Usha
New Member
I could not let this pass without adding my 2 cents:Once again, the issue is with those saying that brazil is "safe" and danger and violence here are "myths". That's misleading to put it mildly. When one makes statements such as "Maceio is one of the safest cities in Brazil" and it currently rates as the most dangerous capital city in the country, well my friend, they're obviously either A.) crazy as hell or B.) have no clue whatsoever of what they're talking about or C.) purposefully misleading people.
Is Maceio violent? Well, Alagoas, as the Northeast in general has a history of violence. It is eye for an eye mentality. Alagoas still has difficulty of leaving behind the captain and slave mentality. But Maceio is not worse than any other place in Brazil, actually, it is probably much safer than Rio and SP for the middle-class.
The truth is bandits follow money and travel to less guarded cities to do what they know best. Brazil as a whole is doomed if we do not act on it. The solution in Brazil is probably increasing police salaries and opening streets in the favelas. The main victims of Brazil's violence are the poor people who are prey to the bandits. Another solution may be putting Sarney, Calheiros and others like them behind bars. LOL
Life is about enjoying it while one can. I would not sell Maceio as a city, although I chose to live there and love it despite all the problems. The weather, the ocean, and the life style are amazing if you live around Ponta Verde and Jatiuca. Dangerous? No more than Floripa, my other hometown, on a day to day routine.
I chose Maceio over Floripa because Floripa has a very long winter (Maceio has a rainy one, just like the rest of the northeast),cold ocean water, and is too full in the Summer. Working full time I never had the time to enjoy Floripa in the Summer because of the crazy traffic to the beaches. I am all for not letting tourists drive in the island.
HOWEVER:
Alagoas is not only Maceio. The north coast is absolutely fabulous.
The south coast is OK, with the highlights being Barra de Sao Miguel and the right side of Praia do Frances (the left is full of barracas with plastic chair and annoying vendors).
It also offers historical towns (all they need a Rockefeller to save it),beautiful old plantations with the original houses in it, and the Mata Atlantica.
Alagoas does need a long term project to become a viable and sustainable tourist destination (it looks like ADIT is working on it). I think it could be a destination more interesting than any other Caribbean Island with the exception of Cuba (I am guessing it, comment if you know the Caribbean well). What Alagoas has to offer is the real thing, not Disneyesque. Driving around Coruripe you find fishing villages that are out of a National Geographic magazine of the 70s.
If Alagoas concentrates in the Ecological tourism, it will be a great destination.
The real problem is that we need smart long time foreigner investment. Ugly condominiums, tacky resorts, and busloads of tourists may make money in the short term for the initial investors, but it is not sustainable. It drives away rich buyer and investors. Florianopolis saw it, with only Jurere standing as a good place.
So, before exalting or badmouthing any place in Brazil, or in the world, go there first and see what you can offer your client.
See the pictures of Alagoas:
Alagoas - Galeria de Fotos