It's hard for me to believe that it was forty years ago, in 1977, I first went to Brazil as a Mormon missionary.  I do make it back to São Paulo now and again, and I have been to a number of other parts of Brazil over the years. Today, however, was my first trip back to São Paulo since adding photography to my list of hobbies.  For months I have anticipated taking night shots of São Paulo.  First night here, and as luck would have it, I am staying at a hotel near Avenida Paulista that has a 25th floor viewing area.
It's equally hard to describe the feeling and emotion that I have for São Paulo. It's a love/hate relationship where love wins out every time. It's easy to freak out about the size, the traffic, the chaos, and the threats of violence. But it is also a city with amazing hidden gems of green spaces, incredible restaurants with foods of every imaginable type, and pulse and pace that imitates the beautiful intonation of Brazilian Portuguese. Â
The photo was taken looking north from near Avenida Paulista, towards the old center and Sé.  Nikon D5500, Rokinon 24mm 2.5sec, f/5.6, ISO 200.  Normally I shoot night shots with Auto White Balance, and every so often I switch to Incandescent. For some reason I'm liking the bluer tones for the night shots in São Paulo.