Page 47 - South America

Downtown
Providing Fascinating Travel Experiences
Whyvisit Brazil
To be awakened by the birds at Casa Amarelo, a bourgeois residence which was built in 1904 on the heights of Santa Teresa, the “Montmartre” of Rio. This magical place, loaded with great stories and recently renovated, combines the charm of an old building with the liveliness of contemporary amenities. Five bedroom suites a stone's throw from the trendy restaurants of Lapa and Botafogo, 15 minutes from the Ipanema beaches and its frenzied evenings. A little bubble of calm and comfort when you come back from a trip to the Laranjeiras market, a stroll to the MAM, the beautiful museum of modern art in Flamengo Park or a trip to the bars of Largo dos Guimarães.
Immerse yourself in an undulating universe. "I have the impression of landing on a different planet, not on Earth", declared the Russian cos- monaut Yuri Gagarin when arriving in 1961 in Brasilia, the new Brazilian capital. The futuristic city designed by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer, located on a high arid plateau more than 1,000 meters above sea level, remains a perpetual astonishment, with its slender monu- ments with curved lines that have become the heritage of the humanity since 1987. Strolling between the marble arcades of the Planalto Palace which gives the impression of being barely placed on the ground or around the Itamaraty Palace floating on a pond, gives the impression of defying gravity , like Yuri Gagarin. An experience that remains unique. Experience life-size Brazil and immerse yourself in landscapes that have not changed for centuries. Take a bath of light in the Serra do Mar, where land and water, forest and sea intermingle in the same move- ment; sleep in a hammock in the heart of the Amazon and bathe in the fresh waters of the Rio Negro; crisscross the Pantanal and its tropical Camargue, sleep in a “fazenda” and accompany cattle on horseback to pasture... Forget what “macadam” means.
Watch the girls on the beach. In Copacabana, they show off their micro- swimsuits; In Barra de Tijuca, they hide under multicolored umbrellas strewn like confetti on the white sand; in the coves of Amarçao dos Buzios, they strut in the middle of the jet set in the bars on stilts; on the protected islets of Mata Altantica, they hide f rom view in coves that look like an earthly paradise; South of Recife, they gallop on horseback flush with the waves of Sao Miguel dos Milagres or climb the red sand dunes in a buggy; in Fortaleza they dance... And we quickly did like them. Savor the sweetness of life in Bahia. In the steams of Cachaça, partici- pate in a candomblé mass at the Church of Carmo; enjoy a shrimp moqueca at Uaua; take a Bahian bath in Barra; nibble on acarajés in a Rio Vermelho kiosk; take a capoeira class; follow the ballet of Bahian women in their white dresses... And sit under a starry sky at Villa Bahia, our house in Pelourinho, above the rooftops and the festive noise of the street. In the heart of Salvador's vibrant historic center, this Voyageurs du Monde house marvelously handles the history and soul of Bahia, the most African of Brazilian cities. Two colonial mansions from the Portuguese era, lovingly restored. Unique spirit and seductive opera- tion: seventeen rooms with high ceilings and rosewood floors polished by the years, two patios with welcome freshness, an exquisite restau- rant. A haven of calm and f reshness, ideal for discovering a bustling city.
Why Brazil?
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