Originally posted by Boycie Yeah I agree the nicer parts of the Brazilian bigger city's are like Europe and they have the price tag to go with them, often more expensive. I'd go as far as saying our life style for the money we spend would actually be better in Europe, but who in the right mind wants to be there right now? In a couple of years I'd like to move back there, maybe after the world cup. Anthony Bourdain was on T.V doing a program in Chile last night, now that place looked interesting - any one ever been? to compare it to Brazil.

Santiago in Chile is quite nice - lovely views of the snow capped mountains all around, but far less cosmopolitan than Sao Paulo or Rio I felt. The food was perhaps less interesting too. However, I think it has a better GDP than the old colonial masters in Spain now, and seems to have avoided much of the social mess that Brazil has gotten messed up with.

As for crime in London Amsterdam - you are very right! I left London at the height of the knife crime media frenzy - knife crime has been around for as long as I can remember in the UK, but the major risk in inner-city UK is random violent crime - the after-the-pub-beating or the are-you-looking-at-me? glass attack. Those can be avoided mostly.

Here in Brazil it's the fear of crime caused mostly because you have something the person attacking you does not have: that could be a car, a TV, your wallet, an old microwave, a bottle of Vodka and an old lawnmower. They will shoot you, your dog, your wife and kids for that haul if they need to.

Prison is not a deterrent here (or anywhere) - if it's your first crime, and you have proof of address you are out on bail (and free to disappear in a country that could not find its own elbow). Or if you are under 18, you can do what the hell you want, all thanks to one of the most fundamentally flawed constitutions I have ever heard of!

So yes, violent crime in the UK is a pain, and widespread - but that's more an indication of what most British people are like I think, rather than one section of society terrorizing another as it is in Brazil.

Uruguay - would be interesting if the landscape wasn't so dull. Seems they have things fairly well setup there. Nice to get the ferry to BA too.

Originally posted by spongebob all the brazilian guys that I know who have gone to Chile came back saying that Chilean women are ugly. If I could move to any country and have my bills paid for me, it would be Spain.

I can assure you just like Brazil, there are hotties in Chile. It does get really cold in the winter...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-18522367

if you want it cheaper there are China made or Veitnam made.