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Brazil

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Describing Brazil is like trying to come up with an adequate description of the feeling one gets the first time they taste chocolate - and yes, as a country, it's just that heavenly. Brazil incorporates so much adventure, aesthetic beauty, and culture, that going through absolutely everything this land has to offer as a vacation destination would probably take around ten million words, and many of them would be flashy adjectives that never are quite able to fully encompass the emotion and experience of Brazil. This might sound a bit over dramatic, but where else can you see some of the largest water-falls, discover the world's largest rainforest, or take a boat down the Amazon River? Don't worry, you'll also get to the beach - it's practically impossible to keep away from the beaches of Brazil.

Water plays a pretty part in the big picture of why more people keep coming to Brazil every year. It's not just the beaches drawing the crowds, although there are several; such as the two most popular beaches, Ipanema and Leblon, both located in Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro is usually just called "Rio", but the full name means "River of January". Rio used to be the capital of Brazil, and is also famous for its many carnivals, or carnavals in Portuguese; large parades featuring vivid costumes, music, and dancing. Iguazu Falls is yet another example of the natural beauty of water in Brazil; it's located right on the border of Argentina and Brazil. There are walkways around the falls where visitors can gather to view the awe-inspiring natural wonder of the Iguazu River falling hundreds of feet down over cliffs. There is also Santinho Beach, on the island of Santa Catarina in Florianópolis, as well as the popular marinas for sailing and fishing in Salvador, which is the capital city of Bahia. There are also pleasure cruises and boating expeditions along the Amazon River.

For those who want to enjoy all the natural aspects of Brazil while avoiding the large crowds and busy atmosphere of the cities, or the commercial beaches, don't worry. Brazil has more in store for you. For example, the huge Chapada Diamantina National Park, which has hiking and biking trails, a huge natural swimming area, nature walks, wildlife observation areas and much more. If theater and entertainment are more to your personal tastes, add an evening at the English Amazon Theatre, over one hundred years old and located in Manaus. It's an enormous and splendid opera house with stunning architecture. But don't stand around and look at it! Go in, on either a guided tour, or catch a show. Brazil has so much to offer any visitor, that the only difficulty you might have is deciding when to go home.

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Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro is one of the world's top tourist destinations. Often just referred to as "Rio", it is visited by millions of people per year, and is often called the heart of Brazil itself. Guanabara Bay was discovered by Portuguese explorers on January 20th, 1502; hence the name of the city, "River...