Next stop -- Belo Horizonte -- Part 2

Liberdade Square

Well, we found our way to Belo Horizonte (bɛloɾiˈzõtʃi] Beautiful Horizon) and I gave you my first impressions but I did not give any back ground.  Let's start with a little intro about the third largest metropolitan area in Brazil.  The first settlement here was a small farm founded in 1701 by bandeirante explorers from Sao Paulo.  The farm was given the name "Curral d'el Rey" and with its success others soon settled in the area and  soon it became a village surrounded by farms.  Many migrants passed through the small village stopping for prayers at its little wooden chapel asking for a good journey as they set off for the south.
In 1893, after Brazil's independence from Portugal,   many of the states prominent intellectuals demanded a new state capital be created.  This small village was chosen due to its climate and topographic conditions as the new economic and cultural center for the state and the name was changed to "Cidade de Minas" (Minas City).  Plans began quickly for Brazil's second planned city and in 1897 the city was finally inaugurated even with many unfinished streets and buildings.  During the industrial revolution, the name was changed to Belo Horizonte and a massive influx of population occurred leaving the planner's vision struggling to keep up.

Oscar Niemeyer Design

I have mentioned Oscar Niemeyer in a few of my previous posts and feel compelled to mention him here.  In the 1940's a young Niemeyer was commissioned by the mayor of Belo Horizonte to designed the Pampulha neighborhood.  He filled it with wide avenues,  large lakes, manicured parks, a casino and an upscale yacht club.  Mr Niemeyer credits this commissioning as the true starting point of his career and where he began getting recognized for his free thought and ideas.  In addition to the Pampulha area,  there are several buildings throughout the city built with his natural use of curves and free space.  Mr. Niemeyer is such a well known architect in Brasil and around the world,  I had share as I pay a visit to his professional birthplace. (thanks wiki)


Enough of Belo Horizonte history - let's get up and explore for ourselves.  We

rise early and make plans to meet up with Danillo (Luiz's nephew) who is completing his residency here.    He has a few things to do in the morning and since we have a little time we decide to explore by foot. A few blocks from the hotel is the run down Antigo Hotel Itatiaia which sits adjacent to the  Predio da Estacao Central (the old central train station).  In between these two buildings lies the wonderful little park Praca Rui Barbosa, filled with wonderful sculptures, trimmed grass, and blooming flowers.  I can imagine working in the area and escaping here for lunch, a little quiet time or to do little reading.   The Antigo Hotel fits right into my first impressions of the city as it is obviously in need of renovations.  It is

a great old structure standing tall among the buildings which  surround it.   I am sure its history is interesting considering the location it holds in the city.  I understand there is talk of a face lift before the 2014 World Cup, but there is no sign of it at this point so we will have to wait and see.  The Praca Rui Barbosa is simply a delicate oasis in the concrete masses of the city.  With its beautiful fountains, sculptures and French style gardens the park has welcomed pedestrians as they exited the train station since the cities beginning. Today the entrance to the metro central station is located on the square and the old Predio de Estacao (train station) houses the Museu de Artes e Ofícios (Museum of Arts and Crafts).  Opened in 2005 and dedicated entirely to the arts and craft history of Brazil it boasts over two thousands pieces  displayed in this renovated train station.  The Museum has not opened for the day so all we can do is enjoy the architectural beauty on the outside.  We walk along the station covered with graffiti

and filled with clusters of street people.  Not sure if we should continue in this direction we ask a couple walking on the street for anything else interesting to see within walking distance.  They advise us of a park - the Americo Rene Giannetti Municipal Park just a few blocks away in the direction we are currently walking and upon seeing a mobile police station ahead,  we are reassured that is it ok to travel in this direction.
After about a ten minute walk we come to the wrought iron fence which encloses the park and begin to search for the entrance.  On the other side

of the fence we can see carnival rides, some walking paths, and a large pond of water.  The only obstacle for enjoying these things is the fence and we take a little while to come across the grand gate which opens and allows visitors into the park everyday.   We stroll down one of the many paths and my first impressions of this city comes back into my mind.  It just seems dirty and in need of some renovation as litter clutters the flower beds along the walkway.  There is little manicured here and in the mdidle of the large pond lies a large cement structure.  I am sure years ago it was impressive, but today it is missing some of the fountains and in need of some fresh paint.  We find out later that this is the municipal park and it is in the beginning stages of renovation. We spend a half an hour or so wandering down the different paths admiring the ducks and flowers.  Although their is room for improvement in the actual park,  the day is beautiful and it makes the morning so enjoyable.  Soon it is time to head back towards the hotel so we can meet up with Danillo.  On our way back we stop for some freshly squeezed orange juice and come across a majestic cathedral.    Another great example of the Catholic influence in the early years of the country,  today it stands proud with its stain glass windows and tall bell tower overhead. Time for us to get back so we don't spend a lot of time exploring but I am sure it is beautiful and maybe there will be some time in the next couple of days to come back.

