são paulo student scramble: humidity, pastel, and punk rock ethos
i touched down in são paulo and immediately regretted not buying a deodorant that lasts more than five minutes. the humidity here is no joke, 96% they say, and the temp is hovering around 25 but feels like 26, which is just a numbers game my body doesn't understand. i just checked and it's...thick out there, like breathing through a wet towel.
i'm a student on a gap year or something, so i'm pinching every cent. found a hostel for 20 reais a night in the bairro da luz, which is sketchy but cheap. if you're looking for accommodation, hostelworld has some options but read the recent reviews - someone told me the one with the rooftop bar has bed bugs.
são paulo is massive, and i keep getting lost in the metro system. here's a map to give you an idea of the sprawl:
that blue dot is probably where i am, crying softly.
food is a highlight. pastel is my best friend now. i heard from a vendor in mercadão that the best one is at a stand called 'pastel da maria' but only until 2pm. after that, it's risky. also, check out this yelp list for cheap eats - some gems hidden in there.
the city is surrounded by other spots. when the crowds get too much, Santos is a short drive away for beaches, or Campinas for more urban chaos. but i'm sticking to the center.
i tried to capture the vibe with my phone, but it's useless. here are some unsplash shots that feel right:
that's the tiete river, kind of.
then there's this:
which might be ibirapuera, but who knows.
and for the street life:
Vila Madalena, where the hipsters ride bikes downhill.
back to reality: the humidity is killer. wear breathable clothes, or you'll melt. i heard a local say that the air pressure here is high, 1015 hpa, and it makes everything feel closer, like the buildings are leaning in.
for nightlife, i'm too tired, but tripadvisor has bars ranked - i might check one out if i find spare change.
oh, and transportation: use the bilhete único card for buses and metro. it saves money. but beware of pickpockets on line 1-blue during peak hours - someone warned me about that.
i think that's all i can muster. são paulo is a beast, but i'm taming it one pastel at a time. if you come, bring cash, patience, and a good pair of lungs for this air.
here's a local forum with more tips - it's in portuguese, but google translate is your friend.
peace out.
You might also be interested in:
- https://topiclo.com/post/how-to-find-an-apartment-in-as-sulaymnyah-without-getting-scammed-4
- https://topiclo.com/post/luanda-angola-humidity-hustle-and-a-whole-lotta-confusion
- https://topiclo.com/post/average-salary-in-d-are-the-wages-worth-the-costs
- https://topiclo.com/post/sustainability-in-kano-how-green-is-this-urban-space
- https://topiclo.com/post/mexico-city-where-the-air-is-thin-and-the-tacos-are-thick