My Porto Alegre

2012-06-19T18:57:00.000-03:00

Hello all!

The purpose of this blog is to share information and tips about Porto Alegre, from a foreigner point of view. You are welcome to comment or add any information that you think will be of interest to the foreign community in the city.
We hope you'll find the posts useful and enjoyable.
Beijos,
Dafi & Dagan.

FEIARTE - International Art Fair

2008-05-06T21:50:00.008-03:00

The Feiarte is an international art fair. It gathers the best of the craft from the five continents and from many Brazilian states. The int'l atmosphere in the fair is very exciting with people from all over the world and lots of languages spoken around. Kenya, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Iran, Peru, Bolivia, Italy and Russia are only part of the list of countries that are participating in the fair. There are sculpture, jewelery, fabrics, bags, etc.

Every day there is a folklore dance show at a certain hour.
Apart from crafts, also food is being sold, like acarajé and tapioca from Bahia, nuts from Rio Grande do Norte, sweets from Uruguay and more.

Dates: 2 - 11.5.08
Address: Parque Esportivo da PUC-RS. Parking lot available (The fair is literally in the parking lot).
Hours: 14:00-21:00
Ticket: 7R$. Kids up to 12 years old free. Most of the booths accept credit cards.

Lacoste Factory Store in Sapucaia do Sul

2008-05-03T17:10:00.010-03:00

The factory Paramount Texteis in Sapucaia do Sul, 20min drive from Porto Alegre on BR-116, is manufacturing the famous crocodile fashion. Lacoste accessories and garments for men, women and children are being sold in a store by the factory for good prices.

Some of the clothes are in perfect shape and others are missing the crocodile badge or the neck label. It takes some patience to look through all the merchandise but eventually you can find good bargains. The collection changes often, according to the factory production.

Address: Av. Luiz Pasteur 450, Sapucaia do Sul. Tel. (51) 3452.8770

Lady Shoe Shopping in Novo Hamburgo

2008-05-01T19:30:00.009-03:00

Novo Hamburgo is a city located 40min drive from Porto Alegre. There are many shoe factories in Novo Hamburgo area and few big shoe stores that sell local and international brands for very good prices. The biggest outlet shop with lots of int'l brands is Armazem das Fabricas.

This shop has feminine shoes only from some well known makes that are made in Brazil for exportation, such as Hush Puppies, Geox, Bass and others. They are sold with discounts of up to 70%. Usually you get another discount for paying in cash.
Apart from large variety of shoes they also have accessories and bags.

They also have an online shopping site where it is possible to see all the models available.

Address: Av. Cel. Travassos 719, Novo Hamburgo. Tel. (51) 3595.2606 Opening hours: Mon-Fri 9:00-18:30, Sat 9:00-18:00. There's also a store in Gramado - Av. Borges de Medeiros, 1455 lj. 2/3 Tel. (54) 3286.5996

Another 2 stores with more Brazilian look shoes is Arezzo Outlet by the Novo Hamburgo shopping mall. Rua 5 de Abril 445, bairro Rio Branco. Tel. 3593-5454. And Mercado do Sapato: Rua 24 de Maio 222, bairro Vila Rosa. Tel. 3527-0232.

Saturday Ecological Market

2008-04-19T12:19:00.010-03:00

We visited today the feira ecológica near the Redenção park in Bom Fim neighborhood. This organic market is open every Saturday from 7:30 till 13:00. It's better to arrive as early as possible to find the largest variety of merchandise and less crowd.

The market offers fresh vegetable and fruit, honey, wholewheat bread, fresh herbs, home made jams, flowers, goat milk products and more. Many stands offer tasting samples and the atmosphere is very calm and friendly. Only by seeing, smelling and tasting this healthy food we felt in a better shape(-:

We saw some herbs and fruit we've never seen before like this Hibiscus fruit that is very citric in taste and is used to make tea or jam.

We left the market with a full basket and a tickling inspiration to cook healthy food.

Veja Porto Alegre - 2008/9 Guide

2008-04-09T09:55:00.004-03:00

Don't miss the latest edition of the annual Veja Porto Alegre Guide.
The new 2008-2009 guide ranks the best restaurants, chefs, bars, food and wines in the city and gives complete reviews about them. Available in the newspaper stands.

Finding an Address in Porto Alegre

2008-04-07T22:11:00.005-03:00

Recently the Google maps website added the option to find addresses in Porto Alegre. The option exists only in the Brazilian domain (maps.google.com.br) and enables to find an address on the map by street name or zip code. Getting directions is also an option but keep in mind that there's a high probability that one of the streets is under constructions and therefore closed to traffic.

Ilha do Papagaio in Santa Catarina

2008-03-26T20:09:00.008-03:00

We spent the Easter holiday with our friends I&H and A&H in a wonderful small island in Santa Catarina, about 80Km south from Florianópolis , called Ilha do Papagaio (parrot island).
On the island there are 21 chalets, a small beach, swimming pool, aquatic sports
activities, short hiking trails, very good restaurant and friendly atmosphere thanks
to the owner and his family who mingle with the guests.
The island is an eco-resort with respect to nature.
Guests are being picked by a boat to go from the land to the island. On the island a waiter
is welcoming you with a fruit cocktail and from this moment on, all you got to do is
relax and enjoy the small paradise you've just discovered.
The kids spent most of their time on the beach, kayaks and swimming pool.

The restaurant offers a nice verity of fresh sea food among other dishes. We brought several wine bottles with us and the island crew was happy to uncork them and provide glasses.

Being an eco-resort, the chalets are simple yet comfortable and charming. We hardly spent time in the chalet since there's so much to do outdoors.

During winter time the place offers right whale watching, fireplace in the room and special winter dishes at the restaurant.

St.Patrick's Day in Porto Alegre

2008-02-26T13:42:00.007-03:00

When we just came to Porto Alegre (more than four years ago, wow!), the first time I felt homesick was on St. Patrick's Day. It was the first time for years that I didn't party with my friends in our favorite local Irish pub back home and I couldn't even find one place to have a nice pint of Guinness in Porto Alegre.

These days are over and now Porto Alegre can offer more than one place serving proper pint of Guinness and more important - I have some drinking friends to party with.

