From May 7th till 15th will take place the fifth Latin American Film Festival in the Louis Hartlooper Complex in Utrecht. The festival, which will present more than 40 feature films and documentaries displaying cultural and cinematographic diversity/aspects of the continent, will be opened with LINHA DE PASSE (2008), directed by Walter Salles, a Brazilian filmmaker and film producer of international prominence. Walter Salles gained international recognition by directing films such as DIÁRIOS DA MOTOCICLETA (The Motorcycle Diaries) and CENTRAL DO BRASIL. Both films will be screened in the festival during a special program on the works of the Brazilian filmmaker.
Latin America Festival
April 19th, 2009Brazil Sensational
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Brazil : Whoever gets to know it becomes a fan.
Enjoy your Brazil Vacations. The Country that gave birth to carnival, the dazzling costumes and glorious beaches of Brazil, will allure you to the rhythm of the Samba. The mix of colors shows Brazil’s great diversity. It has a hospitable spirit unequaled anywhere else in the world. The country of Soccer, good food, exotic beaches, rain forest, waterfalls, and many other topics make Brazil come together and the ideal destination for those who wish to be well received and treated as if at home. This is a place where many people leave their hearts, so look for some of the best Brazil Travel Deals.
Indubitably it is an ideal destination for travelers that look for a very luxury custom program or just a getaway from work and routine life for a great time of relaxation and fun. You will find here the perfect spot at any occasion for amazing Brazil vacations. Many tourists arrive home already dreaming of returning. Rio de Janeiro Brazil is the principal entrance of the Country for tourists. People from all over the world looking for the life style, gorgeous beaches, friendly and smile people, and the unforgettable tours sites to visit like Corcovado mountain, Sugar Loaf and the Botanical Garden in Rio de Janeiro. Brazil travel deals offer a variety of activities for different tastes and budgets and an exciting and worldwide know night life.
Brazil is a unique mix of nationalities, rich cultures, breath-taking mountains and gorgeous landscapes, amazing wild life, and rhythms. Come and get a glimpse of Brazil rich biodiversity. Those who come, fall in love. Your Brazil vacations will provide you with excellent opportunities to see an amazing Country and have exotic experiences.
Large International Hotels and good quality of service, unique way of life. From Amazon to Iguassu Falls you will experience fantastic scenes and a happy people with a laid-back way of living that enchant every visitor. From the big cities to the little ones, you are always going to find many magic spots and a reason to come back to a paradise named Brazil. Do not forget to check if you need visa to travel to Brazil, for more information speak with your travel guide or visit specialized web sites and enjoy the variety of beautiful places that Brazil travel deals offer to you. See You in Brazil and have fun!
Porto de Galinhas, Brazil
March 16th, 2009
For the eighth consecutive year, Porto de Galinhas (State of Pernambuco) has been voted as the best beach destination in Brazil by the readers of revista “Viagem e Turismo” (Travel and Tourism magazine), the most popular tourism publication sold in newstands in Brazil.
The region of Porto de Galinhas has more than 16 km of white sandy beaches with coconut trees, crystal clear warm water (average temp. 28º Celsius) and natural pools. Although only 56 km (40 minutes by car) from Guararapes International Airport in Recife, the town seems to be far from city life. There are 7 linked beaches from Camboa to Maracaípe and its beautiful “Pontal”, taking in Muro Alto, Cupe and Porto de Galinhas beach.
Porto de Galinhas boasts hotels of international acclaim and world standard resorts but also cozy family inns offering accommodations so close to the beach that it is possible to sleep to the sound of waves lapping the shore.
Porto de Galinhas is situated in the municipality of Ipojuca to the South of Recife. Besides the aforementioned beaches, Ipojuca has 3 more beaches to the South of the town – Enseadinha, Serrambi and Cacimbas – about 32 km of coastline, making it the town with the longest stretch of coast in the State of Pernambuco.
The town of Porto de Galinhas is very small; indeed, only a couple of streets with a central square, called “Pracinha”. The village concentrates gourmet restaurants, souvenir shops and the residences of the local dwellers; most hotels occupy spaces along the beach, both North of Porto (towards Muro Alto) and South of Porto (towards Maracaípe). Also, it is from the village that visitors depart to boat and buggy trips to other beaches in the region.
