Vocabulary
praia: beach
favela: slum or shantytown
favelado: a person who lives in a slum
rua: street
funk: popular Brazilian music that somewhat resembles hip hop
pagode: a type of samba music
bonde: the old-fashioned street car that connects Santa Teresa to Centro
Cristo/Corcovado: Christ the Redeemer statue
Pao de Acucar: Sugarloaf Mountain
novela: soap opera, the majority of Brazilian TV shows
Havaianas: Brazil's most famous brand of comfy flip-flops
sunga: Brazilian-style male Speedo
Candomble/Umbanda: Brazilian spiritualist religions based on African Yoruba beliefs in deities with a little Catholicism mixed in
Neighborhoods of Rio
Zona Sul: South Zone, which includes the majority of Rio's affluent and tourist areas
Zona Norte: working-class area with lots of favelas
Zona Oeste: partially working class, also includes Barra
Barra/Recreio: the upper-class, noveux riche neighborhoods with lots of gated condos (Zona Oeste)
Botafogo: middle-class, residential neighborhood in Rio and my personal fav (Zona Sul)
Humaita: borders Botafogo, mostly residential (Zona Sul)
Urca: borders Botafogo on the water; mostly upper-class residential, where the Pao is (Zona Sul)
Copacabana: the most touristy neighborhood, with a gorgeous view from the beach, some nice apartments, some crappy ones, a lot of hotels, and a lot of hookers (Zona Sul)
Leme: borders Copacabana; mostly residential
Ipanema: upper-class, touristy, and beautiful, with a great beach and great shopping (Zona Sul)
Leblon: an extension of Ipanema, with lots of high-class apartments
Jardim Botanico: on the north side of the lagoon; home of the Botanical Gardens
Lagoa: the neighborhood that surrounds the lagoon that borders Ipanema. Very classy
Centro: the business center of Rio with lots of white collar workers and lots of homeless people
Lapa: the nightlife center of Rio, especially on Fridays; but very ghetto by day
Santa Teresa: a traditional neighborhood with lots of old mansions and a few museums
People
Dilma: The current president of Brazil
Xuxa: one of Brazil's most famous singers and entertainers
Pelé: one of Brazil's most talented and beloved soccer stars
Ronaldinho: one of Brazil's most famous soccer stars who now plays in Brazil
Kaka: one of Brazil's most famous current soccer stars who plays abroad
Gilberto Gil: one of Brazil's most famous musicians and composers
Ivete Sangalo: one of Brazilian's current pop stars
Wagner Moura: one of Brazil's top actors of the moment, who starred in Tropa de Elite and some novelas
Food & Drink
churrascaria: a Brazilian steak house where they bring you unlimited meat
rodízio: a Brazilian restaurant dim-sum style; can be meat, pizza, seafood, or appetizers
feijoada: traditional Brazilian bean-and-meat stew
brigadeiro: a delicious chocolate cake pastry that's like chocolate frosting with sprinkles
maracujá: passion-fruit
açaí: an Amazon berry that makes a delicious healthy smoothie
acerola: a different type of Amazon berry that makes a great juice with lots of Vitamin C
laranja: orange
mamão: papaya
abacaxi: pineapple
caipirinha: typical Brazilian cocktail made with sugar, limes, ice, and cachaca
caipiroska: a caipirinha made with vodka and/or tropical fruit
cachaça: Brazilian liquor (very strong)
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