The Mulligan pub will have a special event on Monday, March 17 - offering the second pint of Guinness for free. They promised to have St. Patrick's Day's T-shirts and hats and a lot of Guinness.

You can already call in sick for Tuesday, March 18.

Mulligan Irish Pub
Address: Padre Chagas 25 (Moinhos de Vento). Tel. 3029-3725 / 8422-9301. Opening Hours: 17:00 - 2:00 (Close on Monday)

Mario Quintana Cultural House

2008-02-25T16:37:00.011-03:00

Mario Quintana Cultural House is named after the famous poet born in 1906.
The cultural house downtown Porto Alegre is known for its pink color. In the past it used to be the Majestic hotel. It was built in the early 20's in a baroque style.
Today, this beautiful 7 story building is a home for cultural events, library, art galleries, shows, courses and movies. There's always something interesting going on and it definitely worth a visit.
On the 5th floor, there's a nice garden called Jardim Lutzenberger with purple water lilies in bath tubs, benches to rest and a view to the Centro and a beautiful church. A perfect place to relax or read a book.There are 2 cafe-restaurants. One is located at the entrance and the other one on the top floor, where we visited yesterday with our friends J&M. It's called "Cafe Santo de Casa". They have tables indoors and also outside the balcony with a view to the Guaiba. The food is simple and good. The dish names are all spiritual and the place is full of different santas.

Address:
Casa de Cultura Mario Quintana
Rua dos Andrados 736, Centro
Tel. 3221.7147
Closed on Mondays

FILE - Electronic Language International Festival

2008-02-24T18:49:00.007-03:00

Today we visited the FILE exposition in Santander Cultural Center downtown Porto Alegre.
This interactive exposition is a combination of visual arts and technology, artists from 21 different countries.

The works show web-art, animation, 360º photos, games and more. The exposition is very interesting, there's a lot to see, touch and play with. A great place to spend few hours with kids. Free entrance. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
The exposition is on until Apr. 20th
Opening hours:
Mon-Fri 10:00-19:00
Sat-Sun 11:00-19:00

A visit to Cafe do Mercado

2008-02-19T23:12:00.007-03:00

This week we had the honor to visit Cafe do Mercado roasting facility. Christiano welcomed us with a tour in the place and explained the process the brazilian coffee beans go through, from the raw beans, roasting to packaging. We were fascinated by the machines, aromas and noise(-:
When we thought the tour was over, Christiano invited us to watch their baristas practicing for the Brazilian baristas contest to be held on March 7th. We entered a small training room where we met the barista Miriam Masui and some coffee experts from abroad who came to assess her and give their comments. We saw professionals in action and got to taste a fine cup of espresso with good crema, strong aroma and beautiful taste. As for the cappuccino, I still prefer it made with fresh milk rather than the UHT one.

Thank you Christiano for your great hospitality. The next coffee is on me;-)

The Post Office - Correios

2008-02-13T08:23:00.006-02:00

At the post office door, you have to take out of your bag/pockets
all metal things and place them in the small window. Then you go in
a revolving door and take them from the other side. If you're "locked"
in the door, it means that you still have metals on. You have to go backwards and take them out too. Same happens when entering a bank.
My first visit to a post office was quite shocking since I didn't know all that(-:
Next step is to take a number at the numbers machine.

Here's a list to help you find the nearest post office to you.
The correios site is very useful if you read Portuguese.

You can purchase package boxes at the correios. They don't sell soft envelopes.
When sending packages overseas, there's a difference in price between documents, which include
papers and CD's and merchandise which includes everything else. It's cheaper to send
documents.
The fastest and most expensive way to send a package would be by "Sedex".
Other than that, there are 2 more options - PRIORITÁRIO and ECONÔMICO.
Prioritario would take 4-5 days to arrive to destination and Economico 2-3 weeks.
After sending you can trace the package through the site.

In the correios site you can check the prices for sending packages.
Generally, the price is the same for packages up to 500gr and then up to 1Kg and so on.
Payment in Cash or Santander Bank cheque only.

Machry Armazém & Bistrô

2007-12-30T21:41:00.000-02:00

My friend MS showed me this charming bakery/deli/bazar store in Tristeza neighborhood in Zona Sul (the southern suburb of Porto Alegre). The two Machry sisters run the place. The front part of the store is a deli, where they sell homemade breads, cakes, pastries, fresh and frozen, all made of 100% natural ingredients. They also sell dairy products, sauces and kitchenware. As you go deeper in the store, it turns into a bistro, where you can eat by a table, from a selection of food served in an inexpensive buffet. The food is original, light and delicious. Don't forget to leave some room for one of the irresistible homemade cakes. Ohh... they're just too good! We usually try more than one kind.At the front there are tables to sit and enjoy the small garden and open air. The store is decorated with different craft works that add an artistic touch to the place, and are for sale too.
Address: Rua Dr. Armando Barbedo, 257, Tristeza Tel. 3266.9301
Opening hours: Mon.-Sat. 10:00-19:00, Sun. 12:00-19:00. Packed on weekends.

Coffee in Porto Alegre

2007-12-24T23:37:00.000-02:00

As a coffee addict, I can only say that I was disappointed from the coffee i found in Porto Alegre. Unfortunately, I still find it difficult to drink the brown liquid that is called coffee in Brazil. It is definitely not an espresso but I admit that as a dose of caffeine it does the work. The second problem is that a fresh good quality milk is a rare merchandise in Brazil, what makes getting a decent cup of cappuccino an almost impossible task.

However, after a while in Porto Alegre, I succeed to find some solutions:
Drinking coffee at home - to have good coffee at home, I bought nice Italian SAECO machine that together with Brazilian Melitta coffee beans (can be purchased at any big supermarket) and Santa Malta Tipo A fresh milk (can be purchased in selected Zaffari and Bourbon shops) - provide great cappuccino and fantastic espresso.
Having coffee out - for me there is only one coffee chain that is worth visiting in Porto Alegre - Press Cafe. This is maybe the only cafe in Porto Alegre that is using Santa Malta fresh milk and that it's "baristas" really know the job. The sweets next to the coffee are splendid as well. as other decent cafes we count Z-Cafe and Cafe do Porto.