Besides beaches, Ipojuca has numerous sugar cane mills that have produced and exported sugar to Europe for hundreds of years. These mills can now be visited by anyone interested in this period of Brazil’s history by joining a guided tour taking in the following sites:
• Engenho Gaipó, which today is a tourist attraction due to its colonial mansion;
• Engenho Massangana, where the abolitionist Joaquim Nabuco lived during his
childhood, located between Cabo de Santo Agostinho and Ipojuca;
• Engenho Curuassu, which has a beautiful waterfall;
• Engenho Canoas, which still produces molasses and rapadura (hard chunks of raw
brown sugar candy) and where the feast of St. Anthony is celebrated on June 13th;
• Engenho Trapiche, birthplace of the famous Count of Boa Vista, whose name was
given to the main avenue in the centre of Recife, capital of Pernambuco, and
• Engenho Tabatinga, whose patron saint is Santa Luzia, where a battle between the
locals and the Dutch took place.
The origin of the name is well known. Porto de Galinhas means in Portuguese “Port of Chickens”. In the second half of the 19th century, the Brazilian Imperial government imposed restrictions to the commerce of slaves, which were widely used as manpower in the sugarcane farms. To circumvent the prohibition, the “black ships” (which transported slaves from Africa to Brazil) looked for other places to moor, further away from the usual Recife harbour. One such place was in the bays around Suape and Ipojuca. When a ship arrived in Porto de Galinhas, as it was prohibited to mention slavery, the word spread as “there are new chickens in the port”; hence, the place gained its name.
Porto de Galinhas, Brazil
March 16th, 2009
For the eighth consecutive year, Porto de Galinhas (State of Pernambuco) has been voted as the best beach destination in Brazil by the readers of revista “Viagem e Turismo” (Travel and Tourism magazine), the most popular tourism publication sold in newstands in Brazil.
The region of Porto de Galinhas has more than 16 km of white sandy beaches with coconut trees, crystal clear warm water (average temp. 28º Celsius) and natural pools. Although only 56 km (40 minutes by car) from Guararapes International Airport in Recife, the town seems to be far from city life. There are 7 linked beaches from Camboa to Maracaípe and its beautiful “Pontal”, taking in Muro Alto, Cupe and Porto de Galinhas beach.
Porto de Galinhas boasts hotels of international acclaim and world standard resorts but also cozy family inns offering accommodations so close to the beach that it is possible to sleep to the sound of waves lapping the shore.
Porto de Galinhas is situated in the municipality of Ipojuca to the South of Recife. Besides the aforementioned beaches, Ipojuca has 3 more beaches to the South of the town – Enseadinha, Serrambi and Cacimbas – about 32 km of coastline, making it the town with the longest stretch of coast in the State of Pernambuco.
The town of Porto de Galinhas is very small; indeed, only a couple of streets with a central square, called “Pracinha”. The village concentrates gourmet restaurants, souvenir shops and the residences of the local dwellers; most hotels occupy spaces along the beach, both North of Porto (towards Muro Alto) and South of Porto (towards Maracaípe). Also, it is from the village that visitors depart to boat and buggy trips to other beaches in the region.
Besides beaches, Ipojuca has numerous sugar cane mills that have produced and exported sugar to Europe for hundreds of years. These mills can now be visited by anyone interested in this period of Brazil’s history by joining a guided tour taking in the following sites:
• Engenho Gaipó, which today is a tourist attraction due to its colonial mansion;
• Engenho Massangana, where the abolitionist Joaquim Nabuco lived during his
childhood, located between Cabo de Santo Agostinho and Ipojuca;
• Engenho Curuassu, which has a beautiful waterfall;
• Engenho Canoas, which still produces molasses and rapadura (hard chunks of raw
brown sugar candy) and where the feast of St. Anthony is celebrated on June 13th;
• Engenho Trapiche, birthplace of the famous Count of Boa Vista, whose name was
given to the main avenue in the centre of Recife, capital of Pernambuco, and
• Engenho Tabatinga, whose patron saint is Santa Luzia, where a battle between the
locals and the Dutch took place.
