Cost of Living in Brazil

[JMBroad]

Originally Posted by mitico67

does anybody know of supermarkets who have a website. It'd be interesting to check the prices

Not a supermarket per se but each deals with either some cleaning products, or coffee, sugar, etc and some actually have a wide range and prices.

Supermercado Veneza - RedeMAIS - +55 84 3206-6383

Center Atacado - www.centeratacado.com.br - +55 84 3213-5582

Carrefour - É aqui que a gente vai encontrar (no prices though but gives a good idea of the range of available goods) - an example of a postal code (CEP) needed for Natal is 59020 400

Just in case you are interested, here is the walmart webpage for everything other than food. Remember that all the top brands are also available in Natal but for brands you'll pay through the nose.

www.walmart.com.br

[debzor]

Originally Posted by mitico67

does anybody know of supermarkets who have a website. It'd be interesting to check the prices

Try:
Extra.com.br or
www.walmart.com.br

[Dotty]

As most people that will know that live here that crime has been rising rapidly over the past yr.

We were living in a relatively safe city a while ago,but not anymore. For those of you that drive with your windows open ,might be an idea to always keep them closed at night.Our luck finally ran it course yesterday as a young boy (about 12) held a knife to my partners throat at the traffic lights demanding money .If he didn't pay up he would be stabbed in the throat.

I couldn't understand why when the light had turned green that we had not moved on as normally he would have done.

The young boy looked off his face on drugs,a Trope Elite type favela character .You might think ,oh but he's just a young boy-obvious,but what is hanging around with him is another hurdle. My young son had seen 4 other boys in the tree acting as look outs.

He was happy with 2 reais!!

[debzor]

Originally Posted by Dotty

As most people that will know that live here that crime has been rising rapidly over the past yr.

We were living in a relatively safe city a while ago,but not anymore. For those of you that drive with your windows open ,might be an idea to always keep them closed at night.Our luck finally ran it course yesterday as a young boy (about 12) held a knife to my partners throat at the traffic lights demanding money .If he didn't pay up he would be stabbed in the throat.

I couldn't understand why when the light had turned green that we had not moved on as normally he would have done.

The young boy looked off his face on drugs,a Trope Elite type favela character .You might think ,oh but he's just a young boy-obvious,but what is hanging around with him is another hurdle. My young son had seen 4 other boys in the tree acting as look outs.

He was happy with 2 reais!!

Hi Dotty, I am very sorry to hear of your unfortunate experience, and trust you are both OK now. Sounds like peer pressure on kids.

To be fair, this sort of thing happens in large cities all over the world, indeed we had a spate of car jackings, etc, at traffic lights in the UK not long ago.

Many Brazilians, when driving in cities, now only slow down for red lights at night, and new cars here automatically lock themselves.

I must say though, that crime where I live is substantially down over the past year. We have had great success in getting rid of the old Delegado, (he was useless - the new one is a real hot shot), and the police have now received new officers, cars, motorbikes, 4 wheel drive pickup, motorboat and other equipment.

[Dotty]

Thanks very much.

Of course it happens all over the world,but so much aggression is used in Brasil and they just do not play easy.Now i know why so many people carry armed guns in their cars here.

When we drove from the scene and contacted the police immediately,they basically said that unless we go directly to the police station and make a statement they would not go to the scene and arrest him and that they were understaffed!!

Originally Posted by debzor

Hi Dotty, I am very sorry to hear of your unfortunate experience, and trust you are both OK now. Sounds like peer pressure on kids.

To be fair, this sort of thing happens in large cities all over the world, indeed we had a spate of car jackings, etc, at traffic lights in the UK not long ago.

Many Brazilians, when driving in cities, now only slow down for red lights at night, and new cars here automatically lock themselves.

I must say though, that crime where I live is substantially down over the past year. We have had great success in getting rid of the old Delegado, (he was useless - the new one is a real hot shot), and the police have now received new officers, cars, motorbikes, 4 wheel drive pickup, motorboat and other equipment.

[davehoskings]

Originally Posted by Dotty

Thanks very much.

Of course it happens all over the world,but so much aggression is used in Brasil and they just do not play easy.Now i know why so many people carry armed guns in their cars here.

When we drove from the scene and contacted the police immediately,they basically said that unless we go directly to the police station and make a statement they would not go to the scene and arrest him and that they were understaffed!!

First of sorry to see that happen to you.

That isn't aggression, aggression is when they just shoot you dead for kicks and then take everything, like they do in certain parts of South Africa.

First you complain about police being lax regarding the law and now you are complaining that as you rang the police they should just run out and arrest someone. What happens when you don't show up to provide a statement? Unless the police witness the crime, without a statement they have to let the kid go and he will complain about false arrest.

[Dotty]

The young boy casually walked back to his piece of grass between the traffic lights waiting for the next victim.Had the police come along they would would have found him carrying a knife and high on crack cocaine or heroine with 2 real in his pocket!

I actually feel bad for the boy because of his situations in life growing up in poverty and what his future outcome is becoming and how can he and millions of others get out of such a mess.

Originally Posted by davehoskings

First of sorry to see that happen to you.

That isn't aggression, aggression is when they just shoot you dead for kicks and then take everything, like they do in certain parts of South Africa.

First you complain about police being lax regarding the law and now you are complaining that as you rang the police they should just run out and arrest someone. What happens when you don't show up to provide a statement? Unless the police witness the crime, without a statement they have to let the kid go and he will complain about false arrest.

[Dotty]

Today there are reports in the papers of large scale armed assaults in homes in Pium,a pousada in Cotovelo and a pousada in Redinha.

It appears to have been an organised gang whos intentions were to assault ,rob families of their personal belongings,t.v,camaras,clothes,shoes,cars,perfume and foreign currencies.

To read more go to - Tribuna do Norte - Notícias de Natal e RN. or www.diariodonatal.com.br

[debzor]

Originally Posted by Dotty

Today there are reports in the papers of large scale armed assaults in homes in Pium,a pousada in Cotovelo and a pousada in Redinha.

It appears to have been an organised gang whos intentions were to assault ,rob families of their personal belongings,t.v,camaras,clothes,shoes,cars,perfume and foreign currencies.

To read more go to - Tribuna do Norte - Notícias de Natal e RN. or www.diariodonatal.com.br

The responsibility for the actions, or inactions, of the local civil police, (the plain clothed officers who investigate crime), rests with the Delegado for each police station.

Here we have seen the polar difference between a rubbish one and an excellent one; the resultant dramatic reduction in crime, increase in resource and morale. Would your local Delegado stand up in a public meeting and voluntarily give out all his phone numbers, including his personal mobile, and invite anyone who is a victim to call him direct to ensure swift action?

We found that the local government were very sensitive to crime against foreigners in particular, (their spending can benefit all levels of Brazilian society), and were keen to listen to a concensus of opinion. I have detailed what happened in the Itamaraca thread, but maybe this is the way forward for Natal.

[davehoskings]

Originally Posted by Dotty

Today there are reports in the papers of large scale armed assaults in homes in Pium,a pousada in Cotovelo and a pousada in Redinha.

It appears to have been an organised gang whos intentions were to assault ,rob families of their personal belongings,t.v,camaras,clothes,shoes,cars,perfume and foreign currencies.

To read more go to - Tribuna do Norte - Notícias de Natal e RN. or www.diariodonatal.com.br

I can't find anything on either site...