Sao Paulo, one of the largets cities in the world

Sao Paulo is the third largest city in the world, and yes it is large with , as expected , huge differences between rich and poor with a lots of crime, so we are careful. It is noisy and chaotic, but probaly not boring. It is the business and financial center of Brasil, with a rich cultural life, the best universities, and wonderful restaurants with food from more then 60 countries in its 12500 resuarants and 15000 bars. Here lives 12 million people, or a total of 20 mill if you count the metropolitan area. Sao Paulo came to is own in the mid 19th century, and boomed when the coffee rush started in the 1920's and 30's. Most visitors come here to shop or to work or to visit a congress.

According to magazines, Sao Paul invites visitors to embrace carpe diem lifestyle, discover the city secrets and you experience the electric energy of the city that never sleep. Since we have kids we stayed inside at our hotell during evening and nighttime. To be honest, we are here due to the fact that we shall catch a cruiseboat from Santos just outside Sao Paulo. We have though spent a day in the naibourhood of our hotell and visited one of the largest and possible best shopping malls in Brasil: Iguatemi shopping Mall. All the big and expensive brandnames was present. We had a nice Sushi lunch. Sao Paulo is the largest Japanese city outside Japan.

Today we have spent the day around the hotel facilities, done internet, mails, some hotel booking, worked out in the gym and the pool in the top roof fasilities.

As we write... we are relaxing with some good local wine and cheese, and will soon pack for tomorrow mornings transport to the cruise ship that will take us to Rio De Janeiro, then Uruguay, Argentina, Cap, Chile, more to come..

Bye for now
Gjert, May, Celine and William