Locals
pronounce it “Sampaul”. With 20 millions
denizens, São Paulo—one of the largest
cities in the world next to Tokyo and Mexico City—illustrates
Brazil’s gigantism. We too often overlook
the magnitude of this colossus. Brazil is the
fifth largest nation in the world with a population
of 176 million (half the population of South America)
on an area of 8,511,965 square kilometers. On
the 1,500 square kilometers of Sampaul proper
alone, 4,700,000 cars, along with 11,000 buses,
(the biggest fleet in the world serving 1,277
routes) every month traverse 2.1 billion kilometers
(twice the distance to the moon), generating 100
kilometers of back-up traffic each day. The city
has tried to control traffic with daily restrictions
based on the last digit on car plates—with
meager success. Add to this the statistic that
565 children are born here every day, a sizable
portion of 3,000 Brazilian births daily, and you’ll
be able to appreciate the magnitude of this megalopolis
that never sleeps.
This
is a city where dining in one of the roughly 30,000
restaurants at 3 a.m. is not unusual, where one
can shop in the middle of the night, and where
attractions are so widely spread that sightseeing
is not going to be an easy task for the first-time
tourist. It is more than advisable not to try
to drive or to wander on one’s own—unless
you have a precise map. This isn’t so much
for security reasons (still, watch your wallets,
cameras, etc. for pickpockets), but because of
the complexity and the size of Sampaul. It is
also recommended to get a good guide, especially
if you don’t speak Portuguese.
Welcome
to São Paulo, the nerve center of South
America!
If
you're trying to keep your cool among the Paulistan
frenzy, choosing the right hotel in the right
location will help greatly. You’ll want
to be as close as possible to the points of interest.
The section called Centro, however, is not really
the best base for exploring this fragmented agglomeration
of a city. We found the Sonesta São Paulo
- Ibirapuera in the Moema sector well placed for
accessing the major attractions without spending
all your time commuting.
DAY
1
 |
A
Work of Forty Years for the Cathedral |
There’s
not much left to remind us that São Paulo
is five centuries old. It was founded in 1554
by Portuguese Jesuits who intended to convert
the Indians to Christianity and to teach them
their language. Three priests—joined later
by six others from the mission—celebrated
their first mass on Saint Paul’s Day on
January 25, 1554; hence it became the name of
the city. Could they ever have imagined that one
day their humble mission would be ground zero
for one of the greatest metropolises on earth?
Reflecting on this aspect of the city’s
past, it makes sense to begin the visit in the
old São Paulo: the Patio do Colégio erected on the very site of the mission. It took
forty years and 800 tons of Italian marble to
complete the construction of the nearby imposing,
neo-gothic Catedral da Sé with its stained glass, statues and magisterial
pillars. They call this area Prada da
Sé, “kilometer zero,”
of São Paulo. It is the nucleus from which
the town grew.
In
this car-driven city, this is a good opportunity
to walk a few blocks, literally and figuratively
crossing centuries to arrive at the modern, computerized Brazilian stock exchange. There’s
no need for the usual yelling or agitation since
transactions are executed online. Both traders
and the public watch the monitors to see the wealth
of Brazil, and of a good part of South America,
exchanging hands every day. Indicative of the
economic potential is the 600 percent value surge,
in just one year, of Petrobrás, the Brazilian
oil company. Nearby, the seat of the Brazilian
Federal Bank, Banco do Brasil,
in the Italia Building, epitomizes
the economic power of Sampaul. Built between 1939
and 1947, it was for a long time the highest construction
in South America. From its top—enjoy free
access—the view is dazzling. Unlike atop
the Eiffel Tower or the Empire State Building,
you can make out no horizon, but rather gaze over
an ocean of construction, an endless forest of
concrete.
|
An
Abundance of Edible Goods is Displayed at
the Municipal Market |
Covering
almost three acres, the Mercado Municipal (municipal market) illustrates the “coffee
culture” architectural style of Brazil (dating
from 1933). This elegant, neo-classical construct
shelters 319 stalls where all manner of edible
goods are purchased in a well-kept environment
by 20,000 customers daily. One is struck by the
cleanliness of the public spaces and by that of
the city in general. We suggest a lunch on the
first floor of bacalao pastels (pastries). Inherited from the Portuguese,
bacalao—dried and salted cod prepared with
potatoes in a brandade—is a favorite Brazilian
dish, along with feijoada or black bean ragout.
Mortadella sandwiches are also popular.
The
lung of the city is the Parque Ibirapuera,
(Ibirapuera Park), where Paulistas come to breathe,
play, run, skate and relax. It’s the creation
(dating from 1954) of illustrious architect Oscar
Niemeyer, who made his mark on the 20th century
with his curvaceous structures. It boasts among
its facilities open to the public—which
include the auditorium, planetarium, botanical
gardens and green house—the Museum
of Modern Art (MAM). It’s interesting
to see how Brazilian artists were inspired by
their European counterparts but, observing rapid
industrial growth, developed their own forms of
expression. These can be viewed here in the form
of 2,600 paintings, sculptures and drawings. The
park is now devoted to the protection and conservation
of Brazilian flora and fauna; 136 species can
be examined, including some endangered ones like
the green parrot.
Versailles
inspired the gardens of Museu do Ipiranga, which
reflects Brazilian history by displaying Brazilian
art, paintings, sculptures, furniture and household
items. Brazil is known for its stones and wood
carvings, in particular from the Brazil tree (Pau
Brasil) that gave its name to the country. Galeria
Arte Brasileira is a reliable store with
good prices offering nice handicrafts, stones
and even jewels.
As
one of the results of the strong Italian influence
in Brazil (which linguists assert also shows in
the language and the local dialect, which differs
from standard Portuguese) Brazilians have taken
to eating pizza. On Sundays they flock to restaurants
with typical Italian brick ovens. Pizza
Bra, Bra serves a dual purpose, standing
for “Brazil” as well as for “brasserie,”
which exactly sums up what it is, with its warm
atmosphere of elbow-to-elbow diners devouring
their Sunday pizzas. It’s a nice Paulistan
tradition to partake in.
|
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