5 tips for an England Football supporter in Brazil

Brazil is a brand we all think we know. Sunshine, golden beaches, easy-going people, a laid back lifestyle, beautiful bodies and football.  And of course you'd be right because that part of Brazil does exist but as you might suspect from some of the riots which have been taking place recently, Brazil is a far more multi-layered, complex nation than this stereotypical view affords.

The World Cup next year and the Olympics in 2016 means the Brazilian brand is about to come under the microscope like never before and the country will receive an unprecedented influx of tourists. How will it cope? I desperately hope the answer is incredibly well as I love Brazil and spend as much time as I can there but I do have some major concerns, one of which somewhat depressingly is that an English Football supporter is going to end up dead (see tip 5),  so here are my useful tips if you intend to travel.

1.  It snows in Brazil! Yes every year in some of the cities of the high plains of the southern states of Brazil, Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, it snows.  Remember you will be visiting during the Brazilian winter (yes they call it winter, whatever part of Brazil you are in) and although many people think Brazil is hot and sunny all the year round that's not the case if you're in the south of Brazil.  One of the World Cup venues is Porto Allegre, which is in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, and although it won't snow in that city, it can get decidedly chilly, as low as 4 or 5 degrees. Whereas Manaus in the state of Amazonas, which is another venue, will be in the mid-30's and incredibly humid, so depending on the draw, you may need more than your t-shirt and shorts.

2. If you've never been to Brazil before you probably have a distinct idea of what you think Brazilians look like and it undoubtedly comes from the images broadcast around the world of people taking part in the Rio Carnival. Well twenty minutes walking down Paulista Avenue in Sao Paulo, will put you straight on that one. You'll find the ethnic diversity is as great as can be found in New York or London.  Did you know for example, the biggest community of ethnic Japanese to be found outside Japan is in Brazil? A staggering 1.5 million and most of them are located in Sao Paulo. They originally arrived over a hundred years ago and are just as much Brazilian as any other ethnic group to be found in Brazil, so travel with an open mind.

3. You will find very little English spoken in Brazil and will have to get by through pointing and sign language, however there are two phrases you must know and one hand gesture. 'Tudo bom' ( too - doe - bomb ) is what you reply when someone says 'Tudo bem' ( too-doe-beng ) and vice versa. These phrases, can be used for greeting someone or for expressing that everything and anything is fine and all good. The universal hand gesture in Brazil is the thumbs-up, also meaning everything is good. It can even be used as a question. So for example the waiter might give you the thumbs-up sign and enquire about your food, "Tudo bem?", and you would reply, "Tudo bom" and give a thumbs-up in response. (the food will invariably be good, see the next point).  I can't tell you how useful these two phrases and this hand gesture will be, please try and remember them as they might get you out of some tight scrapes and diffuse some explosive situations.

4.  There are now many Brazilian style barbecue restaurants in England and you've probably come across one, in Brazil they are called Churrascarias ( shoe - has - ca - rias). You pay a set amount and then eat as much as you want from a buffet and waiters keep bringing meat and carving it at your table until you've had enough. You should definitely go to one in Brazil as you will find the quality of meat far superior to the UK, however you should be aware that the price you pay in a churrascaria will vary enormously. Fogo de Chao, for example, which you will come across in most of the venue cities is very expensive. But let me tell you about another type of Brazilian restaurant you probably won't have come across. Most Brazilians eat their lunch in a 'Restaurante por Quilo' - a kilo restaurant, where the price is per 100 grams of food - doesn't matter what type of food. It's a self-service buffet (apart from the drinks, which a waiter will bring to your table), just take a plate and help yourself from an enormous selection of amazing quality hot and cold food. At the end of the buffet your plate will be weighed and you will be given a ticket with the price you pay at the cash desk when leaving the restaurant. I love this kind of restaurant, they are fantastic value, have superb food and are to be found all over Brazil.

5. Brazil is not England. I know this sounds like stating the obvious but Brazil will lull you in to a false sense of security and you can become very relaxed about your personal safety because everyone seems so friendly and hospitable. You need to be constantly vigilant. When I go to Brazil, I never wear my watch or take anything of value on to the beach for example. In fact try not so stand out by carrying a big camera, or an expensive bag, or generally looking as though you have something worth stealing. Also remember that simply by going one street in the wrong direction in Brazil you can walk in to a bad part of the city and things can start to change very fast for you. Not all favelas (Brazilian slumbs) are bad places, there are 'pacified favelas', which have a thriving real estate market and public services, and if you want to visit one there are organised tours. However, If you are mugged, don't put up a fight, you will probably end up dead. Also Brazilian Police are not English Police and will tend to shoot first and ask questions later - if in any doubt watch the movie Tropa da Elite (about the elite military police in Rio) or the documentary Bus 174.  I was only reminded last week of the perils of Brazil when my friend, who is an architect, was kidnapped by three guys who held a gun to her head as she left the theatre. She was lucky, the police managed to track her to the middle of a favela through her phone and she was rescued. 

If you only take one thing away from this blogpost, remember, "Tudo bom" and "Tudo bem" and a thumbs up, preferably with a big smile. It will get you a long way in Brazil.