Public transportation in Porto Alegre

2007-12-05T20:53:00.000-02:00

Bus - Generally the buses in Porto Alegre are modern and comfortable. Buses come regularly and the different lines cover the entire city. On some streets there's a special bus lane and in peak hours the bus would be faster than a taxi. The lines are named by neighborhoods. In case the bus is going to/from Centro neighborhood, it will also have a number prefix. The prefix "T" means that the bus route is longer and it crosses the city through it's main crossing roads. A ride within Porto Alegre costs 2R$. Payment is done inside the bus as you get in.

Lotaçao - This is a red and blue minibus for up to 20 people. It's is a bit more expensive than a regular bus (3R$) but its advantage is that it stops anywhere along its route, just raise your hand to stop one. Pay the driver as you get off the bus. The lines are named by the neighborhood the bus is passing through.

Taxi - Taxi is safe and inexpensive to ride. You can either call a taxi station or stop one on the street.

Natal Luz in Gramado

2007-11-22T16:35:00.000-02:00

Christmas time is the nicest time to visit charming Gramado. The streets are full of Christmas decorations, all made of recycled plastic bottles and colorful lights in the evenings.
During November-December there are many events going on in Gramado. The holidays program is called "Natal Luz" and it includes many events, out of which the most impressive one is the "Nativitaten". This is a show of a choir, laser lights and fire works, held in the surrounding of an artificial lake. A ticket should be purchased beforehand in Gramado's cinema ticket office, or online. This year the price for a ticket is 40R$.
There's also a parade, a singing tree (a choir singing between a Christmas tree leafs) and many more attractions.

The Caracol Park - Canela

2007-11-06T17:07:00.000-02:00

The Caracol (=snail) park is located on the way from Gramado to Canela, 7Km before Canela. The Caracol waterfall is the main attraction of the park. The Caracol river falls from height of 130m to a small pool that can be reached by 927 stairs going down hill (and then uphill, yay!).
If you're not in an athletic mood, there are 2 other options to view the waterfall. First - a cable car ride with a view to the waterfall from above. Second - Entering the Caracol Park and taking the elevator to the view tower.

This picture was taken during summertime while the hortênsias (hydrangea) blooms.

This is a short video showing the waterfall, cable car and tower:

View Larger Map

Renting DVD's in Porto Alegre

2007-11-04T21:48:00.000-02:00

The 2 biggest DVD stores we found are Espaço Video and Blockbuster. Signing up to a store is a bit of a pain... you'll need an ID card, CPF number and a residence proof. Payment is per movie - you rent a movie and pay upon return. Usually you can keep the movie for 24-48h on weekdays or for the whole weekend if you rent on a Friday. Espaço Video also has movie delivery service for extra 4R$.

Espaço Video stores addresses:

Rua Vasco da Gama, 153 Bom Fim. Tel. 3311-7999
Rua 24 de Outubro,1378 Auxiliadora. Tel. 3342-8585
Mucio Teixeira,661 Menino Deus. Tel. 3024-0808

Blockbuster stores addresses:

Assis Brasil 2847 Tel. 3361-6769
Carlos Gomes 11 Tel. 3333-8151
Av. Nilo Peçanha 2785 Tel. 3328-5660

Maria Fumaça Steam Train

2007-11-03T17:06:00.000-02:00

In the heart of the wine area, north from Porto Alegre, the Maria Fumaça train ride is a fun tourist attraction. The train leaves from Bento Gonçalves, where you will have some Brazilian wine tasting. As the ride starts, groups of singers pass between the passengers, playing, singing and dancing, dressed up like old Italian immigrants. If you drink enough wine and you're mentally ready to dance, the dancers would be happy to dance with you. Make sure you have enough space on your camera memory card before embarking (-: The train stops on Garibaldi, where you'll taste some champagne and grape juice. The final stop is in Carlos Barbosa. A bus ride back to Bento Gonçalves is included. Another option is to ride a bus to Carlos Barbosa and take the train back to Bento Gonçalves. The ride is around 2 hours long, over 23 kilometers of scenic route.

It's recommended to reserve tickets in advance by phone:(54)3455-2788.
Train operates on Wed. and Sat. at 9:00 from Bento Gonçalves and 10:45 from Carlos Barbosa. At 14:00 from Bento Gonçalves and 16:00 from Carlos Barbosa. Kids under 5: free. Above 6: 40R$ on low season and 45R$ on high season (July, Dec. Jan.).

View Larger Map

Get your new Havaianas for the summer

2007-11-02T18:50:00.000-02:00

We've been to the Bourbon Country supermarket this morning and
saw an extended Havaianas department. They usually have a nice selection of flip flops, but now they have plenty more!
(Sorry for the poor quality of the picture, I didn't imagine there would be something THAT exciting in the supermarket today)
Another store that always has a nice selection of Havaianas flip flops and accessories is HSC Concept on Padre Chagas St. They also sell socks to fit flip flops (in shape and color) and have bling charms to add to the flip flops.
Address: Padre Chagas 400, Mon-Sat. 10:00-20:00, Sun. 14:00-18:00

The Buddhist Center in Três Coroas

2007-10-31T22:45:00.000-02:00

The Buddhist Center is located in a spectacular spot in the mountains of the serra gaúcha. The view is breathtaking and the temple is definitely worth a visit. Before entering the temple you should take off your shoes and keep silent. The temple and the monuments outside are beautifully decorated in vivid colors and detailed patterns. Unfortunately it's forbidden to take pictures inside the temple. There's also a small gift shop and kiosk.

Here's a short video about the temple (exclusive pictures from the inside, ha ha):

73Km from Porto Alegre on road RS-115, you arrive to Três Coroas, where you will see a sign to the "centro budista". Turn right to a dirt road. Climb up the mountain 7Km and turn left to the center. At the gate you'll be asked by intercom how many passengers in the car and the license plate number. Then the gate will magically open and you'll drive to the parking area. At this point you already start to feel the unique serenity surrounding you. Breath deeply and start meditating...
Pay attention to opening hours: Tuesday to Friday: 9:00-12:00 and 13:30-17:00. Saturday and Sunday: 9:00-17:00 pm. Free entrance.

