Got my dates mixed up and thought NaSala was having a private party last night instead of tonight. I for sure have Chalezinho down for a classic Sunday night tradition, but anyone know anything about a place called Marriah? It's $90.00 Reals for consumption upon entering. I remember hearing not so good things about Swingers though.
Belo Horizonte, Brazil
I think Belo Horizonte is a nice place to visit and the women are hot, but if you're in Brazil for only a short time, it may not be worth it. This is due to it being a bit out of the way and difficult to get anywhere with the girls if you don't speak Portuguese.
However, I've been living in São Paulo and I have to say mineras (girls from Minas Gerais, including Belo Horizonte) are some of the best Brazilian girls you can find. Women from the city of São Paulo are a bit like New Yorkers, very materialistic and generally won't give you the time of day unless you are rich with a high status job. Mineras, even if they're wealthy and of high status, are generally very humble. I have a minera friend who took me on a long weekend with some of our common friends to her family's farm near Belo Horizonte. I had no idea that she came from money.
That being said, the best way to meet girls in BH is to have common friends. When I was in BH with my Brazilian friends, I met so many gorgeous women. If you have the approval of one of their friends, you're golden, as I've noticed that mineras are generally fascinated by foreigners since they don't get many coming their way. They'll instantly want your number, email and facebook. Be warned though, many will instantly want to be your girlfriend, which may sound good, but can also be annoying. Brazilian girls and women in general, especially from more rural areas, are extremely jealous and some will stalk you by any means possible if they feel that you're not giving them enough attention.
Some of the best looking girls though from Minas Gerais are in Uberlandia and Ouro Preto (lots of college girls). Hard to break into, but good eye candy. A lot of the Miss Brazils also come from this state.
If I were you though, and if you're really looking for the best women and eye candy, visit the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. I think you'l have an easier time there than BH. Good luck!
However, I've been living in São Paulo and I have to say mineras (girls from Minas Gerais, including Belo Horizonte) are some of the best Brazilian girls you can find. Women from the city of São Paulo are a bit like New Yorkers, very materialistic and generally won't give you the time of day unless you are rich with a high status job. Mineras, even if they're wealthy and of high status, are generally very humble. I have a minera friend who took me on a long weekend with some of our common friends to her family's farm near Belo Horizonte. I had no idea that she came from money.
That being said, the best way to meet girls in BH is to have common friends. When I was in BH with my Brazilian friends, I met so many gorgeous women. If you have the approval of one of their friends, you're golden, as I've noticed that mineras are generally fascinated by foreigners since they don't get many coming their way. They'll instantly want your number, email and facebook. Be warned though, many will instantly want to be your girlfriend, which may sound good, but can also be annoying. Brazilian girls and women in general, especially from more rural areas, are extremely jealous and some will stalk you by any means possible if they feel that you're not giving them enough attention.
Some of the best looking girls though from Minas Gerais are in Uberlandia and Ouro Preto (lots of college girls). Hard to break into, but good eye candy. A lot of the Miss Brazils also come from this state.
If I were you though, and if you're really looking for the best women and eye candy, visit the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. I think you'l have an easier time there than BH. Good luck!
Quote: (06-01-2013 06:37 PM)pegador Wrote:
I think Belo Horizonte is a nice place to visit and the women are hot, but if you're in Brazil for only a short time, it may not be worth it. This is due to it being a bit out of the way and difficult to get anywhere with the girls if you don't speak Portuguese.
However, I've been living in São Paulo and I have to say mineras (girls from Minas Gerais, including Belo Horizonte) are some of the best Brazilian girls you can find. Women from the city of São Paulo are a bit like New Yorkers, very materialistic and generally won't give you the time of day unless you are rich with a high status job. Mineras, even if they're wealthy and of high status, are generally very humble. I have a minera friend who took me on a long weekend with some of our common friends to her family's farm near Belo Horizonte. I had no idea that she came from money.
That being said, the best way to meet girls in BH is to have common friends. When I was in BH with my Brazilian friends, I met so many gorgeous women. If you have the approval of one of their friends, you're golden, as I've noticed that mineras are generally fascinated by foreigners since they don't get many coming their way. They'll instantly want your number, email and facebook. Be warned though, many will instantly want to be your girlfriend, which may sound good, but can also be annoying. Brazilian girls and women in general, especially from more rural areas, are extremely jealous and some will stalk you by any means possible if they feel that you're not giving them enough attention.
Some of the best looking girls though from Minas Gerais are in Uberlandia and Ouro Preto (lots of college girls). Hard to break into, but good eye candy. A lot of the Miss Brazils also come from this state.
If I were you though, and if you're really looking for the best women and eye candy, visit the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. I think you'l have an easier time there than BH. Good luck!
Agreed. Was in POA for 2 nights..got a Gaucha flag..though through some social circle pipelining and it lead to a lay at an event. Have even more leads there.
I have a 3 year Portuguese class down so I think I'm good. Really cool ppl overall here in Minas...I'll let you guys know how Chalezinho works out tonight...wish it was NaSala instead but the private party, meh.
Isn't Sao Paulo a bit easier though if you're visiting, staying in a nice part of town, and can trick chicks into thinking you're more important than you are?
Thx for the tips as I'll send you a PM shortly.
Oh man..I've never stuttered so badly..and choked up so much on my words & verb conjugations like last night at Chalezinho. Probably the most beautiful talent I've seen in my life. Went 0/13 but had some good convos. No hookups, pipelining, etc. Will try again tonight being Sunday.
Allow me to respectfully digress here, but I don't see how staying in Savassi is the end all be all of visiting BH. There are some places on Rua Sergipe like Bhar Savassi, Gamboa, and Redentor that are probably good for gaming but every other place in Savassi esp near the mall is just outdoor chill with your friends type venues. Still a good neighborhood to explore though.
If you can save money staying in Santo Agostinho, Funcionaros, or Lourdes...do it. If you don't mind blowing $120.00 per night+ for a place in Savassi...then do it if it's in your budget. I'd say the action in BH is more in the clubs which are 4 miles away from everything in suburbs def worthy of exploring.
Two places I walked by on way to Chalezinho were Cacharcaria Alambique and Dos Deuses. I think these places were more lounge like venues in same neighborhood as Chalezinho.
Allow me to respectfully digress here, but I don't see how staying in Savassi is the end all be all of visiting BH. There are some places on Rua Sergipe like Bhar Savassi, Gamboa, and Redentor that are probably good for gaming but every other place in Savassi esp near the mall is just outdoor chill with your friends type venues. Still a good neighborhood to explore though.
If you can save money staying in Santo Agostinho, Funcionaros, or Lourdes...do it. If you don't mind blowing $120.00 per night+ for a place in Savassi...then do it if it's in your budget. I'd say the action in BH is more in the clubs which are 4 miles away from everything in suburbs def worthy of exploring.
Two places I walked by on way to Chalezinho were Cacharcaria Alambique and Dos Deuses. I think these places were more lounge like venues in same neighborhood as Chalezinho.
Quote: (06-01-2013 07:26 PM)yb13 Wrote:
Quote: (06-01-2013 06:37 PM)pegador Wrote:
I think Belo Horizonte is a nice place to visit and the women are hot, but if you're in Brazil for only a short time, it may not be worth it. This is due to it being a bit out of the way and difficult to get anywhere with the girls if you don't speak Portuguese.
However, I've been living in São Paulo and I have to say mineras (girls from Minas Gerais, including Belo Horizonte) are some of the best Brazilian girls you can find. Women from the city of São Paulo are a bit like New Yorkers, very materialistic and generally won't give you the time of day unless you are rich with a high status job. Mineras, even if they're wealthy and of high status, are generally very humble. I have a minera friend who took me on a long weekend with some of our common friends to her family's farm near Belo Horizonte. I had no idea that she came from money.
That being said, the best way to meet girls in BH is to have common friends. When I was in BH with my Brazilian friends, I met so many gorgeous women. If you have the approval of one of their friends, you're golden, as I've noticed that mineras are generally fascinated by foreigners since they don't get many coming their way. They'll instantly want your number, email and facebook. Be warned though, many will instantly want to be your girlfriend, which may sound good, but can also be annoying. Brazilian girls and women in general, especially from more rural areas, are extremely jealous and some will stalk you by any means possible if they feel that you're not giving them enough attention.
Some of the best looking girls though from Minas Gerais are in Uberlandia and Ouro Preto (lots of college girls). Hard to break into, but good eye candy. A lot of the Miss Brazils also come from this state.
If I were you though, and if you're really looking for the best women and eye candy, visit the states of Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul. I think you'l have an easier time there than BH. Good luck!
Agreed. Was in POA for 2 nights..got a Gaucha flag..though through some social circle pipelining and it lead to a lay at an event. Have even more leads there.
I have a 3 year Portuguese class down so I think I'm good. Really cool ppl overall here in Minas...I'll let you guys know how Chalezinho works out tonight...wish it was NaSala instead but the private party, meh.
Isn't Sao Paulo a bit easier though if you're visiting, staying in a nice part of town, and can trick chicks into thinking you're more important than you are?
Thx for the tips as I'll send you a PM shortly.
The thing with São Paulo is that there are so many foreigners here (Italians, Germans, Spanish, French and people from Latam countries) that being from out of town really isn't a novelty for most people. It's like NYC in that regard...the locals get used to a lot of foreigners, though most are here for work, not as tourists.
In terms of hooking up, it is a huge advantage if you're foreign and actually living and working here. Most of the better looking women in São Paulo are very superficial and materialistic...the better looking they are, the more so. I don't blame them. SP is super expensive, even for expats, and there's a lot of money running around this city. There's not much to do here that doesn't revolve around night life. Many are just looking for a provider so that they can live a life of ease and have babies. If you're a foreigner living here, it's automatically assumed that you have money and a good job, preferably with a large multinational company. Why else would you be here? Most Brazilians, especially upper crust ones, though proud to be Brazilian, think that life is better elsewhere, especially the USA or W. Europe. They want friends abroad so that they can meet up with people if and when they travel there.
I've lived in both Rio and São Paulo and have banged many hot women because I'm working here and, due to my job, living in a upscale area. Speaking Portuguese and having Brazilian friends also helps. To be honest, if I didn't have these things, it'd be hard hooking up with better looking women here.
Regarding girls from different Brazilian regions, here's what I've learned from the ones I've banged and/or been in short relationships with.
São Paulo: Mostly materialistic, especially if they're from the city. Most will take more interest in your job and cell phone than in you. They also never stop talking. Those originally from the countryside are much more down to Earth, but after a few years of living here, the city corrupts them to a degree. These girls are also not the best in bed. Some are good, but many show less enthusiasm than those from other regions...which brings me to...
Pernambuco: I've had two from Recife and they were both awesome and loved to bang. They tend to be very carefree and jovial, super nice and will even make you breakfast in the morning without thinking twice.
Rio de Janeiro: Carioca girls are generally hot, or at least take care of themselves to make what they've got look its best. They are either very conservative or very loose. If she's banging you soon after meeting her, then she's just having fun and not worried about a relationship. If not, then she wants more. The really beautiful Carioca girls can be stunning...they are always working out.
