created a new melting pot in the deep south of Brazil. In the town of Paraty he meets up with Prince João de Bragança (heir to the defunct throne of Brazil when the Portuguese court fled from Napoleon's occupation), who did much to establish the institutions that have enabled Brazil's economy to flourish. Palin visits Embraer, one of the recent high-tech success stories and now the world's third-largest commercial aircraft manufacturer. He takes part in the handover of a jet to the Dutch air carrier KLM. Palin next moves to the largest city in the southern hemisphere, São Paulo, which is the helicopter capital of the world with over 400 helicopters avoiding the massive traffic jams below. He visits the studios of Brazil's popular soap operas that not rarely last more than eight months. He visits Japanese residents who comprise 1.5 million of the population, with their own newspaper. Palin is then taken to the home of rap star, philosopher and poet Criolo in the slums of São Paulo, who thinks the notion of social equality is a distant dream for most Brazilians. This view is countered by a visit to ex-president Fernando Henrique Cardoso, who gives a more optimistic vision. Travelling south to Blumenau and Pomerode, Palin finds German speakers stubbornly sticking to their German roots in their buildings and customs. In the vast wetlands of the Pantanal Palin catches a piranha, which is instantly turned into sashimi by his guide. He helps the cowboys treat a calf attacked by a jaguar, and sees the diversity of the wildlife. Palin's journey ends at the Iguazu Falls, where he concludes that Brazil has much to offer the world as it takes its place as a new superpower. UK viewing figures: 3.53 million Book Brazil, a book to accompany the series, was published on 11 October 2012. References External links 2012 British television series debuts 2012 British television series endings 2010s British documentary television series BBC television documentaries BBC travel television series 2010s British travel television series English-language television shows Television shows filmed in Brazil Television shows set in Brazil Works by Michael Palin