The origin of the name is well known. Porto de Galinhas means in Portuguese “Port of Chickens”. In the second half of the 19th century, the Brazilian Imperial government imposed restrictions to the commerce of slaves, which were widely used as manpower in the sugarcane farms. To circumvent the prohibition, the “black ships” (which transported slaves from Africa to Brazil) looked for other places to moor, further away from the usual Recife harbour. One such place was in the bays around Suape and Ipojuca. When a ship arrived in Porto de Galinhas, as it was prohibited to mention slavery, the word spread as “there are new chickens in the port”; hence, the place gained its name.
GOL WANTS TO FLY TO USA VIA CURAÇAO
March 16th, 2009Reportedly, GOL LINHAS AÉREAS INTELIGENTES, the second largest airline in Brazil, is negotiating, in cooperation with Air France-KLM, the possibility to use Curaçao (Netherlands Antilles) as a hub between South and North America. Gol also would have plans to establish an operational base in the island and most likely to station one of its Boeing 737-800 there.
The interest around Hato Airport rises because one of the new shareholders of GOL - a Brazilian investor - holds also 80% of Curaçao Airport Partners.
Curaçao International Airport (HATO) has had, since 2003, a 30-year concession to develop, operate and maintain the airport. The airport currently serves 1 million passengers per year and has the longest runway in the Caribbean region.
GOL offers daily flights to more destinations in Brazil than any other national airline. With the GOL and VARIG brands, the company flies to 59 destinations, connecting all of Brazil’s major cities and ten Latin American destinations, in Argentina (Buenos Aires, Cordoba and Rosario), Bolivia (Santa Cruz de la Sierra), Venezuela (Caracas), Chile (Santiago), Colombia (Bogota), Paraguay (Asuncion), Peru (Lima) and Uruguay (Montevideo).
Sexiest Beach in the World!
March 16th, 2009Best Beaches
Ipanema Beach, Rio, Brazil
Ipanema Beach, Rio, Brazil
By Christina Breda
Overview
Trendsetting Ipanema, the place made famous by the ’60s song to bear its name, has a long tradition of dictating beach chic to the rest of the world. The beach was, after all, a launching pad for the skimpy tanga bikini, the once-popular crocheted G-string for men, and the unforgettable (if only we could forget) dental-floss bikini.
As expected, the two kilometers of white sand - and the bodies strewn along them - are the star attractions here. Yet the name Ipanema also refers to the surrounding neighborhood - a compact, easily navigated mixture of upscale shops, frenetic nighttime hot spots and hip restaurants. First-time visitors will want to stroll down Rua Vinícius de Morais - a strip lined with bars, shops and restaurants, including the famous Garota de Ipanema Bar (originally called the Velloso Bar). It was here that Tom Jobim and Vinícius de Morais penned the lyrics to “The Girl from Ipanema.” On Sundays the Hippie Fair offers wares from area craftsmen and artists. And at night, the young and young-at-heart head to Rio’s Baixo Farme and Baixo Quitéria, southside streets jammed with bars and Cafés.
Getting There
Nearest domestic airport: The International Antonio Carlos Jobim Airport is about 19 miles (30 kilometers) from Ipanema, about a 30-minute drive.
Nearest major international airport: Santos Dumont Domestic Airport, located in the heart of the city, is about 10 minutes by car from Ipanema.
Airport transportation
Taxi fare from Santos Dumont Domestic is approximately R$15 (the local monetary unit is the Brazilian Real), R$30 for a yellow taxi, and R$40 for a special taxi from International Antonio Carlos Jobim. An executive airport bus links the International Airport with the Santos Dumont Airport, or visitors can take a similar bus that serves the main oceanfront hotels in Ipanema.
Timing
Rio de Janeiro’s climate is tropical. The summer season (December to March) is the warmest, with temperatures ranging from 77 to 95 F (25 to 35 C) and higher. In the winter (June through August), temperatures range from 55 to 64 F (13 to 18 C). New Year’s Eve and Carnival (held four days before Ash Wednesday, usually mid- to late-February) are the two busiest times, so book well in advance.
Lodging
Rio has more than 250 hotels and motels, including 13 five-star, 41 four-star and 60 three-star hotels. Generally, prices range from R$122 to R$816, although at peak times any rates are fair game. The areas best known for budget accommodations are Glória, Catete and Flamengo. The Rio Visitors and Convention Bureau has a limited list of hotels. For more accommodations, try Ipanema or Destination Rio.