Minas Gerais: Nicest people in Brazil. They really take care of you and the girls are traditional and super sweet. You feel bad banging them and not calling them later. These girls in general are uncorrupted by feminism. If you're planning on one day marrying a Brazilian, these girls overall would be the best bet.
Santa Catarina: Had one, best sex of my life with the hottest girl I've even banged. Tall, blonde, German/Russian descent and crazy in the sack. Unfortunately she's now with a former bodybuilder who owns a club in São Paulo and has a father who's loaded. Can't really judge all of SC based solely on one girl. Still, I will always remember the two bangs with her.
Rio Grande do Sul: Porto Alegre is also known for having amazing looking women. These girls are nice but are so into being from Rio Grande do Sul that it's annoying. It's like people from Texas (sorry to anyone from there)...they think there're from a whole other country and not Brazil. They're hot and make good trophy girlfriends.
Good luck and happy travels... cheers!
I'm one of those guys from TX who is guilty of being overly prideful at times fyi ![[Image: tongue.gif]](https://rooshvforum.network/images/smilies/tongue.gif)
. Solid analysis as I appreciate the advice. Will get a more thorough response once I get the time next week.
. Solid analysis as I appreciate the advice. Will get a more thorough response once I get the time next week.
About to finalize my June 2013 report of BH. How do I post images again from my hard drive? Thx!
You could add them to a website like Flickr or imageshack and then insert the link
June 2013 Update in Belo Horizonte (4 Nights)
My Lodging Accommodations:
Santo Agostinho - I stayed in a decent loft above a weekday business only for about $60.00 a night. It's a nice residential area with really no hotels or formal lodging options nearby. The major advantage I had however was being right next to Diamond Mall & where I'd say is an excellent place for day game at certain hours...but on only on weekdays though. Also some good restaurants nearby too. I didn't have the right circumstances to take advantage of it, but will get to that later on. It's also about only a one mile or two kilometer walk away from Savassi, which is well..IMO not the end all be all of BH as some make it out to be. But it's still a very strategic nice neighborhood to stay in as I understand why many recommended it..esp for safety purposes.
I did find a $70.00 per day Ibis Budget Hotel just outside of Savassi, but there was a holiday known as Corpus Christi that weekend (May 31st, 2013) so just about every place was booked for that one night...especially in Savassi & surrounding areas. Other than that, I didn't feel the potential end justified spending $120.00 USD per night on a hotel in Savassi specifically. If you can find a good short-term deal on 1) Alugue Temporada or 2) Airbnb.com in Funcionarios, Lourdes, or Santo Agostinho outside of Savassi for a better deal, I'd say go ahead and take it as the walk between those neighborhoods even at night is pretty safe. I just do not recommend staying in Centro near the main bus station as it's not exactly pleasant during the day not to mention unsafe at nights. Anything in Centro or north of it..yeah don’t do it.
My Thoughts on Savassi Overall
It’s a nice area, but having lodging in this specific neighborhood isn’t exactly going to get you a quick bang with your logistics as the mingling for singles nightlife here is sorely lacking. As mentioned above, you are almost better off in surrounding areas because it will be cheaper.
What the Area Possesses –
1) It’s a nice pleasant part of the city in middle of everything really.
2) Restaurants & outdoor eateries – Possesses plenty of them with good chances for daygaming & culinary purposes.
3) Botecos – Locals will refer to them as “barzinhos,” but these are mainly outdoor seating type places where groups of friends will all mingle with each other while drinking beer & munching on finger foods. Not ideal for gaming at all. Cool place to go however with friends if you know peeps there.
4) Rua Sergipe Bars – There is one street lined with more “American” type bars that would be ok for gaming. It includes three noticeable places being A) Bhar Savassi, B) Gomboa, or C) Redentor.
What the Area Lacks –
1) Outside of the three Rua Sergipe venues I mentioned, there’s not exactly that much prototypical night bar gaming venues here in Savassi. I know my perspective of Belo Horizonte might be a little subjective in that I only had 4 days in the city dealing with travel jitters & a long day trip to Ouro Preto in one of them, but it’s a place that is best suited for A) Daygame and B) Night Club game situated away from Savassi.
2) I never entered Gomboa or Redentor, but did walk into Bhar Savassi as they charged me 15-20 Reais for cover before I opened a tab. Just like Circus near the Santo Agostinho area, the hottest chicks in these venues I presume will already be with guys or social cliques that are perhaps harder to penetrate. If you are going to pay cover for a bar, then shell out the extra money for the night club scene 10-15 minutes away via cab as you’re likely going to get much better looking single talent at say Chalezinho.
3) Some hotel options but not enough.
Tim Sim Card:
I got my sim card from a store known as Tim within Diamond Shopping. It cost 10 reais. -As Qwest alluded to, you have to bring your passport to finalize the purchase.
-Once installing the sim card, my friend mentioned it was $0.30 Centavos ($0.15 USD) per text message while unlimited data per day was $2.00 Reais.
-Activating unlimited data per day required a CPF number, a matching name, and a corresponding address. Since I’m an American without a CPF number, I had to borrow the information from my landlord, which he was kind enough to lend me.
-The Tim Card requires a mandatory $10.00 Reais credit re-charge after the first week, which can be automatically deducted from your credit card.
-However, this mandatory re-charge in $10.00 Reais worth of credits after that first one occurs once a month afterwards for however long you are staying in Brazil. That was my experience in dealing with Tim.
-Calls between cell phones using a Tim sim card are free and are not used against your credits FYI.
-If anyone however knows of a better package than the one I dealt with this current month of June 2013, let me know as I personally think $2.00 Reais per day for internet data is kind of steep for those eventually wanting to live in Brazil long-term.
-Best feature of a unlimited data on a smart phone in Brazil is however the mapping function. Instead of carrying around a bigger map to navigate through the city, enter in the address or destination of where you want to visit as it will take you there.
![[Image: 9062410656_75e2200ee1_b.jpg]](http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2868/9062410656_75e2200ee1_b.jpg)
Things I Missed Out On:
Pampulha – This is apparently a pretty cool neighborhood with some Oscar Niemeyer architecture, adjacent museum, and a nice lake. It’s also not too far off from the Mineiro Football Stadium and a well-known tennis club for members only. I wish I didn’t waste my Friday/Saturday shaking off travel jitters and trying to find worthless sights like Parque Municipal so that I could go here. However, Pampulha is not within walking distance of Savassi/Centro as a cab ride out there would have been $$$. There is supposed to be a bus that goes to Pampulha from Praca Liberdade, but it was too late when I found that out.
NaSala – Located in Ponteio Lar Shopping in the southern part of the city on the way to Chalezinho and Shopping Belo Horizonte, I got my dates mixed up and intended on spending my Saturday night there. There was unfortunately a private event there Saturday night as I should have checked it out Friday night. It’s considered the #1 upscale house music venue in BH, which is something more up my alley. Sore spot for me during this last Brazil trip as I didn’t get to experience anything like that (Sickness knocked me out in Curitiba afterwards). Anyways, always check the website of NaSala to see when they are having private parties because you do not want to waste a cab ride out there for one of those nights.
Bar Tize – Qwest recommended this place to me as it is situated in Lourdes not too far off from Santo Agostinho as a Saturday/Sunday hangout 3-6PM. I missed it due to other commitments, but there is always a next time in Belo Horizonte.
Miscellaneous Note – When visiting Belo Horizonte in the Fall/Winter, you’re going to get a nice temperate climate. The only problem however is that the darkness hits around 5PM so it’ll give you less time to really see a lot of cool sights like a Pampulha or Mangabeiras after a night of partying & waking up late. Speaking of Mangabeiras….
Highlights of Belo Horizonte:
Diamond Shopping – Not as crowded as the main mall in Savassi, but it brings in more of a milfy young professional clientele. Whereas the one in Savassi attracts families, groups of young friends, and teenie bopper couples, I’d say Diamond Shopping in Santo Agostinho has the better gaming opportunities. Hit the place up around 11AM-2PM for lunch as it’ll be young professional chicks sitting in groups talking about their lives, etc etc. You can come up with a dumb question about where you can find a map of the city. “Onde eu posso encontar um mapa da cidade?” They are pretty receptive here and will smile frequently. The gaming kind of dies down other times yet this is a similar upscale mall to Shopping Savassi though not as overbearing. I would however advise you do not eat the pay per kilo buffets in the food court as they are very overpriced. $20-30 Reais for a small plate of food when you can score better deals at….
UAI Shopping – Ok this is a much smaller mall next to the Rodviaria being the main bus terminal to places like Confins Airport or Ouro Preto. Centro doesn’t have the hotties galore like anything south of the neighborhood, but there was some cute talent in there. The main reason to go in here however is for the food on the top floor. Here, the pay per kilo churrascarias will cost ya $10-11 Reais for a bigger plate of food instead of paying 20-30 for a smaller one in the upscale city malls. Quality of eating is better in here too. There is also a small cervejaria on the first floor serving a local BH brew known as Backer. I recommend trying it. I can’t remember how much one cost, but it’s definitely worth it. I visited UAI Shopping while waiting for my bus to Ouro Preto.
Praca do Papa/Mangabeiras – Not only is this the in city neighborhood that gives you the best view of the city, but it’s a very nice area with some legit upscale homes. Walking around Praca do Papa will give you excellent views of the city while experiencing a nice tranquil feel of Belo Horizonte. Praca do Papa is situated within the neighborhood known as Mangabeiras, which has many cafeterias and outdoor eateries for daygaming. Avenida Agulhas Negras is the street leading up to Praca do Papa, but Avenida Bandeirantes is an adjacent street lined with trendy commercial property, homes, and outdoor eateries for mingling. This neighborhood reminds me of in a sense Jurere Internacional in Floripa minus the whole seasonal beach nightlife scene. Very underrated aspect of Belo Horizonte that cannot be missed!
Clube Chalezinho – As far as private events are concerned at this place, be sure to check the website just like NaSala to make sure they are not having one when visiting. I’m not a fan of Sertanejo or Forro type music, but I’d definitely make an exception for that in Chalezinho as they tend to have some pretty solid cover live music bands that attract the most charismatic and hottest mineiras in the city. Anyone visiting Brazil should most definitely visit Belo Horizonte as Chalezinho is a can’t miss experience that has been one of my favorites in the country period.
Solid Daygame Opportunities:
Diamond Shopping – Please refer to “Highlights of Belo Horizonte” section
Mangabeiras/Avenida Bandeirantes/Praca do Papa – Ditto on “Highlights of Belo Horizonte”
Outdoor Cafe on Avenida Bandeirantes Sunday Afternoon except usually with hotties around (I was too shy to capture a slick photo of other places with more chicks..my apologies):
![[Image: 9062523578_aff63bf3fc_b.jpg]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3699/9062523578_aff63bf3fc_b.jpg)
Nightlife Opportunities:
1 – In Savassi mentioned above, there are three main bars suited for “pick up” called Bhar Savassi, Redentor, or Gamboa...I wasn’t feeling Savassi as a cool "bar type neighborhood", but it’s convenient as I digged it overall. I’ll explain why later on.
