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Meet the People of São Paulo

São Paulo has a soul—a heart too, I feel it beating.

This megapolis that stretches as far as the eye can see and probably beyond isn’t an overwhelming sea of buildings. Paulistas, those who call São Paulo home, make it lively, fun, engaging.

The guy who was standing at the counter of a lanchonete on Avenida Paulista, drinking café, absentmindedly moving his feet to the sound of the music playing on the radio.

The two girls kissing in front of the Museum of Art.

The couples I saw walking around the city during the holiday break, all clearly in love, relaxed, enjoying the moment.

The customers in line at the supermarket who all started to chat together for absolutely no reason other than the fact no one had anything else better to do.

The many people who gave me tips, advice, a smile and were genuinely nice—an attitude you tend to see in small towns but less often in big cities.

São Paulo is the kind of place where you can spend an entire day walking around and observing the many lives being lived in the city. You won’t be bored, trust me. Paulistas seemed to have mastered the art of proudly showing their individuality while coexisting peacefully with 12 million people who may not think like them.

Shockingly, after a homophobic leader is elected, the millions of gays don’t suddenly turn straight as if they had seen the light and somehow “agreed” to stop being attracted to the same sex. I loved that many same-sex couples can live their life in São Paulo without dirty looks from boringly straight folks.

This is  what I saw in São Paulo—people busy being creative, productive, not racing but going somewhere.

Monumento às Bandeiras, , São Paulo
Parque Ibirapuera, São Paulo
Parque Ibirapuera, São Paulo
Parque Ibirapuera, São Paulo
Obelisco e Monumento Mausoléu ao Soldado Constitucionalista de 32
Casa das Rosas, Avenida Paulista, São Paulo
Avenida Paulista, São Paulo
Avenida Paulista, São Paulo
Avenida Paulista, São Paulo
Sesc Avenida Paulista, São Paulo
Avenida Paulista, São Paulo
Libertade, São Paulo
Libertade, São Paulo
Libertade, São Paulo
Libertade, São Paulo
Libertade, São Paulo
Libertade, São Paulo
Libertade, São Paulo
The very posh Iguatemi Shopping, São Paulo
In the bus, São Paulo
Avenida Paulista, São Paulo
Avenida Paulista, São Paulo
Avenida Paulista, São Paulo
Avenida Paulista, São Paulo
Avenida Paulista, São Paulo
Avenida Paulista, “there’s no cure for being gay”, São Paulo
Avenida Paulista, São Paulo
Avenida Paulista, São Paulo
Climbing on a firetruck on Avenida Paulista because hey, why not! São Paulo
Avenida Paulista, São Paulo
Av. Brigadeiro Luís Antônio, São Paulo
Rua Augusta, São Paulo
São Paulo from the hotel on Alameda Min. Rocha Azevedo
São Paulo from the hotel on Alameda Min. Rocha Azevedo
São Paulo from the hotel on Alameda Min. Rocha Azevedo
São Paulo from the hotel on Alameda Min. Rocha Azevedo
São Paulo from the hotel on Alameda Min. Rocha Azevedo
São Paulo from the hotel on Alameda Min. Rocha Azevedo
São Paulo from the hotel on Alameda Min. Rocha Azevedo
São Paulo from the hotel on Alameda Min. Rocha Azevedo
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Zhu

French woman in English Canada.

Exploring the world with my camera since 1999, translating sentences for a living, writing stories that may or may not get attention.

Firm believer that nobody is normal... and it’s better this way.

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