative T-shirts.

·  Rua Augusta, 2075 is home to Cinesesc, a movie theather holding unusual film festivals, providing a space for alternative, independent or classical movies, as well as flicks in languages other than English. The venue also boasts one of the finest and cheapest cafés in this area. You can drop by just to have a cup of coffee and you will not regret it.

·  Two branches of Escola São Paulo, at 2074 and 2113. Bearing the slogan “Creative Economy”, the school offers free courses of design, photography, fashion, cinema and the like.

·  From this point on, Rua Augusta becomes a reference point for the sophisticated area called Jardins. Most of the perpendicular streets bring top-notch shops, restaurants and bars, especially Alameda Lorena and Oscar Freire, which is home to several luxury brands, Brazilian or international, which hold here snobbish shops and concept stores.

·  Galeria Ouro Fino, a shopping arcade at number 2690, is famous for the alternative shops, catering for those interested in alternative fashion, and those looking for cool and creative gifts.

Taking the subway in São Paulo

The subway in São Paulo is called "Metrô". It is extremely clean and very safe; you will find no beggars or buskers inside it, nor booths selling food on the platforms, as is usual in some countries (though there are some in other floors). Trains are quite new and very well-kept.

However, it serves only a limited area of the city, it does not have many stations in which you can change from one line to another, an it can be extremely crowded (actually unbearable) in rush hours.

Logo indicating subway stations or buses that pass in front of one

As of January 2013, the ticket for one trip costs R$ 3,00 (you may change lines at will while inside the system). Tickets are only inserted in tolls to let you in, and are not necessary to let you out of stations. You may also use the "Bilhete Único" explained here.

For a map of the system, click here. But beware that the map shows not only the subway system, but also the interconnected train system.

Useful information: avoid at all costs a change at the Sé Station in the rush hour, especially if you are heading towards Corinthians-Itaquera or Jabaquara. Trains are extremely crowded and you will learn how sardines feel... not good ;(

Surprisingly, São Paulo's Metro has a quite reasonable page in English to help you understand the system. Check it out here: http://www.metro.sp.gov.br/en/your-trip/index.aspx
As a curiosity, the Yellow Line (Line 4) bears a different symbol because, unlike the other lines which are state-operated, it is operated by a private-owned company.

SESCs - A wealth of cultural options

As an interesting, diversified, alternative and cheap cultural option in São Paulo, the SESCs are unbeatable. SESC stands for “Serviço Social do Comércio”; it is a non-profit institution connected with an association of businesspeople from the commerce and services sector. They have several units spread throughout the city, which can be referred to as cultural centers for an easy understanding, but are certainly much more than this.

Usually housed in large, ample and purpose-built edifices, SESC units usually offer a vast array of cultural options, from exhibitions to music gigs, plays and art classes, many of which are well “out of the box” and offered at very popular prices or even for free. Their musical programs are known for proposing unheard of reunions of musicians and unconventional gatherings of singers.

Sesc Pompeia

Most units also offer some kind of eatery, from cafeterias to kilo restaurants, having in common a concern for healthy and creative alternatives. Sports also have their (wide) space in most SESC units. Even though some activities (like the use of the swimming pools) is reserved to members (though it is not difficult to become a member, which you can do for a reasonable yearly fee), many activities are open to all. For example, every summer brings a project called Sesc Verão, in which several activities are proposed to stimulate physical activities and entertainment outdoors.

Sesc Pompeia dressed up for Carnival 2013 - a special event for children

Cinesesc always proposes alternative movie festivals, and their little and friendly café in the lobby is one of the cheapest in town.

I intend to publish some posts about some of their units to give you a more detailed view. Meanwhile if you want to check what is going on, here it is: www.sescsp.org.br (unfortunately the website is only in Portuguese). A random visit usually brings nice surprises, though. Good attempts would be Sesc Pompeia, Sesc Pinheiros, Sesc Belenzinho or Sesc Itaquera.

Eating in SP - Pastel

After pizza, pastel is the most typical food snack in São Paulo. Basically, it consists of a deep-fried pastry with different fillings, the most traditional of which are minced meat (usually with added bits of boiled eggs and olives) or cheese.
However, gone are these boring days. Today you could find almost anything inside a pastel, from pizza (yellow cheese and tomatoes) and palmetto to dried meat and pumpkin, endives and sweet fillings such as bananas, chocolate, caramel fudge... creativity is the limit. Prices will go from R$ 2,00 to 5,00.

