Brazil – Sept/Oct 2014 June 30, 2015
Posted by freda in Birmingham, Michigan.1 comment so far
Better late than never, right?!? This post is all about our two-week trip to Brazil last September-October 2014. Enjoy.
We have friends living in Brazil, working for GM, so we decided to take advantage of their generous hospitality and visit this interesting country for a few weeks. We flew overnight out of Detroit on Friday, September 26th, arriving Saturday morning, the 27th. We were met at the airport by the driver for Marcos and Marcia, our first hosts, and driven to their beautiful country home, about 1 1/2 hours outside the city of São Paulo, where we spent the weekend.
Marcos’ and Marcia’s country home
Their home is on an acre of property in a gated community. Marcos planted most of the trees on their property, a beautiful variety, and managed to preserve a coffee shrub from the original coffee plantation that once was on this land.
coffee shrub
coffee berries
the jaca or jackfruit grows right out of the trunks
they have grafted orchids onto their trees – love this idea
this beautiful bird had a nest close by (Don)
Can’t believe Don captured the hummingbird!
We walked around their lovely gated community and saw more flora and fauna:
ubiquitous cormorants
a capybara – largest rodent in the world, somewhat related to the guinea pig (but W-A-Y bigger)
Southern lapwing
bougainvillea – one of my favourites
We relaxed on the deck with Marcos’ special caipirinhas, made with mixed fruit rather than the usual lime:
Cheers with a caipirinha!
while Marcia prepared the tradition Brazilian feijoada:
Marcia stirring the HUGE pot of feijoada
This rich black bean stew, now considered Brazil’s national dish, “traces its humble origins to the kitchens of the country’s slave quarters. To make a meal with the leftovers from their masters’ tables, the slaves improvised by combining cast-off bits of meat into a hearty stew with black beans, flavoured with garlic, onion and bay leaves. Side dishes include rice, roasted cassava flour (farofa), sauteed kale, and slices of oranges.” We had the complete spread:
feijoado completa
On Monday the four of flew to Salvador, Bahia, and then drove a little further north to stay at a lovely resort. We were greeted with coconut water:
coconut water is very refreshing
and settled into a very relaxing and beautiful location:
beautiful beach
extensive grounds
infinity pool
with some interesting creatures sharing our space:
I would’ve been happier if this large iguana was further from our lounge chairs! (Don)
this one preferred being “in disguise” closer to the grass (Don)
these monkeys usually joined us for breakfast
There were always lots of fishers nearby…
fishing (Don)
and who knows what these cuties were up to…. 🙂
fun in the sun (Don)
We visited the turtle sanctuary in the village: Projeto TAMAR, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Projeto_TAMAR, with lots of good detail for families to learn about the importance of preserving these beautiful creatures…
Don caught these sea turtles kissing 🙂
gracefully swimming
…and went twice into the town of Salvador, the third largest city in Brazil, founded by the Portuguese in 1549, and the heart of Afro-Brazil, as this was the point-of-entry for the thousands of slaves brought to Brazil from ports in Africa.
By the time we got there on our first visit, it was getting dark. The art deco Elevador Lacerda was lit up – a stunning sight:
Elevador Lacerda
It was built by merchant Antônia Francisco de Lacerda in 1873, from the original Jesuit-installed manual pulley, and connects the lower town to the upper town. The elevator’s current Art Deco look dates from a 1930s restoration. It is used by 30,000 people daily. Four elevators make the 236-ft trip up vertical shafts in just 30 seconds. It cost about 7cents per person.
The view at the top is lovely:
view at the top
We wandered through the historic town centre, Pelourinho. The word which means “whipping post,”originally described only the small triangular plaza in the heart of the city where slaves were publicly flogged. Located on a high bluff overlooking the commercial city below, Pelourinho was built by the Portuguese in the boom years of the 18th and 19th centuries as a residential and administrative centre. Abandoned for a greater part of the 20th century, Pelourinho was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985.”