View Larger Map

DOC - champamnharia and risoteria

2007-10-23T17:20:00.000-02:00

We tried this restaurant last week with our friends AP&P. This charming, lighted by candles place is a bit hidden on a side street in the Bela Vista neighborhood. We thought it was different because they have few tables on the sidewalk outside the restaurant. It's something that we don't usually find in Porto Alegre. The decoration is rustic and on the walls hanging old windows and doors. On another wall hangs a blackboard with today's special risotto and champaign. They offer 5-6 types of risotto, in a big portion (2 servings) or an individual one. The risottos we tried were delicious - prawns with orange aroma and another one with cheese. And of course it's recommended to drink champagne. The waiter was very welcoming and patient too, having to recite the list of desserts 4 times for us, Portuguese strugglers. Don't miss the strawberries in sugar and pepper for dessert!
It's recommended to arrive early because the place is small and becomes packed pretty early.
Address: Rua Jaime Telles 325, Bela Vista. Mon.-Sat. 19:00-00:00.

Air force base "open day"

2007-10-11T09:10:00.000-03:00

The Brazilian air base in Canoas is having its annual open day tomorrow, Oct. 12th with lots of attractions like music shows, churrasco, exposition of civil and military aircrafts, F-5M, Mirage 2000 and of course an aerobatic show. The main aerobatic show usually starts at around 16:00. It's recommended to arrive 2 hours earlier to avoid the traffic jam.
tagzaniapaste
Base Aérea de Canoas map - Tagzania

Essa POA e boa

2007-10-06T17:06:00.000-03:00

Essa POA e boa is a contemporary art exposition, taking place in an indoor space by the Dado brewery in DC Navegantes. All artists participating are from Porto Alegre, showing 12 projects that include paintings, sculptures,video and music. Personally I liked this exposition much better than the Bienal. The works are more creative, colorful and interesting. The kids also liked it a lot.
Opening hours: Tue.-Sat. 12:00-22:00, Sun. and holidays 10:00-20:00. Free entrance and free parking at the DC Navegantes shopping center.

Farroupilha Parade

2007-09-19T22:26:00.000-03:00

Farroupilha week will be celebrated tomorrow, Sept. 20th, with a nice parade of the gauchos. The parade passes by the Farroupilha park with gauchos dressed up in traditional cloths, riding horses or decorated trucks, marching bands and typical music. 9:45-12:30.

Sushi by Cleber

2007-09-07T00:38:00.000-03:00

It is more than three years that we are visiting Sushi by Cleber. Sometimes we visit there once every couple of weeks and sometimes even twice a week. Sushi by Cleber can be considered as our "home sushi place" (some colleagues, while visiting in Porto Alegre are telling us: "we ate yesterday at Dagan's sushi...").

Cleber is not exactly what you will expect from a chef. A super cool, well-tattooed guy, nice and friendly and can make one of the the best sushis in town. The restaurant is casual yet well decorated, the fish are always fresh and the environment is... like home.

The house system is fixed price per person (around R$ 45-50) for free sushi buffet and some dishes that are served to the table (sushi and sashimi combo, hot Philadelphia sushi, grilled salmon, Shitaki mushrooms, missoshiro soup and others).

By the way - Sushi by Cleber is open 7 days a week for dinner!!!! During summer time, Cleber is open during week days in Porto Alegre and during weekends at Atlantida beach, about an hour drive from the city.

Address: Desembargador Esperidião de Lima Medeiros 317

Tel. 3328-8330/4499
Open every day, 19:30 - Last Customer

"No Ar" exposition - RBS group

2007-09-06T20:14:00.001-03:00

RBS is a media group that celebrates 50 years of activity with a nice exposition in Porto Alegre -"No Ar" (=on air), about TV, radio, internet, newspaper and more. The exposition tells the history of RBS interactively, involving fiction, reality and rhythm. It's also fun for kids. Dates: 1.9 - 18.11.2007 Place: Usina do Gasometro Visiting hours: Tue.-Sun. 9:00-21:00. Free entrance. Free parking.

Home made soft cheese

2007-08-31T23:47:00.000-03:00

Sometimes I really miss having a low fat and tasty soft cheese. The only soft cheese I could find here was Philadelphia or Alluete which are very fat. So I make my own cheese by taking 6-8 containers of Parmalat Iogurte Natural 200ml. (see picture). The blue one has around 4% fat and the green is fat free. I mix them with a little bit of salt and put all in a cloth diaper (the old fashion diapers). I tie the cloth above the sink and let the water drain for couple of hours and...voila! The time depends on the desired consistency. 4 hours would give softer cheese and 10 hours would give a firmer one. The cheese can stay for a long period of time in a close container in the fridge and is also good for baking purposes.

Hashi - Japanese Restaurant

2007-08-31T23:28:00.000-03:00

We tried Hashi two weeks ago with a group of friends. We had a fantastic ten-courses degustation dinner that was so palatable, that less than two week later we find ourselves sitting there again, and having another degustation (only six-courses this time).

Chef Carlos Kritensen is bringing to the table original and creative flavors, using his experience from studying and working in Thailand, India, Nepal and Malaysia. Each of the courses we had was delicious - both to the eyes and to the tongue. Oyster cooked in Champagne and Brie cheese, Shrimp in Curry souce, Salmon sashimi with thin slices of lemon, Tuna fish with Foie Gras in balsamic marinade and many many others. To complete the experience, the chef comes out with every dish and gives a short exploitation about it.

Hashi (in Porto Alegre) is relatively young restaurant (less than two years old), so the Chef still needs to prove that he can keep the same level for long time. Up to now - he does it well and we will definitely come back soon. Every visit is a new great adventure.
If you're planning to have the degustation dinner you need to inform the chef one day in advance.

