The area around the Júlio Prestes station has concentrated large numbers of crack users and it has been drug traffic and prostitution central for quite a few years. Some sources suggest that at the times when dealing activity was more intense, there were as many as 2,000 users gathered around that specific area every day, many of them children.

In order to revitalise this degraded area of São Paulo, the Nova Luz initiative was created in 2004. To make strides on the project, mayor Gilberto Kassab and governor Geraldo Alckmin supported the clean-up operation that has so far arrested about 200 people. The crack users have mostly been dispersed and moved to other parts of the city.

At the time the operation started, the operation was heavily criticised due to the use of pepper spray, rubber bullets and “excesses” in terms of the handling of the crack users. This prompted a Facebook-organised BBQ in the region to protest against the police action.

I have been thinking a lot about this lately and have talked about it with quite a few people. I have created a blog with the purpose of gathering suggestions of normal civilians like me about what can be done to improve the situation. Call me naive, but I believed that the people who I have been talking to for months (many of them are Twitter ”celebrities” here in Brazil) would want to act on this for the greater good, volunteer, do something.

Pretty much along the lines of Malcolm Gladwell’s theory of slacktivism, it turned out that some people were happy to support the need for action in Cracolândia in theory, but ended up doing little or nothing concrete about that cause.

Let’s face it. People have their own problems, own jobs and lives to get on with. No one who gets out of bed in the morning and work all day to earn a living -from the multinational manager who earns several thousand reais a month to the modestly-paid manicure – has any sympathy for drug addicts at all.

Evidence of this is the BBQ mentioned above, for which more than 4,000 people said they would attend and only 200 turned up on the day, many of them journalists and bloggers who do not have the guts to walk around there in a normal day.

The reality is that the government does what most people want, and the vast majority does not give a damn. And in an election year, they will not lose a single vote over this – they will do whatever it takes to boot the junkies out of the streets. To God knows where, because the government or the police haven’t quite figured that one out.

People don’t care, also because only a small amount of people are directly affected by the presence of the druggies. The middle classes do not even dare going to the Cracolândia, so it is none of their business, as far as they are concerned. Will these people  start to care when crack-crazed zombies start hanging around their leafy neighbourhoods?

At the same time, though extra funding has been announced to treat these people, it is probably right at the bottom of the list of priorities for the health secretary. There are thousands of people waiting for cancer treatment in public hospitals in São Paulo for example, and many die waiting.

Let’s be clear about something: I do not agree at all with the use of violence or even compulsory treatment – yes they are addicts but they are still individuals who deserve and should be treated with respect and can make their individual choices, even though they are bad choices such as smoking crack. And I also believe that these people have a condition that needs to be properly treated.

But the thing is, the government has its attention elsewhere, as well as other priorities. Even the health and rehab centres we have at present allow people to get clean clothes, a shower, some food and off they go to the streets again. So what’s the point of quitting the addiction anyway?

What’s left for these downtrodden people, you may ask? Charity. But these charities need to come up with a more holistic approach. Maybe the way the government could help is by setting up partnerships with these charities and put a system in place that gets these people out of addiction and into a job. Perhaps a scheme that would give these people community work as long as they are part of a rehab scheme. Social exclusion is clearly not the way to go.

Before becoming a crack-head, you become desperate, deprived of hope, perspective, opportunities, information. And because these many other fundamental issues are not being tackled, the São Paulo crackland will continue to exist, not only in the city centre, but everyone’s doorstep. And what can we do, who is going to help us? Help them?

If anyone reading this blog knows of, or has experience with programmes elsewhere that have achieved some success in getting heavy drug users out of addiction and back into normal lives, I would like to know.

Image: Marco Gomes (CC)

Whenever I hear a mention to the neighborhood of Liberdade (which means “Freedom” in Portuguese), my mind floods with memories. It is the place I was born, hung around during my entire childhood and worked at for a number of years. My grandfather also owned a newsagent in the area and lived there for nearly five decades.