We meet up with Danillo and pile into his car for driving a tour of the local hot spots. He has been here doing his residence for a few months and is happy to show us around.  We drive for a while and right away I can tell the area of the city he is taking us to is a little more upscale then where we have been.  The avenues are larger, the homes are nicer, and there is much less graffiti around.  We drive by the area where construction of the new stadium for the World Cup is underway and it is impressive.  I have looked at the drawings for each of the new stadiums and this one ranks up there as one of my favorites along with Brasilias, Sao Paulo and my

favorite Manaus. (*check them out for yourself*)  There are a lot of construction vehicles driving through the street for a while but it calms down as we enter the Pampulha neighborhood where Oscar Niemeyer began to find acclaim for his modernist style of architecture.  First on the list is  St. Francis de Assisi cathedral,  a little catholic church he designed which sits along side a large man made lagoon.  The building has Niemeyers signature curved concrete covered with blue and white tile creating a mural depicting the Saint it is named after and then strategically placed to create wave patterns on the other sides.  Not a typical catholic cathedral in Brazil with its curves and simplistic views.  Actually, when it was first built, the Catholic Church would not consecrate it for some fifteen years because of its unorthodox form.  For me it is a beautiful structure perfectly placed along the blue body of water although its size would surely limit the number of worshipers it can accommodate. 

After a little looking around, we hop back into the car to continue our tour through the Pampulha neighborhood past several large homes and the yacht club where they have a well known ball and fireworks every New Years Eve.  Danillo takes us to a quaint restaurant - Xapuri - 
tucked away in one of the affluent neighborhoods.  It is a rustic place with stables in the back where one can take a quick horse riding lesson if you had time and the desire.  I could look around and explore for hours as the large dining area is filled with intricate details.  The size of the place is massive with five kitchens to serve the guests. I understand on the weekend one must plan ahead to dine here as there is quite a long wait for a table.  It is a weekday so fortunately we are seated right away and a short time after being seated our food arrives.  Wonderful Brazilian food with rice, beans, beef, and a variety of side dishes.  The meal is wonderful and with our stomachs full it is time to head back to our driving tour of the city.

Our next destination is a look out point at the top of a large hill.  Belo Horizonte is definitely growing on the top of the large mountain like hills which lie on the edge of the city.  We travel up one of the roads to the park which overlooks the city.  The park is undergoing some renovations, but that is really ok as our visit is about the overlook and not the park itself.  The air is fresh and their is a cool breeze blowing.  The view of Belo Horizonte is wonderful from here as you can see for miles on this clear day.  It sure is nice to relax a little while and just take in the beauty.  

Next Danillo takes us to another high elevation point in the city where there is a lot of construction currently underway.  A few years ago a mall was built on this mountainous hill and part of that mall is a needle very similar to the space needle in Seattle, WA.  It is said to have a wonderful view and currently houses a well known Japanese restaurant.  We just finished eating so there is no interest in going to the top but the drive through the streets to get there is filled with breathtaking views.   Since the malls completion,  the hillsides around it are being filled with residential towers, each reaching into the skies higher then the one before.  I can imagine the view from some of these penthouses is simply spectacular as they sit perched on the cliffs.  
By this time it is late afternoon and as we head towards the hotel we drive through Liberdade Square and I convince the others to make a stop and take a look

Palace of Liberty

around.  What a wonderful historical area of the city.  A well maintained square which sits in the middle of a variety of well kept old buildings housing government offices,  university classes, and museum galleries.   Down the middle of the square is a pedestrian cobble stone street lined with the traditional palm trees. It is full of people walking their dogs,  reading their books, and playing with their children.  The well manicured landscape is accented with delicate sculptures and fountains.  At the far end of the walking street is a large cast iron fence with a building behind it.  It does not take long for me to gravitate in that

