São Paulo
The cosmopolitan, cultural and mega metropolis
We arrived on a flight from Brasilia to the secondary airport of Congonhas, located in the middle of the city, after noon. From there we took an Uber to our first accommodation near Ibirapuera Park.
A first clarification. We adopted that transportation system during our entire stay for safety and comfort. That issue, the alleged agitation and the continuous assaults, had been what - systematically - we were warned about before leaving. Therefore, we decided not to take public transportation but to move around using the phenomenal app that guarantees safe transfers at reasonable and predetermined prices.
On the other hand, we had all the necessary measures in place to avoid such surprises. Thus, we left with just enough cash for that day, an expired identity document and the current one in a photograph saved in the cell phone, leaving it in the safety deposit box of the hotel room). And not much more, taking care to take out the phone only in specific situations and in a cautious manner.
In addition, we opted to stay in hotels in each of the neighborhoods we planned to visit, so that walking transfers to points of interest would be short and precise.
That said, during our stay we really felt distrust only in very isolated situations, such as the walk to the Municipal Market from the historic center, although there was a lot of police presence in that area. The prevailing feeling was the same as in any big city in America, a mixture of caution and naturalness. Brazilians are characterized by their joy and excellent predisposition, and these qualities are not lost even in the mega metropolis that is São Paulo.
Another outstanding feature is the cleanliness of the city, its exuberant vegetation and the relatively low noise of its motorists. It is worth noting that there are many people living on the streets, in vulnerable situations, and this is very touching.
Well, we spent the first night in a basic lodging near Ibirapuera Park, the Brazilian Lodge, because we wanted to be able -that Sunday afternoon- to take a good walk to enjoy the architecture of Oscar Niemeyer that is there. So, we went through the Afro Museum, the São Paulo Biennial Foundation and the Japanese Pavilion, to the MAM, the Museum of Modern Art of São Paulo, taking advantage of the free admission on Sundays. We especially enjoyed the temporary exhibition on color by national artists.
From there, we set out on a short walk to MACUSP, crossing the North-South corridor by a pedestrian bridge from Ibirapuera Park. It was there that two street food carts tempted us to make an unintentional stop. One offered the characteristic milos quente (boiled corn kernels with salt and lard) and a super pancho with papas pay, rather unhealthy (being very benevolent) but which served to recharge our batteries.
And on time we arrived at the Museum of Contemporary Art of the University of São Paulo. The architecture was the first thing that struck us, but then the cultural heritage that resides there is as spectacular as the view of the city from its rooftop. At the top, we had our first glimpse of the many airplanes crossing the city's sky, an image that would be repeated incessantly throughout our stay. The fact is that the metropolis is on the podium of those with the highest air traffic in the world. There is a continuous passage of commercial airplanes, smaller ones and helicopters that capture the visitor's attention.
We toured the permanent exhibition and then the temporary ones that are exhibited in the colossal museum. After the leisurely visit, we could not leave without enjoying the 2 for 1 signature cocktail offered at Vista, the terrace bar. We tasted a Vista Lemonade composed of Jack Daniel's, Cointreau, lime coolant and ginger foam.
That night we spent in the quiet neighborhood of Vila Mariana. On the corner of the little hotel where we stopped, bars and restaurants showed how lively the paulistas are. So we ate some fried meat and shrimp pastries in one of them and went to sleep.
The next day a luxury experience awaited us at the Unique hotel in São Paulo. Located near the exclusive Jardins neighborhood, the ultra-contemporary hotel was designed by architect Ruy Ohtake, son of the brilliant artist Tomie Ohtake. Elegance, innovation, spectacularity are some of its features, adding luxury, technology, comfort and extreme friendliness of the staff. The common areas and suites are surprising, as well as the treatment of the guests. Everything is exquisite.
Upon arrival, Clayton welcomed us with a glass of Veuve Clicquot, gave us a personalized tour of the facilities and guided us to our modern and harmonious room on the seventh floor with a beautiful view of Ibirapuera Park from the unique round window. We were also struck by the window system that divided it from the bathroom by means of an elevated window.There we poured ourselves a nespresso coffee with red fruits and welcome chocolates to then enjoy the Body'N Soul fitness center, with its touches of bright and intense colors defining the spaces. In addition to the usual spa amenities, such as wet and dry sauna and heated pool, the hotel offers a fun slide into the pool. Even the ambient music can be heard underwater thanks to a special system.