Cuisine
The city offers a wide selection of cuisine, but it would be a shame to miss out on Rio’s distinct regional cooking and signature dishes. One especially worth trying is Feijoada, a spicy bean-and-pork stew usually served with sides including sliced oranges, stir-fried eggs and manioc flour, thinly sliced kale and white rice. On the sidewalks near the beach, kiosks offer coconut water, corn on the cob, grilled shrimp, baked cheese rolls and other snacks. To wash it down, try “caipirinha” - a traditional cocktail made with Brazilian sugarcane rum, lemon and sugar.
Travel Tips
Unlike the rest of South America, Brazil’s language is Portuguese. However, most people in highly trafficked tourist areas understand English. In addition, Rio has established a Tourist Police branch where officers usually speak English and are trained to provide help to visitors.
While you are there
Take the cable car 887 feet up Péo de Açúcar, Sugar Loaf, for a spectacular panoramic view of the city.
To fake that you’ve been there
Talk about hanging out at lifeguard post No. 9 with the neo-hippies.
Linking for a better vacation
The Rio Visitors and Convention Bureau has general and practical information about visiting the city. For hordes of information in a fun and relaxed package, try Ipanema. Promotional site Destination Rio also has trip-planning basics.
www.seeyouinbrazil.com
Neeleman: “our oponents are mad at Azul
March 1st, 2009In a speech given today in São Paulo, the founder of the brand new brazilian airline company, Azul Linhas Aéreas, David Neeleman, said “the competitors are mad at Azul because of our prices, but we have a really large market”. The theme of the event was Azul’s view over the brazilian commercial aviation market. Neeleman talked about the necessity of creating a demand, attracting passengers that normally don’t use airline transportation. “There are a lot of people in Brazil, and those who travel by plane for the first time, always travel again.”
To Neeleman, the best way to attract these travelers is to lower the fees. “When we started working, the prices were really high. The lowest one was R$ 350 and that’s very expensive”, said the manager. “The buses fees were also very expensive. So, we decided to work with cheaper fees.”
He also criticized the few option flights in Brazil. “If a person has to go from south to north Brazil, has to make a connection. From Porto Alegre (RS) to Belo Horizonte (MG), coming and going in the same day is really hard. That needs to be arranged”, said Azul’s creator. “If traveling is hard, people don’t travel.”
David Neeleman closed his speech talinkg about the financial crises. “We lower our fees so that more people travel. In times of crises, very few people fly. The good thing is that the fuel prices are significantly lower, which helps us to continue to fight to get rid of the crises.”
Romantic and Luxurious Getaway in Porto De Galinhas
February 17th, 2009Porto de Galinhas, that means “Port of Chickens” in Portuguese, is situated about 60 km south from Recife, in the municipality of Ipojuca. The name has its origin in the late 19th century, when the “black ships” (which transported slaves from Africa to Brazil), due to restrictions imposed by the government to the slavery, looked for other places to harbor. When a “black ship” arrived in town, because of the restrictions to the commerce of slaves, the words were “there are new chickens at the port”, so the name, Porto de Galinhas, today a well known fishing village awarded several times as the best beach in Brazil.
In the same area of paradisiacal landscapes and clear water, there is Muro Alto beach, that hosts an exclusive beach resort, perfect for a romantic and luxurious getaway. Nannai Beach Resort is an exclusive resort set around 6000m² of crystal-clear pools and lagoons, situated on Pernambuco’s southern coast about 50km from Recife. The name Muro Alto beach is derived from the coconut palm-lined sandy cliffs found in the area. In a well know beauty spot that captivates tourists, the beach is formed by reefs that creat a 2km long tidal pool; guests can admire this outstanding natural beauty whilst enjoying breakfast at the beachside restaurant.
Guests can also enjoy natural swimming pools with natural clear waters, with a wide variety of tropical fish, at Porto de Galinhas, only ten minutes by buggy from the hotel. It is precisely in Porto de Galinhas where you can sail in a traditional “jangada” (sailing raft), which takes you into close contact with nature in the perfectly conserved mangroves. The village has charming bars and restaurants serving high quality regional cuisine within a very popular shopping area that offers a wide variety of goods and services.