HASHI
Rua Desembargador Augusto Loureiro Lima 151
Tel. 3328-0005
Mon. - Sat. 19:30 - 24:00
www.hashi.com.br

Guia Quatro Rodas - planning trips in Brazil

2007-08-31T23:21:00.000-03:00

If you are planning a trip in Brazil and you can read some Portuguese, don't forget to take a look at the "Guia Quatro Rodas Brasil". The book gives helpful information about all the touristic places in Brazil, including maps, prices and tips about hotels, restaurants and attractions.
The "Quatro Rodas" site, offers a lot of this information on-line for free.

Bienal B in Porto Alegre

2007-08-31T22:19:00.001-03:00

The "Bienal B" is an alternative art exhibition, in parallel to the traditional Bienal do Mercosul. An informal organization of 300 artists is displaying the artists works all around Porto Alegre during the months of September, October and November 2007. This is a map of the bienal exhibits in Porto Alegre. During this period there will also be lectures and crafts classes given.

Buying Furniture in Porto Alegre

2007-08-19T22:36:00.000-03:00

There are many furniture shops in Porto Alegre and it's impossible of course to mention them all. Here are 3 areas where you can find lots of shops in one place:
DC Shopping Navegantes - This is an open mall with several furniture shops (also carpets and accessories). All of them are of high quality and the prices are according to that.
Avenida Ipiranga - on this street, starting from about Av. Ipiranga 7000, there are tens (!) of shops with huge furniture selection of different quality level. You can find a wide price range in these shops, according to quality and brands.
Rua Quintino Bocaiúva - A street in Moinhos de Vento neighborhood with lots of luxurious furniture shops.
Another furniture and accessories store chain is Tok&Stok, it looks very much like Ikea, just not as cheap. It has a large selection of furnitures and a nice show room. Address: Av. 24 de Outubro, 1538.

Theaters in Porto Alegre

2007-08-13T09:58:00.000-03:00

There are few theaters in Porto Alegre for concerts, plays and shows.
Teatro do Sesi offers concerts from international and national singers and bands. In the program it says where you can buy tickets. Tickets are sold in different place for each show. Address: Av. Assis Brasil 8787 – B. Sarandi Tel. 0800 518555.

Another theater is the Bourbon Theater which is located at the Bourbon Country Shopping, address: Rua Túlio de Rose, 100 Tel. 32318899. It's new and has shows for kids and adults. Tickets for shows are available at the theater Mon.-Fri. 10:00-22:00 or at Telentrega Opus.

Opus is a "telentrega" (delivery) ticket office. At this moment their site is not working but maybe it will work again one day(-: Tel. No. 32990800 Mon.-Fri. 9:00-19:00.

Teatro Sao Pedro which is located at "Centro" offers classic music concerts and plays in Portuguese. Address: Praça Mal. Deodoro, s/nº Porto Alegre Tel. 32275300.

Diners Club Card and Airport Lounge

2007-08-06T16:57:00.000-03:00

When flying from Porto Alegre inside or outside of Brazil, it is almost always necessary to stop in Sao Paulo, Guarulhos airport. For making long layovers easier, we issued a Diners Club credit card. This way we can enter the Diners airport lounge and enjoy for free, a drink, internet access, massage couch, TV etc. One card per family is enough.

Ideas for presents to take home

2007-07-19T19:55:00.000-03:00

What presents do we bring from Porto Alegre when we go home for a visit?

Instant Pao de Queijo powder to make at home
Cachasa
Havaianas + Havaianas socks
Brazil flag
Inter/Gremio flag, t-shirts etc.
Jewlery with Brazilian stones or the stone itself
Art work from the Brique fair
Coffee beans
File mignon
Chimarrao kit
Caipirinha kit
Soaps or creams made of Brazilian plants
Guarana

If you have any other ideas, please add your comment!

Bird Feeders

2007-07-08T17:24:00.000-03:00

We have lots of birds coming to drink sugar water everyday from our bird feeder that is hanging in the balcony. We see a lot of Bananaquits (left photo) and humming birds (=beija flor). There's another visitor - a bigger black bird that we don't know it's name yet.

Bird feeders are fun and can be purchased at the bigger supermarkets, pet stores or bazar stores. If you have a net around your balcony (for children safety) you can also have a bird feeder - the birds are clever enough to fly in and out of the net.

Parcão - Moinhos de Vento

2007-07-08T16:33:00.000-03:00

The Parcão is a nice small park, located in Moinhos de Vento neighborhood. In the middle of the park there is a small pond(well... maybe more like a big puddle) with turtles, water-birds and ducks. Next to it there is a nice windmill ("Moinho de Vento") that during the summer is open for craft work and children activities. In the upper side of the park there is nice playground and an opportunity for the kids (and parents) to meet new people and make friends. Around the park there are two marked paths for jogging - the shorter one is 650m long and the longer is 1 Km long.

I think that the Parcão looks a bit different for each of us - for some it is the place to work out, for others - a great place to go with the kids (with or without a bike, with or without soccer ball) or the dog, others can enjoy reading the weekend newspaper or a nice book (with or without Chimarrão).

From time to time, usually on Sundays, there are free activities at the park, like concerts, children games, working out in groups, dog shows and more.

Mulligan Irish Pub - my place for a Pint of Guinness

2007-07-07T23:30:00.001-03:00

Living just few blocks away from Padre Chagas st., I frequently take the opportunity to walk few minutes to Mulligan Pub, sit on the bar and have a nice pint of Guinness (or two) with the simple-yet-fantastic "Boxty Gaelic" - potato pancake filled with meet in whiskey and mushroom sauce.

Mulligan is a "fancy" place, located in the heart of Moinhos de Vento, and therefor is not cheap (a pint of Guinness will be around 13R$). Yet - I like the atmosphere, the service is great and the professional beer pouring (Fabinho - the bartender is "Guinness certified") is well appreciated.

Mulligan offers great variety of local and imported beers - draught beers ("Chopp") as well as bottled beers ("Cerveja"). Usually I'm here for the Guinness, but sometimes, when I'm in the right state of mind (or when I want to introduce the Brazilian beers to guests and visitors) I'm going for one of the Eisenbahn draft variety (the best is to start with Pilsen, continue with Pale Ale and finish with Dunkel).

