Brasilia

Two days in the Brazilian capital.

Brasilia is a strange city – some ultramodern buildings under construction, lots of sixties/seventies high-rises in some disrepair – kind of feels like Eastern Europe if you ignore the tropical heat and the red clay soil. Despite the high-rises, the city doesn’t feel dense, nor pedestrian-friendly. It feels like a city made for cars. There is no subway, though there are lots of buses. Crosswalks are in short supply. The city planners were obviously aiming for grand Parisian-style avenues, but forgot to provide any shade, so the effect is more oppressive than it is impressive. Putting the TV transmitter at the center of the grandest avenue felt strange to me at first, but it makes sense that the Fourth Estate should have its monument within view of the Three Powers (Executive, Legislative, Judicial).

Locals have been friendly and we have yet to encounter any pickpockets, police extortion, etc. Brasilians will tell you their city is safe, but regale you with crime stories about other cities. Also, whenever you ask, the local drinking water is safe to drink, but nobody drinks it because it’s “not very clean.”

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