Getting into Brazil and Exploring Rio de Janeiro

Welcome back!  And apologies for the long break, from now on I'll be running a tighter ship with this blog.

So, for this article, I will be walking you through three different types of visas for getting into Brazil; Vitem V (Business Visa), Student visa, and a tourist visa.  I can confirm that as of writing that the process for the Vitem V is still valid.  As for the student and tourist visas, I have done my best to confirm the information, but be sure to check your local consulate for any possible changes.  After that. I will also discuss a short trip to Rio that I took a few weeks ago.

So, without further ado, let's get into it.  I will provide useful links at the end of each consulate I discuss.

Side note:  Brazil employs something called a "reciprocity system” this means that whatever the United States government requires for Brazilian citizens to enter the U.S, that is what they require of us to go there.

VITEM V (Work Visas)

WASHINGTON D.C

Chances are, many of you won't need to get this type of visa, but since it is the one I am using to be in Brazil, it is the process I am the most familiar with.  When you are talking about applying for a visa in Brazil, the first step is to figure out which consulate that you need to visit.  Each consulate has its own jurisdiction and rules/processes that you need to follow.  For me, since I still maintain Virginia residency, that means I had to use the Washington, D.C consulate general.

Since this visa was for my work with GKN, they helped a lot with the process.  They put me in contact with a lawyer here in Porto Alegre.  After sending the lawyer some basic information, including an up to date copy of my resume, I had to wait for my name to be published in something called the "Diário Oficial da União".  This is a document published by the government that basically gives you permission to apply for a visa.  

Once you have that confirmation, the next step is to fill out the actual application.  The application itself is fairly straight forward, the main thing they want is more basic information along with information about your arrival date and departure date.  Once you fill out the application, you need to print the receipt and attach a 2X2 passport style photo to the receipt.

When the application is done, the next step (or you can do this before, it comes down to your preference) is to complete the background check.  For D. C’s process, they only accept FBI background checks.  This is the only consulate to require this.  Now there are two ways to go about doing this step.  You can go through the FBI themselves, which can take anywhere from 12-15 weeks according to the FBI website.  If you're like e and don't have that much time, then you can go through what is called a "channeler".  These are people who are authorized to collect finger prints for the FBI and distribute the background check electronically.  The FBI has a list of sanctioned companies, and the process is simple.  I made an appointment with a local channeler in North Carolina when I was working there, and maybe five minutes after leaving the office, I had the background check.  The cost for using a channeler is usually 50 USD.

This next step can be skipped if you opted to go through the FBI directly.  Once you have an electronic copy of your FBI background check, you need to get something called an apostille.  This is a document that essentially certifies that your background check is official.  This cost around 190 USD and took five business days to receive.  

The final step before you can go to the consulate is to get another 2X2 passport photo, a USPS money order for the consulate fees (290 USD) addressed to the consulate general and the last thing you need is a self-addressed envelope so that the consulate can mail your passport back to you.

To review, these are the things you will need to have in hand when you go to the consulate:

- Original Passport

- Visa Application Receipt

- 2X2 Passport Photo

- FBI Background Check

- Apostille for the Background Check

- USPS Money Order for 290 USD

- Self Addressed Envelope

- Page from the Diario with Your Name Published in It (You may not need this, but better safe than       sorry)

The final step in the process that you need to do is go in person to the consulate general.  The consulate general only accepts walk-ins, with time slots for visas starting at 9 AM and continuing until 1 PM (the last ticket will be issued at noon however).  I went on a Thursday right when they opened and had no problems getting through.  I was done in about 30 minutes.  The consulate should give a receipt confirming they accepted your documents and the date you can expect to receive your passport back.  For Washington, D.C it will take around five business days, and you have to have it mailed back (thus why you need the envelope).

Useful Links for Washington, D.C:

- VITEM V Requirements: http://cgwashington.itamaraty.gov.br/en-us/vitem_v_(work_visa).xml#WHAT ARE THE WORK VISA REQUIREMENTS?

- VITEM V Fees: http://cgwashington.itamaraty.gov.br/en-us/visa_fees.xml

- FBI Website: https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks

- FBI Channelers: https://www.fbi.gov/services/cjis/identity-history-summary-checks/list-of-fbi-approved-channelers-for-departmental-order-submissions

-Apostille Service: http://www.internationalapostille.com

VITEM V: Chicago

I reached out to my coworker Kevin to find out about the way that the Chicago consulate handles the process.  I sent him a list of questions and here are his responses:

Question 1.     Which consulate did you use?

Answer:         -Chicago

Question 2.     What steps did you have to follow to complete the visa process?

