São Paulo

Natural tragedies are always sad and can easily arise sympathy around the world. So happened with the recent earthquake in Colombia, and with other accidents as twisters, seaquakes, snow slides, avalanches. In Sao Paulo city we are also facing a chaotic situation. In the span of a week, for three days Sao Paulo was in a complete chaos, with people losing all they had built during a lifetime of work, airport and bus stations closed, roads with over 100-km-long traffic jams, and even fatal casualties. The heavy rains are the cause of disorder, distress, unhappiness and misfortune.

To have an idea of the flood, I attached some pictures.

The São Paulo State, crossed by the Tropic of Capricorn in the Southeastern region of Brazil, has the largest economical production, population and the biggest industrial estate of the country. The capital, also called São Paulo, is one of the most important cities in South America and known for it's intense night life, artistic and cultural happenings. It is the Paulista Avenue - one of the symbols of the city where some antique mansions from the coffee barons still remain - that holds the major financial nucleus of the country.

The major part of São Paulo's industry is centralized in the metropolitan
region of the State. In the interior, cities such as Campinas, Sorocaba,
Ribeirão Preto and Araçatuba stand out for cattle raising and farming. São
Paulo city is the business pole with the biggest potential in the country.
That makes the city founded in 1554 the head of the Brazilian
industrialization and modernization. Along with the agricultural expansion
(coffee, sugar-cane, soybean, corn, beans, wheat, bananas, oranges), the
State is going through an extraordinary industrial development.

The city draws European and American investments and canalizes a huge
immigration flow. This enlarges the population - 10 million in the capital
-, helps to amplify its social structure and consolidates its economical
power. At the present time, São Paulo is responsible for more than 30% of
the national GDP (Gross Domestic Product).

But, unfortunately, wealth and poverty still cohabit side by side. Partly
because the state economical development dropped due to the interest of
companies in making profit in other regions of the country. And also
because of the obsolete urban infrastructure, which is coming across it's
limits. The Government is unable to supply all the demands of health,
transportation and education. Being so, the State of São Paulo displays a
picture of impoverishment of its metropolis and the enrichment of vast
inland areas.

São Paulo - Tourism

The wealth and the large population incite the tourism within the State. There are many locations worth a sightseeing. A major trend and one of the most visited places is Campos do Jordão in the Mantiqueira mountain range. The architecture of that winter resort imitates the European style. Even though it never snows, smoke is permanently coming out of the chimneys. During july, the winter season, the small downtown gets crowded and tables set on the sidewalks are disputed by the great number of tourists.Another alternative to the mountain lovers - and to people fond of peace - is Monte Verde in the State of Minas Gerais, close to the State frontier. Most hotels are log cabins and the region is known for it's art crafts, chocolate and fruit-jelly.

The closest coastal town to São Paulo is Guarujá, next to Santos, the main
Brazilian harbour. During the 50's and 60's, Guarujá used to be the beach
resort of the rich and famous. Nowadays, the city is crammed with domicile
sky scrapers and tourist business stores. Guarujá is very empty during the
week and crowded in the weekends. On summer holidays, tourists fight for a
place in the sand - and sun. Due to the short distance (about 80 km away),
Guarujá remains a good choice to people who want to get away from the
city, breath the sea air without driving too far.

The north coast of the State - where a considerate part is protected by
nature preservation laws - is also a tourist attraction. The beaches along
the Serra do Mar are clean and beautiful. The south coast also offers nice
sites. The forest reserve Juréia-Itatins, between Peruíbe and Iguape,
preserves a vast ecosystem that holds swamps covered with mangroves,
sandbanks and an extensive fauna and flora. The valley of Ribeira, in the
extreme south of the State has the most impressive and largest cave
structure of the country.

Best wishes,
Maria Luisa and Sandra

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