Brazil Unknown

Crater on avenue of Brazil's financial center A crater approximately 80 inches in diameter is hindering traffic on Avenida Faria Lima in Sao Paulo. Located in the prime area of the city, the avenue is known to harbor many headquarters of international banks (KDB, Banif, JP Morgan, Societe Generale, Royal Bank of Canada), consulates (Israel, Germany and the Netherlands) and one of the oldest museums in the country (Museu da Casa Brasileira). The hole was formed just over two months and so far the city hall no took actions and nor ruled on the repair works and maintenance of the avenue.

Despite the constant increases in the ticket, the city of São Paulo suffers from a poor subway system characterized by: work at maximum stocking capacity always, constant strikes, very few stations located far of the downtown, sexual abuse against women, assault and vandalism of soccer fans (Corinthians and Palmeiras). The only positive point that the system have is the cleaning. Two other facts that call attention are the large number of people who have been pushed on the subway tracks in recent years and smartphone thefts at stations. With a ticket so expensive, the least the local population requires is security and faster in the works of expansion of subway lines, plus fair value of compensation for residents of expropriated homes in this process.

Although thousands of Cubans annually trying to leave the island due to bad social and economic conditions experienced by the local population, the Cuban government insists spend money maintaining their consulates in luxury residences in the last countries with which the dictatorial regime of Cuba have diplomatic relations. A clear example is the city of São Paulo, where the registered office of diplomatic representation of the country is located in a house of one of the cars of city neighborhoods.

A fact that has become common in the city of São Paulo: cars of municipal transit company were caught parked in prohibited places. Parking spaces for seniors, for disabled people, bus stop, bike lanes and sidewalks lowered are locations that have become the preferred target for government officials to park the prefecture's vehicles on the streets. Worst of all this: the mayor doesn't take actions against the involved people.

VW Gol abandoned: homeless residence A car parked for more than a month in the city of São Vicente, on the coast of São Paulo, is serving room for the homeless. The reader Regina Travesso, who works near where the vehicle, sent pictures about the fact. The city resident asked for a traffic officer withdrew the location of the car because the vehicle is abandoned in a parking area regulated. "He told me that in the courtyard there aren't vacancies. But if there are no vacancies, which make cars that are fined and towed? We see the cars being pushed from one side to the other, being plucked every day," says Regina . The reader also said that criminals are stealing auto parts.

Women caught naked in public places In the last two months a habit became common in southern Brazil: women  naked  are walking and running through the streets of big cities. At first the police thought it was an isolated case, but in the same month other women began to have the same behavior. Many people believe it's a form of protest, others believe that they just want media attention or have a mental disorder. This habit began in Porto Alegre and was extending into other cities of the state, arriving in the city of Novo Hamburgo. There were 7 cases of flagrant nudity and in these two cities these women were seen in various locations: squares, avenues, condominiums, parks and even in supermarkets.

Car stolen and disassembled: photos by Whatsapp After the car was stolen with several documents within, a young woman received messages by Whatsapp of violator. In a daring signal, five days after the crime, a man came into contact with the woman joking about the state of the vehicle, sending you photos e indicating the localization of the stolen object. As the vehicle has not yet been found, the insurer didn't give a new car. She'll wait the full 30 days to receive the tabulated value of vehicle.

Brazilian Panettone sold in Canada: most expensive price in Brazil On average, two months before of the Christmas, start in Brazil the panettone's sales. Here the prices range from BRL 17 to BRL 38 as is the case of Bauducco's brand. In Canada, the Brazilian reader Sobeck Rebello read in a newspaper a news about the high product prices in Brazil  and sent an e-mail: - I was in São Paulo and found Bauducco's Panettone with 750 grams being sold for BRL 38.00. Here in Toronto, the same product is sold for 7.99 Canadian dollars! Awesome. He returned to the market, took a picture and sent us the picture, which doesn't let lie. Each Canadian dollar, according to the Central Bank of Brazil, now costs in the range of BRL 2.91. That is, 7.99 Canadian dollars equivalent to BRL 24.00. The Bauducco's panettone found by Sobeck here in Brazil is 58% more expensive than in Canada. The Brazilian tax burden explains the difference.

Vegetarian meal served in the restaurant A vegetarian restaurant in Fortaleza (city in northeastern Brazil) adopted the solidarity lunch system, offering 3 free meals a day for people who haven't money. The system is very common in Europe and the USA. Who can afford paid lunch and gives a contribution to the box of restaurant. This extra money ensures the meal of who cannot pay. In addition to this innovation, the place also preaches the sustainability practicing an honest price for customers: each meal costs BRL 12.

This not only happens in small towns and away from major urban centers. Especially in the big cities, it's common owners of very old vehicles leave their cars on public roads because there is no state policy that defines the destination of such durable after the end of their duty cycle. This attitude leads to the accumulation of trash and rats in the streets, besides injury hazards. Another possibility is the owner sell the vehicle to a junkyard, unusual place today. A major problem is the lack of incentive by the Federal Government for material recycling and the sustainable development.

In Brazilian airports you should forget the concept of "free shops" where you could find many products at popular prices. Everything here is more expensive, starting by a hot dog that costs $6 and reaching a mobile phone charger that costs almost the half price of the device itself that it reloads. A good example is at Congonhas Airport in São Paulo, where a small bottle of Budweiser can cost 3x the value of the same bottle in a supermarket. A simple cup of coffee at Santos Dumont Airport in Rio de Janeiro, can cost more expensive than a "cappuccino" at Starbucks.

After the revelation of numerous cases of corruption involving the current president of Brazil and members of the federal government, thousands of people are going to the streets of several cities every weekends to protest, but the main TV channels ( Globo , SBT , Bandeirantes and Record ) don't exhibit these manifestations and prefer to display news about violence cases in USA and European countries.

Building of the Federal Court in São Paulo: closed by strike Every year, officials of the judiciary and the President of Brazil don't reach an agreement when it comes to salary increases. It is also common these officials require salary increase in election period, a period when it is forbidden by law to grant wage increases as it may be interpreted as vote buying for election. This mental game only hinders the compliance of the laws in the country, as delays the progress of legal proceedings and the granting of social benefits.