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Samba Adventures in Brazil

August 28, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

By Phineas Upham

When I took a trip to Rio de Janeiro in the colorful country of Brazil, I was drawn to dance. Everywhere I went, I saw Brazilians dancing so wildly and with such grace. Despite the individual styles, I saw a certain uniformity in the type of dance –Samba!

Samba is an old Brazilian style of dance with African origins. It has many different variations, but it’s fairly easy to identify because of the specific rhythm involved. At Carnival, street performers moved their bodies in the rhythmic Samba dance.

The basis of Samba involves rapid steps taken on a quarter of a beat as well as a swaying and rocking motion. It’s particularly difficult to learn how to dance with a partner because it’s so fast paced!

I arrived at a Bossa Nova late in the evening as most Brazilians don’t show up until almost midnight. I was surprised to find that the version of Samba that most people did at the nightclubs was very different than the stiff classroom style.

I highly recommend taking Samba lessons next time you visit Rio de Janeiro. You will be completely intoxicated by the South American flair…even if you do trip all over yourself in the process.


Phineas Upham Phineas Upham is an investor from NYC and SF. You may contact Phin on his Phineas Upham website or Facebook page.

brazil

Forests in Brazil

August 19, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

By Phin Upham

If you’re a fan of Mother Nature, then you should definitely check out an nature tour in Brazil. Brazil is a huge country that offers amazing nature unlike anywhere else in the world. One of the best parts of the natural world of Brazil is the beaches. The beaches are very clean and offer plenty of great surf.

In addition to the beautiful beaches, Brazil offers spectacular national parks. The Amazon Rainforest is out of this world! By far it’s one of my favorite places in the world. The flora and fauna are truly something to see. Despite the fact that the rainforest is beautiful, it’s also dangerous and very difficult to navigate by yourself. For this reason, I highly recommend that tourists sign up. Ecotourism is growing in popularity in this South American country.

Ecotours are a great option for a few reasons. Ecotour guides are very knowledgeable; it’s like having your own National Geographic magazine with you.

There are many tours, including some that involve overnight camping in the middle of the rainforest. Make sure to do your research to find a reputable ecotour group. Only some groups require that their guides undergo extensive training and study before leading groups into the wild.


Phin Upham About the Author: Phin Upham is an investor at a family office/ hedgefund, where he focuses on special situation illiquid investing. Before this position, Phin Upham was working at Morgan Stanley in the Media & Technology group. You may contact Phin on his Phin Upham website or Twitter page.