Que Sera Sera Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 Going to be in São Paulo for a few nights (I've yet to decide how many) next month and would be grateful for any knowledge anybody has of the metropolis: -security/safety? -sightseeing? -nightlife? are probably the three things I need to know about-in that order. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted November 6, 2015 Share Posted November 6, 2015 (edited) I went to the Netherlands v Chile game there at the World Cup - the place is awesomely massive - just went to a few local bars after the game and then a Brazilian restaurant at night - I seem to recall the nightlife is concentrated on one main drag, but we never got that far. It did feel slightly dodgy walking back to the restaurant from the hotel - no street lights and hookers hanging around (apparently there are special motels where you can rent rooms by the hour) - but with a bit of common sense you should be fine. Generally speaking the people are very friendly. As for sightseeing you'd be better sticking with Rio - it's only about 200 miles away and internal flights are cheap (there's no railway between the two cities and the roads aren't recommended...). Edited November 6, 2015 by Charlie Endell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted November 6, 2015 Author Share Posted November 6, 2015 but with a bit of common sense you should be fine. As for sightseeing you'd be better sticking with Rio - it's only about 200 miles away and internal flights are cheap (there's no railway between the two cities and the roads aren't recommended...). That's me ####ed then I'm on my way to spend six months in Chile, followed by six months in Argentina and gonna travel round the Continent for 6 months at the end. So just a question of how many nights to spend in Sao Paulo before taking the onward flight to Santiago-it'll be a minimum of one and probably cannae justify any more than 4 nights max. I'll see Rio when I travel round in a year or so's time. Sao Paulo is the 3rd biggest metropolis in the World, according to one website anyway, pretty awesomely massive as you say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 (edited) That's unbelievable to think that two such huge cities have no rail link! My only Sao Paulo anecdote is a guy I worked beside got robbed at gunpoint in a traffic jam when he was sitting in the back of a taxi. Didn't exactly sell the place to me Edited November 7, 2015 by Toepoke Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 The transport infrastructure in Brazil is abysmal - even worse than Scotland - I think the bus takes six / seven hours to travel the couple of hundred miles between Rio and SP - flying makes the most sense (we flew from Rio city airport, which is overlooked by Sugar Loaf Mountain). I think what railways there are tend to be localised. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arbroath55 Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 I spent 2 nights in SP on business, arrived the day they were burying Ayrton Senna, I likened it to Birmingham in the sunshine or to be fairer maybe Walsall. We were taken on a city tour the highlight of which was a visit to a snake farm, didn't see many snakes as it was too hot so they were all under shelter, sort of sums up SP for me. On the same trip we visited Buenos Aries and Santiago, both much more impressive cities Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DoonTheSlope Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 With as poor transport how did they get awarded the World Cup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 With as poor transport how did they get awarded the World Cup? See Qatar 2022 bid for further reference... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted November 7, 2015 Author Share Posted November 7, 2015 That's unbelievable to think that two such huge cities have no rail link! My only Sao Paulo anecdote is a guy I worked beside got robbed at gunpoint in a traffic jam when he was sitting in the back of a taxi. Didn't exactly sell the place to me Christ!, you'd think a taxi would be the one place you'd be safe as well! We were taken on a city tour the highlight of which was a visit to a snake farm, didn't see many snakes as it was too hot so they were all under shelter, sort of sums up SP for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padre Andrew Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Christ!, you'd think a taxi would be the one place you'd be safe as well! Been to Brazil twice. I was reading in the Rough Guide that any car in traffic is liable to be robbed. A motorbike pulls up, the guy riding pilion taps on the window with a pistol, and you hand over your laptop or whatever you're holding. Apparently they go for people they think will have laptops, tablets, etc. They follow from the airport. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe545 Posted November 7, 2015 Share Posted November 7, 2015 Been to Brazil twice. I was reading in the Rough Guide that any car in traffic is liable to be robbed. A motorbike pulls up, the guy riding pilion taps on the window with a pistol, and you hand over your laptop or whatever you're holding. Apparently they go for people they think will have laptops, tablets, etc. They follow from the airport. Same in Lima. Recommendation is to put all your luggage in the boot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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