2 – South to southwest of the city are where the best clubs, lounges, and discotecas are going to be. Some places I ran across but didn’t get to enter where Dus Deuses, Cachaçaria Alambique, and NaSala. I did go to Clube Chalezinho twice though.
3 – Per Chapulin:
![[Image: 9060668871_a7dac76393_b.jpg]](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3722/9060668871_a7dac76393_b.jpg)
Women of Belo Horizonte –
Yeah the gals here in the main city areas south of Centro are hotties galore. These chicks are definitely of the same ethnic breed as Rio gals except speak much less English yet do a much better job of taking care of themselves. I essentially saw 2-4 fatties out of the 100 of women I ran across in Belo Horizonte in the middle to upper classes. Mineiras are definitely more fashionable as they excel at highlighting their atributes. Presenting yourself well isn’t about just spending tons of $$ as the local females here really maximize their looks with what they got. Unfortunately, I’m sorely disapointed with what the upper middle class chicks in Rio de Janeiro bring to the table in contrast to their counterparts to the north of their state.
I always used to say the women of African descent from Spanish speaking countries in the Carribean like DR, Cuba, and Puerto Rico were much more attractive than the African influenced Brasileiras. Once again, Mineiras proved me wrong in that department as well![[Image: smile.gif]](https://rooshvforum.network/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Quick bangs minus a pre-existing social circle are probably out of the equation (though possible if lowering standards) as I only got some light kissing from a chick after failed attempts with her Sunday night not to mention multiple rejections from other gals in Chalezinho. These are more conservative gals as everyone has mentioned, but I can’t underestimate the value of at least connecting with them for future pipelining attempts. A lot of the high talent chicks are professionals/graduate students that still live at home with their parents near all the clubs south of Savassi. Convincing them to take a free yet 15-20 minute cab back into Savassi with ya is a challenge to pull off at these clubs where they have closer access to mom & dad's place. The catch is that a lot of these suburbanites will however go to Savassi to have dinner or drink at an outdoor boteca with friends so getting their info to meet you closer to your pad might be the best way to go. Trust me..once you visit Belo Horizonte, you will want to visit again as the women and overall atmosphere here are awesome. Definitely worth the time and money.
Dudes of Belo Horizonte –
I would say the dudes of Belo Horizonte are well polished ones providing a great deal of competition. When going out to places like Chalezinho or daygame ones, it’s actually best to network & chat up these guys. What people have said about building up your overall social scene in Belo Horizonte cannot be stressed enough because these dudes will increase the trust level of local women not to mention introduce them to you at a later time. One guy even invited me to a private party in Chalezinho 2 weeks after my stay, but I unfortunately did not live in the city. Private events at clubs and house parties = more exclusive chicks.
I don’t take first impression-based rejections personally as there was this one gal who blew me off in the bar área of Chale. Upon seeing me chat with some other dudes she may have known, she came back smiling and apologizing. Unlike say a Poland where it’s best to just go straight for the gals, you almost gotta treat gaming in Belo Horizonte as a multi-tasking networking event shaking hands with as many people as you can at the clubs...while honing in on chicks at the same time of course.
Development of social circles at every opportunity is very important..esp for those of you that live in BH as paying cover for clubs 2-3 times a week to mack on random new tail is not time, energy, or cost efficient.
My Overall Impression of Belo Horizonte
I’d say BH and Porto Alegre are my favorite cities in Brazil. Not only is BH one of my favorite places in BR, but I’d rank it as one of my preferred destinations globally along with Madrid, Montreal, Wroclaw, Hong Kong, NYC, and Bangkok. I of course like every one of thse cities for different reasons.
To get the most out of it, I would say foreigners would need an intermediate level of Portuguese for short visits. I think foreigners who decide to move here with some basics could always improve their Portuguese through a language institution with daily practice studying alone & through immersion with locals. I’d say it’s a little more overpriced than I would like it to be (More than say Madrid or Vienna nowadays) with an underwhelming bar scene. There’s not also not as many viable hotel or lodging options as say Curitiba with competitive pricing. I wouldn’t mind shelling out $100.00-$150.00+ USD per night for say a place in NYC or say Sao Paulo, but that is much more than I’d be willing to spend in Belo Horizonte though for short stays. The friendly vibes of the people, fun club scene, daygame opportunities, comida mineira, climate, and of course beautiful women more than make up for it. It’s not a perfect place, but Belo Horizonte is everything a Brazilian city should be in my books.
I will post a brief daily summary of my time in BH once I get the time.
My Lodging Accommodations:
Santo Agostinho - I stayed in a decent loft above a weekday business only for about $60.00 a night. It's a nice residential area with really no hotels or formal lodging options nearby. The major advantage I had however was being right next to Diamond Mall & where I'd say is an excellent place for day game at certain hours...but on only on weekdays though. Also some good restaurants nearby too. I didn't have the right circumstances to take advantage of it, but will get to that later on. It's also about only a one mile or two kilometer walk away from Savassi, which is well..IMO not the end all be all of BH as some make it out to be. But it's still a very strategic nice neighborhood to stay in as I understand why many recommended it..esp for safety purposes.
I did find a $70.00 per day Ibis Budget Hotel just outside of Savassi, but there was a holiday known as Corpus Christi that weekend (May 31st, 2013) so just about every place was booked for that one night...especially in Savassi & surrounding areas. Other than that, I didn't feel the potential end justified spending $120.00 USD per night on a hotel in Savassi specifically. If you can find a good short-term deal on 1) Alugue Temporada or 2) Airbnb.com in Funcionarios, Lourdes, or Santo Agostinho outside of Savassi for a better deal, I'd say go ahead and take it as the walk between those neighborhoods even at night is pretty safe. I just do not recommend staying in Centro near the main bus station as it's not exactly pleasant during the day not to mention unsafe at nights. Anything in Centro or north of it..yeah don’t do it.
My Thoughts on Savassi Overall
It’s a nice area, but having lodging in this specific neighborhood isn’t exactly going to get you a quick bang with your logistics as the mingling for singles nightlife here is sorely lacking. As mentioned above, you are almost better off in surrounding areas because it will be cheaper.
What the Area Possesses –
1) It’s a nice pleasant part of the city in middle of everything really.
2) Restaurants & outdoor eateries – Possesses plenty of them with good chances for daygaming & culinary purposes.
3) Botecos – Locals will refer to them as “barzinhos,” but these are mainly outdoor seating type places where groups of friends will all mingle with each other while drinking beer & munching on finger foods. Not ideal for gaming at all. Cool place to go however with friends if you know peeps there.
4) Rua Sergipe Bars – There is one street lined with more “American” type bars that would be ok for gaming. It includes three noticeable places being A) Bhar Savassi, B) Gomboa, or C) Redentor.
What the Area Lacks –
1) Outside of the three Rua Sergipe venues I mentioned, there’s not exactly that much prototypical night bar gaming venues here in Savassi. I know my perspective of Belo Horizonte might be a little subjective in that I only had 4 days in the city dealing with travel jitters & a long day trip to Ouro Preto in one of them, but it’s a place that is best suited for A) Daygame and B) Night Club game situated away from Savassi.
2) I never entered Gomboa or Redentor, but did walk into Bhar Savassi as they charged me 15-20 Reais for cover before I opened a tab. Just like Circus near the Santo Agostinho area, the hottest chicks in these venues I presume will already be with guys or social cliques that are perhaps harder to penetrate. If you are going to pay cover for a bar, then shell out the extra money for the night club scene 10-15 minutes away via cab as you’re likely going to get much better looking single talent at say Chalezinho.
3) Some hotel options but not enough.
Tim Sim Card:
I got my sim card from a store known as Tim within Diamond Shopping. It cost 10 reais. -As Qwest alluded to, you have to bring your passport to finalize the purchase.
-Once installing the sim card, my friend mentioned it was $0.30 Centavos ($0.15 USD) per text message while unlimited data per day was $2.00 Reais.
-Activating unlimited data per day required a CPF number, a matching name, and a corresponding address. Since I’m an American without a CPF number, I had to borrow the information from my landlord, which he was kind enough to lend me.
-The Tim Card requires a mandatory $10.00 Reais credit re-charge after the first week, which can be automatically deducted from your credit card.
-However, this mandatory re-charge in $10.00 Reais worth of credits after that first one occurs once a month afterwards for however long you are staying in Brazil. That was my experience in dealing with Tim.
-Calls between cell phones using a Tim sim card are free and are not used against your credits FYI.
-If anyone however knows of a better package than the one I dealt with this current month of June 2013, let me know as I personally think $2.00 Reais per day for internet data is kind of steep for those eventually wanting to live in Brazil long-term.
-Best feature of a unlimited data on a smart phone in Brazil is however the mapping function. Instead of carrying around a bigger map to navigate through the city, enter in the address or destination of where you want to visit as it will take you there.
Things I Missed Out On:
Pampulha – This is apparently a pretty cool neighborhood with some Oscar Niemeyer architecture, adjacent museum, and a nice lake. It’s also not too far off from the Mineiro Football Stadium and a well-known tennis club for members only. I wish I didn’t waste my Friday/Saturday shaking off travel jitters and trying to find worthless sights like Parque Municipal so that I could go here. However, Pampulha is not within walking distance of Savassi/Centro as a cab ride out there would have been $$$. There is supposed to be a bus that goes to Pampulha from Praca Liberdade, but it was too late when I found that out.
NaSala – Located in Ponteio Lar Shopping in the southern part of the city on the way to Chalezinho and Shopping Belo Horizonte, I got my dates mixed up and intended on spending my Saturday night there. There was unfortunately a private event there Saturday night as I should have checked it out Friday night. It’s considered the #1 upscale house music venue in BH, which is something more up my alley. Sore spot for me during this last Brazil trip as I didn’t get to experience anything like that (Sickness knocked me out in Curitiba afterwards). Anyways, always check the website of NaSala to see when they are having private parties because you do not want to waste a cab ride out there for one of those nights.
Bar Tize – Qwest recommended this place to me as it is situated in Lourdes not too far off from Santo Agostinho as a Saturday/Sunday hangout 3-6PM. I missed it due to other commitments, but there is always a next time in Belo Horizonte.
Miscellaneous Note – When visiting Belo Horizonte in the Fall/Winter, you’re going to get a nice temperate climate. The only problem however is that the darkness hits around 5PM so it’ll give you less time to really see a lot of cool sights like a Pampulha or Mangabeiras after a night of partying & waking up late. Speaking of Mangabeiras….
Highlights of Belo Horizonte:
Diamond Shopping – Not as crowded as the main mall in Savassi, but it brings in more of a milfy young professional clientele. Whereas the one in Savassi attracts families, groups of young friends, and teenie bopper couples, I’d say Diamond Shopping in Santo Agostinho has the better gaming opportunities. Hit the place up around 11AM-2PM for lunch as it’ll be young professional chicks sitting in groups talking about their lives, etc etc. You can come up with a dumb question about where you can find a map of the city. “Onde eu posso encontar um mapa da cidade?” They are pretty receptive here and will smile frequently. The gaming kind of dies down other times yet this is a similar upscale mall to Shopping Savassi though not as overbearing. I would however advise you do not eat the pay per kilo buffets in the food court as they are very overpriced. $20-30 Reais for a small plate of food when you can score better deals at….
