PAULO COELHO

The literature in Brazil and on the world also has marked a very important guideline for the cultural development. Between the great variety of authors that we can find nowadays as favorites, we find Paulo Coelho, who is not only one of the most well-read authors and also one of the authors with major influence and with very much value in the literature.

This Brazilian writer was born in 1947 in the city of Rio de Janeiro. Up to devoting himself in sole right to the literature, he was employed at the theatre as the director and actor and was also musical composer and journalist. Paulo Coelho wrote letters of songs for some of the most important artists of the Brazilian music, and more than 60 compositions realized as a whole with the great myth of the Brazilian rock, Raúl Seixas. This author of the literature, always has been characterized by his curiosity and fascination for the world of the spiritual thing (that find its origin in the epoch of the style hippie), which has taken him to a series of experiences in secret societies, oriental religions, etc.

Nowadays, Paulo Coelho has been translated into 66 languages, published in more than 150 countries and has sold a whole of 100 million copies and, according to the North American magazine "Publishing Trends", he was the author most sold of the world in 2003 with the book Eleven minutes; in addition, in the same list of the books most sold of the world in 2003, The alchemist occupied the sixth place and The Zahir (2005) reached the third position of most sold.

Paulo Coelho has a very important value in the World; he has labors as messenger of the Peace of the ONU, special counselor of the UNESCO for " Intercultural Dialogs and spiritual convergences", member of directive of the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship and is a member of the Brazilian Academy of Letters; in addition, Paulo Coelho has received many prizes and decorations, not only related to the literature, but also with the peace of the world, solidarity and cultural personality.

Finally, it is important to mention that we have a lot of prominent figures who not only have marked the world history, but they seek to help the people and to change day after day, the way of life of many people; we must be grateful for many prominent figures as Paulo Coelho, who teach us to love the others and offer them the best thing of us.

ALL THE EXCESSIVE THINGS IN BRAZIL!!!

Brazil has great quantity of excessive things, that can become the inspiration for many of the tourists; things as its music, food, media and fashion, are reasons to believe that Brazil has many ways to make every visitor happy, being a country and a paradise simultaneously.

First of all, It is well known now, that Brazilian are masters on moda praia (beachwear fashion) as well as in Brazil going to the beach is one of the best things to do for most people, on leisure time. Meanwhile, brazilian fashion goes further than making nice bikini and lingerie design!. In less than fifty years, Brazil changed from fashion's produces importer to become exporter. Actually, world's major fashion centers (Paris, Londres, Milan, New York) exerce strongly and surely a certain influence on Brazilian stylists. However, these influences serve to reinforce the Brazilian way to think and live fashion. On the other hand, the media in brazil is veri extensive, but the most important Media, is the TV. The first TV channel in Brazil (and Latin America) was Rede Tupi (Tupi is the name of a large Brazilian indian tribe), which first broadcasted on September 18th 1950. For financial reasons, TV Tupi closed down in 1980. Click to read more about Rede Tupi (in Portuguese only); Although there are a few Educational TVs, most channels in Brazil today are comercial, and this lasts, depend on authorization from the government; there are no official subsides to commercial TVs.

About the food, Brazil has Whether you want: prawns, chicken, tapioca pancakes, coconut sweets, or corn on the cob, it can all be purchased on the street for next to nothing, so…don't be afraid to try some of the best snacks that Brazil has to offer; the nacional dish is feiojoada, and It's impossible to single out one restaurant in all of Brazil for its feijoada. If you want to try an astonishing dinner, Start with a caipirinha (that potent, delicious lime and sugar-cane drink) and some “caldo”, followed by steaming hot black beans with all the various meats. Side dishes include farofa, cabbage, orange slices, and white rice. Dab a bit of malagueta peppers on the beans for an extra kick.
Secondly, Brazilian music is full of passion, of sentiment, of joy. It is the result of a long simmering mix of heritage from AmerIndian, Portuguese and African sources meeting global influences to create a magical, mystical music. Yet it is the constant search for new forms within Brazil's diverse musical heritage that most captivates us and influences musicians around the world. Wherever you go in Brazil there is always the music. Whether it is the poly rhythms from percussion instruments at a street corner or a sophisticated discussion of the current year's Carnival songs, the culture shares a common inspiration through their music.