My Favorite Building on the Square

direction to take a closer look.  The building is the Palace of Liberty which was the headquarters for the state of Minas Gerais for years.  Built in 1897,  it housed governors and their families on its three floors.  In the 1960's the building withstood a proposal by Oscar Niemeyer to demolish it as those in power vetoed the idea in honor of preservation.  Shortly after this attempt,  the palace was abandoned by the governing family for a new residence and today the  Palace of Liberty is used ceremonially for the state government.  I would love to come back someday and take one of the daily tours. We just do not have enough time today.  After a quick look through the wrought iron fence,  I briskly walk towards what ends up being my favorite of the old buildings on the square.  A classic building painted a dark salmon color with stark white trim, there is no identification on the building so I can only imagine what it was built for.  What a wonderful corner lot and so 

well maintained.  I snap at least seven photos of the building and as I head back to the others waiting by the car,  I acknowledge to myself  how well kept this area of the city is.  Definitely assisting in changing my impression of Belo Horizonte.Danillo has to head back so he drops us off at the hotel for a little rest before we meet up with Renaldo and Luiz O.  After a little computer time and a nap the evening begins with a visit to a small area by the municipal market which is filled with bars.   In the middle of the round about there is a large fountain shoot water into the dark night sky surrounded by lots of people.  We grab a bite to eat and a couple of drinks and when it is time for us to leave the street is packed with people.  Renaldo drives us up to the look out point where we were earlier in the day to enjoy the city lights and a different perspective.  It is just as peaceful as it was earlier today as the twinkle of the city lights fill the landscape below.  What a wonderful end to a great day and Belo Horizonte gets a little better ranking after a drive around town.  Time to get some sleep  and be ready for the next day.

To Read Part 3 - CLICK HERE 

St. Francis de Assisi - the side view / bell tower

needle at top of hill 

Brasilia! Part 3

Oh wow,  where do we go from here?  Definitely the National Cathedral, Eixo Monumental and the Praca do Tres are some of the most visited tourist sites in Brasilia,  but there is much more to see so let's continue around the Eixo Monumental.  When the planners laid out
the streets for the city and began construction,  they placed the majority                                                              of the buildings which house Brazil's governmental offices along the edges of the great lawn.  Most of these buildings are your basic office rectangular multiplied in a row.  However, two of them caught my eye as we drove by because of their architectural differences.  Yes they both have glass fronts with wave like facades made of concrete Oscar Niemeyer is known for.  But the first building that caught my eye did so not because of these features but because of the staggering curved cement slabs protruding from the front glass windows. From these slabs of concrete water flows over its curved edges and plummets to the reflecting pool below creating a ripple in the reflection.  If you look at it from the right angle, the clouds in the sky reflecting in the glass building front look as if they are tossing rain to the earth below.

The second building to catch my eye was another regular office building with Oscar Niemeyers trademark front, but this one had a small row boat perched on the edge of the reflecting pool.  The boat seemed so out of place but yet was so inviting in the partly sunny afternoon skies,  one could imagine taking it out to do some fishing or just close your eyes for a short nap.  The rustic boat was contrasted by a lovely white origami looking piece of modern art which added the perfect exclamation mark to the reflecting pool.  We of course stopped in front of each of these buildings in order to get photos to remember our visit.
Before we leave the Eixo Monumental for our next destination, it is important to point out another unique decision made by the city planners.  As you drive around the large green space - the rest of the edges are segregated into specific areas or districts.  For instance,  there is an area where all the hotels can be found, another where all the financial district is and finally a retail district finding its home on the edge of the Eixo Monumental.  The whole city is laid out like this with pockets of residential and commercial and not very much mixing of the two.

Before continuing with our most recent tour,  I want to mention one more stop we made in 2010 on my first visit to Brasilia.  Located in a small neighborhood in the city lies the catholic cathedral Dom Bosco Brasilia. I bet you were surprised when I said Catholic in Brazil.   From the outside the building does not look like much but as I pulled on the massive dove handles to open the oversize doors,  a blue calmness came over me.  I walked into the sanctuary  with the sunlight streaking through blue crystal stain glass windows.  Music could be heard coming from the bell tower and the chandelier hanging from the ceiling in the center of the church was striking.  Since the switch for the light was in the off position, I would need to imagine what it would look like

if it were on.  I remember spending a little time there in thought and upon leaving finding flowers sitting on the ground out front.  There was a group of people beginning to decorate for a wedding ceremony scheduled for later in the evening.  I had wondered how it would look with fresh white flowers ready to greet the guests.  I guess I will have to wait until an invitation to attend a wedding ceremony here arrives in the mail someday.