Answer:              - Valid passport

                                    - Visa request form/print & signed delivery receipt

                              - You have to electronically submit everything and mail it

                                 - Request ‘Work Visa- Vitem V- RN87/10’

                        - Visa photo

                        - Money Order

                                    - $290 to ‘Consulate General of Brazil in Chicago’

                                    - Please verify the amount, it may have changed or been updated

                        - Background check from county sheriff/jail

                                    - Takes 10 minutes of hard time in the jail, $5

                        -  Invitation letter

                                    - This letter doubled as my invitation letter and replacement for round trip ticket

                                    - You are supposed to prove that you will leave Brazil with a round trip ticket but the                                                 invitation letter should suffice. 

                         -  Proof of residency in the consulate’s ‘coverage area’

                                   - Any of the following copies will suffice

                                        -  Driver’s license

                                        -  Utility bill

                                        -  Housing contract

                                        -  A photo of you eating Chicago deep dish pizza

                          -  Cover letter

                                   -   I just wrote a short letter explaining what was enclosed, that the invitation letter has a                                           dual purpose, and that my housing contract was my ‘proof of Michigan residency’.

                           -  I also included a copy of the Diario Oficial da União and highlighted my name

                                   - I don’t believe this step is necessary. They should be able to find your name in the                                Diario when it is posted.

Question 3.     If you needed to get in touch with the consulate, how easy/difficult was it

Answer:        - They only respond by email. It took them one day to respond. I asked about the housing                                        contract residency quandary.

                                    - Were they able to communicate effectively in English?

                                        - Their English was okay.

Question 5.     Overall, how long did the process take

Answer:             -   5 weeks

                                  - 2 weeks to wait for the Diario Posting

                                  - 3 weeks from when I mailed my passport to when I received back in the mail

                                          -  I used overnight express mail

                                          -  You have to send using USPS, they do not accept FedEx

                                  - If you drive back and forth from the consulate (Chicago), it will take 2 weeks instead of 3

Question 6.     How much did it cost?

Answer:          -  Money order costs above

                          -  Background check $5

Useful Links:

- Chicago Consulate Website: http://chicago.itamaraty.gov.br/

VITEM IV (Student Visa)

For this type of visa, I reached out to my friend Jim, who spent some time as a student in Sao Paulo.  I asked him the following questions and here are his answers:

1. Where did you apply?

- New York City

2. How much did it cost?

- It cost I think $100 for the visa

3. How long did it take?

- It only took a couple weeks. I fortunately was able to apply through my mother going to the consulate for me because I was studying at university

4. Walk me through the steps of applying and getting the visa in hand (as best as you can remember)

  - I had to fill out a form, have a specific picture size, my US passport.

Since it has been a few years since Jim applied for this, I went to the consulate website for NYC and found a list of their current requirements. There are a few things that you need other than what Jim listed, so be sure to check this link IF you are using NYC: http://novayork.itamaraty.gov.br/en-us/temporary_-_students_(vitem_iv).xml

Visitor Visa (Tourist)

I reached out to my friend Duncan to provide some information regarding the process for getting a tourist visa to Brazil.  I asked him the same questions I asked Jim:

1. Where did you apply/When did you apply?

    - Brazilian Consulate in New York City, May 2016

2. How much did it cost?

- $190

3. How long did it take?

- Five hours

4. What documents did you need?

- Passport, Proof of Residency (Driver’s license), Proof of Travel arrangements, 2X2 photo of yourself

5. Walk me through the steps of applying and getting the visa in hand (as best as you can remember) - I physically went to the Consulate in New York City and got the visa through one of their clerks

For more information about tourist visas from the NYC consulate, use this link: http://novayork.itamaraty.gov.br/en-us/visitor_visa_(vivis).xml

Now that we have that out of the way, it's time to talk about one of the crown jewels of Brazil, Rio de Janeiro.  Fun fact, the local people are referred to as "Cariocas".

Rio de Janeiro: History

The city started out as a small Portuguese settlement around 1568 following conflicts with the French colonists who were occupying nearby areas along the coast.  By 1763, Rio had usurped Bahia as the colonial capital in Brazil, though the population was just a meager 25,000.

Rio enjoyed some importance and affluence in the mid-18th century, but it wasn't until 1808 when the Portuguese royal family moved to the city that it became truly prominent in Brazil.  Because of the royal family's arrival, this led to a huge amount of investment in Rio.  The city was restructured, public infrastructure was improved and once the Republic of Brazil was declared in the 1880's, Rio became the capital of the country.  

The 20th century was a period of massive growth in the city.  Due to the huge influx of people, large residential towers were built around the city.  In 1960, the capital moved from Rio to Brasilia, although by this point Rio was already one of the two most important cities in Brazil (the other being Sao Paulo).

Today Rio is a city of contrasts.  It is a city where you can see the opulence of the modern elite that call the city home, and the poverty of the people living in the favelas.  Where you can find old, colonial buildings dotting the hills alongside new hotels and neighborhoods.  This leads to the city having a diverse range of offerings for tourists.  However, the main sites to find tourists are along the Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon beaches, Christ the Redeemer and the iconic Sugar Loaf Mountain.