The main square, or Largo, is surrounded by colourful buildings, including the Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos, or Church of the Rosary of the Blacks, which was built by slaves in the 18th century, because they could not attend any other churches, and was built during the night, when they were ‘free’ from their daytime duties. It is still the centre of Afro-Brazilian traditions, and was rocking when we were there – full of worshippers, singing, clapping, and dancing. The outside railings are covered with colourful good luck ribbons.
in the Largo do Pelourinho, in front of Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Pretos (blue building) – Church of the Rosary of the Blacks
good luck ribbons
We wandered the main streets, enjoying the architecture and action, but our “minders” (driver-body guards) didn’t like us lingering too long, (though we were perfectly safe), so we headed back to the resort with the plan to return in the daytime.
beautifully lit Church
locals enjoying themselves (Don)
On our last day in the area, before heading to the airport, we spent a few hours touring Salvador in the daylight. We headed first to the Church and Convent of St. Francis to tour “one of Brazil’s most impressive Baroque monuments. The complex was constructed between 1708 and 1750. The convent’s church stands out for its rich and opulent interior. The inner walls and the ceiling are largely covered in gold leaf.”
The church facade is found in the Largo de São Francisco..
St. Francis Church and convent in St. Francis square
and we were greeted exuberantly by this woman (who of course wanted to be paid to be in a picture)…
Welcome!!
happy to see us (i.e. be paid by us!)
The cloisters – secluded interior arcades – are where the monks of St. Francis would gather for quiet contemplation. The walls are beautifully lined with tiles from Portugal.
cloisters
tile detail
the unbelievable gold-leafed interior; it’s ALL gold
Next door is the church of the Third Order of St. Francis, with an ornately carved and detailed soapstone facade, which is the only one of its kind in Brazil. The facade remained hidden for many years behind a layer of plaster, and was uncovered by accident when wiring was being installed in the 1930s.
soapstone exterior
After touring the church, we wandered through the colourful old town…
town detail
town detail, with St. Francis in the back
town shops
colourful buildings in the old town centre
street food
…and then into the Casa de Jorge Amado, a small museum dedicated to Jorge Amado, one of Brazil’s most famous authors (1912-2001). He didn’t live in this neighbourhood, but several of his novels were set here, and several scenes from the movie Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands, based on his book of the same name, were filmed in the old town centre. His books have been translated into more than 60 languages.
museum dedicated to author Jorge Amado
bust of Jorge Amado
museum display case with Amado’s typewriter
some of his many book covers
And so, one last amazing meal in the state of Bahia before flying back to São Paulo and the next leg of our trip…
unbelievablely delicious meal
Goodbye and obrigada, Marcos and Marcia
Part two of our Brazilian adventure was staying with good friends Jaime and Martha, in their gorgeous São Paulo apartment, overlooking Parque do Ibirapuera, the largest green space in central São Paulo.
view from apartment balcony over park and city skyline
While Jaime was at work on Friday, Martha took us to visit a few galleries and the market. Our first stop was Pinacoteca do Estado, dedicated to Brazilian art. We saw some beautiful paintings and sculptures, including this powerful one entitled “The Brazilian” (O Brasileiro) by Raphael Galvez:
The Brazilian
We also visited Estação Pinacoteca, dedicated to more contemporary and modern works of art, and the Museu Arte Sacra, Sacred Arts.
Lunch was at the municipal market, the oldest in the city:
stained glass window at the market
inside the market
who doesn’t love beautifully displayed produce?!?
dried fish and so much more
On Saturday and Sunday, Jaime joined us for more of the city. First stop on Saturday: the Museu do Futebol (Football Museum). Even if you aren’t a soccer fan, this is an excellent museum.
Museu do Futebol (Don)
futebols (Don)
the stadium
And then to a late and typical Brazilian lunch, in a beautiful location with panoramic views of the sprawling city:
Jaime & Marta; Don & Freda. Love that the restaurant placed our national flags to welcome us (Colombia, Brasil, Canada)
this is one seriously sprawling city
sprawling in another direction
happy friends
After lunch we searched out a bookstore from a list I have of beautiful and interesting bookstores in the world. (Of course I do!) We went to two. We also wandered through a neighbourhood of fun boutiques and bars.
love the hanging dragon sculpture in the Livraria Cultura
The Livraria da Vila makes the list for its unique doors..
..which Martha starts to close
Brazil’s famous Havaianas flip-flops
I loved this store full of eclectic and unique Brazilian-made products:
eclectic store
candle holder for the garden
interesting light fixture
this store loves unique light fixtures!
