I really love São Paulo. Much like New York and Barcelona, I get such buzz from it. I wish I had a whole month to get to know it better, I feel like with the few days I have there is only time to scratch the surface. São Paulo has had the most English speakers of any of the places I have visited in Brazil. As a result, I get to have great conversations with locals, one of which was about music with a guy from a t-shirt shop. I have exchanged emails with the record store owner who I know I could sit down for hours going through records. In general, Brazilians in São Paulo are incredibly curious about foreigners and want to pull us into their culture, which they are immensely proud of (and for good reason). Wednesday night I went out to a bar that was near the hostel. We had glow-in-the-dark face paint done as we enter. The artist who does the face paint has this innate ability to pick a design that suits its subject, and it is amazing- we look like futuristic tribal queens. I truly hate having to remove it the next morning.

It’s supposed to be a samba night but the DJ (a beautiful tattooed Brazilian girl) is spinning vinyl… some of which is Tropicalia (!!!) I am completely transfixed, trying to make mental notes of songs she is playing. There is a guy that I can’t seem to shake, constantly asking me to dance and eventually I acquiesce. He keeps dancing me in circles and I feel like a kid on a merry-go-round, perking up when I see the DJ and the records like it is ice cream at the fair.I spend Thursday recovering and trying to find a couple more souvenirs. I have made plans for the next day at 7am to see Gregorian chants at a big church in the city centre, but we end up getting pulled into drinking. First cachaça pong, then a casual drink at a bar close by, and suddenly we find ourselves at a samba bar until 4am. Despite our best efforts, we did not make it to see any chants.

Friday is spent feeling guilty about missing the chants and then a quick visit to to the Batman alley which is famous for its beautiful street art.

Pictures:

THEN- it’s off to the airport. I think about the month I have had and I ache a little. São Paulo was truly amazing but as I sit in the Uber I’m running through memories of the beginning of my adventure in Recreio and Rio. I’m missing the feeling of falling in love with the beaches, waves, mountains, and sunsets of Brazil. I think about how absolutely insane Carnival was to experience first hand. This week I was talking to someone about how we sort of subconsciously hid our phones because there was so much theft during Carnival and as a result, we only had the occasional sneaky photo. I’m trying to retrace the memories in my mind, hoping that all of the details will stick. In the middle of my Brazil trip, I have this sort of convalescence period in between Rio and São Paulo. It’s maybe not the most exciting part of the trip but I do keep in mind that it was necessary to avoid needing a vacation from my vacation. I have met amazing people along the way, laughed a lot, eaten delicious food, and taken in some of the most beautiful views that I have ever seen in my life. It feels good to know that the magnet that pulled me toward Brazil was right. I love Brazil so much.

Songs of the last few days:

Secos and Molhados – Amor

Dagny – Love You Like That