Brazil

New Year in Brazil is in summer, that’s why it’s very hot at that time of the year. There are a lot of organized private events and even fireworks on the beaches. A tradition is to wear white clothes for New Year because this should bring luck for the future. 

The Carnival of Brazil is one of the most famous Carnivals in the world. Especially in Rio, Salvador, and Recife it's celebrated with Samba shows, music, and people dancing on the streets. I have never been to Rio for Carnival but near Recife in a little town called Olinda. It is very recommendable!

São João is a typical celebration in the Northeast of Brazil (where I lived). It takes place in June and there is a lot of Forró (typical music from Northeast of Brazil) and nice traditional costumes.

The photo was taken by AFS Joao Pessoa 

The 7th of September is the independence day of Brazil. Unlike most other South American countries it's not hugely celebrated among the population with big events. There is just a military parade in the capital Brasilia with the president. I was there in 2019. It was a very interesting experience.

Children’s Birthday parties are very huge and special in Brazil. Sometimes they have birthday themes (like in the photo: Spiderman). The decoration and the cake are in line with the theme. Usually, there are lots of guests (sometimes even teachers).

This is a very Brazilian concept that I haven’t seen anywhere else so far. There are a lot of restaurants where you get a plate or a takeaway box and then you go around the Buffet and put whatever you want to eat on the plate or the box. In the end, you pay by weight.

More than the food in Brazil (rice and beans) I enjoyed the little snacks, also called salgadinhos. There are a lot of different types, mostly they are filled with chicken, cheese, or meat.

Tapioca is another typical snack or also breakfast. It is made with Tapioca flour and can be filled with anything (cheese, ham, Nutella). The most traditional one is filled with cheese and coconut.

Açai is my favorite Brazilian food – even though it can't be really considered a food. It's more like an ice-creme made with Açai (a typical fruit from the Amazonas) and a lot of different toppings, like banana, honey, cashew nuts, or chocolate sauce.

Brigadeiro and Beijinho are two types of sweets that are everywhere in Brazil. Most of the cakes and bonbons are made from it. Brigadeiro is chocolate mixed with condensed milk and beijinho is condensed milk mixed with coconut.

Brazilians love sweet Pizza. When I heard that for the first time, I thought I would never try it. But I am glad I did - because it's great. It tastes like Crepes. I particularly enjoy Pizza with Nutella and strawberry or Pizza with banana and cinnamon.

Guaraná is a little like the "Brazilian Coca-Cola" – although it's much better. I can't explain the taste but I totally love it.