| The Vila Paradiso in Rio de Janeiro's artists neighborhood Santa Teresa |
News
September 29th, 2008Southern Cross Tours supports Ymaguaré XI
Southern Cross Tours & Expeditions directly supports the handcrafted production of award-winning basketry by the members of the Guaraní Mbya tribe in the village of Araponga, near Paraty. The exposition YMAGUARÉ XI takes place from October 11th through November 18th, at the Casa da Cultura in Paraty and features some of the finest works of the tribe.
July 28th, 2008
Pico da Neblina mountain
- Expedition into deep Amazonia!
After a period of suspense caused by government restrictions, we are proud to inform that we have re-iniciated our Pico da Neblina operations with regular departures.
Besides, the latest developments have encouraged us to expand our own operational base in So Gabriel da Cachoeira. In addition to the adventurous aspect of both, the expeditions to the "Pico" and our Rio Negro Experience Tour, we have added a stronger cultural and botanical component to these unique tours into the deep Amazon. Still, there are other good news to inform: with an appropriate own structure we can offer rates ranging from Euro 3000/3800. One thing has and will not change, though: the limit of our groups may not exceed 6 paying participants.
For your information our next confirmed departures are:
October 28th to November 17th, 2008
November 25th to December 15th, 2008
I am looking forward to receive your emails and reservations via
www.amazon-travel-brazil.com
Kind regards
Peter Rohmer
June 22nd, 2008
Villa Paradiso de Santa
Our Villa is an authentic tropical paradise in walking distance to the bristling city of down town Rio de Janeiro. Whether you are on holiday or business, the Villa Paradiso de Santa is the ideal place to stay if you appreciate genuine ambiance and individual service.
Situated in the hills of Santa Teresa historical neighborhood, the 1938 built mansion Paradiso de Santa offers tastefully decorated rooms and apartments and a delicious breakfast, which, cooked to perfection, is either served on one of the sunny terraces or to the rooms. There are soft drinks, sandwiches and fruits of the season in the refrigerator for consumption free of charge.
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Delivery services, travel agency, transfers, excursions, flight arrangements domestic and international, private guide to show you around Rio de Janeiro and Brazil, are also available. As a business man you will certainly want to use our office facilities at no additional cost. We use DSL internet W-Lan connections for your comfort.
In addition and, if it is in your interest, please note that, in over 30 years business activity in the Brazilian market, we have achieved a much valued experience that we offer to our guests, for whatever undertakings they require to execute.
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Set yourself apart from the folks in Copacabana and go for the different Rio de Janeiro. The Santa Teresa quarter , with is cobble stone roads and alleys, its easy going lifestyle, artist ateliers, bars and handicraft shops, beautiful residences amidst exuberant tropical vegetation, attracts more and more investors, business men and tourists from abroad who seek the unique. Be one of them.
Rooms are from 150-250 US$ / night.
Download the Vila Paradiso booklet here.
For further information or booking please use our contact form, visit www.rio-private-suites.com or send us an email to southerncross@uol.com.br.
June 18th, 2008
Brazilian environmental agency Ibama accuses: Killed caimans and river dolphins serve as baits for illegal fishing in Amazonia
According to information from the Brazilian environmental agency Ibama, Colombian fishermen pay Brazilian hunters in the western Amazonia for killing river dolphins and caimans, which shall serve as baits for the illegal catch of Piracatingas (Calophysus macropterus), a species of catfish. Up to know it is unknown, how many animals die all in all thereby per year since the largest part of the catfish is smuggled to Colombia.
| Caimans, killed by hunters, which should serve as baits Marina de Brito/Instituto Mamirau |
Biologists and environmentalists warn of the risk for the populations of the river dolphins and caimans. They estimate that fishermen catch about 1.5 tons of catfish with a full-grown caiman as bait and about 300 kg with the meat of a full-grown river dolphin. The last-mentioned are particularly threatened according to Vera Silva, the coordinator of the river dolphin project of the Inpa (National Institute for Amazonian Research): The river dolphins become 35 to 40 years old, but reach only late the sex-ripe. The females bear in each case only one young after a gestation time of 11 to 12 months. An uncontrolled interference in the nature of the river dolphins can therefore cause a drastic reduction of the species.
