Brazil here we come.......but shopping not football

With all things world cup in Brazil at the moment, I couldn't help but share how much I love the country. I've been fortunate enough to visit the world famous Rio de Janeiro as well as parts of the North and South of the country.

What can I say about Rio, it has fabulous beaches, scenery, food, music and the energy and atmosphere has to be seen to be believed. But if you're anything like me the shopping is fantastic, especially if you like a bargain and something a bit out of the ordinary

Forget the shopping malls I loved wandering around the Hippie Fairs, these are Brazils craft markets that line the streets of Copacabana Beach on a daily basis, but also feature mainly in various parts of the city at the weekends, probably the most well known (and biggest) is the one every Sunday morning in Ipanema in the Praça General Osorio.

This is a shoppers paradise, over the years, the Ipanema Hippie Fair has evolved into a major arts and crafts market, showing off the works of some of the city's best artisans, it started out quite small and has progressively grown. If you want to buy presents for family, friends or yourself this is the place to shop.

A visit to Rio wouldn't be a visit without a visit up to Christ the Reedemer or Sugar Loaf mountain, but just as important is going to a typical Churrascaria (Brazil's famous restaurants where you are served meat in a restaurant until you are fit to burst) or drinking a Caipirinha (their famous cocktails), and for something that really makes you think wow I'm in Rio, you can't beat sitting at one on the beach front café bars that line the beachfront promenade drinking coconut water from a coconut and people watching, this is a definite must have moment, especially when you can turn to your left and see the long beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema. And just before you leave one more must try and you'll want to return purely for this delicacy, is their famous Pao de Quejo's, it's difficult to explain but translates as 'Brazilian cheese bread'. I can only describe them as a kind of like a cheesy doughball, these are so Moorish and I guarantee you will fall in love with them ( I have actually just found a recipe and attempted to make them, not a bad effort I will have you know)

So if this sounds like the kind of place for you, contact me and I can recommend which cruise lines sail around South America and get you the best prices