UAI Shopping – Ok this is a much smaller mall next to the Rodviaria being the main bus terminal to places like Confins Airport or Ouro Preto. Centro doesn’t have the hotties galore like anything south of the neighborhood, but there was some cute talent in there. The main reason to go in here however is for the food on the top floor. Here, the pay per kilo churrascarias will cost ya $10-11 Reais for a bigger plate of food instead of paying 20-30 for a smaller one in the upscale city malls. Quality of eating is better in here too. There is also a small cervejaria on the first floor serving a local BH brew known as Backer. I recommend trying it. I can’t remember how much one cost, but it’s definitely worth it. I visited UAI Shopping while waiting for my bus to Ouro Preto.
Praca do Papa/Mangabeiras – Not only is this the in city neighborhood that gives you the best view of the city, but it’s a very nice area with some legit upscale homes. Walking around Praca do Papa will give you excellent views of the city while experiencing a nice tranquil feel of Belo Horizonte. Praca do Papa is situated within the neighborhood known as Mangabeiras, which has many cafeterias and outdoor eateries for daygaming. Avenida Agulhas Negras is the street leading up to Praca do Papa, but Avenida Bandeirantes is an adjacent street lined with trendy commercial property, homes, and outdoor eateries for mingling. This neighborhood reminds me of in a sense Jurere Internacional in Floripa minus the whole seasonal beach nightlife scene. Very underrated aspect of Belo Horizonte that cannot be missed!
Clube Chalezinho – As far as private events are concerned at this place, be sure to check the website just like NaSala to make sure they are not having one when visiting. I’m not a fan of Sertanejo or Forro type music, but I’d definitely make an exception for that in Chalezinho as they tend to have some pretty solid cover live music bands that attract the most charismatic and hottest mineiras in the city. Anyone visiting Brazil should most definitely visit Belo Horizonte as Chalezinho is a can’t miss experience that has been one of my favorites in the country period.
Solid Daygame Opportunities:
Diamond Shopping – Please refer to “Highlights of Belo Horizonte” section
Mangabeiras/Avenida Bandeirantes/Praca do Papa – Ditto on “Highlights of Belo Horizonte”
Outdoor Cafe on Avenida Bandeirantes Sunday Afternoon except usually with hotties around (I was too shy to capture a slick photo of other places with more chicks..my apologies):
Nightlife Opportunities:
1 – In Savassi mentioned above, there are three main bars suited for “pick up” called Bhar Savassi, Redentor, or Gamboa...I wasn’t feeling Savassi as a cool "bar type neighborhood", but it’s convenient as I digged it overall. I’ll explain why later on.
2 – South to southwest of the city are where the best clubs, lounges, and discotecas are going to be. Some places I ran across but didn’t get to enter where Dus Deuses, Cachaçaria Alambique, and NaSala. I did go to Clube Chalezinho twice though.
3 – Per Chapulin:
Quote: (04-29-2013 11:44 AM)Chapulin Wrote:4) Though the best nightlife options are south/southwest of Savassi...I don’t recommend staying where all the clubs are because you will need a car to get around. If you want to walk from point A to point B being a grocery store, pharmacy, mall, etc...you will not be able to do it that effficiently by foot. Staying in Savassi, Lourdes, and Funcionarios will provide you that opportunity however.
In BH you should check:
Night:
NaSala: upscale nightclub, you will have to work a little bit to score
Chalezinho: now chalezinho has a new location, but is still a great option (specially on Fridays and Sundays, os Sundays arrive before 6pm)
Observatório: os saturdays the action begins early, like 6pm. I think there´s something going on on Sundays as well, not sure.
Lord Pub, The Jack, Garagem d´Caza, Circus: Pubs with rock bands playing, usually the man/women ratio is bad, but those places are fun
Alambique: maybe the quality of girls drop a little bit in this place, but it´s worth checking.
At fridays and saturdays theres a party in a favela on the Raja Gabaglia Avenue. The party has a name, but I cant recall. It´s very safe.
Monday night theres a place called Major Lock.
Women of Belo Horizonte –
Yeah the gals here in the main city areas south of Centro are hotties galore. These chicks are definitely of the same ethnic breed as Rio gals except speak much less English yet do a much better job of taking care of themselves. I essentially saw 2-4 fatties out of the 100 of women I ran across in Belo Horizonte in the middle to upper classes. Mineiras are definitely more fashionable as they excel at highlighting their atributes. Presenting yourself well isn’t about just spending tons of $$ as the local females here really maximize their looks with what they got. Unfortunately, I’m sorely disapointed with what the upper middle class chicks in Rio de Janeiro bring to the table in contrast to their counterparts to the north of their state.
I always used to say the women of African descent from Spanish speaking countries in the Carribean like DR, Cuba, and Puerto Rico were much more attractive than the African influenced Brasileiras. Once again, Mineiras proved me wrong in that department as well
Quick bangs minus a pre-existing social circle are probably out of the equation (though possible if lowering standards) as I only got some light kissing from a chick after failed attempts with her Sunday night not to mention multiple rejections from other gals in Chalezinho. These are more conservative gals as everyone has mentioned, but I can’t underestimate the value of at least connecting with them for future pipelining attempts. A lot of the high talent chicks are professionals/graduate students that still live at home with their parents near all the clubs south of Savassi. Convincing them to take a free yet 15-20 minute cab back into Savassi with ya is a challenge to pull off at these clubs where they have closer access to mom & dad's place. The catch is that a lot of these suburbanites will however go to Savassi to have dinner or drink at an outdoor boteca with friends so getting their info to meet you closer to your pad might be the best way to go. Trust me..once you visit Belo Horizonte, you will want to visit again as the women and overall atmosphere here are awesome. Definitely worth the time and money.
Dudes of Belo Horizonte –
I would say the dudes of Belo Horizonte are well polished ones providing a great deal of competition. When going out to places like Chalezinho or daygame ones, it’s actually best to network & chat up these guys. What people have said about building up your overall social scene in Belo Horizonte cannot be stressed enough because these dudes will increase the trust level of local women not to mention introduce them to you at a later time. One guy even invited me to a private party in Chalezinho 2 weeks after my stay, but I unfortunately did not live in the city. Private events at clubs and house parties = more exclusive chicks.
I don’t take first impression-based rejections personally as there was this one gal who blew me off in the bar área of Chale. Upon seeing me chat with some other dudes she may have known, she came back smiling and apologizing. Unlike say a Poland where it’s best to just go straight for the gals, you almost gotta treat gaming in Belo Horizonte as a multi-tasking networking event shaking hands with as many people as you can at the clubs...while honing in on chicks at the same time of course.
Development of social circles at every opportunity is very important..esp for those of you that live in BH as paying cover for clubs 2-3 times a week to mack on random new tail is not time, energy, or cost efficient.
My Overall Impression of Belo Horizonte
I’d say BH and Porto Alegre are my favorite cities in Brazil. Not only is BH one of my favorite places in BR, but I’d rank it as one of my preferred destinations globally along with Madrid, Montreal, Wroclaw, Hong Kong, NYC, and Bangkok. I of course like every one of thse cities for different reasons.
To get the most out of it, I would say foreigners would need an intermediate level of Portuguese for short visits. I think foreigners who decide to move here with some basics could always improve their Portuguese through a language institution with daily practice studying alone & through immersion with locals. I’d say it’s a little more overpriced than I would like it to be (More than say Madrid or Vienna nowadays) with an underwhelming bar scene. There’s not also not as many viable hotel or lodging options as say Curitiba with competitive pricing. I wouldn’t mind shelling out $100.00-$150.00+ USD per night for say a place in NYC or say Sao Paulo, but that is much more than I’d be willing to spend in Belo Horizonte though for short stays. The friendly vibes of the people, fun club scene, daygame opportunities, comida mineira, climate, and of course beautiful women more than make up for it. It’s not a perfect place, but Belo Horizonte is everything a Brazilian city should be in my books.
I will post a brief daily summary of my time in BH once I get the time.
Brigado yb13. Tem muitos detalhes aqui. Fico motivado e focado. Eu vou enviar uma mensagem privada.
Quote: (06-02-2013 09:31 AM)yb13 Wrote:
If you can save money staying in Santo Agostinho, Funcionaros, or Lourdes...do it.
Quote: (06-16-2013 05:24 PM)yb13 Wrote:
Savassi, which is well..IMO not the end all be all of BH as some make it out to be. But it's still a very strategic nice neighborhood to stay in as I understand why many recommended it..esp for safety purposes.
If you can find a good short-term deal on 1) Alugue Temporada or 2) Airbnb.com in Funcionarios, Lourdes, or Santo Agostinho outside of Savassi for a better deal, I'd say go ahead and take it as the walk between those neighborhoods even at night is pretty safe. I just do not recommend staying in Centro near the main bus station as it's not exactly pleasant during the day not to mention unsafe at nights. Anything in Centro or north of it..yeah don’t do it.
Good report, can you tell us anything at all about the bairro Santa Tereza? Especially safety-wise? The reason I'm asking is that there's an option on airbnb in that part of the city which seems to be half-decent.
I recall another forum member saying he lived there. It's supposed to be a bit bohemic I think.
I've only spend a couple of days in BH (so my tips may be biased by a one time visit), but here are some of my recommendations:
- Graça a Deus: bar with live rock band very close to Rua Sergipe; girls come to this place to get picked up; bar closes at around midnight so great to warm up
- Bwana: small club with live samba/pagode music and baile funk music later in the evening, very close to Rua Sergipe, only gets started after 2AM; this club is not posh, so it attracts a easy going girls that look like their carioca sisters
- Swingers: club with R&B music when I was there; hot girls, but bitchy as all guys are hunting in this place
- Graça a Deus: bar with live rock band very close to Rua Sergipe; girls come to this place to get picked up; bar closes at around midnight so great to warm up
- Bwana: small club with live samba/pagode music and baile funk music later in the evening, very close to Rua Sergipe, only gets started after 2AM; this club is not posh, so it attracts a easy going girls that look like their carioca sisters
- Swingers: club with R&B music when I was there; hot girls, but bitchy as all guys are hunting in this place
Quote: (06-27-2013 03:09 AM)solo Wrote:
Good report, can you tell us anything at all about the bairro Santa Tereza? Especially safety-wise? The reason I'm asking is that there's an option on airbnb in that part of the city which seems to be half-decent.
I recall another forum member saying he lived there. It's supposed to be a bit bohemic I think.
Santa Tereza per Chapulin -
Quote: (05-15-2013 01:55 PM)Chapulin Wrote:
Barro Preto is much closer to the city centre. It is not a residencial neighborhood, lots of commerce around. Depending on where you stay in Barro Preto it can get a bit dodgy at night. I wouldnt walk around barro preto at night.
