Brazil: Outside the Cities

Dan Segal 

Recently, I was afforded the opportunity to spend eight days traveling around Brazil taking in all the wonders — and steak — it had to offer. While the renowned metropoles of Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo boasted rich histories and the modern capital of Brasilia showcased a stunning breadth of architectural design in its monuments and buildings, sights outside the cities made the biggest and best impressions.

The first destination on our trip was Búzios, a resort town about three hours from Rio. Búzios is a serene settlement providing visitors scenic beaches, picturesque sunsets, incredible restaurants, and an active nightlife. A much-needed wave of tranquility swept over me immediately upon arrival, aided by the sea breeze and extremely amicable people. After enjoying a ceviche-filled dinner while watching the sunset over an ocean littered by scattered yachts and mountain ranges, a friend and I decided to explore the bars in town. However, it was a Monday and the night resulted mostly in light flirting with bartenders between retelling stories of past escapades. The atmosphere was relaxed and neon signs all along Rua das Pedras, the central boulevard of the village, told me that weekends certainly drew crowds. Those interested in sampling the local drinks should order cachaça, a spirit distilled from sugarcane. If shots aren’t your thing, caipirinhas are cachaça-based mixed drinks reminiscent of mojitos but without the mint.

A couple words of advice for those going out in Búzios: there is an unwritten cover charge for live music, and the hard liquors are served as double shots.

Leaving Búzios after only 24 hours was disheartening at the time, but one flight to Iguaçu later my discontent was replaced with wonder. The Iguaçu Falls are a collection of about 250 waterfalls on the border of Brazil and Argentina where the biggest sections sport legendary names such as “Devil’s Throat.” The falls are shared by Iguaçu/Iguazú National Parks of Brazil and Argentina, with only one hotel in the parks themselves. On the Brazilian side, a dirt path ropes through the rainforest to offer several views of a truly awesome sight, while raccoon-like coati scamper through the bushes. The falls are both beautiful and powerful, and the untamed vegetation dominates the landscape. The sight left all of us awestruck.

On the Argentinian side, the national park has several bridges spanning the top of the waterfalls and sitting close enough to the edge to make you nervous. If you’re planning on crossing from Brazil to Argentina or vice-verse, beware of strikes at the border. We were forced to abandon our driver and walk several kilometers from Argentina to Brazil, as the guards were not letting cars through. However, you should make a point to cross because while the view is more encompassing from Brazil, the steak is certainly better in Argentina.   

Dan is a junior Business major from Livingston, New Jersey. A self-proclaimed history geek, cinephile, and avid traveler; he aims to walk away from every new destination with a good sense of the cuisine and a great story. He once jumped off of a moving train at the wrong station.

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