Having stayed in SP for over a week, I wanted to put down my impressions of the city on various topics.

One of the most important topics is regarding your safety and security in SP. There area around Paulista being the main hub for business has an overt presence of security (building, local SP police and discrete federal police presence as well). There are a lot CCTV camera's by the building and hidden quite well. I am gadget freak and it took me a while to pick them up (As a rule I try and stay in CCTV coverage area when I am in a new city and I can see them). The security and police and have not been intrusive and formal when getting directions and asking general questions. However, my tour guide pointed out that law enforcement officials are poorly paid there is corruption. Also, my tour guide warned me to be careful about being stopped at night if I was driving as I would likely be shaken down and my safety would still be in question. Both she and her daughter told me they don't stop at night if they are flagged by the police until they reach their house or a friends house close by at nights. Apart from first night on Agusta, I was never stopped by any police and have little contact with them. You also have to get used to all the bullet proof jackets they wear, they always move in groups and when running towards to a trouble spot they have their hands on the gun, safety's off and are ready to go which I haven't gotten used to. In general SP is very much other developing countries I have been to with a noteable difference of volume in murders on a daily basis which is very high.

I don't know if the following is a SP thing or a common attitude in Brazil, but there are definitely unwritten and general rules on who and where people hang around. Its not racist but it looks and feels like class hierarchy to me. I am quite certain people from different classes don't mix. I am curious to know more and I've been very hesitant to ask more about this with the locals I have met and hung around. I would appreciate it, if some of the people on the board with more knowledge on this could shed light on this.

Having stayed close to Paulista and hanging around here most of the time, lot of the poverty is hidden away. I got a clear picture with a my tour guide when touring the city and saw the slums, people passed out in front of stores etc. There is definitely an issue with poverty in the city. Sadly, there is an uglier side to this as well. Admin: Paragraph edited per TOS. Although well-intentioned, the last part of this paragraph was removed as a legal precaution.

I have mentioned this is all my posts that the people in Brazil are generally very warm, helpful and fun to hang around. The women in particular are very sensual and flirt back just as aggressively as the guys. Brazil is a melting pot of people from a diverse background and almost anyone can blend in. There are some very exotic looking people here for sure. The only downside is one needs to know Portuguese for fun. Even with all the fun and hook ups I've had, in my view I have barely scratched the surface. I am returning to Brazil very soon with some Portuguese under my belt as there are too many things to do in one trip.

SP being the gay capital in Brazil, has a very interesting area near Pra da Repubilca that everyone needs to check out. My suggestion is to go by the day and in a group or a tour guide. After having toured this area with a guide, I wouldn't even bother going there alone. They have tons of boutiques and chic restaurants, though from I'm told and having been to one, the food is crap and people go there for the eye candy and use it as a meeting point. One surprising thing I found, the number of single straight women there. A lot of them hang around there to cut down the number of guys hitting on them, which was interesting to know. Its pretty laid back area and although meant for gays, there are tons of straight people who hang around there. There's lots of street dancing there and with New Year's approaching people are out there dancing till 3-4 in the morning which is fun to watch and partake if you know the moves.

Rua Augusta is by far my favorite place to hang out. I think its a the craziest street I have ever been to and anything you want you can find and I hang around there for a couple of hours every evening/night. During the weekdays its mainly 25+ crowd and the weekends its taken over by the kids (Sigh!!!! I went on a Saturday there and it was insane and very different from the weekdays. Even though you need to be 18 to drink, I saw tons of kids drinking, smoking and generally rowdy). The best part I liked was walking around with a beer in my hand and drinking on the street (The novelty has not worn off yet). You need to be a bit careful when walking towards the 600 block for the boates but in general there are tons of people and very easy to mix and hang around with people. Its gonna really suck when I get back to Toronto cause I'm gonna miss the weekday fun which is not the norm in Toronto.