Santa Tereza is a big neighborhood, so the logistics depends on where you are staying there. It is a bit out of hand (it means taxi will be a bit more expensive). In Santa Tereza there´s a 24 hour restaurant called Bolão (you can eat rice, bens and meat at 4 a.m.) nice prices and excellent food. Also, there´s a club called Deputamadre (not actually in S.T, but real close). It gets going almost everyday, but the best night is tuesday. Santa Tereza also has a nighspot called Paco Pigalli, big nightclub, usually has a good amount of girls and it is cheap.
If I were you, I woulb invest a little more money on lodging. Tehere are some hotels near Praça da Liberdade (square) and all over Savassi. Check out: Ibis, Mercure (there are 3 in BH) or Formule One.
Also, the other member who lived in Santa Tereza was Sardino. Here is his depiction of the neighborhood he resided in:
http://www.rooshvforum.network/thread-8956-p...#pid131939
I've never been but it looks like a decent bet. He is dead on with his assessment of Centro. How long are you going to be in BH for Solo?
Thanks for the info. I'm hoping to stay for a minimum of 2-3 months. I'm learning Portuguese right now and hope to have most of the grammar down by the time I go, so I can focus on conversation.
With regards to sentence structure, some pronunciation (use keyboard/sound features of google translate), etc...
buy this book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0...949&sr=1-1
I used this book in my intensive Portuguese class as it rocked out. I was lucky to have the instructor or teacher I had, but we covered almost 3 years worth of material in 7-8 months.
You can also get free torrented versions of Pimsleur off of pirate bay, etc.
buy this book:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/0...949&sr=1-1
I used this book in my intensive Portuguese class as it rocked out. I was lucky to have the instructor or teacher I had, but we covered almost 3 years worth of material in 7-8 months.
You can also get free torrented versions of Pimsleur off of pirate bay, etc.
Quote: (06-27-2013 05:38 PM)solo Wrote:
Thanks for the info. I'm hoping to stay for a minimum of 2-3 months. I'm learning Portuguese right now and hope to have most of the grammar down by the time I go, so I can focus on conversation.
If you're looking to stay in BH for a few months, my resources are recommending Easy Quarto for a room. I only have the unpaid version of the product but as time gets closer to this move, you might want to get the paid monthly subscription so you can negotiate months and dollar amounts. Many of the listings will say 6 or 12 months minimum, but each respective landlord can flexible about that. Once you get you're desired apartment or room..you can then unsubscribe from the monthly fees.
Daily Testimonies in BH June 2013
Now that I've provided a data report on key points in BH, here is a daily report of my experiences there as well. Not really worth doing the same for Curitiba but I have more insight for this place.
Thursday May 30th, 2013
The flight from DFW out to Miami proved to be a raucous one with groups of friends that appeared to have pregamed heavily in the airport ready for a fun weekend in So. Beach. Can't blame them. I was in a similar situation with my boys heading to Mexico City just several months before.
Upon arriving in MIA, I only had 20-30 minutes to transfer to the other gate for BH. I recall hearing cheers of "get em Lebron.." and "let's go Udonis" during my dash to the other gate, which I assumed was the Heat taking game 5 against the Pacers. Meh.
Upon taking my seat..I was slated to sit next to a pretty blonde who had to easily be an 8.5 or 9. She spoke fluent English and I had the Portuguese down so twas ready for a good time. Right at the last minute, an older lady looks over and asks if she can switch with my window seat because that was her daughter (Thanks cockblocking mom).
I obliged to take the end seat of the middle row yet continued to speak to the mother/daughter combo. They were heading to Goiânia but would spend their layover in BH. Very cordial people as I should've continued the conversation but got tired of speaking across the other row.
Meanwhile the lady sitting next to me was a milfy type residing outside of Boston, but was visiting family outside of BH for 2 weeks while of course bringing back a crap load of electronics. She busted out her Ipad showing me her nieces and saying that she could hook me up with them if I wanted. When I suggested we share contact information, she claimed to be too lazy to check her facebook or email. Ok...
Friday May 31st, 2013
I should have been at NaSala but got my nights mixed up with regards to a private party that was occurring the next one being Saturday. In the meantime, I ended walking around Savassi looking for "the party." Can't say that I was too impressed with the scene as the big patio areas next to Patio Savassi (Big Mall) were filled with predominantly groups of people eating finger foods & drinking beer with friends. Also a ton of teeny boppers around, which was the case in the big mall too. Not conducive towards my gaming preferences at all.
After a good dinner at the mall, I ended up at Rua Sergipe with certain options for bars. I decided on Bhar Savassi because it looked like a safe bet not to mention I had to use the restroom ASAP. I believe the cover was 15-20 Reais before walking in.
The scene on Friday consisted of a live Sertanejo band (my favorite genre of music...not) with two floors of activity. I didn't see many targets that were accessible on the first one so moved up to the second where I saw mixed groups but a noticeable one of 4 gals seated at a table. Honestly confused about where to order drinks, I intervened on their conversation asking "vocês sabem onde eu posso pedir bebidas?" They proceeded to laugh at my aloofness so invited me to sit at their table while asking questions about myself.
The main gal who initiated was being flirty at first while even showcasing her English abilities that her friends didn't possess. She was likely a solid 8 girl next door type, but not exactly worth throwing myself all over in a city full of 8s/9s being BH. As the night went on, she appeared semi-interested yet decided not to show anymore initiative as I was the one that kept pushing questions in both Portuguese and English leading nowhere. Exchanged info but really had no interest in seriously connecting with her again. After some collective dancing with her friends, the night ended with myself finding a street of eateries conversing with some dudes over grilled meat on a stick, in which I ordered chicken hearts or coração de frango.
Saturday Night June 1st, 2013
I woke up the next day with big plans to at least visit Ouro Preto or Pampulha. I accomplished neither so decided I would take Qwest's advice to have afternoon drinks in Tize right next to my neighbhorhood being St. Agostinho. That didn't happen either as I spent that Saturday looking for worthless sights like Parque Municipal. With the day creeping on, I decided to shop for groceries and jog around 7PM with the sun already down for some time.
Dinner was mall food yet again except this time in Shopping Diamond. I felt a bit bloated after the meal so decided to go for a walk..on the way to Chalezinho around 11PM. From my neighborhood, I'd say it was about a 5-6 mile walk as my map application guided me all the way to Santa Lucia. The journey wasn't about saving money but moreso for the sake of being a random adventurer trying something new. Anyways, my walk took me past Savassi and onto a main bridge turning into a nice yet dark residential neighborhood leading then into a main uphill road that would last ages..perhaps 3-4 miles. I tried making myself feel safer by engaging in facebook chat sessions during the walk with friends back home. Helped my cause though it was a secure & scenic walk where I got some nice views of the city at night....like this:
![[Image: 1002716_10100556541024374_590031520_n.jpg]](https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/q87/s720x720/1002716_10100556541024374_590031520_n.jpg)
![[Image: 1044371_10100556540874674_2088613167_n.jpg]](https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/q85/s720x720/1044371_10100556540874674_2088613167_n.jpg)
Two places I walked by were Alambique and Dus Deuses, which appeared to be more lounge like places. I pondered walking into both but opted to take the short cab to Chalezinho instead. People have suggested getting to Chalezinho around 10-10:30PM Fri/Sat to avoid the long lines. I however arrived there on Saturday night at 12:30AM where there was NO line. The entrance lady came off as extremely hot so I wondered what the place had to offer. Upon getting in, I remember committing to a drink card that required a 40 Reais entrance fee along with a minimum of 40 Reais for drink consumption. All in all 80 Reais to get into Chalezinho on a Saturday night FYI.
Once getting my drink card...I arrived in heaven. I remember my adrenalin going up & nerves getting the best of me as I kept misconjugating verbs while talking to as many gals as possible. My dumb questions and catch phrases didn't get me anywhere that night, but I remember thoroughly enjoying the music. On Saturdays, it's more of a Samba variety band, which has easier music to dance to whereas on Sundays it's always going to be an Sertanejo band I'll have difficulty finding a rhythm to. Anyways, a bunch of good looking well dressed gals with one or two chunky ones all in high heels and sexy outfits. I had some good discussions with people in general that night but didn't settle on really connecting or exchanging any info as I kept looking for the knockout blow. Bad on my part, but vowed to visit Chalezinho Sunday again too.
It's also imperative you check the website to see when private events are going on bc there is no need on wasting cab fare out there and back without being able to gain entry. The lineup typically is (without private events) - Friday = House DJs, Saturdays = Samba Funk Variety Music, and Sundays = Sertanejo. From Savassi..it's about 26 Reais to Santa Lucia and the same cost on the way back to that part of town.
http://www.clubechalezinho.com/
Sunday June 2nd, 2013
I had a great time starting off my day in Centro visiting Mercado Central. It's a cool place where you can find comida mineira and other goodies, but I wouldn't actually recommend eating there because you're just not going to find a seat as it's VERY crowded with early bird eaters that will not give up their spot.
UAI Shopping next to the Rodoviaria (main bus station) has just as good values but isn't as crowded for good dining and comida mineira. I also ran across a cool Sunday market on the way to Mangabeiras as can be seen here:
![[Image: 1016523_10100556541094234_1189186673_n.jpg]](https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/q73/s720x720/1016523_10100556541094234_1189186673_n.jpg)
Mangabeiras and Praça do Papa. I can't stress how good of a day game spot Mangabeiras would be..particularly Avenida dos Bandeirantes with all the outdoor cafes & people watching there. Praça do Papa has a cool park north of it and the best views of the city. Mangabeiras meanwhile is a neighborhood where a lot of scenic "mansions" are.
![[Image: 1044359_10100556533409634_1278307962_n.jpg]](https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/q79/s720x720/1044359_10100556533409634_1278307962_n.jpg)
![[Image: 10143_10100556533399654_1311789094_n.jpg]](https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/q77/s720x720/10143_10100556533399654_1311789094_n.jpg)
After some more procrastinating and relaxing during this vacation, I had dinner at a very small outdoor Japanese patio with sushi type sandwiches in Savassi called Tmak or Temakeria Sushi Bar. It's decent innovative food with a good wait for seating with tons of hotties there. As I was about to leave, a mom and a very attractive daughter sat next to me as they didn't pay any attention to me upon their arrival. When getting up to pay my bill, the daughter with long athletic legs and dirty blond hair started to check me out resulting in me just freezing up & not knowing what to do. All that happened was me leaving and finding the nearest cab to Chalezinho (Perhaps I should've asked where I could find the nearest cab upon second though, which would be "vocês sabem onde eu posso encontrar o mais pertinho taxi daqui?). I however didn't ask so let's move past that.
