nyc_crema Senior Member Joined: 13 Oct 2004 Posts: 1,602 Location: New York City Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Alexia, Silvia Grinder: Mazzer Mini Roaster: Gorilla, Intelligentsia,...
Posted Wed Dec 15, 2004, 9:09pm Subject: Anyone been to Brazil?
I know there are regional discussion boards, but the Central & South America one seemed beat, so I figured more people would read this post here. Anyways, I'm going to Brazil in a couple of months and I'm wondering what kind of coffee they drink there. They make some of the best beans in the world, so I'm excited to try their coffee. Ironically the brazilian and columbian people I know either don't drink coffee or they are so used to crappy american coffee that they drink drip with no second thought.
I'm not going for Carnival, I'm going about a month later for just a regular ol' vacation LOL. And I'm going with my girlfriend so the hot brazilian girls will be eye candy =) I have to learn to say I'm from "the states" and not "America" cause, ya know, they are south americans. I can't wait to try their coffee, I just hope that the hotel doesn't serve American type coffee (burnt black drip) so to please American tourists... (probably not).
Posted Thu Dec 16, 2004, 7:58am Subject: Re: Anyone been to Brazil?
If you surf, it gets good down there.
I drink espresso so I can work longer, so I can make more money, so I can drink more espresso, so I can work longer, so I can make more money, so I can drink more espresso...
Nah I don't surf. I read that brazilians boil their espresso - thats how they make it as a whole. I assume their will be espresso machines in the touristy areas. I have puerto rican friends and their parents (who grew up there) make their morning coffee the same way (similiar to turkish, but once the water in the ibrick boils, they take it out - they don't let it rise and they don't add sugar before).
Oh well. Who cares about cofffee with all those brazilian girls walking around!!
brugeswalker Senior Member Joined: 15 Jan 2003 Posts: 145 Location: Bruges, Belgium Expertise: I love coffee
Espresso: Expobar Pulser Grinder: Cunill Tranquilo SS Drip: Only in the office :-( Roaster: Thinking about it
Posted Thu Dec 23, 2004, 1:47pm Subject: Re: Anyone been to Brazil?
I used to spend time in Rio de Janeiro and also in the surrounding region. Brazil is a beautiful country, your money will go far, you will regret going with your girlfriend (maybe) and you will have a tough time finding a place that serves good coffee unless someone leads you right to it.
Are you going to Rio?
Most of Brazil and definitely the large cities have gotten progressively more dangerous. Do not carry around anything that you would mind losing at knife or gunpoint, expect and plan on a response to a criminal assault/confrontation, try to blend in if you can, travel in a group, preferably with locals, don't think the police are your friends, etc.
If you really want to check out the coffee houses there rather than the awesome beach volley ball, I suggest you go to some of the major hotels along Avenue Atlantico and ask for recommendations. The concierges all speak English and their job is to know these things. Unfortunately, you will probably get pointed in the direction of the more expensive restaurants for your personal safety, where you will most likely get a mediocre cup.
If you are comfortable in speaking some Portuguese, by all means venture around and see what you can find. Knowing some Spanish will help, as will using English, but the locals are not tremendously multi-lingual except for the international business crowd or academics. Take the time to learn some key words - "chopp" will get you a draft and "cerveja" will get you a bottle (it can get HOT down there!), "café" for coffee - you can check out this WWW site for a lot of useful words and phrases:
I love the energy of the place, the music, the nightlife, the food and the people (mostly.) But it is a place that has a very dark and strong undercurrent, particularly when the sun goes down.
Yes. Thank you for your advice. If the coffee isn't great there, then oh well. I'm going for the brazilian experience and the beach/sun/food. I don't care if the coffee sucks or not, but I wanted to ask. Being from NYC, I'm not *too* scared about my safety there. I will take your advice and not carry anything valuable with me. I will probably NOT go out late at night for that reason. Late being after 1am.
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