BosGuy

View of Belo Horizonte, Brazil looking Northwest

By the time this post goes live Sergio and I should be settled in São Paulo, Brazil after spending the previous 10 days visiting with Sergio’s family in his hometown of Belo Horizonte.  The metro area population of Belo Horizonte is 5M+ making it comparable in population to Dallas but much more densely populated.

I’ve been coming to Belo Horizonte to visit family for years now but the incredible hills and indistinguishable skyline comprised of mid-rises make it impossible for me to get my bearings except for when I can take in vistas like the one shown above from the posh Mangabeiras neighborhood.

Bar Imperial – Savassi Neighborhood

Belo has more than its share of little bars where people congregate to drink and talk outside since the weather is pleasant most of the year.  When we go out, we tend to eat and drink in Savassi.  Thanks to a very friendly exchange rate, eating and drinking in Brazil right now is very affordable for Americans and Europeans, which also means that we had more than our fair share of Midnight snacks.

Midnight snacks in Belo Horizonte’s trendy Savassi neighborhood

One of my favorite places to meet is Cafe com Letras. The food is surprisingly good and it is a popular destination for gay and lesbians to congregate – located just blocks from other gay friendly destinations like Bar Imperial, 2015 (soon to be changing its name to 2016 in March) and Josephine’s.

St. Francisco de Assis chapel in Pampulha

In addition to a nightlife that lasts until the sunrise, there are plenty of places of interest including Pampulha –  a residential neighborhood defined by its man-made lake and the modern architecture designed by Brazil’s most celebrated architect Oscar Niemeyer.  For those of you who feel less inspired by architecture there are plenty of other sights to take in as you leisurely stroll along the man- made lake walking / jogging / bike path on a Saturday or Sunday morning.

The Men of Pampulha