Visiting Sao Paulo, Brazil

South America is the most appealing and attractive continent to visit. In South America, there are many cultures and traditions that make the continent unique. One of the biggest cities on South America is Sao Paulo. Sao Paulo is located in Brazil, and it has a population of nearly 18 000 000. There are many things to do in Sao Paulo, considering the fact that is the busiest city in Brazil.

Sao Paulo has many positive and negative sides; however I am going to talk about both of these sides, because you really need to know Sao Paulo in order to have a great time there.

Let's start with the positive sides of Sao Paulo. One great plus for Sao Paulo is that is very close to the beach. In 30 minutes you will be able to relax on the beach. There are some small cities like Guaruja and Santos, which aren't very appealing but the people will make your experience memorable forever. Generally the Brazilian people are happy and helpful and you will always find them laughing or dancing. If you are not a big beach fan, you can visit one of the many Sao Paulo museums. There are museums for art, music, culture, and nature. Sao Paulo has a great night life. There are several clubs where you will get world class services. One of the most remarkable clubs in Sao Paulo is Lotus SP. It is located in the first 2 floors of the Hilton hotel which is right in the middle of the city. Other great clubs are Heaven, Disco and Anzu ( Which is out of the city but its worth it). If you are not a clubber, you can always go shopping in Iguatemi Mall or Morumbi Shopping Center. They are both great malls and you will be able to find lots of great stuff for you and your family. Also you can visit some of the farms around Sao Paulo which are very interesting because they haven't been modified since the slavery era in Brazil.

The negative sides are far more important because here we are talking about surviving and staying safe. Sao Paulo is one of the most dangerous cities in the whole world. 48 people are getting killed each day and believe me you can be very easily one of them. Armored cars and security guards are a must if you have some money or valuable belongings with you. One of the things you should never do in Sao Paulo is to drive a nice car with the windows down. Avoid small streets and never go out of your way at night. Make sure you always have a cell phone with you. Leave your nice watch, laptop and jewelry in home, don't take them with you because they might cost you your life. It is a fact that there are many poor people in Brazil and especially Sao Paulo, which stimulates them to break the law everyday. In case you come across the criminals, never argue or ask questions. Just listen and if you don't understand just give them everything you have. Another negative of Sao Paulo is that the city is polluted which doesn't bring good air in some parts of the city.

I have lived in Sao Paulo for over 5 years and I have never been mugged or threatened from criminals. I tried to become as much as Brazilian as I can. I learned the language and made many friends. I loved it and my heart will always stay in Sao Paulo. I will always go back and live there. Every city has its problems; however no city has such warm people like Sao Paulo does. Sao Paulo has character, that's what I love about it.