Sunday, September 11, 2016

Eco - Tourism - part 2




 With our guide Sergio in the car and the rest of the day to explore, we head out of Lencois on the same roads we drove into the quaint little town on. We enter Park National da Chapada Diamantina  heading towards our first destination and soon the roads become partially paved and then gravel surrounded by beautiful landscape filled with rock formations, mesas and gorgeous vegetation.  Not sure if the tour guide brought us the most direct way  but we really do not care as we arrive at Enchanted Well ready to explore.   A small welcome center with friendly Brazilians greet us as we find the last spot in the shade to park out car.  We prepare to hike into the cavern just a few meters away.  We put on our hard hats equipped with headlights and set off following our fearless 
img_2398guide.  Into the cave we descent enjoying the beautiful natural wallpaper covering the rocks around.  We come to the Enchanted Well which is a giant sunken pool 120 feet deep with water so clear you see the rocks and other items at the bottom of it.  When the sun is just right,  light coming through the crevices reflects on the water giving it a blue tint.   A delicate ecosystem strives way down here so far below the surface.  Our time is spent enjoying the quiet hidden away treasure and soon we turn back and return to our car up above.  I have to say the hike down was much easier then the return up the winding steps, but I guess that is what one would expect. 

img_2430Our time cave exploring is over and after a quick snack it is on to our next destination.  Down the dirt roads once again,  through color full little towns with their historic churches we travel.   We end up in Mucuge Bahia which is the location of our next stop.  On the edge of town in front of the "great wall" (a grand embankment) sits Cemetery Santa Izabel.  Filled with  Byzantine style tombs all stark white standing gloriously against today's blue sky.  These artistic tributes to those who have gone before us are primarily from the early 19th img_2436century when outbreaks of cholera and smallpox came to the town and prompted the citizens to bury their dead  outside the city limits.  As we stroll through the tombstones,  it is easy to identify which years the epidemics were more devastating as the number of deaths are higher.   If you have not already figured,  I find cemeteries to be calm, quiet and full of great art.  The Gothic style tributes of this cemetery do not disappoint me as they are truly an adventure in itself with detail surprises throughout.   We spend a little over an hour exploring all these ancient creations. 




img_2477It is a couple of kilometers from Mucuge and that is where we head next to enjoy lunch at a local restaurant on the corner of the town square.  After lunch,  we do a little exploring of the small town and get some great photos.  Settle by Portuguese immigrants in the late eighteenth century,  traces of indigenous occupation prior to the present day inhabitants have been discovered in recent years.  It is one of the oldest settlements in the region filled with outstanding characteristics and img_2479
historic colonial mansions of Portuguese style.   A thriving community of the Brazilian diamond rush era,  its population hit approximately thirty thousand  and was an important commercial center in the nineteenth century.   Diamonds were discovered in the caves around the city which created it as noteworthy city worldwide and it is said that it had and embassy of France within its city walls.    (thanks Wikipedia)  
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img_2512Soon it is time to leave Mucuge and to head to our final stop for the day the "musue vivo do Garimpo (Living Museum of Garimpo).  It is a short drive and soon we arrive at the museum on the banks of the Mucugê Creek where the first diamonds were found in Bahia according to legend.  Hike the short trail to a nice history center filled with artifacts of the diamond era and local traditions.    Diamond cutting tools, 
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measuring scales, mining tools, and typical clothing of the time are just a few of the artifacts displayed.  After our time in the museum we head outside and hike along the creek where the water is red from the minerals.  The creek is full of small waterfalls and surrounded by the same amazing landscape and greenery we have enjoyed throughout this reagion.  The falls remind me of Sioux Falls although there the rocks are red, not
the water.  It is getting l=to be late afternoon so we head back to Lencois for a good night sleep as tomorrow is another travel day onto Salvador.  This area would definitely be an part of Brazil I would visit again to see more of the amazing waterfalls, caves, and other natural wonders still left unexplored by me.

Thursday, August 4, 2016

A Walking I Will Gp - Goiania Brazil


IMG_1456Yesterday afternoon I found myself with a little down time so I headed out the door and went for a little walk.  Ok - it was a longer walk over 2 hours and according to fit bit over 6000 steps and definitely longer then I first intended.  About five blocks from home I began taking note of some of the things I spotted and decided to share my observations. As I walked along I noticed a wall which has been constructed in the past six months or less.  It is like other walls along the road creating a boarder between the sidewalk and personal property.  What I paid a little more attention to on this day was the tagging which was scribbled across the newly painted structure.  The culprits sure did not waste any time before they streaked their black lines across the tan wall.  Yes, Goiania is full of graffiti and most of my friends here are not happy about it.   I have noticed this before and in other Brazilian cities but on my walk today I pay a little closer attention to it.  I notice that some of the graffiti in the city is quite artistic and then there is some which has no artistic value like the one in the first photo.   On almost every block there is some sort of graffiti to grab the passerby's attention. I meander a little further and come to a park with a community center or gym located in the center.  We have driven by this building before and I have always wanted to take a closer look.  It is IMG_1531covered with graffiti but this almost looks as if it has a purpose with some actual art being involved.  As I walk up to the structure to take a closer look I think of the murals they are painting under the bridges and underpasses along the beltline bike trails in Atlanta.  There is not a lot of difference between what we call art and graffiti.   I will continue to scour the city walls of Goiania for more art among the graffiti and share it from time to time. In the meantime enjoy this short video with graffiti from Goiania. I figure this is better then having all the pictures listed below.  Let me know what you think...




