Sao Paulo’s Static: Rain, Rumors, and Really Weird Vibes

okay, so i’m pretty sure i’m running on caffeine and regret. 3464739 and 1076867279… honestly, those numbers just keep swirling around in my head like the humidity here. it’s like 93% humidity, man. 93! i just checked and it's...there right now, hope you like that kind of thing. the pressure’s at 1015, which feels…heavy. like someone’s constantly breathing down my neck. i’m a touring session drummer, which means i’m perpetually exhausted and slightly terrified, but also, you know, getting paid to bang on drums. it’s a weird combo.

Sao Paulo. it’s…a lot. like, a lot a lot. it’s not pretty in the postcard kind of way. it’s gritty, it’s loud, it’s smells like a thousand different things all at once - grilled meat, exhaust fumes, something vaguely floral that’s probably trying to mask something else entirely. i’m staying in Vila Madalena, which is supposed to be the artsy district, but honestly, it just feels like a slightly more chaotic version of every other city’s ‘artsy’ district.

I stumbled into this bar last night - ‘Bar Brahma’ - and someone told me that the bartender, Ricardo, has a secret stash of cachaca that’ll make you see colors you’ve never seen before. i didn’t try it, mostly because i was already operating on about three espressos and a questionable street taco. i heard that the live samba music is insane on Saturdays, though. gotta check that out.

My gear list is a disaster, as usual. drumsticks (obviously), a ridiculously oversized backpack, a portable PA system that’s probably held together with duct tape and hope, and a half-eaten bag of trail mix. i also brought my sketchbook - i’m trying to capture the energy of the city, but it’s proving…challenging. it’s like trying to bottle lightning.

Speaking of challenging, the traffic is a nightmare. seriously. it’s like a river of metal and frustration. i tried to navigate using Google Maps, but it just kept laughing at me. i ended up taking a rickshaw - a real rickshaw, pulled by a guy who looked like he’d wrestled a bear and won. that was an experience.

I found this amazing little record store near my hotel - ‘Discos & Vinis’. it’s crammed full of vinyl, and the owner, a guy named Paulo (no relation to the bartender, i think), was incredibly knowledgeable. he recommended a bunch of Brazilian psych-rock bands that i’d never heard of. check it out: https://www.discosdevinis.com.br/.

I’m trying to find a decent coffee shop, but everything seems to be either ridiculously overpriced or serving something that tastes vaguely of burnt rubber. i need a serious caffeine injection. i’m thinking of hitting up ‘Coffee Lab’ - Yelp says it’s good, but i’m skeptical. if you get bored, Curitiba is just a short drive away.

Here’s a quick tip: don’t trust anyone who offers you a ‘tour’ of the city in a van with a boombox. it’s a trap. a beautiful, chaotic, samba-filled trap, but a trap nonetheless.

I overheard some locals talking about a hidden speakeasy in the basement of a textile factory - ‘O Segredo’. someone told me it’s only open on Tuesdays and the cocktails are legendary. i’m adding it to my list.

Seriously, though, Sao Paulo is…intense. it’s not a place you just ‘visit’. it’s a place you feel. it’s a place that gets under your skin and stays there. it’s exhausting, it’s exhilarating, and it’s definitely not for the faint of heart.

Check out TripAdvisor for some hotel recommendations: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotels-g312687-Sao_Paulo.html

And if you’re looking for some good food, Yelp is your friend: https://www.yelp.com/map?fid=f1999999999999999999

Okay, I’m officially out of energy. time for another espresso. and maybe a cachaca. don’t judge.

Sao Paulo’s Static: Rain, Rumors, and Really Weird Vibes

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About the author: Logan Frost

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