We wandered through the Parque do Ibirapuera, where there were several beautiful flowering Ipê trees:
Ipê trees
in the park
and these interesting trees
There’s an Afro-Brazilian musuem in the park, but unfortunately it was closed. These great sculptures stand at the entrance:
sculptures
We also went to Liberdade, which is the Japanese neighbourhood of São Paulo, which has more ethnic Japanese than any other city outside of Japan, and where we had a most excellent lunch…
in Liberdade
a boatful of goodness
São Paulo is full of graffiti, most of it making the city look dirty and run-down, but in a few locations there are gorgeous works of graffiti art:
graffiti is art
graffiti art
We thoroughly enjoyed our long weekend in São Paulo. On Monday, Martha joined Don and me on a 3-day trip to Rio de Janeiro. We were so lucky to stay in the apartment of a friend of hers, (who wasn’t there), and to have the services of Martha’s driver and body guard for our safety and convenience.
view through our apartment window
After settling into the home for the next 3 days, we were off for a late lunch.
first lunch in Rio (it was a little chilly on the patio)
I had read a travel feature about Rio in The Globe and Mail (Canadian national newspaper), and one suggestion for “a magical musical experience” was to go to “Pedra do Sal: a giant rock at the site of a slave market, where slaves once unloaded cargoes of salt. When released from work they would dance there and musicologists call this the ‘cradle of samba.’ Today, musicians gather to jam in one corner and an admiring crowd spreads up the rock, which was carved with nooks and steps back in the 1800s.” This gathering happens every Monday night – which was our first night in the city. It wasn’t easy for the driver and bodyguard to find, and they weren’t too happy about us being there, thinking it unsafe, but we spent a fun hour in the crowd, sipping a cold beer and listening to some great music.
Pedra do Sal
I love the art on the walls
the musicians
full moon over more art
The next day we toured the Jardim Botânico, “one of the most fascinating gardens in the world, founded in 1808. Originally meant to acclimatize plants and spices coming in from the Orient and the East Indies, it later became the Royal Garden, and opened to the public in 1822. Amongs its many illustrious visitors were Charles Darwin in 1832 and Albert Einstein in 1925. Today, Jardim Botânico includes 205 acres of natural rainforest, and is home to many species of plants, as well as innumerable types of birds and animals. However, the garden’s signature are the 200 imperial palms that line its main avenues.” You’ll have to excuse the numerous photos from the garden, though they are just a fraction of what we took!
these guys greeted us at the entrance (Don)
beautiful waterfall
I can’t resist water in a garden
and Don can’t resist birds
beautiful lily pads (Don)
cuties in a school group (Don)
bamboo grove
plantation-style building
several of these monkeys running about
interesting flowers (Don)
enjoying walking in the gardens
the famous imperial palms (Don)
a brief glimpse of Cristo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer) between the palms, which was our next stop (Don)
“Corcovado Mountain is 2,316-ft high, and derives its name from corcova (hunchback), which describes its physical appearance. Corcovado is located in the centre of Rio and can be seen from most areas of the city. On the summit, the iconic Cristo Redentor statue towers over Rio, and is Brazil’s most recognizable landmark. It was officially inaugurated in 1931 to mark the centenary of Brazil’s independence. The enormous statue sits in the centre of the tropical jungle of Parque Nacional da Tijuca, which contains the world’s largest urban forest.” You have to take a cog train up the summit of the mountain, originally built in 1882 by Dom Pedro II, though the current Swiss train dates from 1979. It’s a slow ride up a VERY steep mountain. It’s incredible to think about how the tracks were laid and how the statue was built. After the train, there are several flights of steps.
I’ve always felt Vancouver is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, but on the top of Corcovado Mountain, overlooking Rio, I thought Rio just *might* have Vancouver beat for vista.
the view as we climbed the steps to the top
first view of Cristo Redentor, as we still climb
view from the top, with Sugar Loaf Mountain
Cristo Redentor
the full statue
school kids thought it was fun to have a “selfie” with a blonde stranger! 😀
Back down Corcovado Mountain and over to Sugar Loaf Mountain. “Guarding the entrance to Guanabara Bay, the monolithic granite and quartz Sugar Loaf rises 1,300 ft above the waters of the southern Atlantic Ocean. From the summit, it is easy to understand why the early explorers believed that they had sailed into the mouth of a great river they christened Rio de Janeiro. The name of Sugar Loaf, adopted in the 19th century, is assumed to have been derived from the mountain’s shape, which resembles conical clay molds used earlier to refine sugar. The Tupi Indians, however, called it “Pau-nh-Acuqua,” which translates to high, pointed or isolated hill.