A special apology to all my Brazilian friends who would rather not have me show what they consider the ugly side of Brazil but it is truly life in Brazil.  I remember a day when cities in the United States were plagued with this vandalism, not sure how they got rid of it but hopefully Brazil will follow suite and it will get better. At least the non artistic part of it.

Thursday, July 7, 2016

Landing in Goiania - Winter 2016 (July)

So it has been a while since I posted anything and I hope this catapults me back into spending at least a little bit of time blogging.  I have some pieces to finish, some videos to edit and more thoughts to share.  In the meantime enjoy this video of my landing flying Azul Airlines into Goiania Brazil.



Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Brazil's National Anthem

Well the Olympic Games are coming to RIo  in a couple of months and what better time to take a look at the Brazilian National Anthem.  A symbol of this nation sung with such energy and passion by the home fans.  Brazil as a country is a melting pot of people from all over the world,  I wanted to know how the lyrics compared to that of the National Anthem of the United States.  Thanks Wikipedia for the translation.

Portuguese lyricsEnglish translation
First stanza
Ouviram do Ipiranga as margens plácidas
De um povo heroico o brado retumbante,
E o sol da Liberdade, em raios fúlgidos,
Brilhou no céu da Pátria nesse instante.

Se o penhor dessa igualdade
Conseguimos conquistar com braço forte,
Em teu seio, ó Liberdade,
Desafia o nosso peito a própria morte!

Ó Pátria amada,
Idolatrada,
Salve! Salve!

Brasil, um sonho intenso, um raio vívido,
De amor e de esperança à terra desce,
Se em teu formoso céu, risonho e límpido,
A imagem do Cruzeiro resplandece.

Gigante pela própria natureza,
És belo, és forte, impávido colosso,
E o teu futuro espelha essa grandeza.

Terra adorada
Entre outras mil
És tu, Brasil,
Ó Pátria amada!

Dos filhos deste solo
És mãe gentil,
Pátria amada,
Brasil!
The placid banks of Ipiranga heard
the resounding cry of a heroic people
and in shining rays, the sun of liberty
shone in our homeland's skies at this very moment.

If the assurance of this equality
we achieved by our mighty arms,
in thy bosom, O freedom,
our chest shall defy death itself!

O beloved,
idolized homeland,
Hail, hail!

Brazil, an intense dream, a vivid ray
of love and hope descends to earth
if in thy lovely, smiling and clear skies
the image of the (Southern) Cross
shines resplendently.

Giant by thine own nature,
thou art beautiful, thou art strong, an intrepid colossus,
and thy future mirrors thy greatness.

Beloved Land
amongst a thousand others
art thou, Brazil,
O beloved homeland!

To the sons of this land
thou art a gentle mother,
beloved homeland,
Brazil!
Second stanza
Deitado eternamente em berço esplêndido,
Ao som do mar e à luz do céu profundo,
Fulguras, ó Brasil, florão da América,
Iluminado ao sol do Novo Mundo!

Do que a terra mais garrida
Teus risonhos, lindos campos têm mais flores,
"Nossos bosques têm mais vida",
"Nossa vida" no teu seio "mais amores". (*)

Ó Pátria amada,
Idolatrada,
Salve! Salve!

Brasil, de amor eterno seja símbolo
O lábaro que ostentas estrelado,
E diga o verde-louro dessa flâmula
- Paz no futuro e glória no passado.

Mas se ergues da justiça a clava forte,
Verás que um filho teu não foge à luta,
Nem teme, quem te adora, a própria morte.

Terra adorada
Entre outras mil
És tu, Brasil,s
Ó Pátria amada!

Dos filhos deste solo
És mãe gentil,
Pátria amada,
Brasil!
Eternally laid on a splendid cradle,
by the sound of the sea and the light of the deep sky,
thou shinest, O Brazil, finial of America,
illuminated by the sun of the New World!

Than the most elegant land abroad,
thy smiling, pretty prairies have more flowers
"Our meadows have more life",
"our life" in thy bosom "more love". (*)

O beloved,
idolized homeland,
Hail, hail!

Brazil, of eternal love be the symbol
the starred banner thou showest forth
and proclaim the laurel-green of thy pennant
'Peace in the future and glory in the past.'

But if thou raisest the strong gavel of Justice,
thou wilt see that a son of thine flees not from battle,
nor does he who loves thee fear his very own death.

Beloved Land,
amongst a thousand others
art thou, Brazil,
O beloved homeland!

To the sons of this land
thou art a gentle mother,
beloved homeland,
Brazil!