Southern Brazil

Southern Brazil is green and temperate. It is among the very top of world rice growers. and has tremendous beef and dairy industry. It is also well capable of competing with Japan and Europe industrially in many levels.
There are many big beautiful cities in the south and, by far, Sao Paulo is the biggest. Sao Paulo is imposing, energetic, and rich with some scabs of poverty around the edges. That it has over 80 important museums suggests that in has its share of high culture and it, indeed, does. It's beauty is much of the Chicago and Los Angeles. I believe that it still has the largest Japanese community outside of Japan. It also may be the fourth largest city of the world.
Pelotas is the city closest to Uruguay. It is there that I noted three adjacent street-level offices along a business. Between a a bronze placked CPA office and the bronze placked office of a Lawyer,was one that at first thought to be and architect's office. However, on looking closer I read, "Magic and Alchemy."
Porto Alegre lives up to its name; except for the fact that it was raining while I was there.
"Floripa," the beautiful capital of Santa Catarina State, is a gem. I just passed through, but its buildings, island and bridges looked gem-like to me. Its small (less than 1/2 mill), rich, and prettily situated. Like much of the South it is strongly Portuguese greatly influenced by early and strong German and Italian immigration. It is also 100% Brazilian. Still, they have a very clear idea of who Garibaldi was.