Brazil Master Thread

[Dan]

Proposed itin No. 2:

Sun, JFK-MIA, AA, 77W in F, 2:30 PM-5:47 PM
<dinner at Street Kitchen during 4:18 connection>
Sun, MIA-GRU, AA, 77W in J, 10:05 PM-8:30 AM +1
<3:35 connection>
Mon, CGH-IGU, G3, Y, 12:05 PM - 1:45 PM, $135 OQ p/p
<40 hours in IGU>
Wed, IGU-GIG, G3, Y, 10:10 AM - 12:05 PM, $288 OW P/P
<36 hours in GIG>
Thu, IGU-GRU, LA, Y, 8:30 PM-9:50 PM, $21 OW P/P
<1:55 connection>
Fri, GRU-MIA, 77W in J, 12:05 AM-6:35 AM
<2:05 connection>
Fri, MIA-JFK, 772 in J, 8:40 AM - 11:30 AM


Notes:

1) Spending more time in IGU than GIG seems... odd.
2) Spending $888 in domestic tickets (i.e., more than it cost me to fly all the way to GRU in international biz) seems... odd.
3) I'd probably have to bring food with me since I'm going straight to IGU.

Should I be skipping IGU entirely?

1a. 3.5 hours with a connection to CGH will be pretty tight.
1b. Check connecting flights SAO-IGU and IGU-RIO?
2. Miles?
3. Not a big deal to bring your own, but if you do a longer SAO connection you could get food.

[Dan]

Excellent point.

https://ar.usembassy.gov/covid-19/

Guess I won't need that much time there after all... guess the question now is: do I save IGU for a time I can see both sides?

Heh. Confirm that this applies to the land border at IGU, as sometimes rules are different there.

But...I'd possibly skip IGU if crossing into Argentina isn't possible. If you do go anyway, no need to stay overnight.

Consider FLN? MAO? FEN? Pantanal?

[Yehoshua]

Heh. Confirm that this applies to the land border at IGU, as sometimes rules are different there.

But...I'd possibly skip IGU if crossing into Argentina isn't possible. If you do go anyway, no need to stay overnight.

Consider FLN? MAO? FEN? Pantanal?

+1, I think that IGU without views from the Argentina side is almost not worth the time and hassle. The Brazilian side is just ok, the real jems are in Argentina. Contact Nancy (my taxi driver in IGR, Argentina) for updates on covid land border crossings.

[AJK]

1a. 3.5 hours with a connection to CGH will be pretty tight.
1b. Check connecting flights SAO-IGU and IGU-RIO?
2. Miles?
3. Not a big deal to bring your own, but if you do a longer SAO connection you could get food.

1a. Yeah, so I hear. But next flight is 6 PM which kills an entire day. Aint got no time for that.
1b. Same issue. Kills an entire day.
2. LA dropped all partners, and their own miles are insanity. Think 100K+ for OW for a $350 flight. And, for whatever reason, DL isn't showing any G3 flights when I search.

[AJK]

+1, I think that IGU without views from the Argentina side is almost not worth the time and hassle. The Brazilian side is just ok, the real jems are in Argentina. Contact Nancy (my taxi driver in IGR, Argentina) for updates on covid land border crossings.

You have her info? Think she has reliable and current info on ability for Americans to cross? Want to shoot her a quick message?

[AJK]

Heh. Confirm that this applies to the land border at IGU, as sometimes rules are different there.

But...I'd possibly skip IGU if crossing into Argentina isn't possible. If you do go anyway, no need to stay overnight.

Consider FLN? MAO? FEN? Pantanal?

FEN, which looks gorgeous, requires a connection in REC and therefore takes up a ton of time. Further complicating things is that there are no one-stop options on Monday, which means if I went SAO-RIO on Monday and then on Weds went RIO-FEN, I'd arrive 4PM and would have to leave at the latest, 24 hrs later to catch my flight home. Not worth all that shlep for 24 hours on the ground.

