Belo Horizonte - Best Kept Secret of Brazil

Belo Horizonte

Intro

Belo Horizonte, a very modern and industrial city is usually visited as a
stopover point for travelers going from Rio to Brasilia. Belo Horizonte (pop.
2,017,000), called Belo or Belzonte locally, lies in the center of the country's
most important mining area. It probably doesn't warrant more than one full day
and night to see its highlights. Belo is known for its hearty cuisine and
beautiful women.

History

Belo Horizonte is little more than a century old, founded in 1890, and was
shaped by the innovative ideas of "progress" that emerged with the new Republic.
Belo Horizonte was the first of Brazil's planned cities and is arguably the most
successful. As late as 1945 it had only 100,000 inhabitants; now it has well
over twenty times that number (forty times if one includes the city's
metropolitan hinterland), an explosive rate of growth even by Latin American
standards. It rapidly became the most important pole of economic development in
the country, after São Paulo, and while it may not be as historic as the rest of
the state it's difficult not to be impressed by the city's scale and energy.

The People

The gorgeous women in Belo Horizonte are a mixture of Portuguese, Indian and
other Euorpean cultures. You will find your real blondes as well as your exotic
dark beauties. You will definitely find a woman that suits your taste and your
sexual appetite, its all a matter of time.

Exotic Nightlife

Unlike Riio, Belo Horizonte’s nightlife does not consist of termas. Here you
will find various night clubs and strip clubs where professionals and
non-professionals alike come together to party the night away. You can meet some
incredibly hot women all who want to play with you. It’s not hard to find a
gorgeous garota in this amazing city, you just have to step out of your hotel
room, they’re everywhere. There’s a scene in Belo Horizonte that is unlike any
other. In a small section of town near Sao Paulo Street, you will find a myriad
of small hotels where you can go “shopping” for a sexy little midnight snack.
You walk up the stairs and find two floors of rooms with about 10-30 rooms on
each floor. Every girl has her very own room and if she is available to party,
her door will be open and she’ll be lying on her bed partially nude. If the door
is closed, she is either busy with another client or is not currently working.
The prices are more than reasonable, they are downright unreal. You can have the
girl of your dreams for a mere $10 Reales. Not every woman will be a drop dead
stunner but with a large variety of small hotels such as these, you will be sure
to find someone who gets you hot in all the right places.

Weather

Cool weather is one of the great things about Belo Horizonte. The cool climate
is so refreshing compared to the hot and humid climates of Rio and Sao Paolo.
Because of the cooler climates, you’ll want to pack jeans and sweaters and keep
the shorts to a minimum. Overall, the weather is beautiful, some of the best in
the country.

Eateries

The highlight of eating out in Belo Horizonte is the excellent selection of
comida mineira restaurants serving the state's regional specialities, but there
is also an excellent range of restaurants serving up international cuisine,
ranging from inexpensive Lebanese, to pricey French, Italian or Japanese.

Badejo, Rua Rio Grande do Norte 836, Savassi (tel 031/3261-2023). Considered the
best seafood restaurant in the city. Particularly recommended is the moqueca
capixaba, a Bahian-style fish stew. Expensive.

Bagdá Cafe, Rua Getúlio Vargas 1621, Savassi (tel 031/3223-7535). Inexpensive
and attractive Lebanese cooking – cordeiro (lamb) dishes are especially good.
Evenings only.

A Bella Torta, Rua Rio Grande do Norte 1263, Savassi (tel 031/3281-8500). At the
corner with Av. Getúlio Vargas – a good place to line the stomach before going
clubbing, serving a varied menu at very reasonable prices. Try the Torta de
galinha com catupiri, a chicken-and-cheese quiche. Comida por kilo at
lunchtimes.

Bem Natural, Av. Afonso Pena 941, Edifício Sulacap, 2 blocks east of Praça Sete.
Excellent vegetarian food – as well as some chicken and fish dishes. The
restaurant is combined with a health-food shop and alternative bookstore.
Inexpensive and highly recommended. Open Mon–Fri: full menu at lunchtime, soup
only 5–8pm.

Buona Tavola, Rua Santa Rita Durão 309, Funcionários (tel 031/3227-6155). Near
the intersection with Av. Afonso Pena, this is a relatively simple and quite
authentic Italian restaurant. Expect to pay around $15 per person.

Casa Bonomi Panificadora, Rua Cláudio Manoel 460, Funcionários (tel
031/3261-3460). Burgundy-coloured building without a sign near Av. Afonso Pena,
this "bakery" serves excellent light meals (salads, pasta, soups and
sandwiches), wonderful cakes and what is probably the best bread anywhere in
Brazil. Not to be missed.

Cervejaria Brasil, Rua dos Aimores 90, Funcionários (tel 031/3287-3299). One of
the best centrally located churrascarias with a selection of meat likely to
bewilder the most dedicated of carnivores. Pleasant surroundings and moderate
prices.

Dona Lucinha, Rua Padre Odorico 38, São Pedro (tel 031/3227-0562). This and its
sister restaurant (Dona Lucinha II, Rua Sergipe 811, Savassi; tel 031/3261-5930)
offer a superb comida mineira buffet for $7. The vegetables all come from Dona
Lucinha's own farm and there is a selection of excellent homemade liqueurs to
sample. Closed Sun evening.

Dragon Center, Av. Afonso Pena 549, near the Rodoviária. This Chinese restaurant
is the nearest available decent food if you have a couple of hours to kill while
changing buses.

Emporium, Av. Afonso Pena 4034, Mangabeiras (tel 031/3281-1277). Decent comida
mineira with lashings of cachaça thrown in for good measure, Emporium has the
designer look that other comida mineira restaurants seem to be evolving towards.
Take bus #5508 from Rua dos Caetes, or #2001 from Av. Afonso Pena in the centre.

Mala e Cuia, Av. Antônio Carlos 8305, Pampulha (tel 031/3441-2993). Situated by
the lake near Aeroporto de Pampulha and decorated in typical mineiro style.
You'll get a very filling meal of regional cuisine here from around $6 a head.
Live music Thursday to Sunday.

Quibelanches, corner of Rua dos Caetes and Av. Amazonas. One of the cheapest
Lebanese restaurants in the city, simple but with a wide range of authentic
dishes, both por kilo (lunchtimes) and à la carte.

Sushi Naka, Rua Gonçalves Dias 92, Funcionários (tel 031/3227-2676). One of Belo
Horizonte's cheapest Japanese restaurants, though still fairly expensive. Closed
Mon.

Taste Vin, Rua Curitiba 2105, Lourdes (tel 031/3292-5423). Highly rated French
restaurant, with an extensive wine list and plush decor. Evenings only; closed
Sun.

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