Rio de Janeiro:

Since this was a shorter trip compared to others I have taken, there won't be as much to cover.

From Porto Alegre it is very easy to get to Rio.  You can find direct flights to the Santos Dumont or Gelao airports.  You'll also find a wide range of companies flying between the two cities, so tickets can be very affordable.

After landing in Rio, I took a taxi to my hostel in Leblon, which is a newer residential area next to Ipanema.  Leblon is one of the safest parts of the city to stay in, but when in Rio, you should still follow similar precautions that I said for Porto Alegre and Peru.

During the first day of the trip, I mostly spent time at the beach relaxing.  I also got to try a Brazilian dish called tapioca.  While the name is similar to the pudding that we have in the US, it’s more like a weird Brazilian taco/crepe hybrid.  These usually come filled with either sweet or savory ingredients and they tend to be fairly affordable.

The second day, I participated in a city tour to go and experience the highlights of the city.  The tour started by heading to the Christ the Redeemer statue.  This is the iconic statue that you will find used in almost any photo of Rio.  The statue itself was erected in 1931 and inspired the construction of a similar monument called Cristo Rei in Lisbon, Portugal.  After taking in the panoramas of the Redeemer, the tour took us for a drive through the Santa Teresa and Central districts of the city.

Santa Teresa is where most of the more historic/colonial buildings will be found.  Whereas the central district is where you will find most of the historic buildings from the imperial period of Brazil.  Other than the building themselves, you can find a staircase called Escadaria Selarón.  This is a project taken on by an eccentric artist to cover the entire alleyway in tiles from around the world.  Santa Teresa and the Central districts are typically safe during the daytime, but at night follow those same safety rules I've mentioned.

After visiting the stairs, the tour then moved onto the final stop, Sugar Loaf Mountain.  The mountain is named because of the shape of the mountains resembled a type of bread that the colonists used to make.  To get up to the mountain top, you have to take 2 trams and once you get up there, you get an amazing view of the city.

The final day of the trip was spent flying back to Porto Alegre, and that was the end of the trip.

Rio de Janeiro: Costs

-Flight: 250 USD

-Hostel: 70 USD

-Food:   75 USD

-Transportation: 50 USD

-Spending Money: 0 USD

Total Spent: about 450 USD

That covers everything for this post.  Thank you for reading and following along with the blog.  The next post, which will come out later this week will cover my trip in Santiago, Chile and Buenos Aires, Argentina.  

Be sure to follow along with my friend's blog as she explores Mexico! https://sierrammoon.wordpress.com

Obrigado!

Viva Peru!

Panting, sweating, cursing and pain.  Each time I look up, I think to myself "what on earth did I get myself into?"

While this could be the opening to my Fifty Shades of Gray parody, that I call Fifty Shades of May, it was actually how I felt as I spent a week in Peru.

Before some of my friends say anything, that is not a pun, I will deny that until my last breath.

Now to get serious.  I was able to spend about a week in Peru and had the chance to explore several areas; Cusco, the Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu and Lima.  Most of this blog will be centered on Brazil, but when I travel, I will be doing posts like these to explain the countries and process of traveling there (but with less jokes like what I opened with, I promise.)

To get started, let's take a look at the history of Peru, and more specifically the history surrounding Cusco.

History of Peru: Quick Look

The history of Peru can be tricky to deal with because there is little known from before the Spanish arrived.  The reason for this is because many of the tribes, the Inca included, never developed formal systems of writing.  This means that the Spanish were the ones collecting and publishing any information they discovered, and chances are there were misinterpretations or purposeful changes.

Before the arrival of the Spanish, the area that would become Peru was dominated by nomadic tribes of people.  There is evidence of people living in Peru dating back 11,000 years.  In fact, Peru (and the Andes more specifically), is considered a cradle of civilization; joining areas like Egypt, China and India.  There were a huge number of different tribes that popped up all over Peru and for the most part spent most of their time fighting each other until one tribe came along and established a mighty empire, the Inca.

I will discuss the Inca more in the section about Cusco.

The Inca Empire was short lived (maybe 300 years) due to the arrival of Spanish conquistadors.  After conquering the natives, the Spanish moved the capital from the Andean city of Cusco to the coastal city of Lima (which is the current capital of Peru).  The early period of colonial Peru was dominated by infighting by the main two conquistadors; Francisco Pizzaro and Diego de Almargo.  de Almargo eventually won and Peru was established as the Viceroyalty of Peru.

This colonial country was divided into many provinces, with the Spanish maintaining control over most of the country from Lima.  However, they weren't able to exert total control over their territory and relied on some of the natives to administer those provinces.

However,  Spain couldn't maintain their grip on Latin America. Following the rise of Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin, Peru formally declared independence on July 28, 1821.

The early years of the Republic of Peru were marred with a number of wars with their neighbors, which saw Peru lose a decent amount of its southern territory to Chile.  Peru then alternated between republic and dictatorship until the overthrow of Juan Velasco Alvarado. After this, Peru suffered through a lot of the same problems that other countries like Colombia had; drugs, gangs, guerilla fighters and poverty.