Pastel de Carne

If you want to taste a pastel like paulistanos do it, head to a street market (Feiras Livres). These weekly outdoor markets have a stall selling pastel in almost every end. This is so traditional that the city has been holding an annual contest to choose the best pastel sold in feiras livres. For a pastel to be considered good, its fillings must be plenty and tasteful, and, though they are deep fried, they must be dry, golden, and crunchy! Check this site for a list of the 10 finalists and the locations of the street markets where they operate:

http://vejasp.abril.com.br/noticias/dez-melhores-pasteis-de-feira

To make it a complete experience, order also caldo de cana (a kind of juice obtained from squeezing sugar cane), but beware, it is really SWEET.

Caldo de Cana - add ice and lemon drops

Since Feiras Livres close at around 2pm, you have some other options... some stalls and some specialized snack bars called pastelarias. Here we go with some addresses:

- Pastel Yoka

R. dos Estudantes, 37 (Liberdade subway station)

- Hocca Bar (home of the famous cod-filled pastel)

Mercado Municipal de São Paulo (aka Mercadão)

R. da Cantareira, 306 (São Bento subway station)

- Barraca do Zé - a stall without the street market

Pça. Charles Miller, s/n - in front of the Pacaembu Stadium

(no subway station really close, best bet is Marechal Deodoro subway station, but this implies a good walk. Streets to get there are beautiful and lined with trees, though).

- Pastelaria Brasileira

R. Turiassu, 2113 (in front of the Bourbon Shopping Center)

(Barra Funda subway station - long walk; take any bus that runs along Av. Francisco Matarazzo and get off in front of the Mall, the pastelaria is opposite)

- Pastel Croc 30 - huge 30-cm pastel

R. Sena Madureira, 450 (Vila Mariana or Santa Cruz subway stations)

Street Markets - Feiras Livres

Seemingly incongruent with the life of a hectic large city, whose main characteristics are heavy traffic and serious pollution, feiras livres, traditional street markets selling mainly fruit and vegetables, are still easy to find around São Paulo.

They are usually held once a week on a certain street (you can find a list of all feiras here, listed according to their neighborhood). Regular hours are from 7:30am to 1:30pm.
Also they are one of the few places in São Paulo where you may actually bargain! If you go early in the morning you will basically have to accept prices as they come; as hours go by salespeople start throwing their prices down and will be open to negotiate. For example, if they are selling a bunch of bananas for R$3,00, you could offer to buy two bunches for R$ 5,00, and so on. Fresh fish can also be found at reasonable prices.

The environment is usually quite friendly: salespeople - called feirantes - will offer you to taste their fruit, other people will chat with you, and almost everyone will stop at one of the stalls on the corner (no matter where you go, every corner will always have one stall) to eat a pastel. Most of all, they are typical old times' classics, places where you'll find people from all walks of life going around their regular lives.

A DAY OUT – Parque da Água Branca

Parque da Água Branca is a park in the west zone of São Paulo, easily reachable by subway and buses. It is a small but pretty park, whose area was previously occupied by cattle fairs, the signs of which you might still see in some of its facilities. Except on Sundays, it is so calm that you could sit on its benches for hours on end reading a book or even taking a snap!

The park has a lake with koi, a small area with books and chess pieces available for visitors, nice lanes for strolling amidst its green areas, and a large sandy area where children may play. On Saturday mornings, it holds a renowned fair selling organic fruit and vegetables, as well as other homemade organic products; on Sunday afternoons, it is common to find a large group of elderly people who get together to play the guitar and sing popular Brazilian country songs (a picturesque sight!).

The opposite side of the park is home to a recently opened trail amidst the trees called Trilha do Pau Brasil (Brazil wood trail), in which most trees received labels identifying their names and origin.

If you begin to feel hungry, the park does not offer much besides the coconut water and popular snacks. Although there is a shopping mall nearby where you could resort to some fast food chain, I’ll give you some other options:
The park has a secondary entrance/exit, on R. Germaine Burchard. Right on the corner you'll find a pleasant bar, for a beer in late afternoons or early evenings, called Bar do Parque.

In case you are there around lunchtime, I suggest a nearby street – across Av. Antártica - which is home to several kilo restaurants: R. Barão de Tefé.

I heartily suggest two of them:

- Sucre (R. Barão de Tefé, 137) Apart from the kilo options, the restaurant also offers a la carte items based on fish (specially cod) as the patrons also own a Portuguese restaurant

- Mussy Mussy (R. Barão de Tefé, 79) Nice and varied assortment of dishes, topped up by its magnificent desserts.

As this is an office area, most restaurants around will be crowded from midday to one p.m., so it would be wiser to go a little later.