Nannai concept is based on the preservation of the environmental, climatic and cultural values of the region utilizing the rationale of different ambiences within distinctive comfortable premises which blend in with the natural surroundings. Within this unique concept, the resort seeks to offer a new option to those looking for privacy, peace and tranquility, and a little escape from the daily grind. Amongst the accommodation options there are apartments or bungalows with private swimming pools.
The resort boasts a spacious and well ventilated restaurant, a sheltered balcony with an incredible sea view, offering guests the best in regional cuisine together with elements of international cuisine and an especially selected wine list, encompassing various different regions to satisfy the most demanding of palates.
The resort offers an extensive range of pools, with over 6000m² of refreshing crystalline waters of varying depth that cover much of the leisure area. The main pool boasts swimming lanes, exclusive jacuzzi areas, water volleyball, a beach with a sea view, a children’s area and a wet bar.
Nannai Beach Resort, located at this paradisiacal place in the Northeast of Brazil, is the perfect destination for a romantic and luxurious vacation.
Resource Box 1: Brazil offers many kinds of travel packages, check it out at Brazil travel deals Also you can visit Nannai.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Luiz_Silva
Peru Travel
February 17th, 2009After months of planning and over a year of dreaming about it, I finally got on a bus from Arequipa to go to Cusco to hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu. My friend Milana from Los Angeles, who I used to hike and mtn. bike with, and Karen, her longtime friend, were meeting me in Cusco. We were supposed to be there a couple of days early so they could acclimatize but Milana’s flight from Lima was cancelled so she arrived about noon the day before our tour started. I had already met Karen the day before and we had gotten to know each other a bit as we did some sightseeing and hiking together near Cusco.
When Milana arrived, we went to eat at a restaurant just off the plaza and she had ceviche to eat, it is raw fish marinated in lime juice. Either the ceviche or the lack of time to acclimatize to the 11,000 foot altitude in Cusco, or both, got her off to a bad start. She woke up sick the next morning for the start of our four day trek. We had signed up for a group tour, expecting up to 12 people, so we were delighted when the mini bus picked us up in that morning to find only two other people on the tour! An almost private tour for the group price. It didn’t seem like such a small group by the time we added a cook and eight porters to our guide, Carlos, making a total of 15 people. However most of the time we were trekking it was just the six of us, the porters were either packing up camp behind us or rushing on ahead to get ready for us. The service was great but personally the morning tea in our tents when they woke us, the dining tent for all three meals (although it felt really good at dinner time due to the cold) and the fancy menu, etc. was something I would have given up for a cheaper price. They definitely don’t subscribe to the ultra light hiking idea with a cast iron stove and 20 lb. LP gas tank!
One of the things that surprised me on the first day was to see people actually living along the trail, and riding bicycles back and forth. On the second morning there were women and children with burros going up the trail to set up stands to serve breakfast, sell candy, snacks, bottled water and even Gatorade! By the afternoon, that was all behind us as we headed up to Dead Woman’s Pass at 13,770 feet, the highest point on the trail. The scenery had changed from lush rain forest in the morning to sparse vegetation and rocks by the pass, along with being much cooler. When we stopped early in the afternoon at our campsite for the evening, I couldn’t just sit and wait for dinner, I went on ahead to the next pass, exploring side trails along the way. Solid clouds beyond the summit ruined my hopes for a spectacular sunset but it was an enjoyable time anyway.
On day three we got into the high jungle, thousands of more steps, and actually into some of the ancient ruins. Also a seemingly endless variety of orchids and other flowers. One thing we didn’t see was any wild animals, just a few birds. It also seemed like the farther we went, the more tourists there were. The first day we hardly saw anyone else, so I’m not sure where they all came from. By that evening we were back in civilization, with the option of a restaurant, hot shower and cold beer, which many were enjoying.
