Archive for July, 2009
Podcast: Haggling in Portuguese Posted by Rachel on Jul 31, 2009
For today’s podcast, we’re going to talk about haggling and asking for prices while shopping. Check out the podcast here. Posso ver os brincos? Quanto custam? Cinquenta reais? Obrigado, mas não gostei. E o anel? Quanto tá? Não quero nada, valeu. Bom, levo a pulseira por cinco reais. Tem uma sacola? É um presente. First…
Favorite Brazilian Chocolate Posted by Rachel on Jul 30, 2009
For those who have traveled to Brazil, especially Americans, you will have probably noticed that Brazilian chocolate is excellent. Compared to American chocolate, which is watered down and pumped with chemicals, Brazilian chocolate is much more pure. So today’s interactive question is: What is your favorite type of Brazilian chocolate? I am partial to Garoto…
Cinco Vezes Favela Posted by Rachel on Jul 29, 2009
Carlos Diegues, one of Brazil’s most acclaimed film directors, is working on a new project that he hopes will challenge stereotypes of Rio’s favelas and become a box office hit: a remake of his 1962 movie “Cinco Vezes Favela,” or “Five Times Favela.” Originally produced by upper class film students, the remake is being made…
Spiders on Display at Amazon Convention Posted by Rachel on Jul 28, 2009
Last week, scientists and others met at the science and technology fair held by the Sociedade Brasileira para o Progresso da Ciência (Brazilian Society for Scientific Progress) in Manaus, where there was a special exhibit with exotic spiders on display. The star of the exhibit was a 20 centimeter-long tarantula (below), a member of the…
New Music: Curumin Posted by Rachel on Jul 27, 2009
Though his first album, Achados e Perdidos, first came out in 2005, Curumin is relatively new to the US, and recently performed in New York at Central Park’s Summerstage and received rave reviews even earlier than that. He recently wrapped up his July tour of the United States. Born Luciano Nakata Albuquerque, of Spanish and…
The Seven Wonders of Nature: Vote Brazil! Posted by Rachel on Jul 24, 2009
Brazil has been nominated for two locations in the Seven Wonders of Nature competition, in which people can vote for the greatest wonders of the natural world. The Amazon and Iguaçu Falls were chosen amongst thirty total natural wonders from around the world. They are competing against the Grand Canyon, the Great Barrier Reef, the…
Favorite Brazilian Author Posted by Rachel on Jul 23, 2009
For today’s interactive feature, the question is: who is your favorite Brazilian author? Even though most Americans and Europeans are most familiar with Latin American authors like Garcia Marquez and Isabel Allende, Brazil has produced quite a few world class novelists, poets, and playwrights that have not received the international acclaim they deserve. Though Paulo…