Yep... And we have our own California here too. It's called "Rio De Janeiro"... A complete shithole with beatiful beaches..(The state literally declared bankrupcy a few years back. Nothing works there and the "cariocas"(people from Rio De Janeiro) are fleeing to cities like mine(Curitiba)... It's incredible how many cariocas do Uber here in my city... And they all say the same thing: "I couldn't take it anymore... Nothing works there.. Everything is dirty .."
But to you guys I suggest visiting two cities: São Paulo and Curitiba. I LOVE SÃO PAULO... Horrible traffic, but everything you want, you find it there... And of the highest quality...
You will be amazed by it... The level of service, the quality of food, the look of these cities... It has nothing to do with what foreigners usually think of Brazil...
Sao Paulo is where the work gets done in Brazil.