Things move on though, and since the Japanese outsed the Italians as the predominant nationality in the area back in the late sixties, the neighbourhood lost some of its magic. But it is still a unique place to visit: walking around Liberdade and checking out its Japanese street lanterns and garden, the bilingual store signs, the mangá and food stores, the Radio Taissô gymnastics and the various restaurants and karaokes takes you to another place, somewhere far away from São Paulo. Somewhere special.

Earlier this month, I was interviewed by Monocle 24 radio about what has changed in the district in the last few years – if you want to find out more about this region of São Paulo, have a listen to the special on Liberdade, about 16m into the show.
Download Monocle 24

Alguma coisa acontece no meu coração
Que só quando cruza a Ipiranga e a avenida São João
É que quando eu cheguei por aqui eu nada entendi
Da dura poesia concreta de tuas esquinas
Da deselegância discreta de tuas meninas

Ainda não havia para mim Rita Lee
A tua mais completa tradução
Alguma coisa acontece no meu coração
Que só quando cruza a Ipiranga e a avenida São João

Quando eu te encarei frente a frente não vi o meu rosto
Chamei de mau gosto o que vi, de mau gosto, mau gosto
É que Narciso acha feio o que não é espelho
E à mente apavora o que ainda não é mesmo velho
Nada do que não era antes quando não somos mutantes

E foste um difícil começo
Afasto o que não conheço
E quem vende outro sonho feliz de cidade
Aprende depressa a chamar-te de realidade
Porque és o avesso do avesso do avesso do avesso

Do povo oprimido nas filas, nas vilas, favelas
Da força da grana que ergue e destrói coisas belas
Da feia fumaça que sobe, apagando as estrelas
Eu vejo surgir teus poetas de campos, espaços
Tuas oficinas de florestas, teus deuses da chuva

Pan-Américas de Áfricas utópicas, túmulo do samba
Mais possível novo quilombo de Zumbi
E os novos baianos passeiam na tua garoa
E novos baianos te podem curtir numa boa

***

Just as in most songs in any language, it is hard to translate the exact meaning of the verses, but the song above is a declaration of love/hate to São Paulo written by Caetano Veloso, an influential Brazilian singer from Bahia.

I have translated the bits that I like the most below, so you get the gist of it. I think this song really conveys the feelings that many people have about this place, this rollercoaster of a city that is São Paulo. Happy 458th anniversary, my dear old Sampa. I love you, against all odds.

Something happens in my heart
Only when it crosses Ipiranga and São João Avenue
When I got here I didn’t understand anything
The concrete poetry of your street corners
Nor the discreet inelegance of your girls

(…)

And you were a difficult beginning
I get away from what I don’t know
And those who sell a different dream of a happy city
Soon learn to call you reality

(…)

From the people oppressed in the waiting lines, in the small streets, in the shanty towns
From the power of the money which rises and destroys beauty
From the ugly smoke that rises and erases the stars
I can see your poets of fields and space
Your forest factories, your rain gods rise

Mayor Gilberto Kassab created the law as an attempt to reduce the number of muggings of customers, particularly those who withdraw large amounts of cash –  the cons would let their mates know that a customer with plenty of money is leaving the bank, by texting or calling them from inside the branch.

Under the law, banks are also responsible for prohibiting the use of mobile phones within their premises. If an inspector finds a customer talking on their mobile phone or sending text messages inside a bank branch, the bank will be fined 2,500 Reais. The value doubles for every recurrence.

However, the penalties are not yet applicable, because banks apparently need to adapt to the law. Meanwhile, you can text and chat away while going about your banking business in Sampa. And so can the villains.

Image: Gustavo Buriola (CC)

Here in São Paulo, I’m reminded of how my friends have such different musical tastes. Some love their samba, while others enjoy música popular brasileira (MPB) rap, new wave, or Motown. Some people I know here are particular about their music to the point of refusing to go to this or that bar because it plays the sort of music they do not enjoy.

It’s not like I don’t have my own preferences – I like a lot of British punk and post-punk stuff as well as MPB, reggae, samba… what you would call ‘eclectic’, I guess. In any case, I’m happy to listen to new music, even if it sometimes is not really my style.