Finally, I have to say that Brazil has many distractions to offer to all its tourists without mattering wherefrom they come; but the most important thing, is to be well informed and to come ready to enjoy the marvels that this country offers.

THE IASÁ’S LEGEND

One of the most important legends in Brazil is Iasá's history of the Cashinahuas tribe wich wants to narrate the origin of the first rainbow. This legend talk about a beautiful young woman that every man who saw her felt in love with her, but she only loved tupá, the son of the supreme god tupán. When Iasá was going to marry with tupá, the demon Anhangá had a lot of envy and decided to promise great success to the mother of Iasá in the fishing and the hunt; her mother decided to agree and to force Iasá to marry with this demon.

Iasá's last desire before marrying was going to see her dear Tupá, for it, she asked Anhangá for permission and he leaved her to go with the condition that she injured her arm, in order to follow her with the drops of blood that she was leaving; she agreed and during her way, tupá sent the god to the Sun, to the sky and to the sea for accompanying Iasá in her way and to confuse Anhangá with the three arches that they have to drew next to the red band. The Sun Guarací, drew a yellow arch, the sky Iuaca, drew a light blue arch, and the sea Pará, form a dark blue arch; On the other hand, Iasá don’t managed to arrive to the sky and to see Tupá, and she began to fall down slowly to the land; her blood was mixed first by Guarací's yellow band and an orange arch was formed and later with Iuaca's blue arch, drew another arch of violet color. When she felt down on the land, she died in a beach and her body raised a green arch formed by Pará's blue arch and Guarací's yellow one, and turned into the seventh arch that followed the path of the other six.

This legend is one of the samples of the cultural richness that has brazil and how our predecessors always were seeking to give an explanation of the natural phenomens. Nowadays, these legends only live in the Brazil habitant’s heart, which affects their cultural life but not their beliefs.

¿THE CRIME CAN BE A RESON FOR NOT GOING TO BRAZIL?

The crime in Brazil is one of the most important topics in this country, specially, if you are a tourist. Crime troughout Brazil has reached very hich levels, Brazil’s murder rate is more than four times higher than that of the U.S. Rates for other crimes are similarly high; “In 1992 Brazil's homicide rate of 37.5 per 100,000 residents surpassed that of the United States, with 22.76 per 100,000. Rio de Janeiro registered 4,253 murders in 1993, up from 3,545 in 1992. Rio de Janeiro had seventy-two murders per 100,000 residents in 1993, compared with thirty per 100,000 in New York City. Meanwhile, Rio de Janeiro State spending on security dropped from 15 percent of the state budget in 1984 to 8 percent in 1994.”. I am going to give you some information about how the crime can affect you if you are a brazilian tourist, and, if the crime can be the reason for not going to visit this country.

Nowadays, street crime remains a problem for tourist and brazilian people, but I have to said that the tourists are the best targets of crime, mainly because they are not prevented about the robbery, and the people who attack them take advantage for the situation. The highest level of crime in Brazil are Rio De Janeiro, Salvador and Recife. Brazil presents high levels of street crime, roadside robberies, “quicknapping” outside of banks and ATM machines and when the Travelers using personal ATMs or credit cards sometimes receive billing statements with non-authorized charges after returning from a visit to Brazil; the incidence of crime against tourists is greater in areas surrounding beaches, hotels, discotheques, bars, nightclubs, and other similar establishments, this type of crime is especially prevalent during Carnaval (Brazilian Mardi Gras), but takes place throughout the year.

On the other hand, Brazil have a lot of police men at the expense of your protection, and understanding the situation, several Brazilian cities have established specialized tourist police units to patrol areas frequented by tourists; this patrols, are specially trained for Protect the tourists and recover stolen properties, but obviously with limitations. Another thing that you have to think, is that Brazil have a lot of places and atracttive things to do, and obviously, you can visit this sites, only if you go to this country, so… what can you do for visit this glittering country and to be sure???...that depends of you!


In conclusión, you have to put in a scale the positive (that are the majority) and negative things (the crime?) that you can find in Brazil, and choice the best option. It is clear, that Brazil has a high level of crime (specified in the statistics), but if you want to enjoy a wonderful country, and you are available to instruct yourself about the danger and how to avoid it, is easy for you to know, that you can enjoy the most atracttive things in Brazil and Protect yourself with caution.

WOULD BE YOU CHOICE....COLOMBIA OR BRAZIL?

