Day 15: Vila Madalena

After a good night's sleep, we took an Uber taxi to Vila Madalena after breakfast to check off another item on Gigi's list, which has become our insider's guide here. Vila Madalena is an artist district in the West of São Paulo and is known for its numerous graffiti, bars, restaurants, and art galleries. We started our journey through this neighborhood in Beco do Batman, a car-free alley filled with exceptional graffiti. Then we strolled to Feira da Praça Benedito Calixto, an art and antique flea market where, like almost everywhere here, you can find delicious food, drinks, and live music that makes you want to dance on the spot. When hunger struck, we went to the restaurant Feijoada da Lana, which Gigi warmly recommended to us, to try a traditional Brazilian dish called Feijoada. Feijoada consists of rice, black beans, farofa (toasted cassava flour), and various kinds of slow-cooked meat. It tastes best with a traditional Caipirinha made with Cachaça (sugar cane liquor). After being very satisfied with our meal, we went back to the house to get ready for a birthday party we were invited to. Here, we would get to know a very joyful, lively, and Brazilian side of São Paulo with Gigi and her friend Pedro. The birthday party took place at a Boteco, a typical small bar far away from tourism. Paulistas love these simple taverns because the drinks are very cheap, and the people, like at this party, love to celebrate. This Brazilian festivity of good spirits takes place mostly outside the Boteco on the street, with Brazilian live music, everyone dancing and loudly singing along to every song while drinking and laughing with their friends. After having some typical drinks with Gigi and Pedro and dancing until we were tired, we went home. All in all, we had a tiring but very enjoyable traditional day in São Paulo.