![[Image: 543324_459082277468772_1697381234_n.jpg]](https://fbcdn-sphotos-f-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/s720x720/543324_459082277468772_1697381234_n.jpg)
It's avisable that people arrive at 5-5:30 PM at Chalezinho on Sundays as people will try to rush in around 6:30-7:30. I however arrived at 10:30 PM with NO line yet again. I saw the same gal working the front from the night before as she was excited to see me yet again for a 2nd visit. We then conversed a bit and revealed that I was American visiting town. Hot brunette with bangs and an exotic face. We talked for a good 5-10 minutes as I then asked if I could enter. Instead of asking for her contact information (future considerations for party notifications/special events), I forgot to do so and wouldn't see her for the rest of the evening.
The crowd was just as crazy as it was on Saturday night but the atmosphere and adrenalin was gone...maybe it was the Sertanejo instead of Samba. All I had were some cold approaches and some catch phrases that didn't pan out. I want to say the main bar area and dance floor action on that Sunday felt a little more unforgiving compared to the Saturday crowd. After some more uninspiring approaches, I went to the smoking patio that also had a bar.
Thoughts of everyone's advice on the forum about "building a social circle" in Belo Horizonte suddenly came back at that one instant so decided to simplify my game by just talking to random people in an attempt "to network" and be their friend opposed to swinging for the fence's at every chance. I came across a guy & girl pulling out cigarettes so I interrupted with "se pode fumar aqui?" We hit it off well as I got introduced to their small circle of friends and were intrigued by my foreign status. That same guy studied English in Australia as they started introducing me to their other friends that only spoke Portuguese. He also advised I shout out "nossa" obnoxiously when seeing hot chicks at a club as he even performed a I don't give a crap demonstration for me. His game seemed to work fine for himself that is, haha.
Even a girl who blew me off earlier on the dance floor came out for a smoke and apologized as she knew some of the people I was chatting with.
One thing lead to another as a blonde & brunette overheard me speaking both English/Portuguese approached asking where I was visiting from. The blonde was a pretty one of German descent as we got some good practice speaking with to other. She claimed to struggle with "giria" or slang of the English language but it sounded impeccable to me. After about 20-30 minutes, I started to gradually touch expecting her to flinch a bit but she continued to sit there while we seemingly enjoyed each other's company. Went for a kiss attempt in there but she laughed off my failed try yet was still sitting with a big smile on her face.
Near last call, she opted to get one final drink so I started chatting others up as they were inviting me out to special house & club parties in the coming weeks only to find out I was leaving BH in 2 days with the last one spent in Ouro Preto. Just goes to prove if things are getting tough in a Brazilian club environment, I recommend going to a designated outdoor smoking section where you'll be able to get more approaches in. It's kind of a last resort amateur move in my books, but I had no other choice in that situation, haha. Home girl eventually returned as we headed outside to pay our tabs upon closing and conversed some more. Made some hint about where I was staying, but she decided to go with her female friends as all the well off unmarried chicks lived nearby around Santa Lucia with their parents whereas I was a good 15-20 minute cab ride farther off. Finally connected with a short goodbye kiss on the last try, though it wasn't a heavy makeout as she seemed like the typical conservative Mineira.
More talent from Chalezinho per FB page-
![[Image: 21346_616777135007795_454077806_n.jpg]](https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn1/q71/21346_616777135007795_454077806_n.jpg)
![[Image: 182524_595473480471494_1967022364_n.jpg]](https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-prn2/182524_595473480471494_1967022364_n.jpg)
![[Image: 375665_606923059326536_1007827810_n.jpg]](https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/q71/375665_606923059326536_1007827810_n.jpg)
Go to the website or facebook page if you want to find more pics. Pretty evident I'm a fan of the talent at Chalezinho, yea? Haha. I'd still say seeing the talent in person at Chale is more of a worthwhile experience. I've only visited 7 cities in Brazil as of late June 2013, but that bar alone has been one of the most memorable things I think about thus far.
My last day being Monday June 3rd, 2013 was spent in Ouro Preto. I enjoyed the landscape as it was eye candy for the camera. Unfortunately, I didn't really love it as the vibe reminded me that of Sintra, Portugal outside of Lisbon so it felt like a "been there, done that" type of experience. I'm still glad I made the visit yet couldn't imagine being a university student here walking up steep cobblestone inclined roads on a daily basis, which are particularly slippery in the rain & really being in the middle of nowhere. It was an epic time to have experienced once especially on a rainy day, but I wouldn't go again lol. Least I can tell others about it now.
![[Image: 1048496_10100556530295874_1702297561_o.jpg]](https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1048496_10100556530295874_1702297561_o.jpg)
My last night was one where I had a beer by myself at Diamond Mall contemplating how much I was going to miss Belo Horizonte. But that's what 2nd visits are for and with more pipelining options acquired from my first stay...it makes returning all the more worthwhile.
Now that I've provided a data report on key points in BH, here is a daily report of my experiences there as well. Not really worth doing the same for Curitiba but I have more insight for this place.
Thursday May 30th, 2013
The flight from DFW out to Miami proved to be a raucous one with groups of friends that appeared to have pregamed heavily in the airport ready for a fun weekend in So. Beach. Can't blame them. I was in a similar situation with my boys heading to Mexico City just several months before.
Upon arriving in MIA, I only had 20-30 minutes to transfer to the other gate for BH. I recall hearing cheers of "get em Lebron.." and "let's go Udonis" during my dash to the other gate, which I assumed was the Heat taking game 5 against the Pacers. Meh.
Upon taking my seat..I was slated to sit next to a pretty blonde who had to easily be an 8.5 or 9. She spoke fluent English and I had the Portuguese down so twas ready for a good time. Right at the last minute, an older lady looks over and asks if she can switch with my window seat because that was her daughter (Thanks cockblocking mom).
I obliged to take the end seat of the middle row yet continued to speak to the mother/daughter combo. They were heading to Goiânia but would spend their layover in BH. Very cordial people as I should've continued the conversation but got tired of speaking across the other row.
Meanwhile the lady sitting next to me was a milfy type residing outside of Boston, but was visiting family outside of BH for 2 weeks while of course bringing back a crap load of electronics. She busted out her Ipad showing me her nieces and saying that she could hook me up with them if I wanted. When I suggested we share contact information, she claimed to be too lazy to check her facebook or email. Ok...
Friday May 31st, 2013
I should have been at NaSala but got my nights mixed up with regards to a private party that was occurring the next one being Saturday. In the meantime, I ended walking around Savassi looking for "the party." Can't say that I was too impressed with the scene as the big patio areas next to Patio Savassi (Big Mall) were filled with predominantly groups of people eating finger foods & drinking beer with friends. Also a ton of teeny boppers around, which was the case in the big mall too. Not conducive towards my gaming preferences at all.
After a good dinner at the mall, I ended up at Rua Sergipe with certain options for bars. I decided on Bhar Savassi because it looked like a safe bet not to mention I had to use the restroom ASAP. I believe the cover was 15-20 Reais before walking in.
The scene on Friday consisted of a live Sertanejo band (my favorite genre of music...not) with two floors of activity. I didn't see many targets that were accessible on the first one so moved up to the second where I saw mixed groups but a noticeable one of 4 gals seated at a table. Honestly confused about where to order drinks, I intervened on their conversation asking "vocês sabem onde eu posso pedir bebidas?" They proceeded to laugh at my aloofness so invited me to sit at their table while asking questions about myself.
The main gal who initiated was being flirty at first while even showcasing her English abilities that her friends didn't possess. She was likely a solid 8 girl next door type, but not exactly worth throwing myself all over in a city full of 8s/9s being BH. As the night went on, she appeared semi-interested yet decided not to show anymore initiative as I was the one that kept pushing questions in both Portuguese and English leading nowhere. Exchanged info but really had no interest in seriously connecting with her again. After some collective dancing with her friends, the night ended with myself finding a street of eateries conversing with some dudes over grilled meat on a stick, in which I ordered chicken hearts or coração de frango.
Saturday Night June 1st, 2013
I woke up the next day with big plans to at least visit Ouro Preto or Pampulha. I accomplished neither so decided I would take Qwest's advice to have afternoon drinks in Tize right next to my neighbhorhood being St. Agostinho. That didn't happen either as I spent that Saturday looking for worthless sights like Parque Municipal. With the day creeping on, I decided to shop for groceries and jog around 7PM with the sun already down for some time.
Dinner was mall food yet again except this time in Shopping Diamond. I felt a bit bloated after the meal so decided to go for a walk..on the way to Chalezinho around 11PM. From my neighborhood, I'd say it was about a 5-6 mile walk as my map application guided me all the way to Santa Lucia. The journey wasn't about saving money but moreso for the sake of being a random adventurer trying something new. Anyways, my walk took me past Savassi and onto a main bridge turning into a nice yet dark residential neighborhood leading then into a main uphill road that would last ages..perhaps 3-4 miles. I tried making myself feel safer by engaging in facebook chat sessions during the walk with friends back home. Helped my cause though it was a secure & scenic walk where I got some nice views of the city at night....like this:
Two places I walked by were Alambique and Dus Deuses, which appeared to be more lounge like places. I pondered walking into both but opted to take the short cab to Chalezinho instead. People have suggested getting to Chalezinho around 10-10:30PM Fri/Sat to avoid the long lines. I however arrived there on Saturday night at 12:30AM where there was NO line. The entrance lady came off as extremely hot so I wondered what the place had to offer. Upon getting in, I remember committing to a drink card that required a 40 Reais entrance fee along with a minimum of 40 Reais for drink consumption. All in all 80 Reais to get into Chalezinho on a Saturday night FYI.
Once getting my drink card...I arrived in heaven. I remember my adrenalin going up & nerves getting the best of me as I kept misconjugating verbs while talking to as many gals as possible. My dumb questions and catch phrases didn't get me anywhere that night, but I remember thoroughly enjoying the music. On Saturdays, it's more of a Samba variety band, which has easier music to dance to whereas on Sundays it's always going to be an Sertanejo band I'll have difficulty finding a rhythm to. Anyways, a bunch of good looking well dressed gals with one or two chunky ones all in high heels and sexy outfits. I had some good discussions with people in general that night but didn't settle on really connecting or exchanging any info as I kept looking for the knockout blow. Bad on my part, but vowed to visit Chalezinho Sunday again too.
It's also imperative you check the website to see when private events are going on bc there is no need on wasting cab fare out there and back without being able to gain entry. The lineup typically is (without private events) - Friday = House DJs, Saturdays = Samba Funk Variety Music, and Sundays = Sertanejo. From Savassi..it's about 26 Reais to Santa Lucia and the same cost on the way back to that part of town.
http://www.clubechalezinho.com/
Sunday June 2nd, 2013
I had a great time starting off my day in Centro visiting Mercado Central. It's a cool place where you can find comida mineira and other goodies, but I wouldn't actually recommend eating there because you're just not going to find a seat as it's VERY crowded with early bird eaters that will not give up their spot.
UAI Shopping next to the Rodoviaria (main bus station) has just as good values but isn't as crowded for good dining and comida mineira. I also ran across a cool Sunday market on the way to Mangabeiras as can be seen here:
Mangabeiras and Praça do Papa. I can't stress how good of a day game spot Mangabeiras would be..particularly Avenida dos Bandeirantes with all the outdoor cafes & people watching there. Praça do Papa has a cool park north of it and the best views of the city. Mangabeiras meanwhile is a neighborhood where a lot of scenic "mansions" are.