To bait the catfishes the hunters cut the heads, fins and/or legs and tails off the river dolphins and caimans and use only their bodies without entrails. The catfish is a scavenger and well-known as a water vulture.
Brazilian fishermen earn converted 0.30 per kilo of catfish sold in Amazonia. In Colombia, where it is called Mota, the catfish costs 6.30 per kilo approximately. According to the environmental agency the caimans and river dolphins are caught at night to escape controls. The mass slaughter happens in the rivers I, Japur and Juru, feeder rivers of the Rio Solimes, at the border to Colombia.
March 14th, 2008
Documentary supported by Southern Cross Tours selected at the Dialektus Film Festival in Budapest
The student social film project "Camel - Street hawkers in Rio de Janeiro" by Benjamin Hemer was shown on this years edition of the Dialektus Anthropologic Film Festival at the Vrsmarty cinema in Hungary's capital.
For more Informations about the documentary click:
www.camelo-film.org
November 4th, 2006
Ilegal burning in the Pantanal
We did these rather shocking aerial photos on September 9, 2006 while overflying the region between the Paraguai and Paraguai-mirim rivers. Since we were flying low we could watch a person on horse back setting a blaze still more terrain.
It seems uncomprehensible that this kind of ilegal burning could happen so close to Corumb where the Environmental Agencies are located. One must know, that the area is owned by cattle ranchers who burn their fields every year to provide new pasture at zero cost for them. At least this is what they think. The bill for the ongoing desertification of the Pantanal will be on the table in near future. For some the bill is due already.
We did report the case immediately to the authorities (IBAMA) but the damage was done once more.
Peter Rohmer/Marcos Violante
June 20th, 2006
Successful Jaguar Safari in the Pantanal
This beautiful shots of the shy Jaguar were made by our client William "Safaribill" Fleming on another succesful Jaguar Safari that we conducted in Brazils Pantanal. This time it was a big female of some 180-200 lbs which Bill came across on one of our night safaris. But there was more waiting for him and he took a good chance of: Maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus), ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), huge marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus) und (Odocoileus dichotomus), crab eating racoon(Procyon cancrivorus), bush dog (Speothos venaticus), brown capuchin monkey (Cebus apella), howler monkeys (Alouatta sp.) in not often seen positions and some very nice shots of cayman, capibaras and birds of prey.
To further improve our Wildlife Photo Safaris we are negociating with professional photographers who will guide our 2007 tours. Names and CV of these pros will be informed soonest.
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Mai 5th, 2006
US-students on educational journey in Brazil
In February 2006 we have been visited by a group of 16 students with their professors from the economic faculty of the University of Virginia. UVA. The voyage was themed "The Business of Saving Nature".
For the 12-days journey we had organized a very diversified program, which included, amongst others, visits and lectures with governmental agencies such as the SDS (Secretariat for Sustainable Development in Amazonia) in Manaus, the CTA – Center for Environmental Technology of the Federal State of Rio de Janeiro, and Natura, a fast growing company producing natural cosmetics, in Sao Paulo. During a three-day-boat trip, on the Amazonas and Rio Negro rivers, caboclo settlements involved in sustainable development activities have been visited. Fascinating wildlife observations and nature activities aside, the tour provided the young people with an inside view of nature conservation activities in an environment that is of significant importance for the planets health.
On top of the informative part the group, of course, would not miss out on other typical Brazilian attractions like world famous drink Caipirinha, Churrasco, Copacabana beach, Corcovado mountain. It was a great experience. The group learned a lot and had a great time. The return flight to the cold USA therefore was felt as a necessary evil.
Top Business Brazil Background Idiomas
News Language School Background Idiomas
Want to travel in Brazil? Like to know the country and people off the tourist paths? We suggest you contact Southern Cross Tours & Expeditions and Background Idiomas!
Maybe you are about to take on a job down here or you wish to fix residence under the tropical sun? Then Brazil Business Consult and Background Idiomas is the best bet.
Whatever your intentions are, the cooperation with Background Idiomas, a language school under German management in Rio de Janeiro, offers the perfect synthesis of:
Speaking - travelling - working - living
- Qualified Portuguese courses, intensive and super intensive individual courses, special and immersion programs up to eight hours/day
- Experienced and dynamic teachers cater to the particular study goals of the student
For further information contact: annettesct@uol.com.br