Posted by admin
Today we’re going to look at the acerola fruit, native to northern Brazil, Central America, and the Antilles.
Also known as the “Antilles cherry” and the “barbarian’s cherry,” this fruit does in fact resemble the North American cherry, and grows on trees that can reach up to 3 meters high. The tree produces pinkish-white flowers, which then in turn produce acerola fruit. The trees grow best in tropical climates but also can be found semi-arid climates.
Acerola production has grown considerably in the last two decades in Brazil, particularly in the Northeast, where acerola is cultivated to make a frozen pulp to be sold around the country. There are forty two varieties grown in Brazil, the most well-known being cabocla, cereja, and sertaneja, among others.
The fruit itself tastes a bit acidic and has an apple-like taste, and is usually eaten as a juice or smoothie. This fruit is extremely healthy: it has high levels of vitamins A and B, calcium, phosphorus, iron, and vitamin C. In fact, acerola can have up to 5,000 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams of juice–around three times that of an orange.
Posted by admin
A large monkey from the Amazon appeared yesterday in a small town in Minas Gerais, much to the surprise of residents, since the area is quite far from the rainforest. Firemen tried to catch the monkey to bring him to Ibama, the authorities responsible for wild animals. The monkey, however, outsmarted them, and is still on the loose in Araguari, a town in rural Minas known for coffee production.
The monkey was found near a truck stop, and it is believed that the monkey may have been brought illegally from the Amazon region to be sold elsewhere.
The news footage of the event is quite entertaining. Take a look:
Posted by admin
It’s hard to learn another language when you’re not constantly immersing yourself, either in a class or in another country. Here are a few tips to learn Portuguese by getting into a weekly routine:
- Read and listen to Portuguese every day. It can be the news, a book, or even just your horoscope. You can listen to Brazilian music, or to podcasts here!
- Find Brazilians to chat with. Join a Meetup group, take a dance class, or find your local Brazilian hang out.
- Watch whatever Brazilian TV and movies you can get your hands on. You can also watch many news stories on Globo. You can also find some telenovelas on Youtube.
- Best of all, take a trip to Brazil and practice your skills!
Posted by admin
American Airlines has announced that it will add three Brazilian cities to its South American destinations: direct flights from Miami to Belo Horizonte and Salvador, with a connecting flight to Recife from Salvador. Service to Salvador and Recife will operate daily, with three flights a week to Belo Horizonte. The airline already offers 24 destinations in Latin America, and with the new cities, it will offer more Latin American destinations than any other airline.
A spokesman for the airline cited reasons for the Brazilian expansion, including business and leisure travel opportunities for customers, but during a time when airlines are making large cutbacks, it’s a clear sign of profit potential for the airline. Brazil boosts a strong economy, and with a weak dollar, more Brazilians are traveling abroad.
Starting November 2nd, the airline will begin the new service to the three cities.
Posted by admin
Today we’re going to learn how to talk about having fun in Portuguese.
1. Curtir [coor-cheer]
This verb is slang for “to have fun” or “to enjoy.” It’s frequently used by young people to talk about going out and having a good time.
Curtimos muito a festa ontem. We had a lot of fun at the party yesterday.
Vou curtir muito o feriado. I’m going to enjoy the holiday.
2. Aproveitar [ah-proh-vay-tar]
This verb literally means “to take advantage of” but can also be used to mean “have a good time” or “have fun.”
Aproveitaram muito a viagem. They had a lot of fun on their trip.
Você aproveitou o passeio no barco? Did you have fun on the boat ride?
3. Divertir-se [gee-vehr-cheer see]
This verb is the standard verb used to mean “to have fun.”
Me diverti muito no Rio. I had a lot of fun in Rio.
Ele se divertiu no jogo. He had fun at the game.
"
