Words | Jon Reid
If there was any place I was feeling weary of, it was São Paulo. The mental picture I had was a city that was dangerous, polluted and overpopulated.
Maybe it was because I set my expectations so low, but São Paulo turned out to be one of the best cities I've ever visited. In my opinion, it trumped Rio.
I had two full days in São Paulo. In that time, I experienced history, culture, sports, cuisine and most of all, an abundance of art.
Here some things you might not have known about São Paulo:
- It is the graffiti capital of the world, people travel from all over the globe just to see the graffiti on display. The government tried to discourage awful, scribble like graffiti by making it legal, and in many ways, they succeeded.
- Skateboarding is more popular than football, which is saying a lot for a Brazilian city. Bob Burnquest is their most notable athlete.
- The city has four distinct financial districts (each the equivalent of the City of London). Many people who work in one have never visited another.
- It is the largest city in South America with over 11 million people.
- The value of trade at the stock market is second only to New York.
The only thing I knew about São Paulo was that it was populated. I had no idea that it was a city brimming with arts and culture.
My first day centred around the downtown area. My guide informed me that most locals never venture downtown as they think it's dirty and dangerous, which irritates him as he thinks it's the best part of the city. I agree. To see and experience it properly, I would recommend two days.
We started off in the old financial district. Here the former banking headquarters are now cultural centres and have beautiful Art Deco interiors. In the centre of the square, two booths serve as a hub for shoe polishing. It's a grand affair, a step back to 1920s glamour.
My route led me to the São Bento monastery which was established in the 15th century. Here, they don't read from the Bible, the monks sing it in Gregorian chant. Perhaps even more alluring is the bakery located inside the monastery. I bought a cupcake and enjoyed it at an excellent cafe, just outside of the monastery.
I left the financial centre to explore the food market. To get there, I had to cross the busiest shopping street in the world (think Christmas shopping in Oxford Street). The food market was excellent, fruits of all shapes and colour are stacked high in eye popping, colourful displays. It was here that I tried pecan nut fruit.
The highlight of my first day was Sala São Paulo. It is a converted railway station that now hosts the São Paulo orchestra. The conversion is stunning. One terminal is a massive performance hall. The other 3 terminals are now foyers for welcoming guests. The size of each is staggering and the conversion from the railway station is tastefully done, leaving large sections of the original decor.
I ended the day at the Edifício Italia – a skyscraper built by the Italian faction in São Paulo to demonstrate their ingenuity and power. At the top of the building is a beautiful restaurant and bar, but the show stopper is the view from the bar. There is no skyline in the world quite like São Paulo.
São Paulo is not all concrete jungle. The next day I started in the botanical gardens, a shocking change in scenery from the previous night.
From the gardens, I went to Paulista Avenue. This is the new hub of the city and the most iconic area of São Paulo. Here, the modern skyscrapers tower over grand, old mansions which were once manors on coffee plantations. Paulista Avenue also hosts the Museum of Modern Art, an iconic gallery that is entirely supported by four red pillars.
Paulista Avenue is safe, shiny and has all the usual high street brands, but for something different and more authentic, Vila Madalena is hard to beat. It is a bohemian neighbourhood, full of art galleries, boutique stores, cafes and bars. In this neighbourhood, you’ll find Coffee Lab, unanimously voted by Scene magazine judges as the best coffee shop in Brazil. The street art in the neighbourhood is also impressive.
I ended my stay in São Paulo at Ibirapuera Park. Here I saw why Brazilians seem to excel at all sports. They are fanatical about exercising. After working hours, thousands of residents head over to Ibirapuera Park to take part in all manner of sporting activities. The park includes auditoriums and exposition centres by some of Brazil’s most famous architects and murals by their famous artists. The result is beautiful people in a beautiful, urban environment - a fitting way to end my stay in São Paulo
Next week Jon visits Santiago and concentrates his journal entry around photographing South America's largest building The Gran Torre Costanera Tower.
See you there.