After some more procrastinating and relaxing during this vacation, I had dinner at a very small outdoor Japanese patio with sushi type sandwiches in Savassi called Tmak or Temakeria Sushi Bar. It's decent innovative food with a good wait for seating with tons of hotties there. As I was about to leave, a mom and a very attractive daughter sat next to me as they didn't pay any attention to me upon their arrival. When getting up to pay my bill, the daughter with long athletic legs and dirty blond hair started to check me out resulting in me just freezing up & not knowing what to do. All that happened was me leaving and finding the nearest cab to Chalezinho (Perhaps I should've asked where I could find the nearest cab upon second though, which would be "vocês sabem onde eu posso encontrar o mais pertinho taxi daqui?). I however didn't ask so let's move past that.
It's avisable that people arrive at 5-5:30 PM at Chalezinho on Sundays as people will try to rush in around 6:30-7:30. I however arrived at 10:30 PM with NO line yet again. I saw the same gal working the front from the night before as she was excited to see me yet again for a 2nd visit. We then conversed a bit and revealed that I was American visiting town. Hot brunette with bangs and an exotic face. We talked for a good 5-10 minutes as I then asked if I could enter. Instead of asking for her contact information (future considerations for party notifications/special events), I forgot to do so and wouldn't see her for the rest of the evening.
The crowd was just as crazy as it was on Saturday night but the atmosphere and adrenalin was gone...maybe it was the Sertanejo instead of Samba. All I had were some cold approaches and some catch phrases that didn't pan out. I want to say the main bar area and dance floor action on that Sunday felt a little more unforgiving compared to the Saturday crowd. After some more uninspiring approaches, I went to the smoking patio that also had a bar.
Thoughts of everyone's advice on the forum about "building a social circle" in Belo Horizonte suddenly came back at that one instant so decided to simplify my game by just talking to random people in an attempt "to network" and be their friend opposed to swinging for the fence's at every chance. I came across a guy & girl pulling out cigarettes so I interrupted with "se pode fumar aqui?" We hit it off well as I got introduced to their small circle of friends and were intrigued by my foreign status. That same guy studied English in Australia as they started introducing me to their other friends that only spoke Portuguese. He also advised I shout out "nossa" obnoxiously when seeing hot chicks at a club as he even performed a I don't give a crap demonstration for me. His game seemed to work fine for himself that is, haha.
Even a girl who blew me off earlier on the dance floor came out for a smoke and apologized as she knew some of the people I was chatting with.
One thing lead to another as a blonde & brunette overheard me speaking both English/Portuguese approached asking where I was visiting from. The blonde was a pretty one of German descent as we got some good practice speaking with to other. She claimed to struggle with "giria" or slang of the English language but it sounded impeccable to me. After about 20-30 minutes, I started to gradually touch expecting her to flinch a bit but she continued to sit there while we seemingly enjoyed each other's company. Went for a kiss attempt in there but she laughed off my failed try yet was still sitting with a big smile on her face.
Near last call, she opted to get one final drink so I started chatting others up as they were inviting me out to special house & club parties in the coming weeks only to find out I was leaving BH in 2 days with the last one spent in Ouro Preto. Just goes to prove if things are getting tough in a Brazilian club environment, I recommend going to a designated outdoor smoking section where you'll be able to get more approaches in. It's kind of a last resort amateur move in my books, but I had no other choice in that situation, haha. Home girl eventually returned as we headed outside to pay our tabs upon closing and conversed some more. Made some hint about where I was staying, but she decided to go with her female friends as all the well off unmarried chicks lived nearby around Santa Lucia with their parents whereas I was a good 15-20 minute cab ride farther off. Finally connected with a short goodbye kiss on the last try, though it wasn't a heavy makeout as she seemed like the typical conservative Mineira.
More talent from Chalezinho per FB page-
Go to the website or facebook page if you want to find more pics. Pretty evident I'm a fan of the talent at Chalezinho, yea? Haha. I'd still say seeing the talent in person at Chale is more of a worthwhile experience. I've only visited 7 cities in Brazil as of late June 2013, but that bar alone has been one of the most memorable things I think about thus far.
My last day being Monday June 3rd, 2013 was spent in Ouro Preto. I enjoyed the landscape as it was eye candy for the camera. Unfortunately, I didn't really love it as the vibe reminded me that of Sintra, Portugal outside of Lisbon so it felt like a "been there, done that" type of experience. I'm still glad I made the visit yet couldn't imagine being a university student here walking up steep cobblestone inclined roads on a daily basis, which are particularly slippery in the rain & really being in the middle of nowhere. It was an epic time to have experienced once especially on a rainy day, but I wouldn't go again lol. Least I can tell others about it now.
My last night was one where I had a beer by myself at Diamond Mall contemplating how much I was going to miss Belo Horizonte. But that's what 2nd visits are for and with more pipelining options acquired from my first stay...it makes returning all the more worthwhile.
Has anybody ever been to Cafe de la Musique in Belo Horizonte? I know this is a pretty upscale chain throughout many Brazilian cities, but wasn't aware Belo Horizonte had one conveniently located near Savassi in Lourdes:
http://www.cafedelamusiquebh.com.br/o-cafe/cafe
Might have to try it out for drinks or maybe one of you beating me out to the punch can next time in town: [img]Has anybody ever been to Cafe de la Musique in Belo Horizonte? I know this is a pretty upscale chain throughout many Brazilian cities, but wasn't aware Belo Horizonte had one conveniently located near Savassi in Lourdes:
![[Image: 1004040_386580054786084_119530060_n.jpg]](https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/1004040_386580054786084_119530060_n.jpg)
http://www.cafedelamusiquebh.com.br/o-cafe/cafe
Might have to try it out for drinks or maybe one of you beating me out to the punch can next time in town: [img]Has anybody ever been to Cafe de la Musique in Belo Horizonte? I know this is a pretty upscale chain throughout many Brazilian cities, but wasn't aware Belo Horizonte had one conveniently located near Savassi in Lourdes:
Good report yb13. Sounds like knowing some Portuguese did help you overall.
Hope this isn't taken as a threadjack, but the World Cup is in Brazil next year, and they'll be announcing ticketing schemes and so on in a few weeks.
I plan to go there with some friends. We'll avoid Rio and Sao Paulo because a) accommodation will be massively overpriced during the event and b) too many tourists and c) a lot of us have been to both before and want to try something new.
Can anyone suggest, of the World Cup cities, which might be best to visit? We can probably pick only one. My preference is a city with a large university presence as at least we'll have a slightly higher chance of finding English speakers, and most of the guys I'll be with seem to game uni chicks the best. At the same time, I'm sure we'd prefer a city that won't be too overrun with foreign tourists, though I guess that's a bit hard given it's the World Cup.
So here are the choices (World Cup stadium cities):
- Fortaleza
- Belo Horizonte
- Porto Alegre
- Salvador
- Recife
- Cuiaba
- Manaus
- Natal
- Curitiba
One of my friends started looking into this briefly, like looking up demographic data on % of young people, etc. We also looked at which cities don't require a lot of flight changes just to get there. I think Salvador and Cuiaba are front-runners, but we really haven't done enough analysis yet.
Any suggestions?
Hope this isn't taken as a threadjack, but the World Cup is in Brazil next year, and they'll be announcing ticketing schemes and so on in a few weeks.
I plan to go there with some friends. We'll avoid Rio and Sao Paulo because a) accommodation will be massively overpriced during the event and b) too many tourists and c) a lot of us have been to both before and want to try something new.
Can anyone suggest, of the World Cup cities, which might be best to visit? We can probably pick only one. My preference is a city with a large university presence as at least we'll have a slightly higher chance of finding English speakers, and most of the guys I'll be with seem to game uni chicks the best. At the same time, I'm sure we'd prefer a city that won't be too overrun with foreign tourists, though I guess that's a bit hard given it's the World Cup.
So here are the choices (World Cup stadium cities):
- Fortaleza
- Belo Horizonte
- Porto Alegre
- Salvador
- Recife
- Cuiaba
- Manaus
- Natal
- Curitiba
One of my friends started looking into this briefly, like looking up demographic data on % of young people, etc. We also looked at which cities don't require a lot of flight changes just to get there. I think Salvador and Cuiaba are front-runners, but we really haven't done enough analysis yet.
Any suggestions?
Quote: (07-07-2013 06:03 PM)paninaro Wrote:
Good report yb13. Sounds like knowing some Portuguese did help you overall.
Hope this isn't taken as a threadjack, but the World Cup is in Brazil next year, and they'll be announcing ticketing schemes and so on in a few weeks.
I plan to go there with some friends. We'll avoid Rio and Sao Paulo because a) accommodation will be massively overpriced during the event and b) too many tourists and c) a lot of us have been to both before and want to try something new.
Can anyone suggest, of the World Cup cities, which might be best to visit? We can probably pick only one. My preference is a city with a large university presence as at least we'll have a slightly higher chance of finding English speakers, and most of the guys I'll be with seem to game uni chicks the best. At the same time, I'm sure we'd prefer a city that won't be too overrun with foreign tourists, though I guess that's a bit hard given it's the World Cup.
So here are the choices (World Cup stadium cities):
- Fortaleza
- Belo Horizonte
- Porto Alegre
- Salvador
- Recife
- Cuiaba
- Manaus
- Natal
- Curitiba
One of my friends started looking into this briefly, like looking up demographic data on % of young people, etc. We also looked at which cities don't require a lot of flight changes just to get there. I think Salvador and Cuiaba are front-runners, but we really haven't done enough analysis yet.
Any suggestions?
Maybe you don't care, but it is worth pointing out that the weather in the south will be cold, down to 0 degree Celsius. Just a heads up!
Quote: (07-07-2013 06:24 PM)Evolute Wrote:
Maybe you don't care, but it is worth pointing out that the weather in the south will be cold, down to 0 degree Celsius. Just a heads up!
Thanks -- didn't think of that! That actually makes a difference since we'll probably end up watching a lot of the games on outdoor screens (I assume those will be set up, just like in other World Cups) since tickets are hard to come by. That helps narrow down the list of potential cities then.
Quote: (07-07-2013 06:03 PM)paninaro Wrote:
So here are the choices (World Cup stadium cities):
- Fortaleza
- Belo Horizonte
- Porto Alegre
- Salvador
- Recife
- Cuiaba
- Manaus
- Natal
- Curitiba
One of my friends started looking into this briefly, like looking up demographic data on % of young people, etc. We also looked at which cities don't require a lot of flight changes just to get there. I think Salvador and Cuiaba are front-runners, but we really haven't done enough analysis yet.
Any suggestions?
May I suggest looking at the final draws that are released come December & then making a decision?
World Cup is going to be an expensive sausage fest really (super high lodging), but if you go to cities where countries like Colombia, Argentina, Spain, etc are playing...you'll likely meet some really hot female fans
It appears as if I will be in Curitiba during that time though working/schooling so it'll be colder there.
