What you might not have known about Brasil, part 1

I find myself fascinated with Latin America. I know it may not be hip, but there isn't a place like it in the world. I know what you're thinking, "you served there, thats why you're so passionate about the place." That's mostly true, and admittedly the spark that ignited my interest in the region - but the more I learn about it, the more I love it and all of its complexity. I really feel like this passion of mine has chosen me.

As many of you know, I'm living in Sao Paulo, Brasil. This place is incomprehensibly gargantuan. The city and outlying area has a total population of 19,889,559 people - making it the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th largest city in the world (depending on where you read it). It's also considered the most vertical city in the world. There is much debate as to what city in the world has the most skyscrapers, and depending on what article you read and their definition of skyscraper you get a different answer. Hong Kong typically wins because the average height of the buildings is much higher than Sao Paulo. New York usually comes in a close second because of height and density due to limited terrain. But as far as actual number of buildings, Sao Paulo puts them to shame (although they are typically shorter and spread about a much wider area). Come and visit us friends, and I'll let you be the judge.