Then, we wanted to visit the solarium and its 25-meter red pool on the rooftop, where music can also be heard underwater.
The building; the details, such as the garden designed by Gilberto Elkis; the works of art, such as the sculpture of St. George and the Dragon from the school of Aleijadinho; the furniture, such as the sofa by the Campana brothers, the Bosa Lamp by Jaime Hayon or the elegant Lilith Lamp, and not to mention the Charleston by Mooi, make up this very peculiar hotel that lives up to its name, because the stay there feels unique.
In the evening, we went to Skye, the rooftop restaurant in tribute to the lead singer of the British band Morcheeba, Skye Edwards. The feast was 100% local, including of course the wine, a cabernet sauvignon from the Bueno winery in Campanha Gaúcha. We started with the house icon, a prawn and crab cake served in a Brazilian-style oyster; followed by a PF Risotto that highlighted the flavors of the country, with beans, braised beef, Brazilian sausage, melted cheese, kale, fried breaded banana and the characteristic cashew; ending with six portions of Japanese-style bluefin tuna. In fact, São Paulo is one of the cities with the largest number of inhabitants of Japanese descent in the world. And before resting in our fun suite, we checked out the also impressive lobby bar, The Wall, a Pink Floyd tribute designed by Ingo Maurer, with avant-garde lighting and a phenomenal variety of drinks, spirits and distillates.
The stay, in addition to a pampering of splendor, was a guided tour through the world of contemporary art and design.
The next day, we had breakfast at Skye with a privileged view of the city, while the planes taking off from Congonhas decorated the scene.
In the afternoon, after checking out, we headed to the famous Paulista Avenue, because another appointment with art awaited us at the MASP, the São Paulo Museum of Art. It was free admission day, so a long line preceded the entrance. The striking Assis Chateaubriand building was designed by architect Lina Bo Bardi in 1958 and contains a significant art collection, perhaps the most important in South America. Its collection includes works of classical antiquity, renaissance, impressionism and local modernist and contemporary artists.
Fortunately for us, on the second floor there was also an unforgettable temporary exhibition of Paul Gauguin. A real luxury.
After the visit we checked out the Fiesp Cultural Center, also on Paulista Avenue, and then headed to The View bar, on the rooftop of the Transamerica Prime International Plaza hotel. The shine that the bar probably used to have and that allows it to keep the google rating does not survive today, neither in its 90's aesthetics nor in the quality of the drinks, but @tripticity_ always enjoys an aperol spritz in the heights.
After the rest at Mercure Hotel Paulista, a three star hotel very well located in the heart of the avenue, we headed to the historic center for a walking tour that promised to show the main attractions of the neighborhood. It started at the Municipal Theater, although the guide was delayed due to the chaotic traffic of the city, so we started a little against the clock. It is the area where more people live in the streets, which generates a great impact on the mood.
We started our tour in the square right in front of the theater, Praça Ramos de Azevedo, from where we were able to get a panoramic view of the Viaducto del Chá and the Prefeitura Municipal de São Paulo, the historic building belonging to the Matarazzo family, with its dense rooftop garden. Then we passed by the oldest bar in São Paulo, the Guanabara, where we stopped to listen to the unique history of the Martinelli building. It was the first skyscraper in Brazil, reaching twelve floors in a first stage, but the stubbornness of Mr. Giuseppe Martinelli wanted it to rise to twenty-eight floors or andares (as they say in Portuguese) and to achieve the maximum height he had his house built at the top.
From there, stops at the Zumbi dos Palmares monument in recognition of the Afro-descendant population and at the important Centro Cultural Banco do Brasil, where @tripticity_ really enjoyed the Studio Drift exhibition, which uses technology to evidence the phenomena of nature, design, delicacy, music and movement. A beauty.
We ended up at the College Courtyard (Pateo do Colegio), a historical place where the origins of the city took place at the hands of the Jesuits.
By then we had already connected with other Latinos with whom we were sharing the tour, so we decided to set off as a group on a short walk through the spiciest part of the neighborhood to the fantastic and vibrant São Paulo Municipal Market. The fruits, vegetables, meats and other foods from around the world that are displayed and sold make it extremely colorful. In addition, upstairs several stalls offer the typical food of the city and the country. We opted for O Brasileirinho to taste the traditional mortadella and hot cheese sandwich. It is gigantic and very tasty, even though Mrs. @tripticity_ is not even close to being a mortadella fan.
