Lençóis Maranhenses - When to go

Lençóis Maranhenses - When to go

Lençóis Maranhenses - dunes and blue lagoons at the northeast of Brazil

Lençóis Maranhenses - dunes and blue lagoons at the northeast of Brazil

As the Lençóis are very close to the Ecuator line, weather is always hot or warm in this region of Brazil, all year round. It is very windy, so it isn´t an unbearable hot. Sea water is also warm. 

Rains are expected to fall from january to may, so in may the lagoons will reach its maximum water level. Up to the beggining of september, fun is granted, if rains fell substantially during the previous months. 

So, the ends of may untill the beggining of september are the best time to go, since sunny days are expected and the lagoons are suposed to be full. 

Lençóis Maranhenses - dunes and blue lagoons at the northeast of Brazil

Lençóis Maranhenses - dunes and blue lagoons at the northeast of Brazil

November is supposed to be the month when the level of the lagoons is lower, but it depends on rain levels, which can vary. 

However, climate change is obviously modifiyng rainfall in Brazil. Unexpected weather can happen, and nowadays nobody can grant a rainfall period or a dry season in advance. 

Atins - another small city close to Lençóis Maranhenses National Park

Atins - another small city close to Lençóis Maranhenses National Park

If you want to stay even more further away from civilization, once visiting the Lençóis Maranhenses, you can try accomodation in the fishermen´s village of Atins, in the mouth of Preguiças river. You can only get there by speed-boats, which departs from Barreirinhas. 

(above, a surfer-dog enjoying its trip alongside the Preguiças river)

These speed-boats can also ride you to the Praia do Caburé, a beach located at a peninsula formed beetween the mouth of Preguiças river in the sea and the ocean, or to the Farol da Preguiça, a lighthouse belonging to Brazillian navy located in the same area. From its top, it is possible to see the river, the sands, the small village and the dunes. 

Brazillian navy lighthouse at Atins, Maranhão

I did a simple day-trip, but resting there for some days wouldn´t have been a bad idea at all.....

Brazillian navy lighthouse at Atins, Maranhão, view from atop

A curitosity in Maranhão state is the declination of the beaches: the slope is very gentle, so you have to go far from the beach to get deep. But speacially in Caburé, the beach is very long and without life-savers, so it is better not to take any risks. 

Brazillian navy lighthouse at Atins, Maranhão, view from atop

Brazillian navy lighthouse at Atins, Maranhão, view from atop

Brazillian navy lighthouse at Atins, Maranhão, view from atop

Brazillian navy lighthouse at Atins, Maranhão, view from atop

Brazillian navy lighthouse at Atins, Maranhão, view from atop

Brazillian navy lighthouse at Atins, Maranhão, view from atop

LENÇÓIS MARANHENSES

LENÇÓIS MARANHENSES

Getting there

Lençóis Maranhenses - dunes and blue lagoons at the northeast of Brazil

I decided to split the post and repost our tour at Lençóis Maranhenses National Park. Also, I put the marker Lençóis Maranhenses at the scroolbar to the right.

Lençóis Maranhenses - dunes and blue lagoons at the northeast of Brazil

  The closest city to the national park is Barreirinhas, where there are many hotels. It is just a base-village to get to the dunes, so its advisable to take money and all you need, speacially sunblock and mosquito repellent. 

Lençóis Maranhenses - dunes and blue lagoons at the northeast of Brazil

Barreirinhas is 3 and a half hours from the capital of the state of Maranhão, São Luiz do Maranhão (Saint Louis). The SLZ airport is mainly a domestic airport, so to get to Maranhão you´ll probably need a conection in São Paulo, Rio, Brasília or Manaus. There are tour operators which takes tourists from SLZ airport to Barreirinhas, but renting a car can also be a good idea, with a GPS - and caution in the road to Barreirinhas, since it crosses many small villages with many speed-bumps. 

Another option is to come from the state of Ceará and its capital Fortaleza, although it is farther and you would have to cross a small part of the state of Piauí. In this case, trip would be very beautifull and at least two other stops should be added: Jericoacora, the most famous beach in Ceará state, and the "Delta do Parnaíba", the river Parnaíba mouth, in a delta shape. 

The new TV Tower

The new TV Tower of Brasília
- Flor do Cerrado

The new TV Tower - Flor do Cerrado

The new TV Tower hosts the antennas of the digital TV. From the new tower, Brasília can be seen as a whole, the lake Parainoá surrounding the east side of Brasilia, as well some satelite cities, forests and rural areas.

The new TV Tower - Flor do Cerrado - view from above

The new TV Tower - Flor do Cerrado - view from above

As it is higher than the old TV Tower, located downtown Brasilia, views are quite impressive from a different perspective of the city and sorrounding areas. 

The new TV Tower - Flor do Cerrado - view from above

The new TV Tower - Flor do Cerrado

The Tower was named the Cerrado Flower, ie., the flower of the Brazillian savannah. 

The new TV Tower - Flor do Cerrado - view from above

As one of the last Niemayer´s pieces, it evoques an opening flower, mande of pure concrete and glass.

The new TV Tower - Flor do Cerrado - view from above

It is planned to be implemented a cafe or restaurant in one of its floors. It isn´t still opened by night, and visitation ends by 5 pm. So, on the contrary of the old TV Tower, I recommend going early. 