It think that pretty much covers the places we visited in 2010 that I wanted to make sure I shared with you.  Now back to our present day journey as we head towards Lake Paranoa and the JK bridge which spans across the lake to the southern shore.  Finished in 2002 the bridge was built in honor of Juscelino Kubitschek (President who had Brasilia built) and truly fits into the cities majestic scale with its structural design complexity.  The landmark is known as one of Brasilia's most beautiful night destinations.  We stop at a small park at the north end of the bridge and spend a little time on the walkway across, not traveling the whole distance but just far

enough to get some good photos despite the afternoon sun.  The bridge is wonderful as it twists from one side to the other and back.  It is a massive structure and I can only imagine what a wonderful sight it is all lit up at night.  After our short visit to the park we drive around some of the neighborhoods on the south shore of the lake.  Known as one of the wealthier areas of the city, we have hopes of seeing some grand homes.  However, like other Brazilian cities,  the houses have walls almost all the way around them and we are not able to see many.  There are a few who have installed glass instead of concrete allowing us to get a glimpse of what we need to do in order to keep up with the Jones.

The time driving around is enjoyable and after about forty five minutes we leave the neighborhoods and stop at another park along the lake which has recently been renovated in anticipation of the World Cup in 2014.  With a grand new entrance welcoming us it is easy to imagine the park being a destination for visitors in 2014.  The afternoon is wonderful as we quietly stroll down the revitalized paths past the lovely restaurant, bar, and beautiful plants just beginning to bloom.  As the sun begins to set and the day ends, so does our journey in Brasilia.  I am sure we will be back again someday to see more of the details in the surrounding areas.  For now,  I am left with a good impression of a city built to be the center of Brazil literally and politically.

Please let me know if you would like a personal tour of Brazilia -I would be happy to share this beautiful city with you! All inclusive packages available--

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Read Brasilia Part 2 - click here
Read Brasilia Part 1 - click here

Flowers at Park 

Central Bank of Brazil - 

Dom Bosco Cathedral 

JK Bridge 

Lovely house entrance in Southern Neighborhood 

Path along lake 

JK Bridge 

Dom Bosco Doors

Brasilia! Part 2

Brasilia is definitely a city full of politics, people and passion.  Everywhere you look there is wonderful architecture surrounded by interesting vegetation and it is all full of life like the Brazilian people.  This post will be a mixture of my most recent visit and my first visit to the capital city of Brasilia.  I visited some of the main tourist areas in 2010 so they did not get revisited today but I feel they must still be include in my blog.

As I mentioned in part 1 - Brasilia is a planned city located in the middle of the country on the central highlands of Brazil.  It has a subtropical climate so there is a long dry season followed by months of heavy rain.  I only state this as my visit now is during the dry season and in 2010 it was during the rainy season so I believe you will notice the vast difference in the photos included.  In "Brasilia Part 1" I compared the central part of the city to Washington DC with a large

grassy green space running down the middle of lanes of traffic moving vehicles in both directions.    This grassy area (the Eixo Monumental) is where I will start my adventure and our first stop in 2010 was the National Cathedral.  Designed by Oscar Niemeyer,  it is truly a wonderful structure with large white columns curving as they open towards heaven.  The cathedral has seen limited use since its completion in 1970 due to poor acoustics and a ventilation system that does not offset the natural heat produced by the sun.   Recently renovations have been underway to fix these flaws and allow it to function in accordance with its grandeur. 

When we visited in 2010 these renovations were underway as construction trailers surrounded the base of the building and we had to park the car on a make shift grass lot a short distance away.  The beautiful white house of worship lacks curb appeal as the front lawn consists of six foot wide slabs of cement with one foot strips of grass separating each slab.  I would expect something different in a city so rich with green space. We exited the car and as we approached the cathedral we were greeted by four statues.  On one side stood three statues representing the synoptics, Matthew, Mark, and Luke while the stature of John stands alone facing them on the other side.  They were like soldiers with spiritual weapons guarding the front of the religious palace.  After passing them,  we continue down into the dimly lit tunnel entrance almost like going into a culvert or man made cave.

Approximately fifteen feet into the tunnel my ears perked up as I began to hear angelical music and soon my eyes were treated to glorious light.  It was the stunning sanctuary where the local congregation was singing homilies during a traditional Catholic Mass.   Above the alter in the middle of the congregation, three angles floated in the natural blue sky and white clouds from outside.  This transparent natural beauty was accented by waves of blue and green stain glass all bringing your eyes to the alter and crucifix.  I remember, standing there in awe of the beauty complimented by the sounds of the wonderful singing.  How majestic and inspiring it was and I wanted to stay a little longer but the time to leave came and we quietly exited to continue our journey.