With regards to hotels/games in Belo Horizonte, the city will be hosting 6 games as the town is already lacking in lodging accomodations period meaning everything on homeaway, airbnb, possibly easyquarto, and hotel booking sites will be damn expensive.
I personally have two big fears of World Cup.
A) Places like Belo Horizonte and Porto Alegre will be exposed to foreigners that will go there in abundance of chicks, lol.
B) Natal appears to be one of the best beach bargains in the city as you can get apartments, private hostel rooms, etc for $30.00 per. I haven't been yet, but I think the perceived beauty of the city plus ton of World Cup fans could possibly make the city's lodging more $$$ heading into the future.
Great report yb13!
Quick question: what is the dressing style and fashion level of guys in clubs/bars at night in BH? I remember from my time in BSB and CWB, outside of formal events, it was pretty laid back, with a nice jeans, casual tshirt or a nice dress shirt. Is it the same in BH? Did you notice that being well dressed ( nice jeans/dress pants, dress shirt, jacket or even suiting up without a tie) would be appropriate there say in Chalezinho? Or would it be overdressed?
I'd warn you about not flashing your iphone in public, specially at night and even in nice areas, I'd be extra careful about doing that man.
Couple of quick corrections in your portuguese openings you mentioned:
I wouldn't say "encontrar mapas" as encontrar is more for meeting people, I'd use "achar" for example,
"com licença, onde posso achar uma mapa da cidade?"
And I wouldn't say "pedir bebidas" but rather, comprar bebidas/drinks (pronounced drinques, the brasilian way).
Oh and from the schedule of Chalezinho you mentioned, saturdays seems the most fun with samba/funk as these are more prone to pick ups and close dancing with girls.
How was the talent in Ouro Preto? have you ventured into other smaller Mineiras cities? They have a reputation for very good ratios of girls to guys and where girls are quite aggressive, yet beautiful. Did you notice that too?
Regarding the importance of having an established local social circle is vital in Brazil. Did you try before going to sign up for Orkut and even into the various FB communities in BH?
There are couple of guys currently from the RVF staying in BH. If you're still there, get in touch with Staros to begin with, very cool cat.
Boa sorte rapaiz!
Quick question: what is the dressing style and fashion level of guys in clubs/bars at night in BH? I remember from my time in BSB and CWB, outside of formal events, it was pretty laid back, with a nice jeans, casual tshirt or a nice dress shirt. Is it the same in BH? Did you notice that being well dressed ( nice jeans/dress pants, dress shirt, jacket or even suiting up without a tie) would be appropriate there say in Chalezinho? Or would it be overdressed?
I'd warn you about not flashing your iphone in public, specially at night and even in nice areas, I'd be extra careful about doing that man.
Couple of quick corrections in your portuguese openings you mentioned:
I wouldn't say "encontrar mapas" as encontrar is more for meeting people, I'd use "achar" for example,
"com licença, onde posso achar uma mapa da cidade?"
And I wouldn't say "pedir bebidas" but rather, comprar bebidas/drinks (pronounced drinques, the brasilian way).
Oh and from the schedule of Chalezinho you mentioned, saturdays seems the most fun with samba/funk as these are more prone to pick ups and close dancing with girls.
How was the talent in Ouro Preto? have you ventured into other smaller Mineiras cities? They have a reputation for very good ratios of girls to guys and where girls are quite aggressive, yet beautiful. Did you notice that too?
Regarding the importance of having an established local social circle is vital in Brazil. Did you try before going to sign up for Orkut and even into the various FB communities in BH?
There are couple of guys currently from the RVF staying in BH. If you're still there, get in touch with Staros to begin with, very cool cat.
Boa sorte rapaiz!
Paninaro,
Definitely be warned that the south of Brasil will be cold during the world cup as it's the winter there. June/July, is the equivalent of Dec/Jan in the northern hemisphere. While you may not notice it if you're in Rio/BH, or the North/Nordeste, you will notice it south of SP and even more so in Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Floripa etc...so bring adequate gears for that!
All the cities you mentioned are university cities, however, the biggest would be PA, BH and Curitiba as these have multiple universities. Two key factors in your success will be a) your Portuguese level and b) your bank roll.
If you're a broke backpacker, with no Portuguese skills, then your chances will be slim to hook up with a quality local girl, even more so during the WC. I'd strongly suggest you, as has been outlined in the excellent current data sheet on BH by yb13, pipeline hard before hand so that you have an existing social circle when you get there.
Accommodations will be a major challenge during the WC and it seems that the various host cities will be milking it to the absolute max! Think 100-150 Euros/night for a bed in a hostel with a minimum 7 night stay. Think Carnaval prices but doubled if not tripled. From my estimates, 10k will be the absolute minimum for a month during the WC next summer with 15-20k a better fitted budget to really enjoy the WC. I personally, won't care about costs as a World Cup in Brasil, the country of football, is a once a lifetime opportunity and it will be I have no doubt, the greatest WC ever! I can't wait to be there already!
Definitely be warned that the south of Brasil will be cold during the world cup as it's the winter there. June/July, is the equivalent of Dec/Jan in the northern hemisphere. While you may not notice it if you're in Rio/BH, or the North/Nordeste, you will notice it south of SP and even more so in Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Floripa etc...so bring adequate gears for that!
All the cities you mentioned are university cities, however, the biggest would be PA, BH and Curitiba as these have multiple universities. Two key factors in your success will be a) your Portuguese level and b) your bank roll.
If you're a broke backpacker, with no Portuguese skills, then your chances will be slim to hook up with a quality local girl, even more so during the WC. I'd strongly suggest you, as has been outlined in the excellent current data sheet on BH by yb13, pipeline hard before hand so that you have an existing social circle when you get there.
Accommodations will be a major challenge during the WC and it seems that the various host cities will be milking it to the absolute max! Think 100-150 Euros/night for a bed in a hostel with a minimum 7 night stay. Think Carnaval prices but doubled if not tripled. From my estimates, 10k will be the absolute minimum for a month during the WC next summer with 15-20k a better fitted budget to really enjoy the WC. I personally, won't care about costs as a World Cup in Brasil, the country of football, is a once a lifetime opportunity and it will be I have no doubt, the greatest WC ever! I can't wait to be there already!
Quote: (07-07-2013 11:04 PM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:
Great report yb13!
Quick question: what is the dressing style and fashion level of guys in clubs/bars at night in BH? I remember from my time in BSB and CWB, outside of formal events, it was pretty laid back, with a nice jeans, casual tshirt or a nice dress shirt. Is it the same in BH? Did you notice that being well dressed ( nice jeans/dress pants, dress shirt, jacket or even suiting up without a tie) would be appropriate there say in Chalezinho? Or would it be overdressed?
BH dudes are pretty stylish & pack tight game. On Saturday night at Chalezinho, I tried competing against them yet they came off as really outgoing wanting to know more about me. Instead of using that to my advantage, I would ignore them and check out the other talent. I didn't make that same mistake Sunday night as I at least built more socials for the next visit.
For dress, I recommend dress shirt, jeans, and dress shoes. Comfortable but fashionable. I wouldn't recommend a blazer, but it wouldn't hurt either. Dress shirt and tie however might be a little too much, haha
In a place like Cafe de la Musique or NaSala, a blazer wouldn't hurt as those places are even more upscale than Chalezinho. Haven't been to those places yet but most def will next time.
Quote: (07-07-2013 11:04 PM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:
I'd warn you about not flashing your iphone in public, specially at night and even in nice areas, I'd be extra careful about doing that man.
Muito obrigado pela dica! Yeah this especially applies in Centro, then again I would recommend people not go to Centro period at nights unless you're on the way back from say Ouro Preto at the bus station.
Quote: (07-07-2013 11:04 PM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:
Couple of quick corrections in your portuguese openings you mentioned:
I wouldn't say "encontrar mapas" as encontrar is more for meeting people, I'd use "achar" for example,
"com licença, onde posso achar uma mapa da cidade?"
And I wouldn't say "pedir bebidas" but rather, comprar bebidas/drinks (pronounced drinques, the brasilian way).
Brigado pelas dicas de novo! I just mentioned "pedir" because Pimsleur referred to the ordering/request process as "Eu gostaria de pedir uma bebida." In Spanish, I go with "Me gustaria pedir una bebida." Comprar tip is noted. Thx!
Quote: (07-07-2013 11:04 PM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:
Oh and from the schedule of Chalezinho you mentioned, saturdays seems the most fun with samba/funk as these are more prone to pick ups and close dancing with girls.
Saturday is indeed the best night at Chalezinho! Perhaps Friday because they have house music if a private event is not being held though I really like the samba bands Saturday as I find both genres of music easy to dance to.
I think cover might be more expensive Saturday than say a Sunday where they have a sertanejo band (not my vibe). The good thing about Sunday though is that's when most "usuals" appear to go as the minimum drink/cover are less. I had some good talks/interaction with people on the smoking patio so bring cigarettes & a lighter to Chalezinho even if you don't smoke! Haha.
Quote: (07-07-2013 11:04 PM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:
How was the talent in Ouro Preto? have you ventured into other smaller Mineiras cities? They have a reputation for very good ratios of girls to guys and where girls are quite aggressive, yet beautiful. Did you notice that too?
There were definitely some cuties there, but I didn't stay overnight. I found BH chicks much more attractive overall as I would not be a fan of attending a university in Ouro Preto, haha. I saw the best looking gals walk around with boyfriends. Kinda wish I found a good restaurant to eat at in OP, but I already had a full stomach from food in BH.
Places like Juiz de Fora and Capitolio (Big upscale lake parties thrown there every March from Carpe Vita?) are definitely destinations I will hit up in future.
Quote: (07-07-2013 11:04 PM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:
Regarding the importance of having an established local social circle is vital in Brazil. Did you try before going to sign up for Orkut and even into the various FB communities in BH?
You know, Chapulin gave me excellent tips about nightlife & sightseeing so with 3.5 days in BH with one half being in Ouro Preto, I was honestly more concerned about checking out the nightlife destinations I had on my list along with the cultural & picture taking spots during the daytime. I only made observations about day game spots, but didn't really "day game" as I wanted to enjoy my vacation time at my own pace. I did try hard at bars night time, yet didn't come away with anything besides a short kiss and new social circles for the next visit. Curitiba was a different story my first night though
![[Image: dancingman.gif]](https://rooshvforum.network/images/smilies/dancingman.gif)
http://www.rooshvforum.network/thread-10987-...#pid478460
I need to sign up for Orkut, but it appears as if Google+ has taken that over? I really have no clue of how to internet game either trying to contact girls directly, but have done it before on Couchsurfing moreso to attend events.
Quote: (07-07-2013 11:04 PM)Vacancier Permanent Wrote:
There are couple of guys currently from the RVF staying in BH. If you're still there, get in touch with Staros to begin with, very cool cat.
Boa sorte rapaiz!
I will definitely have to hit up Staros. I know Safado is living there now, but we missed each other as he vacationed in Rio when I arrived in Belo Horizonte.
« Next Oldest | Next Newest »
Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)