Today, Peru is a hotbed of tourism in Latin America and boasts a rich history and what could be considered one of the most unique food cultures in the world.

Peruvian History: Cusco and the Inca

Cusco itself was once the capital of the Incan Empire and was considered by the Inca as "The Navel of the World".  The Inca believed that the city was where their gods had come to earth and established one of the first cities in existence.

One main point to understand about their Inca is their religion.  The Incan pantheon was lead by Inti, who was the sun god.  Viracocha, another important god, acted as creator of the world.  The Inca also believed that there were three distinct realms that made up reality:  hanan pacha (the stars and heavens), kay pacha (where humans live) and ukhu pacha (realm where Pachamama lived).  Pachamama was known as the earth mother and one of the most important goddesses in the pantheon due to her status as goddess of the harvest and agriculture.  The Inca also believed in an afterlife and practiced mummification.  While commoners were buried, the Inca would use the mummies of their shamans and past leaders as oracles.  They would design large window like structures in their buildings to house these oracles.  If you want to see some authentic mummies, the Inca Museum in Cusco has several on display.

The Inca first came to the region around the 12th century and established themselves as a militaristic and agricultural society.  Their sphere of control started out small, but due to either conquering the neighboring tribes or using the lure of a stable food supply, the Inca were able to consolidate their rivals and neighbors into one of the biggest empires in history.  At its height the empire stretched from parts of Ecuador in the north, all the way down the Chilean coastline and included parts of Bolivia.  Because of the sheer number of tribes they integrated, the Inca only made up a small portion of the empire.

In order for new tribes to be integrated into the empire, they would have to share some knowledge with the Inca.  One clear example is with the way that the Inca designed their buildings.  While they were known for their military and ability to develop new crops, there is little evidence to suggest that they were competent builders.  This means that the cities and ruins that dot Cusco and the Scared Valley region were mostly made by other tribes after being conquered.

There was a certain degree of infighting between the tribes of the empire, but the ultimate doom of the empire was a civil war that coincided with the arrival of the Spanish.  This civil war left the Incans fractured, and Francisco Pizzaro used this, along with the technological advantages and the lack of Incan immunity to European diseases to quickly defeat them and take over the area.

While there are people of Incan heritage within Peru, there is little to no knowledge of what happened to the Incans who were able to escape the Spanish (or if there were any that did escape).  Since the dense Amazon jungle has yet to be fully explored and mapped, there is a belief that there may be an uncontacted tribe hiding in the Amazon.

Today, Cusco and much of the Andean region has maintained a strong grip on its heritage and because of this, it makes the area one of the busiest tourist spots in Latin America, with the crown jewel being the Incan citadel, Machu Picchu.

Travelling to Peru: General Information

Currency: The currency of Peru is called the Nuevo Sol, and 1 USD is around 3.2 Soles.

Safety: During my time in Cusco and Lima, I never felt like I was in danger.  That does not mean I didn't take precautions.  When you go out, make sure that you only take as much cash as you think you need.  Also be sure to stay aware of your surroundings.  Another key is to avoid unlit alleys at night ( this goes for anywhere really).  However, in Cusco, you will find police everywhere, and because tourism is so important to Cusco, they really try to establish a safe feeling.

Altitude Sickness: Because of the elevation of Cusco (around 3,000 meters), it's very likely you will have to adjust to it.  It's normal to experience shortness of breath, fatigue and maybe some light headaches.  To combat these, make sure to drink plenty of water, avoid over exerting yourself and get rest.  In Cusco, you can find something called coca.  This is a plant that is supposed to help, and you can use coca candies, tea or chew the leaves themselves to help alleviate symptoms.  Do not bring coca leaves back to the US though.  Coca is an ingredient for cocaine and is considered a controlled substance, but the candies are supposed to be fine.

If you do experience severe headaches, nausea, nosebleeds, shortness of breath that persists even in periods of rest or sleep, and others, you need to seek help and move to a lower elevation.  These are usually signs of HAPE or HACE and need to be dealt with ASAP.

Food:  Peruvian food is very diverse, very good, and fairly inexpensive.  A good meal will cost anywhere from 7 USD to 20 USD plus for a high quality meal.  When it comes to Peruvian food itself, you will find a lot of beans, potatoes and meat.  If you want to be adventurous, you can try something called Cuy, which is guinea pig (I did not try this).  If you are a vegetarian or vegan, you can find a lot of options in Cusco and Lima.

One unique aspect of Peruvian food is chifa.  When Chinese immigrants arrived to Peru and other Andean countries, they didn't have access to a lot of the same ingredients from back home.  In order to maintain their traditions, the immigrants incorporated local foods into the recipes.

