Curitiba struck me as one of those cities where I could actually live comfortably, walkably, and peacefully. My friend Jeff, who’s spent more time in Brazil than I have, told me before I went, “Curitiba is one of my favorite cities in Brazil. It’s safer than almost anywhere else, and it actually feels like it was designed for the people who live there.” Maybe that shaped my expectations, but he was right. The city boasts excellent museums, thoughtful infrastructure, lush parks, and traffic that never bothered me. People seemed relaxed and content everywhere I went. I even found a solid rodízio spot for about $30, which is all-you-can-eat, and in my book, that’s a steal. Curitiba is located within the state of Paraná, Brazil, and I spent some time trying to understand the cultural relevance of Paraná within Brazil. I didn’t really get a sense of those distinguishing aspects that make it special in relation to other places within Brazil. I’m reading the Wikipedia article I linked above right now, and it seems to say that industry and farming are defining aspects of it. Seems like I have some more room to learn and explore. I cooked most nights as […]
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