| Porto Alegre, the largest city in southern Brazil, is the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul, land of the Gauchos, and churrasco. The city, located on the Guaiba River, was founded in 1742 by immigrants from the Azores. Since the 19th century the city has received numerous from other parts of the world, particularly Germany, Poland, and Italy. Located at the junction of five rivers, it has become an important alluvial port as well as one of the chief industrial and commercial centers in Brazil. With the advent of the Mercosul accord it should grow and prosper. Products of the rich agricultural and pastoral hinterland, such as soybeans, leather, canned beef, and rice, are exported from Porto Alegre to destinations as far away as Africa and Japan. It has a population of about 1,500,000 inhabitants. Mauricio Sirotsky Sobrinho Park (Harmonia Park - Located at Cidade Baixa District, it has 300 thousand sq. meters, hosting in its area a replica of a traditional gaucho farm - the Harmonia Ranch - , designed to maintain and practice the regionalist culture. It also has an aeromodelling track, a nautimodelling tank, children's sites, soccer and bowl fields, volleyball courts, and over 100 barbecue grills available in different areas of the park.Botanical Garden - With an area of approximately 43 hectares, the Botanical Garden is in the district named for it, between Cristiano Fischer Avenue and Salvador Franca Avenue. It has scientific collections with over two thousand issues, 725 vegetal species, spread along the different open areas in the park. It also has a Germplasm Bank, a Seed Bank and a Sapling Terrarium, in addition to developing environmental educational activities. The Natural Sciences Museum is headquartered at the Garden and preserves flora and fauna species from the State Natural Patrimony. It is the city's highest peak. Over half of its extension - about one thousand hectares - is owned by the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul. At its 311 meters high are native forests and fields, waterfalls, swamps, marshes, lakes, brooks, and cascades. A unique landscape. Shopping Praia de Belas ,Shopping Total ,shopping Moinhos de Vento,Bourbon Shopping Country: One of the biggest Shopping Malls in town, located in Av Tulio de Rose, 100. It has a large variety of stores and restaurant. Lancheria do Parque, Avenida Osvaldo Aranha, 1086, Bairro Bom Fim, across from the Parque Redencao, is possibly the best cheap eats in Porto Alegre. Lunch is a very good buffet, where the offerings are always fresh and tasty, for about 5 reais. The menu, available from 6 am until midnight, offers incredible fresh juices and vitaminas for 2 reais, and they are big. Sandwiches include the traditional Bauru- - steak or chicken with egg, cheese, lettuce and tomato on a special bun. meal size. X~s with excellent |