Address: Padre Chagas 25 (Moinhos de Vento). Tel. 3029-3725 / 8422-9301. Opening Hours: 17:00 - 2:00 (Close on Monday)

Feta Cheese

2007-07-03T18:45:00.000-03:00

A good feta cheese can be found in different delis and also in Nacional stores. It has 4 months validity and is made in Brazil by Lacaune company. Made of goat milk.
Click on the photo below to enlarge image.

Live Music Clubs

2007-07-03T18:09:00.000-03:00

Among the many clubs around Porto Alegre, we like to go to Sgt. Pepper's or Abbey Road to listen to live music. They're owned by the same person. Both places have their "home band" that sings the Beatles songs on weekend nights. On other nights they have other shows as well, also from international bands (Stanley Jordan was at the Abbey Road recently for the 3rd time). The program is available in their website. The clubs have a very nice atmosphere and you can enjoy a good meal and show at the same time.
Addresses: Sgt. Pepper's - Dona Laura, 329 Tel. 33313258 from 21:00.
Abbey Road - Av. Plinio Brasil Milano, 1185, Tel. 33289516 from 21:00.

Beer - Brazilian and Imported

2007-07-01T11:27:00.000-03:00

There is a nice variety of local beers available at any supermarket in Porto Alegre. Imported beers are available too, but may be very expensive (for example - a 500 ml can of Irish/English beer may cost 10 to 15 R$). Some of the international beers are produced in Brazil, what make them available with local prices (Heineken, Miller, Budweiser). I found that the local beers can actually be very good and I, as a "dark-beer" addict, could even find few nice dark and bitter Brazilian beers.

The Brazilians prefer lighter beers (Brahma Extra is my preferred beer in this category). Simple popular beer (Brahma, Bohemia, Polar, Skol...) price may vary from 1.20R$ to 1.70R$ for a "long neck" (335 ml bottle). What I consider as the best dark beer for this price range is Xingu. It can be found also as a draft beer ("chopp") in some of the pubs and even served in Gol flights.

My favorite Brazilian Brewery is definitely Eisenbahn (they have an English website!!!). It costs a bit more than the common local beers (2.50 - 3.00R$) but in my opinion - it worth every cent of it. Eisenbahn has a nice variety of more than 10 different beers and i will mention the most interesting ones:
Dunkel - Dark Lager, with roasted and chocolate malt character. Medium bitterness. Rich and complex.
Pilsen - Light color beer - Pilsen style. Clean and dry, brewed only with natural ingredients.
Weizenbier - South German style wheat beer, unfiltered, with banana and cloves aroma and flavor.
Strong Golden Ale - "killer beer". Golden colored with high alcohol content (8.5%). This powerful beer presents hops flavor, besides spices. The yeast for this high fermentation beer is imported from Belgium
Pale Ale - A Belgian style pale ale, medium bodied but very complex, with hints of cloves and some citrus. Amber colored with medium bitterness.

BTW - the Eisenbahn brewery is located in Blumenau (SC) and they offer brewery tours. I'm still looking for the opportunity (and the partners) for this visit....

Phone Directory for People Search in Porto Alegre

2007-06-30T15:35:00.000-03:00

An easy and useful way to search phone numbers of people in Porto Alegre, is through this link: http://www.phonebookofbrazil.com/ . Actually it's a world wide phonebook.

In this link you can choose between yellow pages (business search) and white pages (people search).

Sports Clubs in Porto Alegre

2007-06-30T14:40:00.000-03:00

There are many sports clubs around the city. The biggest ones are Grêmio Náutico União and Sogipa. The clubs have several indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis courts, gym, recreation areas, restaurants and sport classes. During the summer holiday they have special programs for kids. The União club has 3 different facilities, one in the Petropolis neighbourhood, one in Moinhos (open 24 hours a day) and the third is on an island on the Guaiba river.

We have been members of the União and the Juvenil clubs. The Juvenil is a smaller, yet fancy club, located in the Moinhos neighbourhood.

To use a club facilities you must become a member. Usually, the membership is for life, by buying a sort of club share and paying a monthly fee. There are lots of clubs in a wide price range. It's important to know, that as a foreigner, you don't need to buy the club share (which is very expensive). There's an option to pay a flat entrance fee and then a monthly fee that you stop paying whenever you decide to stop your membership. We usually renew our membership for the summer months only.

Addresses: Grêmio Náutico União (GNU) - Rua João Obino, 300 Tel. 3025.3800

Sogipa - Rua Barão de Cotegipe, 415 Tel. 3325.7200

Juvenil (AJL) - Rua Marquês do Herval, 280 Tel. 3323 4304

Books in English

2007-06-27T11:04:00.001-03:00

Livraria Cultura (the website is in English) is a big book and music store. They have a good selection of books in English. It is also possible to order a book if they have it in one of their other stores in other cities of Brazil. They also have children books, CD's and a nice cafe to relax and read. Books in French or Spanish are also available. They have chairs all around the store to grab a book and sit down to look at it. For kids, they have a big dragon bench with cushions for the kids to relax and read.

A the register you can issue a membership card for free and get discounts for future purchases.

Address: Bourbon Shopping Country Tel. 3028-4033

Santander Cultural Center

2007-06-27T10:30:00.000-03:00

The "Santander Cultural" is an artistic center of Rio Grande do Sul for visual art, cinema, music and lectures. It is a beautiful old building, located downtown in Centro. Among other activities, I like their "Oficina de Choro e Samba". Every Saturday at 14:00 and 17:00 they have an informal, free of charge show of a choro band. People of all ages play music just for the fun of it.
They also have shows of Brazilian musicians and singers for very good prices. The monthly program can be found on their website.

In the lower part of the building there's a nice cafe, in a volt shape and an exhibition of all the Brazilian past coins and notes.
Address: Rua Sete de Setembro, 1028 Centro - Porto Alegre

"Area Azul" Tip

2007-06-25T21:45:00.000-03:00

Area Azul is the pay parking on the street sides in the designated areas around Porto Alegre. if you park for less than 10 minutes, you don't need to buy a parking ticket. Also, you have an extra 10 parking minutes after your ticket expired. This tip is useful for those times that you park for a short errand. In this case there's no need in a ticket.

