# When GERMANS settled in Brazil: the perfect looking city of Gramado



## Maria Theresa (Jul 1, 2005)

christos-greece said:


> In Gramado town there are Greeks?


Not that I recall.


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## seattle92 (Dec 25, 2008)

Guaporense said:


> 1- Even the better towns in Brazil are essentially above average third world settlements, or you can consider below average rich towns. Gramado has an HDI of about 0.870, that's roughly the same level as Greece. Brazil has a large region with decent HDI index with these four states, each is bellow the next in the map: São Paulo, Paraná, Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul.


Greece has 0.947 of HDI. It's in the 19th position in the index.

With 0.871 you have Estonia. I guess you can compare Gramado with that.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Human_Development_Index

Who makes thoses HDI studies of brazilian cities and states? It's not the United Nations right? One can really trust those numbers?


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## Maria Theresa (Jul 1, 2005)

seattle92 said:


> Greece has 0.947 of HDI. It's in the 19th position in the index.
> 
> With 0.871 you have Estonia. I guess you can compare Gramado with that.
> 
> ...


The last HDI of brazilian cities and states are from 2000. So, old numbers.

They are not reliable anymore.


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## sul_mp (May 28, 2007)

^^ I heard once that the Brazilian HDI is different in some aspects, I don't know if it's true.


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## Príncipe (Nov 11, 2006)

I've been to Gramado a couple of times and yes, it's a very charming little city but it's too fake for my taste - everything is very clean,organized and ordered. Even car drivers stop their vehicles when they see pedestrians crossing the streets, which is unthinkable in other Brazilian cities. It's like the "Dubai" of Latin America's small cities lol.

At times , this city has blizzards during the winter . There was some snow in Gramado when I went there in 1994 , for the first time . But it's been many years now since the last snowfall.


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## sul_mp (May 28, 2007)

^^ In some cities the drivers stop for pedestrian.


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## Kreiven (Dec 29, 2008)

^^ Florianopolis and Brasilia for example.


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## Parisian Girl (Nov 6, 2007)

^^ Don't they stop - even slow down in Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo for pedestrians? From what I read here I'll take that as a resounding NO!!! Gotta be real quick on yer feet in the big city!! :runaway:


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## samba_man (Dec 26, 2004)

Parisian Girl said:


> ^^ Don't they stop - even slow down in Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo for pedestrians? From what I read here I'll take that as a resounding NO!!! Gotta be real quick on yer feet in the big city!! :runaway:


Oh yeah! In the rush of big cities dont expect any complacence of the drivers! I may say it is true!


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## Príncipe (Nov 11, 2006)

Yeah drivers here in Brazil are totally crazy lol and they usually don't respect pedestrians - but I also heard that in Brasilia the drivers do stop , but I've never been there so I cannot tell myself .

But in Italy is not very different from here , maybe is even worse.


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## Orsino05 (Aug 21, 2007)

Oh my god :eek2:
I never expected a place like this in Brazil, it kinda looks like my german hometown in some pictures. 
yet very lovely place!


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## Jorge M (Jun 11, 2008)

Maria Theresa said:


> 16 -


Jandira Feghali visits Gramado. :lol:

It's a lovely city. I don't care if it's fake.


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## christos-greece (Feb 19, 2008)

Parisian Girl said:


> ^^ Don't they stop - even slow down in Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo for pedestrians? From what I read here I'll take that as a resounding NO!!! Gotta be real quick on yer feet in the big city!! :runaway:


They should stop... why not 
Here in Greece the city which cars stopped for pedestrians is Trikala, Thessaly...
Perhaps and other towns, but in Athens, not... :bash:


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## richardmilk (Feb 11, 2009)

Pegasusbsb27 said:


> hno:hno:hno:hno: I think that your logic is valid only for the medium cities and small towns dude...Our big cities are full of social problems yet.


The mexican was clearly being ironic, i.e. Maria Theresa gives the impression in her posts of a super rich all-white Brazil, which is fair enough of her considering most non-brazilians don't know jack-s* about the country.


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## richardmilk (Feb 11, 2009)

schmidt said:


> Actually Gramado's roots ain't really geeerman. They used Blumenau as a model to increase the tourism in the city and it worked. However the constructions in Gramado look more alpine than anything else so it ain't really German at all. Despite all of that, it's a very pleasant city and I love it. The food is really AMAZING.


Bulls***. First of all, Gramado was founded by german immigrants, which means its roots are german. Second, "alpine" can mean something that is from the Alps or something from high mountains. As long as I know, the Alps range goes through Germany, as well as Switzerland, Austria, etc. So if Gramado is alpine that doesn't mean is not German. Third, Blumenau was never used as a model for tourism in Gramado for the simple reason that Gramado has always atracted more tourists than Blumenau, even though being a much smaller city. So the logic would be for Gramado to serve as model for Blumenau, and not the other way round.


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## Maria Theresa (Jul 1, 2005)

richardmilk said:


> Bulls***. First of all, Gramado was founded by german immigrants, which means its roots are german. Second, "alpine" can mean something that is from the Alps or something from high mountains. As long as I know, the Alps range goes through Germany, as well as Switzerland, Austria, etc. So if Gramado is alpine that doesn't mean is not German. Third, Blumenau was never used as a model for tourism in Gramado for the simple reason that Gramado has always atracted more tourists than Blumenau, even though being a much smaller city. So the logic would be for Gramado to serve as model for Blumenau, and not the other way round.


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## Parisian Girl (Nov 6, 2007)

> christos-greece
> 
> In Gramado town there are Greeks?





Maria Theresa said:


> Not that I recall.


Well, I heard that they booted all the Greeks out of Gramado/Brazil way back in the swinging 60's because they were causing too much trouble! Can't confirm this of course, as I wasn't there, but just saying what I heard through the grapevine!  :lol::lol::lol:

P.S. Christos --> :jk::jk::jk:


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## Parisian Girl (Nov 6, 2007)

christos-greece said:


> They should stop... why not
> Here in Greece the city which cars stopped for pedestrians is Trikala, Thessaly...
> Perhaps and other towns, but in Athens, not... :bash:


But what are u gonna do huh? It's the same all over, from what I see anyway! U just have to be very aware of your surroundings and stay alert at all times when u are out and about any place, never mind just in the big cities I guess.


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## Parisian Girl (Nov 6, 2007)

Príncipe said:


> Yeah drivers here in Brazil are totally crazy lol and they usually don't respect pedestrians - but I also heard that in Brasilia the drivers do stop , but I've never been there so I cannot tell myself .
> 
> But in Italy is not very different from here , *maybe is even worse.*


True, it's the worst! In Italy it's just plain CRAZY on the roads! I'm not kidding, there are literally no rules there, or none that appear to be imposed anyway! It's the worst I've ever seen/experienced in my life. If u are a nervous driver then get some one else to drive because u could be taking your life in your hands! :nuts:


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## Parisian Girl (Nov 6, 2007)

samba_man said:


> Oh yeah! In the rush of big cities dont expect any complacence of the drivers! I may say it is true!


LOL Maybe the best way to stay in one piece is to be _smart_ and invest in a bicycle in such a city?! :lol:


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