Travel Plans

Editorial

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Sunday, October 21st, 2012 will be Daylight Savings Time change in Brazil, which means summer is coming. A few weeks later the U.S. and Northern Hemisphere will ‘fall back’ in time as well, the days will get shorter and everyone will start making their travel plans.

In Rio we are ready for the ‘high season’ when the long hot summer days slow down, and the city fills up with travelers from around the world. There is already talk about who will be performing in the the Ano Novo (New Years) Réveillon in Copacabana.

For those checking the calendar for flight dates, Carnival will be earlier this year then in recent memory, February 9th-12th. Hotels, hostels and temporary apartments are filling up already and the shorter span between New Years and Carnival makes it feel like time is already running out (so book soon!).

Something new this year for those returning is Shenanigan’s has new owners, and Mike Taylor has moved back to the States. Mike was one of the first expats that I met and liked down here, and it’s sad to see him move on, but of course wish him all the best.

For travelers the exchange rate is going to feel a lot better this year than the last few, although the prices seem to keep going up. We published an article delving into how countries manage currency values, and how Brazil (as well as China) are resisting outside efforts to manipulate the exchange rates.

It’s all pretty interesting stuff, who knew what “quantitative easing” was… I’m still not sure I would want to explain it to a classroom, but the global economy truly is interconnected in ways most people don’t think about. I’ve added macro-economics classes to the list of ‘things-to-do’, right after Portuguese lessons, samba dancing and some island hopping in Angra.