Back in the historic center, we visited the Bovespa Museum that tells the history of the capital market and how the stock exchange worked until the arrival of the internet, in a historic neoclassical building.
To finish with the neighborhood, we tried a cream cake at the Maria Cristina bar, promoted as "the best Portuguese sweet you will ever eat in your life", but the truth is that it was a mediocre and rather unpleasant tasting pastry.
And finally we visited the peculiar SubAstor Bar do Cofre, which is located in what used to be the bank's safe deposit box. Besides being fun, the drinks were memorable, delicious and well presented: a bourbon-based Whisky Sour and a version of the Manhattan with cachaça.
As it was getting late for locals to get off work, a time when the city streets collapse, we took advantage of the free transfer offered by the Banco do Brasil Cultural Center to Rua da Consolação, from where we took an Uber to the Mirante - Sesc to get a postcard view of Paulista Avenue.
Justo enfrente se encuentra el fascinante Instituto Itaú Cultural, que exhibe una muestra permanente de objetos curiosos relacionados con la historia de Brasil y América, como mapas y fotografías; otra sobre aves del gigante país así como salas de exhibiciones temporarias. La suerte quiso que disfrutásemos una que narraba la historia del street art, una de las manifestaciones culturales favoritas de @tripticity_.
Y casi al lado se encuentra la tradicional Casa de las Rosas con su bien bonito jardín.
Terminamos esa maratónica jornada en el Shopping Patio Paulista, para saborear una abundante porción de comida chatarra tex mex, Taco Bell.
In the morning it was time to stroll along the avant-garde Rua Oscar Freire. There, design stores and interesting modern art galleries make for a very entertaining walk. We were particularly interested in Urban Arts, the gallery that exhibits avant-garde works.
From there a walk uphill to the impressive Moreira Salles Institute and the Conjunto Nacional, followed by a steady walk along Paulista Avenue, admiring the architecture of the tall buildings to visit the Japan House São Paulo, where we had not been able to enter the day before. And it was worth the effort because not only the minimalist building is phenomenal, but the miniature exhibition by Tatsuya Tanaka was dazzling. In addition, we were able to enjoy a delicious tea at Aizomê Café with a chocolate and morango (strawberry) flavored Ice Moti. A delicacy.
Our last day in the city was dedicated exclusively to Vila Madalena, the bohemian and super cool neighborhood of the city.
We took an Uber for about twenty minutes from the Mercure Hotel Paulista to Selina, the nice contemporary style hostel that always offers a good location, simple rooms and good private bathrooms. There we left our carry ons and continued to the meeting point of the walking tour to get to know the very particular neighborhoods of Pinheiros and Vila Madalena.
The tour took about two hours, while we learned about the history of Brazil and the artists in charge of the most significant graffiti in the neighborhood; especially the story of Nego Vila, a member of the Beco Family, a community that formed around Beco Do Aprendiz and who was killed by a policeman in a tragic night during the pandemic.
We walk through the area of bars and restaurants ending at Batman's Alley, the famous alley completely intervened by artists on its walls.
At the end of the tour we headed to the Tomie Ohtake Institute. Magnificent building, also by Ruy Ohtake, which houses temporary art exhibitions, theater and galleries. Besides the architectural beauty, the exhibition on display was very interesting. It was A Coleção Imaginária, the set of works that the gallery owner and collector Paulo Kuczynski proposed as part of his list of works that he would choose if he could have them all. Wonderful.
After being mesmerized by the exhibition, it was time to spoil the sense of taste, so we walked through the beautiful neighborhood to Coffee Lab, an avant-garde and sybaritic coffee shop. We opted for the ritual that invites you to compare a 30ml and a 60ml espresso to discover the sweetness and bitterness of the different coffee proposals, accompanied by a coconut flan with coffee broth.
In the evening, we said goodbye to the city with a signature dinner at Corrutela, a fine cuisine restaurant that offers dishes made from local ingredients and invites you to experience its flavors. We ordered for starters the shrimp with chuchu (a very fibrous vegetable) with manjericão de limão pesto, and for main course a polenta with shiitake, kale, beans and cheese. The dinner cried out for a sparkling wine and so it was, a brut Regeneração from the Família Kogan winery.
When we left the next morning for Guarulhos International Airport, as we looked out of the car window at the immense city, always characterized as a cement mass without limits, we could only agree on how grateful we were to have enjoyed a great city, inhabited by spectacular people always ready to give a friendly chat or solve any concern. And so we said goodbye, looking forward to returning!