Language:  In Peru, the best language to get around with is Spanish and I would recommend having at least a basic understanding of it before you go.  However, most people there (and especially in tourist areas) speak a little English.

People: I found people in Cusco to be pretty friendly and willing to help.  However, if someone approaches you and is acting friendly, then that means they will probably try to give you a sales pitch or lead you somewhere else.  Act cautiously if random locals or foreigners approach you.

Shopping:  In Cusco you have a lot of options.  There is a handicraft market On Av. el Sol with a lot of different things: textiles, bags, shirts, etc.  If you want to buy anything with Alpaca, do it in Cusco and the surrounding area.  It is a lot cheaper than Lima.  If you decide to buy alpaca in anything there are a few things to pay attention to: look for sparkles in the material (this indicates it has synthetics in it), if you touch it, it should be slightly cold to the touch, and there are certain colors that you will see if it is legitimate (refer to the photo below).  The colors below are used using traditional dyes, so if you see a color that ISN'T shown below, its probably a fake.

These are the colors you should look for

You will find souvenir shops and markets all over Cusco and in the Sacred Valley, with the best being in Pisac and Aguascalientes for the Sacred Valley.

Travel to Peru: The Trip
The reason that I decided to go to Cusco is simple, it has been a childhood dream of mine, and I didn't want to waste the chance to visit while I am in Brazil.  Plus, as a history buff, there aren't a lot of places that I thought would be better for me than Cusco.

Cusco
I started my journey at 6 AM for my flight from Porto Alegre.  There is a direct connection between Porto Alegre and Lima, so getting to Cusco wasn't too difficult for me.  Once I arrived in Cusco, I was immediately met with the altitude.  Cusco is around 3,000 meters above sea level, so you have to be really careful with altitude sickness.

That first night was fairly difficult as my hostel was in an area of Cusco called San Blas, which is a hilly area.  I ended up learning how difficult a flight of stairs could be when you feel like you can't breathe.  Thankfully for me, I didn't have to feel self conscious about it, since you see A LOT of tourists around Cusco stopping to take a breather.

After a good night's sleep, I was feeling a lot better, and decided to spend the day exploring everything that Cusco had to offer.  I started with the main plaza, called Plaza de Armas.  When you visit here, you'll notice the two colonial style churches.  You'll also notice all of the peddlers selling anything from hats, gloves, artwork and selfies with baby alpacas.

Plaza de Armas

Another thing you'll notice when you get to Cusco is all of the stray dogs that wander around.  While I was never threatened or felt threatened by them, be careful when you're around them.  They can turn violent if they feel threatened.

One thing I would definitely recommend visiting the Inca Museum, as it will provide an in depth view into both pre-Inca and Inca civilizations. The museum is in English, and also has a lot of artifacts and explanations of Inca religion.

After spending the day walking around and taking in the sights, I decided to go to dinner to try something that you can't find a lot of places, alpaca.  Alpaca is a meat that is similar to beef, but isn't as tough and has a more mild flavor.  I also was able to try a popular drink called pisco sour.  Pisco is a type of alcohol that is similar to brandy made in Peru and Chile.  A pisco sour is a cocktail made with pisco (obviously), egg whites and a few drops of herbal bitters.

Since I was doing a two day tour, starting the next morning, I ended my night by visiting the tour agency's office to do my briefing.  This consisted of just going over the itinerary and collecting some basic information.

The tour was going through the Sacred Valley to Aguascalientes, so I could visit Machu Picchu the next morning.

The Sacred Valley

The Sacred Valley is an area outside Cusco that was considered sacred to the Incan people and contains many amazing views and ruins to visit.

After starting my tour at an animal sanctuary (and nearly having a heart attack watching a condor fly towards me), the tour moved onto a site called Pisac.  Pisac is a small town with a market that is VERY good for souvenir shopping (prices were cheaper than in Cusco).  The main attraction to the town is a set of ruins also called Pisac.

Pisac Market

The ruins themselves were once a town used by the Inca, with temples, agricultural terraces and homes dominating the ruins.  Not much is known about the purpose of the ruins, though there are theories that it was used as a defense of that area of the valley.

The ruins of Pisac

After paying a visit to the ruins and the market of Pisac, the tour moved onto a site called Maras.  Maras is a collection of salt pools that is managed by one of the indigenous groups still in Peru.  Here you're able to see the process of harvesting salt and its is a beautiful site to visit.  It is one of only two salt flats in South America, with the other being in Uyuni, Bolivia.  You can also buy some of the salt here for a very, very cheap price.  I got a little over zealous and ended up buying about 4.5 pounds of salt for about 3 dollars.

Salt flats at Maras

After visiting Maras, the next site on the list was Moray.  Moray is a one of a kind site in the valley.  It's believed that it was used as an agricultural laboratory.  The terraces there were each used to cultivate certain types of food or to see how different kinds of food would react to different climates, elevations, etc.  This is something that I would consider a must-see and really does not require a lot of time to see if you don't have it.