The new TV Tower - Flor do Cerrado - view from above

There is a craftsmen shop and a cafe on the groundfloor.

It is located almost in Sobradinho, one of Brasilia´s satelite cities, as are called the unplanned cities that grew around it. 

The new TV Tower - Flor do Cerrado - view from above

Views are amazing, speacially in the rainy season, when the dramatic clouds carring huges portions of water delivers rain - and life - to the cerrado - the brazillian savannah. 

The new TV Tower - Flor do Cerrado - view from above

On the contrary of the old TV Tower, the vista point is covered by a ceiling, so the rain show won´t be a problem.

Even if there are lines in the ground floor, the covered building can prevent visitors from getting an unexpected shower. 

The new TV Tower - Flor do Cerrado - ground floor

The tour to the new TV Tower can be complemented by a visit to the Schoenstatt Shrine at Brasilia, called Santuário da Mãe e Rainha Três Vezes Admirável de Schoenstatt. It is just by its side (see future post). 

The new TV Tower - Flor do Cerrado - view from above

The new TV Tower - Flor do Cerrado - view from above

The new TV Tower - Flor do Cerrado - view from above

The new TV Tower - Flor do Cerrado - view from above

The old TV Tower (Brasília)

The old TV Tower at Brasília

View from the old TV Tower in Brasilia

From nowhere else in the city you can get a better view of Brasília than above the old TV Tower, in the middle of the city. 

It is located almost in the cross between the Eixo Monumental and the Eixo Rodoviário (Monumental Axis and the Road Axis), the two main highways which give the form of an airplane to the city. 

View from the old TV Tower in Brasilia

The axis cross each other under the Rodoviária, the main bus depot of the Federal District. They cross one another by a system of tunnels and highways, so it is not very friendly for walkers, though the frist subway station is also there, connectiong with the bus system.

View from the old TV Tower in Brasilia

Some meters up to the west, there is the fountain and the old TV Tower.

From the TV Tower one can see the Asa Sul to the South, the Asa Norte to the North, the city park Sara Kubitschek looking to the southwest and the National Stadium, to the northwest. 

View from the old TV Tower in Brasilia

Looking east, there are the fountain, the Rodoviária, the Ministries´Esplanade, the National Congress building and the Lake Paranoá,  envolving the city, one after the other. 

View from the old TV Tower in Brasilia

Looking west, the Ulisses Guimarães Conventions Center, and an amazing sunset. 

View from the old TV Tower in Brasilia

I recommend going up by the end of the day, when nice pictures of the city, eighter with sunshine and by night can be taken. Also, as a free attraction, lines can take long time under the merciless sun of Brasilia, specially during weekends and holidays. 

View from the old TV Tower in Brasilia

The lift goes up very quickly. Baby strollers are accepted and there is no age restriction. Parking nearby is very easy. The vista point is, however, at open air, so better be prepared for the sun or for the rain, depending on the weather. 

View from the old TV Tower in Brasilia

It is not allowed to go by the stairs, as it is an iron structure without proper protection (in the stairs). 

View from the old TV Tower in Brasilia

If you have vertigo, better stay down too; otherwise, enjoy the view.   

View from the old TV Tower in Brasilia

There is another lift, used to led people to a caffe in the first floor of the TV Tower, but it is closed by the moment this post is written. Unfortunately, as it was a nice spot to have a coffee and appreciate the view of the city, although not that high. 

View from the old TV Tower in Brasilia

Now Brasilia has a new TV Tower in the outskirts of Lago Norte (North Lake), a residencial neighbourhood behind Asa Norte (the North Wing, another neighbourhood - see future post about it). 

View from the old TV Tower in Brasilia

Brasília hosts perfume marketing

Brasília hosts perfume marketing

Though even among Brazillians there´s a certain controversy about our capital´s beauty, Kenzo had no doubts on choosing the city for this marketing video:

The buildings choosen as background where the National Congress and the Republic Museum. Both are relatively close, in the civic area, at the Ministries´Esplanade. 

The modernist conception of Brasilia took advantage of its location, where almost-always-blue skies and a relatively plain terrain in the Brazillian highlands allowed big green areas separating the buildings, connected by large streets, making a unique city. 

This combination of strong sunlight and poetical architecture indeed provided a perfect scenery. Oscar Niemayer probably never thought that the ramps of his buildings would be used as a catwalk. 

Canoa Quebrada beach in Ceará State

Canoa Quebrada beach in Ceará State

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil

Canoa Quebrada (broken canoon) beach in Ceará State is really amazing. A very different combination of dunes and cliffs makes the scenario quite unusual.

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil

Many hostels, inns and bed-and-breakfasts are owned by europeans, a common thing in the beaches located at the northeast states of Brazil. 

A curious catwalk over the cliffs allows a great view of the beach.

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil

The wind power mills can be seen over the dunes, where buggys (bugues) runs everyday with tourists. Some lagoons inside the dunes provides lots of fun. 

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil

Lots of restaurants, bars, craftsmen stores gives life to the village during the night. More than a relaxing beach, it is a vivid place with some nightlife, making Canoa Quebrada a good combination of beach and fun. 

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil

Canoa Quebrada, Ceará State, Brazil