We traveled down the "Eixo Monumental" to the northwest end which is called the Praca dos Tres Poderes (Three Powers Square).  This large concrete square is where the three highest authorities in the country can be found -  - Presidential Palace, Supreme Court and right  across the street is the National Congress.   Let's start our journey with these three buildings.  Each of the buildings were designed by Oscar Niemyer and symbolize the future of Brazil.  The "Palacio do Planalto" (Presidential Palace) is where the President of Brazil and many other major

Palacio do Planalto 

governmental officials have offices and work from.  A large reflecting pool zig zags along the front of the building.  In the middle a ramp connects the square and the front door of the Palace.  This entrance is only used on special occasions or when the president addresses the citizens of Brazil.  Members of the Presidential Guard Battalion and 1st Guards Cavalry of the Brazilian Army take turns standing guard at the entrance.  I

Presidential Guard Battlaion
Guarding the Palacio do Planalto

understand tours are available but not offered today so another "must come back to see" added to the list.  The architecture is very simple and modern using fine lines and waves to create columns along the exterior of the building brushing up against the reflecting pools.  The buildings architecture is very similar to that of the Palacio da Alvorada, where the President and his family lives.  The Palacio da Alvorada lies on a peninsula at the edge of Lake Paranoa a few miles away which we will journey to later on this visit.

The Supreme Court Building

Back to the square and our next building the Supreme Court which houses the highest court of the country.  This building was designed by Mr. Niemeyer as well and has the same glass surrounded by white curved concrete columns and lies adjacent to the Palace.   There is not a whole lot more to say about this building as it blends with the rest and probably has less significance then the other things on the square.  I did find the large parking area in front a little distracting to the details of the architecture.

 The final building considered part of the square is the National Congress and it actually lies across the avenue in the Eixo Monumental.  Another wonderful design by Oscar Niemeyer,  it consists of a semi-sphere opening to the earth and a semi-sphere opening to the sky with two vertical office buildings towering in unison dividing them.  These buildings as well as several others around the edge of the eixo monumental house the Congressional offices of Brazil.  All the office are connected to the two main towers by tunnels under the city.  Brazil's Congress consists of the Senate

(the upper house) and the Chamber of Deputies (the lower house). On the opposite side of the building lies another great reflection pool and the large lawn.  When I read a little about their politics,  I found it interesting that there are 27 political parties in Brazil.  In 2010, 22 of them were able to elect at least one representative in the Chamber, while fifteen of them were able to elect at least one in the Senate.  Much different then the 2 political party system found in the United States (thanks again Wikipedia)

View of Palacio do Planalto
from the square

To talk a little about The Praca does Tres Poderes is to talk about Brazil's commitment to democracy and freedom after years of military rule.  Besides these three powerhouse buildings, the square is full of unique sculptures celebrating Brazilian artists.  Many of which were inspired by this theme with literal and abstract reference to doves, traditionally a symbol of peace and democracy.  Before I continue discussing what other finds are located on the square, I want to share my first impressions of it.  Like a lot of Brasilia's main attractions, the use of concrete seems overbearing to me.  I know it is a medium that Oscar Niemeyer uses quite often but a nice green lawn in front of the cathedral would be more inviting then the vast slabs of concrete.  The "Praca does Tres Poderes"  has no grass and the concrete radiates heat in the south of the equator sun.  It is just not very welcoming to me without some vegetation.

City Museum  in the middle - designed in the shape of a dove
on the right you see the "Dovecote" 

 For a city with a huge rectangular lawn down the middle in a country with such a diversity of plant life,  it seems like these areas would be filled with more natural beauty and not just concrete.  OK, just my first impression and now back to the square.  Tourist can visit the large glass and concrete visitors center which is filled with tourist information about the country.  There is a large tower designed my Mr. Niemeyer referred to as "Dovecote".   The tower is filled with holes to house doves which were an important part of western European history and as stated above the dove is a symbol of peace.  Today it is more referred to as "The Pigeons Towers" as they have  moved into the holes designed for the doves.  As you move along the square towards the Supreme Court building there is a sculpture called "Justice" by Alfredo Ceschiatti.   A women sitting blind folded in a chair with something in her lap.  I

honestly did not get close enough to give more details then this so I encourage you to share with me more about this beautiful piece of history or go and visit it yourself.   Several museums find their home on the square as well as a monument in honor of politician Israel Pinheiro and the UNESCO monument honoring accomplishments of the city.  My favorite monument is two bronze statues of abstract figures named Os Condangos.     This monument represents the pioneering spirit of those who built Brasilia and for me it is simply grand and a great place to stop for this post.  Brasilia has a lot more to see so I will continue with Part 3 soon.  Until then feel free to leave a comment or go and read some of my other entries.

Go back and read Brasilia Part 1 by clicking here. 

Historic Museum of Brasilia 

The Brazilian Flag that flies in the Eixo Monumental
One of the worlds largest continuous flying flags

Brazil National Congress Building 

One of the three synoptics statue -
National Cathedral

Part of Historic Museum of Brazil