Arts and Crafts Supplies

2007-06-24T19:43:00.000-03:00

Porto Alegre offers a lot of shops for arts supplies, most of them can be found in "Centro" neighbourhood (downtown). The biggest store is "Linna", it's a huge 3 floor shop with supplies for different kinds of crafts. They also offer classes. They have 3 shops, the biggest one is in Centro - Rua Senhor dos Passos, 90, Tel. 3213-0000, the other is on Av. Assis Brasil, 2017 Tel. 3345-3167 and another on Av. Azenha, 1317 Tel. 3219-4084.

Rua Senhor dos Passos in downtown is heaven for crafters as there are so many stores with a large variety of arts supplies. You can also find lots of party supplies in this area. In the parallel street, Pinto Bandeira, you can find lots of fabric and yarn stores. Stores downtown open daily from 9:00 and close at around 18:00. Sat. 9:00-13:00.

I find it pretty safe to go to Centro, although many people don't feel safe. If you go dressed up simply and watch your bag, there shouldn't be any problem.

Sightseeing City Tour

2007-06-24T13:29:00.000-03:00

The municipality of Porto Alegre offers a city sightseeing tour in a bus, called "Linha Turismo".
The upper level of the bus has no roof and it's cool to watch Porto Alegre from above in the open air. The 80min ride passes through the main touristic sites of the city and is bilingually guided. Reserve tickets at 3212.3464 or 3212.0721. Bus leaves from: Porto Alegre Turismo, municipal office (Travessa do Carmo, 84), Cidade Baixa. Tour hours: Tue.-Sat. 9:00, 10:30, 15:00, 16:30 and during summer also 18:00. Tickets: 7R$ on bus top, 5R$ inside bus. The bus ride is attractive for kids too!

Sweet Bakery

2007-06-24T13:06:00.000-03:00

There are 2 bakeries that we like to visit when we feel like having some delicious sweets.

Diego Andino - This bakery has a funny location, inside a garage, but still, their cakes are the best ever! You go up the garage and follow the smell, to a sweet lover's heaven. Diego is Uruguayan and makes a bite size cakes of many flavors. He also makes regular size cakes. Everything he makes looks very fancy and it's a good choice for dessert when having a party. In that case, you need to order the cakes ahead of time on phone or in the place. I always to prefer to go there because I can try some tasting samples. Address: Rua Quintino Bocaiúva, 433, sobreloja, Moinhos de Vento, 3264-4198. Mon.-Sat. 8:00-19:00. Free parking available.

Pâtissier - Marcelo, the owner of the place, will always welcome you with a smile at his patisserie. He makes wonderful chocolate, lemon or strawberry small cakes. He also has delicious empanadas and quiches. There are few tables to sit in the place and in the weekend they also serve lunch. Address: Rua Marquês do Pombal, 128, Moinhos de Vento, 3395-3848. Tue.-Sat. 8:00-20:00 free parking available.

Cellular Phone in Porto Alegre

2007-06-24T12:34:00.000-03:00

Porto Alegre offers three cellular providers - TIM, CLARO and VIVO (we have CLARO). The most common technology is GSM and you may either use your own phone (needs to be unlocked and to support 900/1800 MHZ) or buy a phone from the provider. If you are using your own phone - you will have to buy only the local GSM SIM-Card (about 20-25 R$).

In general, the phone rates are high in Brazil (mainly for long-distance/international calls and for calls in roaming). There are some VOIP solutions available in the market that can help in this area.

CLARO - have a good coverage in the south of Brazil and reasonable coverage at the center and north Brazil. Claro offers two main plans: "Cartão" - prepaid plan and "Conta" - plan with monthly account. the prepaid plan has no monthly fee but the "per minute" price is higher.

TIM - have a good coverage in all of Brazil (it is an advantage for people that travel a lot inside Brazil). TIM is offering two main plans (similar to CLARO): "pre-pago" - prepaid; and "pôs-pago" - with monthly bill.

VIVO - have a reasonable coverage in all of Brazil. TIM is offering two main plans (similar to the others): "Vivo-pre" - prepaid; and "Vivo-pôs" - with monthly bill.

Indian Food to Order

2007-06-23T17:50:00.000-03:00

We like to order indian food from Curry Express. They make deliveries only. Tel. 30124040, Mon.-Sat. 19:00-23:30. Their food is really good and we usually order Saag for main dish - curry chicken with spinach and mustard. It's only a bit spicy. All main dishes come with steamed white rice. Onion bhaji - fried onion in dough with yogurt and mint sauce. This serves 2-3 people.

Cisne Branco - a boat tour in the Guaiba river

2007-06-23T00:50:00.000-03:00

The Cisne Branco (=white swan) is a small boat that takes you to a one hour long tour in the Guaiba river. It embarks from the local port down town (Portão Central do Porto), on Tue.-Sun. at 10:30, 15:00, 16:30, 18:00. The tour is guided (in Portuguese) and a snack bar is available. Tickets - 10R$, kids under 10 don't pay. Tickets can be purchased at the entrance. Safe parking is available at the port. The boat ride is a good fun for kids.

Radio Stations

2007-06-23T00:22:00.000-03:00

My favorite local radio stations are:
Radio Itapema: 102.3FM - this station plays both Brazilian and international music of different kinds, including jazz, bossa novas - old and new. They also give information (in Portuguese) about jazz shows in Porto Alegre.
Radio Cidade: 92.1FM - this station plays the latest hits of Brazilian pop music (MPB) and international songs as well.
Antena 1: 89.3FM - plays mainly American hits from the 80's.

Kitchenware in Porto Alegre

2007-06-21T20:11:00.000-03:00

There are lots of places with good kitchenware in the city. I will recommend 2 of them that are cheaper:

Knetig - This store is basically for restaurant and hotel owners, but they also sell to the retail market. They have basic kitchenware, cookware, plastic goods etc. for cheap. If you pay in cash, you get another 6% discount. Address: Av. Farrapos, 3059. The store is closed everyday for lunch break between 12:00-13:00.
Free parking is available just beside the store.

Vista Alegre - This is the factory store of the famous Vista Alegre porcelain in Portugal. It has a nice verity of porcelain dishes. Address: Av. Dom Claudio José Gonçalves Ponce de Leão - Nº 140. Opening hours: Mon.-Fri. 9:00-18:00, Sat. 9:00-13:00. Free parking is available in front of the store.

