Brazil, the colossus of South America, is a nation of untold natural wealth and passionate, spontaneous people that has been tottering on the brink of bankruptcy for several years. Nonetheless, its people remain upbeat and welcoming, and express themselves in holidays more exuberant and colorful than anywhere else in the world.
Brazil is the world`s sixth most populous country and the largest Catholic nation. Its Catholicism incorporates African and Indian traditions and many of its large Catholic pilgrimages are linked with African religious festivals, the result of 16th Century African slaves maintaining their traditions and fusing them over time with Portuguese Catholicism.
Nowhere in South America have the different races intermarried so freely and become so thoroughly mixed.
Rio de Janeiro may be the most recognizable picture postcard scene on Earth. For sheer beauty it is unparalleled, and its allure is so strong that it has been drawing travelers for decades.
Rio during carnival is a round-the-clock, anything goes party where the streets and beaches are alive with merrymaking. The Copacabana and Ipanema are synonymous with paradise-broad white beaches where beautiful young bodies frolic.
But behind the glitz are severe economic and environmental problems that cannot be ignored. Brazilian cities are some of the world`s most polluted, and are ringed with slums where basic services such as sewage, water and electricity are often rudimentary at best.
Many of Rio`s famed beaches are crowded and dirty. Street crime is high. Visitors should take only a towel to the beach because of the risk of theft. Especially on the Cococabana, vendors are ever-present, hustling all manner of goods, and beggar children keep up a constant vigil.
In February, Rio was hit by heavy rains and severe flooding which strained police, fire and hospital services, but the situation has now returned to normal.
Outside Rio there are many places worth exploring. Recife, on the northeast coast, is a slower-paced version of Rio, with fine beaches and fewer hassles, although here, too, it is wise to leave valuables in the hotel safe when going to the beach. Olinda, a bit farther north, is a Portuguese colonial gem with a mild climate that seems like it hasn`t changed in a hundred years. Brazil`s most dramatic attraction is the Amazon. The Amazon basin is larger than the entire continent of Europe; the mouth of the river is 250 miles wide. Manaus, a frontier river town 1,000 miles from the sea but which still receives ocean going vessels, is a repository of colonial architecture and a major embarkation point for trips up the Amazon River.
No trip to Brazil would be complete without getting at least a brief exposure to the world`s largest jungle.
WORLD UPDATES
Australia: A vaccination for yellow fever is required of travelers arriving from any country which has reported the disease within the last 10 years. Yellow fever vaccinations are good for 10 years.
Bangladesh: A state of emergency imposed during the height of general strikes in November designed to topple the government has been lifted. President Hossain Mohammed Ershad had restricted press freedom and civil liberties and imposed curfews in five major cities.
Curfews are no longer in effect, but the potential for unrest remains. Exercise caution.
China: China`s first study of industrial pollution showed that Beijing`s air is 35 times dirtier than London`s and 16 times dirtier than Tokyo`s, making it one of the world`s most polluted cities.
Congo: Yellow fever is not active now, but a valid vaccination is required for entry.
Gambia: Yellow fever is active in the Upper River Division. A vaccination for the disease is required of travelers arriving from infected areas, and may be required by subsequent countries visited. Immunization is recommended.
Honduras: Long-simmering resentment of arrogant U.S. policy erupted in riots directed at U.S. property and the burning of a portion of the American Embassy in early April. Anti-American sentiment is high, but not
insurmountable on a personal level. Exercise caution.
India: A vaccination for yellow fever is required of travelers arriving from a country where the disease is active, even if the infected areas have not been visited.
Israel: Because of continuing unrest, travel to the West Bank and Gaza Strip is not recommended. Carry your passport at all times. Exercise caution when visiting East Jerusalem, including the Old City, and avoid large gatherings and demonstrations.
Mozambique: The U.S. State Department recently reported what has been common knowledge in southeastern Africa for some time: Antigovernment Renamo guerrillas have been waging a campaign of terror in the countryside on a scale that approaches the atrocities of Cambodia`s Khmer Rouge in the late 1970s.
The State Department report estimates that a minimum of 100,000 people have been indiscriminantly executed in the last one to two years and 872,000 refugees have fled to neighboring countries.
Peru: Terrorist acts by Sendero Luminoso and the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary movement continue in many parts of Peru. During the last several years these groups have exploded bombs outside government and military buildings, foreign diplomatic posts, banks, businesses and restaurants in Lima and its suburbs. Street crime is high.
The main tourist sites of Cuzco and Machu Picchu are generally unaffected by such violence, although thieves do work the streets of Cuzco and the trains going to Machu Picchu and Puno. Hikers should always travel in groups of four or more to reduce the risk of robbery. Rural regions designated as emergency zones should be avoided: the department of San Martin, the western and central provinces of Huanuco, the western provinces of Pasco, and the departments of Ayacucho, Huanacavelica and Apurimac. Avoid road travel at night. Yellow fever is active in many parts of the country, and immunization is recommended.
Thailand: Travelers arriving in Bangkok who haven`t booked flights to such sites as Chiang Mai and Phuket may have trouble reaching these popular places. Domestic flights are often full and the wait for space can exceed the short-stay visitor`s time in the country.
Turkey: First-class hotels in Istanbul expect to be fully booked by mid-May because of heavy tourist travel this summer. Book early, and secure your reservations with a credit card number.
Zimbabwe: Sporadically troubled Matabeleland has quieted since the December signing of a unity pact between the ruling ZANU party and the opposition ZAPU party. Rural curfews have been lifted. In the spirit of the unity pact, President Robert Mugabe recently declared an amnesty for all antigovernment rebels, including those imprisoned.
For a summary of global travel conditions, contact World Status Map, P.O. Box 466, Merrifield, Va. 22116. Because conditions can change overnight, always make your own inquiries before you visit troubled areas. In the United States contact your local U.S. Passport Agency office; abroad, check in with the nearest American embassy.
