Vila Germânica (or German Village) reminded me of Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. Both are an…read more"events complex" filled with stores, restaurants, and various entertainment options. They also remind me that there are alternatives to seeing the area beyond the local "tourist trap". A German colleague that visited here with me commented that he didn't come half way around the world to expect this.
At the same time, it was late November and the place had a nice festive Christmas air to it. Of course, it was summer here, and in a few weeks I'd be in Iceland and get the real deal with dark nights, snow, an amazing children's Christmas concert at Harpa, and the Yule Lads.
The complex spreads over what must be several acres and this is where most of the Blumenau Oktoberfest celebrating occurs and in celebration of this area's German Heritage. The architecture of course is German, as are many of the souvenirs you can buy here including beer mugs, handicrafts, and traditional clothing.
I opted to walk around, buy some Brazilian soaps for Gayle, have an ice cream, relax, and meet Santa. Things are pretty inexpensive in Brazil, so it's definitely worth a look around. My Earthwatch colleagues pretty much did the same, before we all headed "home" to the nearby Pousada Rio da Prata.