That debate about music reached a new level recently, since new Brazilian sensation Michel Teló has reached international stardom with his song “Ai, se eu te pego” (something like “Oh, if I get you”), which has been watched more than 100 million times on YouTube at the time of writing. By comparison, Lady Gaga’s hit “Telephone” has had about 130 million views.

You may ask, who the hell is Michel Teló?

He is a multi-instrumentalist and dancer, a young and reasonably good looking bloke doing that you would class as a mix of forró, country and pop. His main hit is catchy. It is the kind of stuff you find yourself playing in your head over and over again for the best part of the day. It is the sort of thing people like to listen to when they are in a party mood, when they are drunk.

Everyone – especially young people – knows who Michel Teló is. And probably if you ask some party goer in Amsterdam or Ibiza, chances are they will know who he is too. “Ai se eu te pego” has become a number one iTunes hit in countries such as Portugal, Italy, Spain, Germany and Poland as well as many South American countries.

Do I like this music? If it is playing at my local boteco, it is no big deal. If I had one too many cachaças, I may sing along. But I would not buy his stuff.

Yet, a lot of Brazilians seem to think that the guy is not worthy of attention here, let alone overseas. Sure, we have plenty of other performers that deserve more airtime than Teló is getting. But sadly, it hasn’t worked out that way so far – despite their talent, Brazilian performers (and celebrities in general) very rarely become international superstars.

Even though Michel Teló’s music may not tick everyone’s boxes in terms of what qualifies as talent, the fact is that he has managed to capture people’s imaginations here in Brazil and abroad. So let’s all hope that he will pave the way for many other Brazilian artists who dream of becoming successful beyond their motherland – whatever their style.

For those who are not familiar with Teló, or need a reminder (as if!) check out “Ai, se eu te pego”:

The São Silvestre is the most traditional street race in Sampa. In this 87th edition, some 25.000 people are taking part – and so am I!

One day before the race and I am getting all apprehensive. On Wednesday, I went to pick up my running kit and looked around: a lot of people seemed quite serious about their running and others not so much, which cheered me up since I am not your Kelly Holmes type of runner to say the least, plus I have a cold from my last London visit that I still haven’t managed to get rid of!

My São Silvestre kit, complete with a t-shirt, foot spray and…a cappucino mix

At the moment, I can run about 5km without stopping and at a reasonable pace, but 15km… I have never done anything like this in my entire life! So why am I taking part?

Because I want to experience the whole thing, soak up the atmosphere, have fun and, of course, tick São Silvestre off my list of things to do here. Besides, I am already resigned to the fact I will walk almost half of it or more – or jog very slowly!

The race will start in Avenida Paulista. We will run downhill towards the Pacaembu Stadium, then head towards the old city centre, past the Teatro Municipal, up Brigadeiro Luiz Antônio (which is said to be the toughest uphill bit of the race) and then down towards the finish at Ibirapuera Park.

Here is my chip and number with my name on – if you see me, give me a good and loud shout!

I will post an update when I recover and after the big New Year’s shindig I have planned for tomorrow. See you guys in 2012 – have a good one!

The mayor’s office also contributed, with a massive bridge with animated characters and music halfway through Paulista which was open to the public. That same bridge will be the main stage for the New Year’s concerts in the avenue. The concerts are also immensely popular – more than two million people are expected to attend this year.

Clockwise from top (l-r): the office of Itaú Personalité (Itaú’s premium service); the bridge put up by the SP mayor’s office; the Conjunto Nacional gallery decorations made out of recycled materials; Santander bank; Bradesco bank at night with crowds taking pictures, the Nativity of the Santa Catarina hospital.

What is missing in one of the pictures above?

As much as I loved my time in London, the weather is one of the main reasons why I moved back home. I never got used to the cold, the whole staying in thing, wearing several layers of clothing, the two-month summers. I could cope with it all perfectly and did so for ten years, but I really didn’t like it.