The final morning we were up early to be the first ones on the trail, hoping to get pictures of Machu Picchu before there were any people there. They actually opened the checkpoint a few minutes early and we were started off in the dark, on the last couple of hours of the trail, arriving at Machu Picchu just after sunrise. For me, one of the highlights of the trip was hiking up Huayna Picchu, the high peak behind the ruins in all the standard Machu Picchu pictures. There was a wonderful trail, steep and rugged, up to the peak, where the views were fabulous! I saw a less used trail going down the backside and followed that a ways but finally had to turn around to meet the others and catch the bus into Aquas Calientes. Only when I got back to the checkpoint at the start of the trail did I find out that it was a loop trail and I could have continued on around the mountain. There was no time to soak in the hot springs, as we got to Aquas Calientes a bit late and then found out that we had to leave early to walk to the train that would take us back to Cusco, because of the landslide that had covered the tracks on the edge of town. A final surprise was that evening when the train stopped a couple of hours before Cusco and the conductor said that was the end of the ride. We never did find out why but ended up having to take a taxi the rest of the way to Cusco, fortunately arriving with no problems.
The trip was great, Machu Picchu was unbelievable and something that pictures can’t do justice to. Never the less, I did take about 400 photos, trying to capture the grander to relive later. I am looking forward to returning to the area to hike from Cusco to Choquequirao, sometimes called the sister city to Machu Picchu, and then on to Machu Picchu. This hike is much less common and allows for exploring on your own.
Vic Hanson is the founder of Adventure Cotahuasi Tours, which offers pre-planned and custom adventure travel tours in Cotahuasi Canyon and other areas of Peru.
http://www.adventurecotahuasi.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vic_Hanson
Iguassu Falls tours Argentina and Brazil
February 17th, 2009A three day highlight program on both the Argentinean and Brazilian side of the falls Iguaçu.
Just the name conjures up romantic images of vast amounts of water - cascading through virgin rainforest. This waterfall is one of the greatest on the planet, dwarfing Niagara falls it is possibly only rivalled by Victoria falls in Zimbabwe. We take you up close and personal in a never to be forgotten tour.
Our trips source as much as possible from the local community. Whether it be our knowledgeable local guides, local produce for meals to transport on tour. We do not use imported goods when local produce is available. We aim to minimise our impact on the environment and give as much back as possible to the communities we work in. All operations for this tour are done by locally owned companies, a fact we pride ourselves on. We aim to use where possible, hotels which have minimum impact on the surrounding forests. Hotels we hand pick due to their commitment to the future of the planet.
Our guides are all highly qualified (most with university degrees) or many years of experience and are paid above the standard wage. We source them due to their unique contact with the local community in the Iguacu, and their knowledge on the sites, fauna and flora you will pass on route. As well as giving you a fascinating insight into the history of this important region of Argentina.
In our pre departure information pack, and through the orientation on the ground we help you to minimise your carbon footprint on your tour, and help protect the fragile ecosystem of the Iguacu jungle. This information includes simple advice on the disposal of waste whilst with us, and also how we offset the carbon emissions through our carbon offsetting program. All entry fees paid for the entrance into the Iguacu national park contribute to its upkeep and help preserve it for the future.
By booking your tour with us, you will be making a real impact on the community you are visiting. We can also assist you if you wish to visit community projects allowing you to get a lot more out of your trip to Argentina. From a city orphanage run by a UK charity to an environmental project which involves local children and their communities from a high profile local NGO, ask us to see how you can give back. Most importantly a percentage from your booking (10%) will go back to our charities and assist us support the next generation and the environment they live in.
We really work hard to keep all our operations green! All our worldwide offices currently run on 90% green energy (we are working towards 100%) from hydro electric, wind to solar power. Being web based, we are close to becoming a paperless environment, brochure prints are at a minimum (and printed on a requirement basis) and all pre departure information is emailed. We use energy saving bulbs in our work centres, and recycle all our waste. We currently work with 3 different charities, giving us a broad spectrum and diversifying where our funds go. We work with Project Peru in the UK who run an orphanage in Zapallal in the shanty town outskirts of Lima, ANIA in Peru which is a high profile Peruvian NGO which works with children and helps to teach them about their local environment and how to manage it affectively, and GVI Foundation in Australia which works on several development projects in Latin America and around the world. We help these charities by fundraising treks, through donations as a company and through our clients and also through many of our customers who volunteer their time and expertise. These charities are close to our core of supporting the environment and children in need.