It’s definitely the movie Central do Brasil I first watched years ago and have watched numerous times ever since, that makes me want to go to Brazil. The vastness of the country, the sense of infinity, the faded rouge of the sky, the endless long drive, the rustic views along the road, the bustling and chaotic central station of Rio de Janeiro, and the soul searching journey of a little boy and an elderly woman. All these to me pose an everlasting lure to discover that country. If I have the opportunity to visit the country, I don’t want to miss the following:

Amazon Rain forest

It is home to about 2.5 million insect species, over 40,000 plants species, 2200 fish species. I want to feel the majesty of nature, although making sure I am fully wrapped up to prevent any insect bites, or fatal attacks of anything imaginable. Take a boat trip in one of the Amazonian rivers or streams and hoping I won’t have a face-to-face encounter with one of those river monsters caught by Jeremy Wade.

Waterfalls 

There is an amazing range of impressive waterfalls in Brazil. Iguaçu Falls are known as one of the great natural wonders of the world, also on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The falls are taller than Niagara Falls and twice as wide, and amazed Eleanor Roosevelt (the First Lady of the United States from 1933 to 1945), by having her exclaimed at the first sight of the falls “Poor Niagara!” Let the pictures speak for themselves.

Carnival

Go in February or early March, because that’s when the biggest party in the world takes places across the country. Apart from Rio, Olindaalso hosts one of the country’s most famous carnivals, with blocos parade accompanied by frevo and maracatu music, and giant dolls carried on the shoulders of the people. Love the extravagant, the unrestrained and more authentic, and look forward to 24 hours non-stop partying? Guess that’s the place to be!

Small villages

In the movie, the two protagonists embark on a journey to a remote village in northeast Brazil, searching for the boy’s father. I didn’t get the name of that village, but will definitely seek to visit some small villages. Along the northeastern coastal there are lots of fishing villages. These tiny communities live in simple conditions, depending on fishing and fruits. Definitely no comfortable holiday resorts by what I read, but you might have a more thought-provoking and meaning journey than lying on the beach?

Poor areas

Nobody would recommend you to go to the slums and poor areas, as it’s said to be extremely dangerous especially for  a foreigner, which I think holds true to any large country and large cities to certain extent. But to get a taste of another side of the local life, harsh but real, maybe it’s a risk worthy taking.

Central station of Rio

The whole story unfolds at Central do Brasil, the main railway station of Rio. A visit is for sure. I want to see the differences of the station over about 14 years time, and it would be amazing to capture any traces from the movie.

Long drive

Brazil has the largest road network in Latin America with over 1.6 million kilometers. A car is said to be a good idea if you want to explore scenic areas. There are a lot of scenes along the road in the film. Either by bus or by car, I will definitely set on the road, not for the destination, but for the journey itself.

So far, this trip hasn’t been made, but the destination is on my to-go list because of the movie. Such, I guess, is the magic of movies, and such, is the power of traveling. Have you been there? Is there anything you would like to share?