Moray

The final stop of the tour was Ollentaytambo, an Incan city that houses an impressive fortress.  Unfortunately, my tour group arrived too late to be able to climb up to the fortress itself, but we were able to at least see everything from the ground.  The city itself is a good example of Incan architecture, as most of it was left alone by the Spanish.  After seeing the fortress, my tour guide took my group to the train station to start our trip to Aguascalientes, the base for visiting Machu Picchu.

Ollentaytambo Fortress

I don't have much to say about Aguascalientes (or AC as I will call it).  It is an extremely touristic city.  I would call it the Peruvian version of Gatlinburg or Myrtle Beach or whatever American tourist city you can think of.  That isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it's not my preference when I travel.

Aguascalientes

Machu Picchu:

This was probably the highlight of my trip.  It's also something that I would argue you HAVE to see in person, the photos just don't do it justice. 

To get to Machu Picchu, you have two options: take a bus up to the park or attempt to hike up the mountain.  I opted for the bus.  If you want to get to the site early (which in my opinion is the best time to visit), then you'll want to get in line for the buses around 4 am.  Doing that will ensure that you are on some of the first buses and that you can get into Machu Picchu as soon as it opens at 6AM.

Once inside, you have two different circuits that you can do, but I only did the first one.  The site itself is massive.  You need at least 90 minutes to walk through circuit 1, and thats if you arent interested in learning about the site.

Machu Picchu

Machu Picchu itself was constructed by the Inca for an unknown purpose. There are a lot of theories ranging from it being a fortress, to it being a place for shamans and leaders to be trained.  The site itself likely housed only a few hundred people, and after being abandonded, it wasn't formally rediscovered until Hiram Bingam was led there in the early 20th century.

Also, because we don't know the actual Incan name of the site, it was named after the mountain it was built on, Machu Picchu Mountain.

After spending about four hours exploring the site, I decided to attempt one of the two hikes that are in Machu Picchu.  I attempted Mt. Machu Picchu, but there is another one, called Wayna Picchu, which I would only recommend for people who are in very good shape and are acclimated to the altitude.  Mt. Machu Picchu is also difficult, but its also easier to get access to, as you need to reserve tickets for WP nearly two months in advance.

After my hike, I went back into Aguascalientes to wait for my train back to Ollentaytambo, so I could return to Cusco.

Cusco Part II:

There isn't much to say about my second day in Cusco.  I was not feeling very well, so I took the day slowly and tried to avoid over exerting myself.  The main things I did was wrap up my souvenir shopping and try out some new kinds of Peruvian food.

The next morning I began my trip back to Porto Alegre.  However, I scheduled a long layover at the Lima airport and decided to use that as an opportunity to see Lima.

Lima:

As I stated earlier in the post, Lima is the capital of Peru.  It is also the largest city in the country and one of the largest in South America.

After a short delay in Cusco, I immediately went to the taxi counter to schedule a ride into the city.  After dropping off my bag at a luggage storage service inside the airport, it only took about 45 minutes for me to get to my first stop of the day: Miraflores.

Huaca Pucllama

Miraflores is one of the main tourist districts of Lima and a good starting point for seeing the city.  I went to the Lacromar mall, which is a very high class mall along the Pacific Ocean.  After walking around for a little bit and trying something that the Peruvians call "Chifa" (essentially, Peruvian style Asian food), I decided to walk to something called Huaca Pucllama.




Huaca Pucllama is a pre-Incan pyramid used by the Lima and Wari tribes.  It was used as a ceremonial center and entrance is about 4 USD.  You can only explore the ruins with a guide, but they have regular English tours, and is something I would consider a must-see in Lima.

After my visit, I decided to head to the Lima District, which is the other tourist district, but is far more historical than Miraflores and has a lot more interesting architecture.  I took an uber directly to the main square, Plaza Mayor de Lima and was amazed by the views.

I spent most of my time simply exploring the streets and trying to see as much as possible before I had to go back to the airport.  After about 3 hours, I was satisfied and decided it would be best to head to the airport so I could fly back.

Peru is a place I would absolutely recommend that anyone visit.  The Andes Mountains are unbelievably beautiful, and at times, it was hard to realize that they were real.  Whether you are some one who prefers historical sites, good food, or simply want to visit somewhere cool, Peru has anything you could want.

Plaza Mayor de Lima

Peru Trip Cost Information: 

Airfare Costs: While getting to Cusco from Porto Alegre isn't difficult, it can be expensive if you wait to book your flight.  I booked about a month out, and paid 935 dollars.  If I had booked two weeks earlier with the same company, it would have only been around 600 USD.

Food Costs: I spent around 100 USD for the entire week of my vacation.

Transportation Costs:  During my stay, I mostly used Uber to avoid any potential issues with the taxis.  Most Ubers are pretty cheap, and the most I paid was about 15 USD to get to the Lima airport during my day there.  In total, I spent about 45-55 USD.