Moinhos Shopping Membership Card

2007-06-21T17:44:00.000-03:00

The Moinhos Shopping mall is giving out a membership card named "Cartão Inteligente". For every Real you spend on shopping in one of the mall's shops, you get 1 point. When you have enough points you can choose a present. My favorite present is 12 free parking hours at the mall (imagine how much shopping you can do in 12 hours... ). The card is free and can be issued at the customer service desk in the mall.

Zoo in Sapucaia do Sul

2007-06-20T11:54:00.001-03:00

The zoo is about 30 minutes drive away from Porto Alegre on BR 116. It is by the city Sapucaia do Sul. It's very big and requires a lot of walking. It's not very well maintained and has a restaurant. Opening days: Tue.-Sun. 8:30-17:00. Tel. 3474-1499 .

The Brique Art Fair

2007-06-20T11:44:00.000-03:00

The Brique arts and crafts fair is happening every Sunday morning until dark. It's in the Redenção park by Bom Fim neighbourhood in Porto Alegre. It is a place to walk along the different booths where artists sell their works. On another part of the fair they sell antiques, food and beverages. In the same area, there is also a small entertainment park for kids.

Movies and Theaters

2007-06-20T11:18:00.000-03:00

Foreign movies in Porto Alegre are usually in their original language with Portuguese legends (unless it's a movie for children and then it would be dubbed).
Theater seats are not marked on the ticket so if the movie is new, it's better to arrive a little earlier to get a good seat.

You can find a movie guide here. On Tuesday evenings in the Moinhos GNC theater you can watch a movie for a special price of 5R$ only!

Pampa Safari

2007-06-20T10:23:00.000-03:00

The Pampa Safari is located near Gravataí, which is about 36Km away from Porto Alegre. You enter the park with your car and ride it along the different wild animals that are walking free all around. There are local animals, like capibaras and other animals that are not typical for Brazil. In the end you reach a huge playground, where you can park and have a snack. It's a great place for kids to watch animals and then run around.

Entrance fee is per car. Address: RS-20, km 11, n.5680, Gravataí. Tel. (51)3488.1823

Supermarkets

2007-06-19T18:03:00.000-03:00

The 2 biggest supermarket chains in Porto Alegre are "Zaffari" and "Nacional".
Zaffari has bigger shops that are called "Bourbon" and Nacional has "Big". Nacional was recently purchased by Walmart. On this Nacional site, it is possible to buy groceries on-line.
Both supermarkets are good and each specializes in different areas.
We think that Nacional is better for imported foods, while Zaffari has a bigger verity of foods in general. The best Zaffari store that usually has everything fresh is the one on rua Plinio Brasil Milano. The best Nacional store is on rua Lucas de Oliveira.
Important: Only Nacional accepts credit cards. Zaffari only accepts debit card or cash (of course...)

PUC Science and Technology Museum

2007-06-18T00:02:00.000-03:00

Inside the PUC university campus, there is a wonderful science museum to go with the kids or even not! It's a huge museum to spend good 5-6 hours in. The museum offers lots of interesting "to touch" exhibits and experiments. There's a nice cafeteria to have a snack or a buffet restaurant to have lunch. A safe parking lot is available right beside the museum. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Address: Av. Ipiranga, 6681 • Prédio 40 • Porto Alegre - RS - Brasil • CEP 90619-900 Tel.: (51) 3320.3597 / 3320.3697 Opening hours: Tue. - Sun. 9:00-17:00. Tickets: 10R$ adult, 7R$ child ages 3-12.

Flight Information

2007-06-17T23:41:00.000-03:00

Information about departures and arrivals:
INFRAERO - this is the official website of all airports in Brazil. The site is available in English too.
TIMETABLE - this website shows scheduled flights timetable from/to Brazil, by origin and

destination. The site is in Portuguese only.

Flying in South America

2007-06-17T23:18:00.000-03:00

There's a lot to see in Brasil and many times you need to fly in order to travel.
Here's a list of air companies in Brasil:
Remember: buying flight tickets on-line, requires a CPF number!
GOL - when buying tickets on-line through Gol's website, it is important to fill the 'date of birth' block with zeroes (00/00/0000). This is true for foreigners only.
TAM - if you have a Banco do Brasil credit card, you can convert bonus points into Tam's miles through the bank website.
VARIG
BRA
WEBJET
OCEANAIR
NHT - a small company with small air crafts (around 20 seats) and they have destinations in RS, Santa Catarina and Parana. They fly to small cities that other companies don't reach.
DECOLAR - on this site it is possible to choose a destination and get prices from several air companies.

BOA VIAGEM!

Our Favorite Restaurants in Porto Alegre

2007-06-17T22:08:00.000-03:00

Here's a link to Porto Alegre map with our favorite places to eat or drink!
If you have more places to recommend, please add a comment.

Whipped Cream

2007-06-17T21:42:00.000-03:00

Finding a cream to whip was not an easy task. The "creme de leite" that is so popular in all supermarkets can't form a nice whipped cream for a cake. Recently, we found one that gives a reasonable result. It is produced by RAR and has 45 days shelf life. It can be found at La Gourmandise, Rua Carlos Trein Filho, 1100, Bela Vista, 3333-8450. 10:00-20:30 (Mon. - Sat.). Apart from cream, La Gourmandise offers a nice verity of kitchen ware and imported food products. Click on the photo for a large image.

Fresh Milk

2007-06-17T21:24:00.001-03:00

We really like to drink milk, but a tasty fresh milk is so hard to find in Porto Alegre.

We tried a lot of types and the best one we found so far is "Leite Santa Malta". It comes either in a plastic bottle or bag and you can find it in the Zaffari supermarkets. It has 6 days shelf life and it has 3% fat.

In general it is important to know that fresh milk in Brasil is divided to "Tipo A" (Type A), "Tipo B" (Type B) and "Tipo C" (Type C), where Type A is the cleanest, bacteria wise. So make sure you always get a type A milk. Click on the photo for a lerge image.