Sorry to rub it in – but the weather here in São Paulo today is absolutely gorgeous. Blue sky, about 34 degrees, bright green noisy parakeets flying overhead, people walking around in minimal clothing, the boteco-goers knocking back a few cold beers…

Personally, I love this weather. I wish it stayed just like this the whole summer, though we could do with a bit more humidity.

Not everyone enjoys the summer, though. A lot of people on my Facebook timeline are complaining about the weather here in Sampa though. It’s too hot, too sticky, too dry, they say.

A friend of mine even gets depressed when the weather gets warmer. It’s some kind of SAD, but heat-related, so he’s looking to move to Sweden because he can’t cope with the heat.

Well… my little theory is that when you travel abroad for a short period of time to colder places, it is all cosy and cute. Now try and endure a whole winter in Europe when all you are used to is the tropical climate back home!

Another friend on Facebook said she would rather endure hours in a traffic jam caused by a snowstorm than get stuck in one of Rio de Janeiro’s congested avenues when it is 40 degrees outside…

The grass is always greener on the other side!

Image by Marcelo Vieira licensed under Creative Commons

Add to that the present festive season mayhem. You want to try and keep calm and carry on, but how is that possible, when you know everyone else in this city will be shutting down in a few days’ time? You rush to get your work done and any practical things out of the way, because you know that everyone else will be off for the next couple of weeks – if not longer.

We will stay in Gotham for Christmas and New Year’s Day. I will talk a bit more about that later, but one of the great things about staying is that usually, the city is wonderfully quiet during the festive season… Because a lot of paulistanos will have buggered off to the beach (or will be trapped in traffic jams, trying to get there).

Late December/early January is a great time to visit Sampa, because it is actually possible to do more things, go and see more places. It is possible to get to places quicker, go to that restaurant, museum or cinema you have been meaning to visit without having to wait on a queue for ages.

So I thought that this would be a good opportunity to start a list of recommendations of what to do in São Paulo, every month. It will be a mix of things to do with the family, friends, your significant other or even by yourself.

Here is my first stab at a list for December and January. If you have visited any of them or are planning to do so, let me know!

Christmas Concert @ The Teatro Municipal

After closing for nearly three years for a renovation project that cost R$ 28,3 million, the Teatro Municipal reopened its doors in June in all its glory. The theatre, with its architecture inspired in the Paris Opera, is one of the main postcards of the city. Get yourself some tickets for the Christmas concert, featuring the São Paulo Symphony Orchestra and Choir next Thursday 22 December – the last show of 2011. Arrive early for a drink at the terrace.

Praça Ramos de Azevedo, s/nº
Centro
(11) 3397-0300 and (11) 3397-0327 (ticket office)
Nearest underground station: Anhangabaú

Estação Ciência

This is Sampa’s humble equivalent of the Science Museum but a fantastic space in its own right. The centre, which is based in an old warehouse built in the early 20th century, features a range of interactive activities and exhibitions to promote the various areas of science – astronomy, biology, physics, technology and so on – in a fun way. Attractions include an earthquake simulator and a large Van de Graaff generator. Great fun for those with children and teenagers.

Rua Guaicurus, 1394
Lapa
(11) 3673-7022
Nearest train station: Lapa (Linha 8 – CPTM)

Pavilhão da Criatividade (Memorial da América Latina)

One of the most interesting cultural spaces within the Latin America Memorial, the Pavilhão da Criatividade (Creativity Pavillion) has a permanent collection of about 4,000 pieces of popular art from Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Guatemala, Bolivia, Paraguay, Chile and Uruguay, which is unique in the country. A real must see.

Memorial da América Latina
Av. Áuro Soares M Andrade, 564
Barra Funda
(11) 3823-4600
Nearest underground station: Barra Funda

XV Festival da Cultura Paulista Tradicional

The Revelando São Paulo (Unveiling São Paulo) initiative organises the Festival of Traditional Paulista Culture, which aims to showcase traditional culture in the state of São Paulo. The idea is to give an insight into aspects of life in various parts of the state, which are often unknown to visitors and those living in the capital. This edition of the festival, which will take place in the city of Atibaia (65km from São Paulo) from 5th-8th January features folk art and regional food and drinks, as well as music, indigenous dance, pilgrimages and theatre. Full event info here.