Parque da Água Branca - Av. Francisco Matarazzo, 455

http://www.parqueaguabranca.sp.gov.br/

By subway:

Barra Funda subway station

When leaving the huge station, follow the signs to Memorial da América Latina. Once out, go “up”, or ask for the park or the avenue, both are widely known.

By bus:

From Av. Paulista:

875P – to Barra Funda subway station

877T – to Av. Francisco Matarazzo (bus stop right in front the entrance of the park)

From the city center, all these buses will leave you on the bus stop in front of the park:

From Parque D. Pedro:

8615 - PQ DA LAPA

From R. Xavier de Toledo (near the Theatro Municipal) :

8000 – TERM. LAPA

8400 – TERM. PIRITUBA

8677 – JD. LIBANO

8622 – MORRO DOCE

8594 – JD. D’ABRIL

8696 – JARAGUA

From Largo do Paissandu:

8686 - V. MANGALOT

A NIGHT OUT - Karaoke

As the idea for this blog is to give out suggestions for off-the-beaten track places, here we go! Your travel guide probably suggests you should visit Liberdade, the Japanese (and now also Korean and Chinese) neighborhood in São Paulo, whose streets are adorned with typical Japanese lights and red posts, plus Japanese and Chinese restaurants, shops, not to mention an arts and crafts market on Sundays (very entertaining, actually).

But let's imagine you want to spend the night out with friends and would like to do something a bit weird, but fun... that's what I did yesterday, I spent the night singing at Samurai Karaoke (R. da Glória, 608 - Liberdade). Samurai holds an oriental restaurant on the ground floor and the karaoke room on the top floor. Entrance is R$ 10,00 for women and R$ 15,00 for men (for the karaoke room only) and you may sing as much as time allows you (hostesses take people from each table in turns, so the emptier the place, the more you sing). They've got lots of songs in Portuguese, English, Japanese, and even a good deal of songs in Italian and Spanish. You may also order food and drinks from the restaurant below. The whole place has an air of decadence, receiving loners, groups of elderly people, Japanese ladies, and even large crowds of young people celebrating birthdays... you feel somehow inside the movie 'Lost in Translation', but if you like to sing and you do have some nice company, you certainly will have a good time! The place is open from 6pm from Monday to Saturday and closes after 3a.m.

Rua da Glória is parallel to R. Galvão Bueno, the main shopping street in Liberdade. Just go one block down... Actually the area has some other karaokes, the most famous of which is Karaoke Choperia Liberdade, on the 523. This is a much larger, crowded and completely kitsch place in which you have to pay R$ 2,00 for each song you sing and sometimes wait for hours to sing one song. But the atmosphere is that of a large party, but if perhaps you don't really have a large group of friends and would like to meet some locals (and maybe singing is not really your goal) this is the place to go!

TRANSPORT - Buses to Congonhas Airport

São Paulo is home to a second airport, called Aeroporto de Congonhas. This airport is the base for domestic flights and some flights for South America, especially Buenos Aires (which is almost home, since it is closer than many other destinations inside Brazil). Unlike Guarulhos, the international airport, this is inside the city (actually so much so that it does not operate during the night, so as to allow its neighbors to sleep a bit… during the day they simply can’t).

So Congonhas is much handier if you are going somewhere inside Brazil. Flights to Rio de Janeiro will leave from here, in the so-called Ponte Aérea (literally ‘air bridge’, meaning a shuttle, as airplanes come back and forth from Rio to São Paulo all day long).

Taking a taxi to Congonhas, which appropriately is located in the neighborhood called Aeroporto, in the south zone of São Paulo, will be much cheaper than a ride to Guarulhos.

Some buses also will lead you there, just remember buses in São Paulo have no room for luggage, so if you are carrying large volumes forget this option.

Bus lines serving the Congonhas Airport:

875A or 875M (destination AEROPORTO) – both go along Av. Gal Olímpio da Silveira and Av. São João (downtown), passing in front of the Marechal Deodoro subway station, then they go up R. da Consolação and all along Av. Paulista, then on to R. Domingos de Moraes and Av. Jabaquara, as far as the Saúde subway station. From this point on their routes diverge a bit within the neighborhood known as Moema, but both will go as far as the Congonhas Airport. If you want some instructions on how to take a bus in São Paulo and   how to pay for it, check my previous posts on the topic.

From the Conceição or Jabaquara subway stations you may take another bus, 5128-10 (also destination AEROPORTO). If you are coming from Guarulhos (Cumbica Airport), instead of taking a taxi, you may take the coach “Airport Bus Service” straight to Congonhas (it stops at the Tietê bus terminal and at the República subway station). See times and other details here.