Scenes from São Paulo, Brazil Part 1

Traveled from Boston, Massachusetts, USA to São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil in February, 2026. The following are scenes from the first day of travel and arrival in the largest city in the Western Hemisphere and the Southern Hemisphere. São Paulo is a city of over 20 million people and has an area of 1,524 km² (about 588 sq miles).

Having left New England on a bitter cold day with snow piled high everywhere, the hot, humid air and the lush green vegetation visible everywhere was a rather pleasant introduction to Brazil when I arrived. Expecting warm weather in Brazil, I wore khaki shorts to the airport in Boston despite temperatures in the 20s Fahrenheit (about -6 Celsius) on the day of departure.

Packing for a journey that starts with snow on the ground and subfreezing temperatures and transitions to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 Celsius) with frequent rain and downpours, requires some planning.

It’s prudent to find supermarkets or grocery shops within walking distance of one’s hotel. This Carrefour grocery store is a short walk from the Mercure São Paulo Pamplona Hotel on Rua Pamplona.