Shopping Costs:  There are a lot of options for souvenirs in Cusco.  The most common is anything containing alpaca.  The cost for shopping in Cusco is pretty variable, so it depends on your budget.

Accommodation Costs: I used hostels while I was staying in Cusco, and it only cost me 45 USD for the entire duration of my trip.  Most hostels will cost around 15 USD, but if you want a hotel, that depends on your desired level of comfort.  Before you book anything, make sure that the property has a good reputation.  I use hostelworld.com for my hostels and tripadvisor for any hotels.

Tour Cost: The tour I used, which was arranged by a company called SAM Travel Peru, cost about 460 USD.  This included train tickets to and from Aguascalientes, all of the entrance fees at the sites we visited, a hotel room for the night in AC, and private bus transportation back to Cusco.

In total, I spent around 1,700 on this trip, and I think it was worth every penny that I spent.



I know this was a long post, but thanks for sticking through!  And if you still want to keep reading, my friend and colleague Sierra is keeping a blog about her experiences while she works in Mexico!  If you're interested follow this link: https://sierrammoon.wordpress.com


That will do it for me, but I will have another post later this week.  This time discussing the different methods of getting into Brazil.  Until next time!

Time Passes: One Month Later

Welcome back everyone!  Since I have been in Brazil for a little more than a month, I think it's time to discuss some cultural observations I've had so far, and as a bonus, I'll also talk about a trip that my colleagues and I took to Gramado not too long ago.

*DISCLAIMER:  When I discuss Brazilian (Rio Grande do Sul) culture, this is based on MY observations, experiences and discussions with people I meet in Brazil*

*Also, when discussing culture, keep in mind these will be generalizations and won't be true for every person*

The first topic I want to cover in my cultural discussions is something that is near and dear to my heart (and I'm sure it's the same for a lot of you), FOOD.

Rio Grande do Sul Food:

When you talk about food in Rio Grande do Sul, it's important to keep in mind that while there may be some things that are considered "traditional Brazilian", a lot of the food in the state will have a lot of influences from the diverse heritages that you can find here.  For instance, during a recent weekend trip into the Rota Romantica near Porto Alegre, I was able to find some of the best German food I have ever had and that includes what I had when I was in Germany.  In Gramado (a small Italian/German resort town I will discuss later), you can find a lot of restaurants catering to the local Italian and German heritage.

In Porto Alegre specifically, the food culture is harder to define because of the city's large population, you can find almost anything you could want: vegetarian Indian, pizza, Spanish, Mexican, etc.  

The people here seem to love pizza, but coming from the US, there are a few things that you will find different about pizza here.  The first is that the porto-alegrense have an obsession with something called requeijão.  Now, if you were like me and have no clue what it is, let me tell you: it's cream cheese.  Pizza isn't the only thing that you can find requeijão on however, they also like to put it onto sandwiches and even sometimes a hamburger.

Before I move onto more traditional food, there is another food item that, like cream cheese, you can find on almost anything: egg.  There are two different kinds of eggs you can find here: chicken and quail.  The most common dishes I have seen that include eggs are: pizza, salad, xis (the word used here in RS for sandwich) and hamburgers.  Since I am not a huge fan of eggs myself, one of the first phrases I learned here was "sem ovo, por favor." (without egg, please).

There is also a lot of places to try what appears to be more traditional Brazilian (RS) food.  An important thing to keep in mind though is that this food tends to be fairly basic, with little to no spices used, but is usually fairly healthy and filling.  It usually consists a plate of food with rice, black beans, a side salad, and some kind of protein; usually steak or chicken.  This is what they serve where I work for lunch and admittedly, I'm not sure how I will survive without my rice and beans anymore.  

There is a type of food that is fairly unique to Rio Grande do Sul that a decent number of Americans should be familiar with, churrasco (or Brazilian BBQ).  You may not know the word, but if you have ever been to a restaurant like Texas de Brazil or Fogo de Chao, that is a churrascaria.  As I have been told by several coworkers, there is a lot of respect here for churrasco and it is usually a social event where you meet up with friends, knock back some beers, and try to eat your weight in tasty grilled meats.

While this is specific to what I have seen in Rio Grande do Sul, you can be sure that I will update as I travel to other cities/states in Brazil.

Language:

One of the most easily identifiable elements of culture is the language.  In Brazil, the native language is Portuguese.  However, as mentioned before, there are a lot of Italian and German descendants here in the state, which means that you can also find these languages.  In fact, during my weekend trip to Gramado, I was able to speak with quite a few Brazilians that spoke German as a native language.  In fact the people here who speak German have their own dialect called Riograndenser Hunsrückisch that is only found in Southern Brazil.

If you are thinking about living in Porto Alegre or decide to visit the state, one thing to keep in mind is that you will have a hard time getting around without any Portuguese/Spanish background.  If you know Spanish, you will be able to transition to Portuguese with a lot of the basic vocabulary being similar to Spanish.  If you are like me, and don't speak either of these, it will be fairly important to try and get a grasp on basic phrases.  People here are generally friendly and if you at least try to speak the language, they are pretty willing to help you.  

