Brazil’s Independence Museum Reopening Ahead Of Bicentennial

SAO PAULO (AP) — It took nearly a decade of renovations, but finally one of Brazil’s most popular museums is reopening as part of the country’s bicentennial celebrations.

The Paulista Museum is in the heart of the manicured grounds of Sao Paulo’s Independence Park and holds more than 3,000 items, including 2,800 restored since its closure in 2013. (They include historic documents, paintings, household items and memorabilia.

Known by Brazilians as the Ipiranga Museum, it was founded in 1895 beside a creek where Emperor Pedro I declared the nation’s independence from Portugal.

The works cost some $40 million and made the museum fully accessible to the disabled, restored the building’s façade and doubled its constructed area. Installation of a new air conditioning system also allowed for new collections of delicate items to be shown to the public.

Curators and directors from the University of Sao Paulo, which administers the museum, expect about 1 million visitors over the coming 12 months. The museum will reopen to the public on Sept. 8 — the day after the nation’s Independence Day.

A house atop a small hill in the park also holds some independence memorabilia. The Casa do Grito (House of the Cry) allegedly sits on the exact spot where Pedro I shouted “Independence or Death!” to his supporters.

His remains are buried in a crypt on the park’s southern edge, while his heart is usually kept in a glass container of formaldehyde at the Church of Our Lady of Lapa in the Portuguese city of Porto. The heart was brought to Brazil on loan as part of bicentennial festivities and is also on display to the public.

“This was not built to be a museum initially; it was supposed to be a monument for Brazil’s independence,” curator Solange Ferraz de Lima told journalists during a pre-opening tour on Thursday. “This museum was far from the city, but it was later engulfed by it.”

The museum’s most-visited room features the “Independence or Death,” a painting by Pedro Américo, dated 1888, one year before Brazil became a republic.

Rio de Janeiro’s National Museum, which held Latin America’s largest collection of historical artifacts, has a new façade after a fire that almost destroyed it completely in 2018. Brazilian daily O Globo reported on Thursday that reconstruction of the site will be completed in 2026.

Most Travelers Don't Know That These 6 Hotel Upgrades Are Actually Worth The Cost

If you've ever been on the phone with a hotel reservationist (you know, like back in 1999) or have dealt with the sales pitch people at mega-resorts, you're probably in the group of people who turn down a hotel room upgrade no questions asked -- and understandably so. More often than not, these "upgrades" involve a lot of extra cash and not a lot of additional perks. However, a real deal can be found in the occasional gem of an upgrade. We plugged in August dates and found six hotel rooms where the upgrade from one room type to the one directly above it is well worth the indulgence.

-- Jane Reynolds, Oyster.com

Standard Double Room at The Tophams Hotel, London

Though a luxury hotel, London's The Tophams offers various budget-friendly room categories, the most standard being the Single Room with a Shared Bathroom. This option will certainly save you some cash, but -- for just about $40/night extra -- the Standard Double Room comes with more space, a comfier bed and an en-suite bathroom.

Ocean View Prime Room at the Four Seasons Maui

A stay at the Four Seasons Maui does not come cheap, so it makes sense that guests try to save money where they can. But when you're already paying hundreds upon hundreds of dollars a night for your lavish digs, 50 extra doesn't seem so bad -- and that's what an upgrade from the Ocean View Room to the Ocean View Prime Room will cost you. These rooms not only offer better views (thanks to positions on higher floors), but they also are generally quieter as they overlook the hotel's gardens.

Collection Room at Tivoli Sao Paulo Mofarrej

At Tivoli Sao Paulo Mofarrej, you pay an extra $30/night for less square footage -- bear with us. Though the Collection Rooms are indeed smaller than the Superior Rooms (the category below), their amenities are far superior (ironic, we know). These rooms come with iPods, Nespresso coffeemakers, and bathrooms with slippers, robes, and separate bathtubs and showers -- all of which Superior Rooms lack.

One Bedroom Beach Front Suite at the Bay Gardens Beach Resort, St. Lucia

Upgrading from the Deluxe Beach Front Room to the One Bedroom Beach Front Suite at St. Lucia's Bay Gardens Beach Resort may hike up the nightly rate by $100, but we say it's worth it. Opting for the higher-tiered suite means an additional 250 square feet, as well as a full kitchen, separate living room with a queen pullout bed, dining area, powder room, and master bathroom outfitted with his and hers sinks. After all, you can't put a price on having your own space in front of the mirror!

The Deluxe Room at the Shangri-La Hotel Paris

When you're dropping thousands on some of the chicest accommodations in Paris, what's an extra $55/night? That's what you pay when you switch from the Superior Room at the Shangri-La to the Deluxe Room, which offers more space and a separate soaking tub in the bathroom. Be sure to ask for a Deluxe Room with a balcony.

Junior Suite at Hotel Saratoga, Majorca

For about $40/night, guests can upgrade from a Deluxe Room at Hotel Saratoga to a Junior Suite. We saved the best upgrade for last: Opting for this higher-category room means the addition of a top-notch speaker system as well as a ton more space -- which includes a large sitting area with leather couches and a desk, and a wraparound balcony.

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Turkish Airlines Launches Istanbul-San Francisco Nonstop

Turkish Airlines added its 2nd destination in California and 11th in the Americas by inaugurating flights to San Francisco.

With existing services to Buenos Aires, Sao Paulo, Toronto, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Washington, Boston and Montreal, Turkish Airlines adds flights to San Francisco as its 11th destination in the Americas.

Beginning on April, 13, 2015, San Francisco flights will be operated 5 times per week on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays in both directions.