You have to take two separate cable cars up to the summit.
cable car up to the summit of Sugar Loaf Mountain
We got to the top at the most perfect time to buy a beer and watch the sun set over the city….
the sun starts to set behind Christ the Redeemer (Don)
closer look
cold beers, great view
my profile pic
sweeping view (Don)
beautiful sunset
Of course we had to walk the beaches of Rio, the whole length, in fact, from Leblon, to Ipanema, to Arpoador, to Copacabana. It was a stunningly gorgeous day…
at the beginning: Praia do Leblon
Leblon is, apparently, a fashionable and desirable neighbourhood – but see that mass of housing on the hill: that’s a favela….
favela
miles of beach
refreshing coconut water for sale
or, you could buy a refreshing beverage from this vendor!
or buy a bikini from this vendor!! No, I did not.
there were several surfers waiting for their wave
We took a break here for a cold drink and ice cream
“The Forte de Copacabana was built in 1914 on the promontory of the chapel, as Rio’s defence against attack, and offers scenic views of the entire sweep of Copacabana.”
looking back at the Forte
And then we walked the Copacabana beach to see great sand sculptures and a display I loved outside the venue that was holding TED talks…
this sand sculpture is a riot!
closer detail and a bird! (Don)
the famous hotel
TED talks venue
I love umbrellas; this artistic display delighted me!
close up
After the long walk, we had an excellent meal at a typical botecos – know for their simplicisty and good food – called Jobi: highly recommended!
cold beer and great food at Jobi
The next day we started with a quick look at the Estádio Maracanã – one of the most famous soccer grounds in the world, and the largest:
Estádio Maracanã
in the stadium
yes, Chevrolet is a sponsor
colourful seating
dressing room
And right outside this most famous stadium, more favelas…
favela across the street from the stadium
closer view and graffiti
From the stadium we went to the Lapa area to see the Arcos da Lapa, an aqueduct built in 1724 to bring water down from the Santa Teresa forest…
Arcos da Lapa
Arcos da Lapa aqueduct
arc detail
beautiful Lapa neighbourhood
…and then to see the Escadaria Selaron, or Selaron Steps: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Escadaria_Selar%C3%B3n – a work of tile art, over 250 steps, that Chilean-born artist Jorge Selarón started working on in 1990. People sent or brought him tiles from all over the world to add to the project.
Escadaria Selarón
the long view
lots of Dutch tiles, among others
Canada!!
favela humour
houses beside the steps (Don)
mail box for house beside stairs
Time for a coffee break, at Confeitaria Colombo, a “tearoom that dates from 1894 and remains a mix of Art Nouveau and Belle Epoque. It was a meeting point for intellectuals, artists, and politicians. The mirrors were shipped in from Belgium and the marble from Italy and much of the original furniture is made from Brazilian jacaranda.”
Colombo Tearoom
beautiful interior and ceiling
spot Don and Freda in the mirror 🙂
After the pause that refreshes, we did a little more wandering in the neighbourhood. The Nossa Senhora da Candelária is one of Rio’s oldest churches, this structure dates from 1775…
Nossa Senhora da Candelária
and the Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Sebastian, better known as the Metropolitan Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro is the most interesting (I think)…
unique Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro
that small structure is the bell tower!
graffiti art
One last meal in Rio before we flew back to São Paulo…
gorgeous view of the Sugar Mountain from the restaurant
more lovely view
Back in São Paulo for one night, and our last day. We had lunch with good friend Denise, and then visited the General Motors office and toured the factory – a little nostalgic for Don, who used to visit there often for work when we lived in Florida…
lunch with Denise
delicious lunch
in the factory
in the factory
removing the safety gear
And that was the end of a wonderful visit to Brazil….Tchau!
fountain in the gardens in Rio
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