Something to look into is getting Google Translate's app (or a similar app), and downloading the Portuguese dictionary.  That's how I survived my first few days here actually.  There were a lot of times I would go down to the front desk of my hotel here, and there wouldn't be anyone who could speak English and Google Translate saved me.

I am working on learning Portuguese, and while I can read/write in fairly basic Portuguese, the hardest part so far has been trying to train my ear to the native speakers.  I have started to be able to pick out some words, but a lot of it takes a few times of hearing them before I can understand.  

Where I work, I am able to use my English for everything since most manager level people at the plant here in Porto Alegre are able to speak and understand English.

Transportation:

Because Porto Alegre is a fairly large city, there are a lot of options to getting around.  Walking is not advised most of the times due to safety concerns (especially at night), so if you need to go short distances, it's best to hire a taxi or get an Uber.  Driving in the city is something that you will need to get used to, especially if you haven't driven anywhere like urban Mexico or other non-first world countries.  As a driver, you need to keep an eye on the side streets, as a lot of people will fly through those areas.  There is also the issue of traffic, as the city is very congested during most of the day.  Probably the biggest problem for drivers will be watching for the motorcycles or scooters that weave through traffic.

As a pedestrian, you need to be very, very careful.  You should only cross the street when you KNOW that there are no vehicles coming through the crossing.  A lot of major intersections will have crosswalk signals, but you still need to make sure that no vehicles are coming.  

There are also several public transportation options.  The first is your standard bus, where the fare will be cheap, but it will be fairly crowded.  The second is a type of bus called a lotação.  These buses are similar to a greyhound bus, where you have air-conditioning, and they only take as many passengers as they have seats.  The third and final is the Trensurb, which is similar to the metro system in D.C or the S-Bahns that you find in Germany.  This is a fairly limited option with it only operating in the Centro Historico district and heading North.  

Personally, since I am not comfortable driving here, I have been relying on Uber, so I would recommend that if you are staying here for a short period of time.

*I will not be talking about the workplace culture yet, as I want to have more time to observe and analyze before discussing it, but don't worry, I will have a post about it soon.*

Weekend Trip:  Gramado and the Rota Romantica:

As I mentioned a few times, I was able to take a weekend trip to Gramado with a couple of my coworkers.  Now if you are wondering what the Rota Romantica that I have mentioned a couple of time is, it is a tourism route through a lot of the small German and Italian towns in the mountains outside Porto Alegre.  During the trip, we visited the city of Nova Petropolis, Gramado and a small town called Canela.

It only takes about 2 hours to get from the center of Porto Alegre to Nova Petropolis and the view along the way is amazing.  It's like driving along the Blue Ridge Parkway, but even better.

A scenic view we found

Nova Petropolis itself is fairly small, but is charming and houses one of the best German restaurants I have ever been to, a place called Unser Haus.  Any place that lets you get all-you-can-eat, high quality German food for about 15 USD, I am in.

We did have the chance to see a festival while we were there.  It was called the Festival de Primavera (or the Spring Festival).  Since I am in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are flipped.  So right now, I would normally be preparing for Winter, but instead I have to get ready for Porto Alegre's summer.  The festival itself was mostly stalls selling gardening supplies or plants, but it was cool to see none the less.

Festival de Primavera

Moving onto Gramado, there is something that you notice right away about the place.  They have an extreme love affair with chocolate.  I noticed four or five different brands of chocolate, with stores what felt like every 50 feet.  They even have a chocolate museum with a lot of sculptures and some free samples at the end.

As Gramado is a resort town, it does emphasize its European heritage.  This is best evidenced by the fact that most of the buildings are done with the Bavarian architecture style.

 

While Gramado is a picturesque town, with a lot of good restaurants and shops, but the town itself doesn't have much to do.  The true attractions, in my opinion, are the ecotourism options in and around Gramado.  In Gramado, there's a really nice park called Lago Negro, where you can walk around the lake or take a paddle boat onto the lake itself.

Lago Negro

The main church in canela

After spending the night in Gramado, we decided to head to a smaller town 15 minutes away called Canela.  Canela is another one of those small German towns, but there really is not much to do there.  You can find some cool shops and restaurants, but like Gramado, I think you are better off using it as a base to explore the things around it.  For my group and I, we paid a visit to Caracol Falls.  Caracol is actually the second most visited eco-tourist site in Brazil, only behind the world-renowned Iguacu Falls (which I will be visiting while I am here in Brazil).  

Now, if you are in shape and want to do some hiking, there are several trails in the park that will take you to the waterfall itself, but we didn't really have the time to do it.

So that will do it for this update, but from here on out, I will be posting every two weeks, so be on the lookout for that.

Tchau!