Parque Edmundo Zanoni
Avenida Horácio Netto, 1030
Atibaia

Buses to Atibaia leave from the Tietê bus station several times a day and the journey lasts about an hour.

Sesc Concerts

Every month, the cultural and sport centres run by Sesc have something interesting to see and do. In December and January, there will be some excellent live gigs all over the city with Brazilian artists including the darling of São Paulo, rapper Criolo, as well as Paula Lima, Zélia Duncan and Vanguart. Sesc’s unit in the Pompéia neighbourhood is particularly interesting as it has a funky bar to grab a drink beforehand. Ticket prices are always accessible.

Full listings here.

Edifício Altino Arantes (Torre do Banespa)

Built in 1947, the Edifício Altino Arantes (or Banespa Tower, as it is known by most paulistanos) is one of the most emblematic buildings of São Paulo and also the third highest in the city. The former HQ of the Bank of the State of São Paulo (Banespa) it is 161 meters tall and has 35 floors. The tower was the largest in the world outside the United States by the time it was built. It is possible to get a fantastic 360 degrees view of the city, so it’s well worth the visit. But beware: the tower is only open to the public from Monday to Friday from 10am to 3pm and it’s worth calling in advance as it is often closed without notice.

Afterwards, grab a caipirinha with a cachaça ice lolly and bolinhos de arroz (rice croquettes) at the excellent Cervejaria São Jorge, which is right around the corner.

Rua João Brícola, 24
Centro
(11) 3249-7466
Nearest underground station: São Bento

Image by Luiz Henrique Assunçãolicensed under Creative Commons

I am not a vegetarian, but my husband is. I do not cook meat at home at all and there are no meat-based products in my cupboard or fridge. I actually enjoy making interesting and more elaborate veggie meals and many of my favourite dishes are meat-free.

It is harder being a vegetarian in Brazil than in the UK though. Many restaurants here do not think of having at least one meatless option on their menu. In simpler places (like the botecos), even having the traditional rice and beans combo can be difficult – because bacon is often added to the beans. So you end up having an omelette with chips and salad.

If we are not eating at home, the easy solution, as we found, is to go to buffet restaurants (also known as “kilos” – you help yourself and pay for the weight of your plate) where there are many more options of salads, vegetables and so on. But beware: many places have the habit of adding meat (ham, chicken, pork) to salads!

Add to that the fact that many people here don’t really understand what being a vegetarian is all about. Often in restaurants, I will ask what the meat-free options are and waiting staff will suggest fish… And many people I know can’t really imagine living without their steak, chicken and sausages.

In London, all places have an option for vegetarians, sometimes even for vegans, but there is also more of a general understanding that people may choose not to have meat, be it for ethical, health or religious reasons.

While we still have some way to go in that respect, the debate in Brazil around reducing meat intake has gained more strength in the last few years. And the amount of veg-only restaurants in São Paulo has increased a lot in and now there are options for all tastes and pockets.

Paul McCartney’s Meat Free Mondays movement also has a São Paulo version, Segunda Sem Carne. The website for the initiative has a guide of restaurants across the whole city that are either vegetarian/vegan or offer several meatless items on their menu.

I haven’t visited all the places mentioned in the guide, but here are my recommendations for some of the best veggie places in Sampa:

For a romantic dinner

Banana Verde
Rua Harmonia, 278
(11) 3814-4828
Nearest underground station: Vila Madalena
Average price: Above R$25

For a hearty Sunday lunch

Nutrisom
Viaduto Nove de Julho, 160
(11) 3255-4263
Nearest underground station: Anhangabaú
Average price: Between R$18 and R$25

For the best veggie Saturday feijoada
(yes, it exists!)

Alcaparra
Av. Pompéia, 2544
(11) 3672-7674
Nearest underground station: Vila Madalena
Average price: Between R$18 and R$25

>> Click here to view the entire vegetarian restaurant guide of São Paulo