MAO is too much of a shlep. Don't know much about FLN or Pantanal.

[Dan]

MAO is too much of a shlep.

~3.5 hours nonstop?
Try calling DL for G3 or LA awards?
Can also check UA for AD VCP-MAO/IGU/RIO

[Dan]

You have her info? Think she has reliable and current info on ability for Americans to cross? Want to shoot her a quick message?

PM sent for another IGU taxi.

[Yehoshua]

PM sent for another IGU taxi.

Thanks!

[AJK]

Argentina closed. Guess that solves that.

[Dan]

Argentina closed. Guess that solves that.

Well that changes the calculus.

Boils down to how fast you'll return to IGU.
If it's not anytime soon, go and do Macuco Safari, a helicopter ride, and view the vistas on the Brazil side. Your original proposed itin will work perfectly for this, though you need to redo your connection from GRU-RIO.

If you'll make it back, just skip IGU.

[Joe4007]

Well that changes the calculus.

Boils down to how fast you'll return to IGU.
If it's not anytime soon, go and do Macuco Safari, a helicopter ride, and view the vistas on the Brazil side. Your original proposed itin will work perfectly for this, though you need to redo your connection from GRU-RIO.

If you'll make it back, just skip IGU.

If you do end up doing IGU, Itaipu dam (if open) might be an interesting filler.

[Yehoshua]

If you do end up doing IGU, Itaipu dam (if open) might be an interesting filler.

Maybe, but that's like going to Paris to see the Mona Lisa and saying that the street are around the city is just as good. May as well not visit IMO if you can't see the Argentine side of the falls.

[Kobe Bryant]

Maybe, but that's like going to Paris to see the Mona Lisa and saying that the street are around the city is just as good. May as well not visit IMO if you can't see the Argentine side of the falls.

IMO it is well worth the visit even if just from the Brazilian side. You get amazing panoramic views of the falls, as well as one can essentially take the same boat ride under the falls from either side.

[Dan]

Maybe, but that's like going to Paris to see the Mona Lisa and saying that the street are around the city is just as good. May as well not visit IMO if you can't see the Argentine side of the falls.

IMO it is well worth the visit even if just from the Brazilian side. You get amazing panoramic views of the falls, as well as one can essentially take the same boat ride under the falls from either side.

I'm somewhere in the middle. For me it boils down to return opportunity. If you won't be back in next several years, then I'm with @Kobe Bryant.
Definitely do the boat ride and the helicopter is also fun.

[Yehoshua]

I'm somewhere in the middle. For me it boils down to return opportunity. If you won't be back in next several years, then I'm with @Kobe Bryant.
Definitely do the boat ride and the helicopter is also fun.

I hear your points, and while the falls are definitely beautiful even if you can only see one side, I still think it'll be a major let down to not go to Argentina. At the same time, because of covid and the general lack of places to visit it could be worth it. However, while I haven't been to anywhere else in Brazil besides Rio, I imagine there are lots of wonderful, child friendly places to see instead.

[efflpetzel]

Argentina closed. Guess that solves that.

I'd cancel IGU based on that, it needs to be enjoyed not rushed & both sides is a must see.

Honestly I'd stay in GIG the entire time, it's a gorgeous city with so much to do & see, you can easily fill up 4 days there no problem.

The JCC had the most incredible sushi store when I was there 3 years ago, I wonder if it's still open

[Yehoshua]

I'd cancel IGU based on that, it needs to be enjoyed not rushed & both sides is a must see.

Honestly I'd stay in GIG the entire time, it's a gorgeous city with so much to do & see, you can easily fill up 4 days there no problem.

The JCC had the most incredible sushi store when I was there 3 years ago, I wonder if it's still open

*unless it's raining, in which case after the art museum, theater and planetarium, you're out of luck.

[Dan]

Well @AJK, whatcha gonna do?

[efflpetzel]

*unless it's raining, in which case after the art museum, theater and planetarium, you're out of luck.

That can be said for anywhere but I believe he plans to go summer time (in Brazil)