The wonder of some places are progressing with the time, but in this special case, we are going to talk about Colombia and Brazil, two countries that have similar natural richness for their nearness to the Equator line. Both countries have glittering sites, but if you have to choice one... what would be your decision?, well, I am going to help you about that.

First of all, if you want a place with different cultures, kind people, cheaper stetic surgery, delicious traditional food and the best coffee of the world, I have to said you that the place for you is Colombia, although, if you want wonderful dancers, enjoyable carnivals, fun nightlife and beatiful "garotas", your place is Brazil.

On the other hand, if you want to see nature richness, it is important for you to know that the fauna and flora in Colombia and Brazil are very similar, and one of the most special reasons for this, is that these countries chare the inspiring nature of the Amazone, so, I am sure, I can not advice you in this case!

Well, I hope that this information had been important for you, but... if I would have to decide a travel to one of these places, the gorgeus of my country is unique, really, I would choice my Colombia!

THE ALCHEMIST

I found this interesting articles about Paulo Coelho...you can see it:
- the alchemist
- New Age alchemist turns words into money
- Book Review: The Alchemist

TEXT CRITIQUE...

THE ALQUEMIST BY PAULO COELHO,
THE BEST WRITER FROM BRAZIL

The Alquemist is one of the most representative novels in the world and was written by Paulo Coelho, a famous writer from Brazil. This tremendous novel tells a history of an Andalusian shepherd boy that was searching a treasure in the pyramids of Egypt; for an advice, he starts way and then he learns a lot of things about the world, dreams, love and specially, about his own destiny. in this novel, Coelho wants to express his philosophy and obviously, wants to convince the readers, that when you want something, nothing can intervene to obtain it; that mains that the people hace to put their dreams over all. this fantastic novel is directed to the People who can understand the philosophy added to a few wise advices over the life and the dreams that each one wants to reach.

The protagonist of the book is Santiago, who travelling to find the exchequer that he saw in his dreams, found an old man, who explain him many things about the life and the destiny of the persons who had to realize his/her Personal Legend. During his trip, Santiago meets with a man that was a thief, with a glass seller with the one that worked and a student of english alchemy who showed him the language of the world.

When he comes to the desert, he knows a girl called Fátima with whom he falls in love passionately and the alchemist, who proves him if he knew the language of the world, and after verifying it, he tells him that he will help him to realize his personal legend, for which, santiago decides to leave fatima.
Soon they came to a monastery, place where the alchemist showed him how to transform the metal into gold, giving him a way to survive.

Finally the protagonist came to the pyramids of Egypt, his dream. Once there it, he started digging in search his exchequer, and the only thing that he received was a beating and jeers, for this reason, he returns to the place where he had taken the dream, and began to dig and found the exchequer.

This book is well structured, and the things that talks about, were specific topics that Paulo Coelho explain clear in each chapter.

In my opinion, The Alchemist have everything to be one of the most popular novels over the world, and it is!, this book had been traslated to a lot of languages for everybody, so, I have to reccomend you this valuable book!

ALL ABOUT BRAZIL...

Brazil often gives the impression of being a marvelous place, and it is right! the famous things of this country, like the carnivals and the funniest people in the world, gives to this country an attractive that any other country have. The South American location, and near of the Ecuador line , give to Brazil a variety of natural richness that make that a lot of visitors came to Brazil for feel the peaceful of this place.

The places that averyone want to meet in Brazil, includes Fernando de Noronha Island, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo (that are the two biggest cities of the south-east of Brazil), the more relaxed city of Salvador, or the old colonial towns of Ouro Preto and Olinda.

The Amazon is a big favourite place for the tourists and if you want to see something glittering, you have to go and listen the main track of the big river. In this site, you can see the most biodiverse place on earth, and enjoy with the fauna ad flora that it is very special and unique.

One thing that you must to know is that the Brazilian citizens used the Rio de Janeiro's Carnival as an expression of culture. During the carnival, a fat man is elected to represent the role of Rei Momo, the "king" of Carnival... that's really enjoyable, furthermore, because if you want to learn samba, and see a gorgeus people who dress in costumes, and goes through the streets playing music and dancing, this is the best place for you!

Definitively, Brazil is a mixture of precious, inspiring, harmonious, dazzling, heavenly and astonishing places that you have to visit...Brazil is waiting for you!