Corcovado

Corcovado mountain (Rio de Janeiro)

The most iconic monument in Brazil is doubtless The Christ The Redeemer, atop The famous Corcovado mountain.

Hugging The Guanabara Bay, and thus downtown Rio, The Christ is a symbol of Brazil itself. From its top you can see , if you look to where He looks, the Pão de Açúcar (Sugarloaf) mountain, the Marina da Glória, the Flamengo and Botafogo neighbourhoods, the city of Niterói in the other side of The Bay.

A bit to The North, you can see downtown, The Sambadrome and The Maracanã stadium.

Looking to The direction of his right arm, you´ll see Ipanema and Leblon districts, The Rodrigo de Freitas lagoon and The Gávea Rock in the horizon, further West.

Getting up the Corcovado!

You can either hire a shuttle service to the top, a taxi or take the Corcovado train. Personally, I think the arrival by shuttles and taxis are a bit messy. And unless you´ve previously scheduled your return, you´ll have some difficulties to get down the mountain. 

For adventurers and well prepared people, hiking is also possible. In fact, the Corcovado is part of the Tijuca Park, the largest urban forest in the world. The city of Rio embraces this forest, with some notorious peaks and stones, as the Pedra da Gávea (Gávea Rock). Some parts of the Park can be reached by bike, but not Corcovado, because it is very high and inclined. 

So, the best option to get up is by the Corcovado Train, at least for regular tourists and without much time to loose. If that´s your case, I strongly recommend buying the tickets in advance, at this site: www.corcovado.com.br. The site has english and spanish versions. You can arrive at the basis Station located in Laranjeiras district at working hours and buy the ticket directly there, but speacially during weekends and hollidays, it can result in a very long time waiting in line. So, very simply, if you have the ticket bought in advance, you´ll just climb the train at the scheduled time. 

Also, the train is historic and goes up among the forest, with some nice views of the city and, eventually, with samba players singing some of the most known sambas. It is quite an experience. Besides, when arriving, there are some elevators and mecanic escalators to take to the top, what is very convenient for disabled or old people. However, as there´s no scheduled time to get down, you may have to wait in line for the train, but the good thing is you don´t have to mind about the time while appreciating the landscape.  

At the top there´s a snack bar, but it is advisable to take your own food and drinks, because it is always full of people and a bit expensive. Don´t forget taking a sunblock in sunny days, because the only shadow you got there is from Christ´s arms. 

Then, it is all about enjoying the view!

São Luiz 

São Luiz, capital city of the state of Maranhão, was founded by french in 1612, reintegrated to the then portuguese colony of Brazil in 1615. In 1641 it was taken by the dutch, and finally in 1644 it got back to portuguese hands.

 (above: view of the most modern part of the city from the historic centre)

 (above, the Palace of The Lions - Palácio dos Leões, seat to the State Government)

 (above, São Luiz cathedral´s)
(under, inside São Luiz cathedral´s)

Full of history, the city has old and beautifull historic buildings, decorated with portuguese tiles. Unfortunately, the historic downtown isn´t preserved as it should, since the portuguese tiles´ collection is the biggest in Brazil, and probably the biggest outside Portugal.

The state of Maranhão remains as one of the poorest in Brazil, but the touristic sector is a promise of revenues, since it has lots of potential. A refurbishment of the historic city centre at São Luiz would help it a lot.

Nevertheless, knowing the Cathedral and the Sacred Art Museum by its side is a good experience. The Museum explores a bit of Maranhão´s history, which is quite interesting. A walk by the portuguese-tiled houses can produce nice pictures.   

São Luiz is nowadays basis for tourism to the Lençois Maranhenses, in the east coast of the state (see yestarday post). The domestic airport links the city with the rest of Brazil.   

Pirenópolis

Cascades and History in the heart of Brazil

Between Brazilia and Goiânia there is a small historic city called Pirenópolis, one of the first settlements in Brazillian Highlands, just in the middle of the country, surrounded by the "cerrado", which is the biome of this part of the country (see, furthermore, the post about it).

Pirenópolis is reachable after two hours-drive from Brasilia. There are two roads, but the easiest option is to take the highway to Goiânia and them take the small road to "Piri", as the city got affectionately known.  

Pubs and restaurants make a nice spot to hang out with friends or to a romantic escapade. Nature lovers have many cascades and natural parks on its surrounding areas, for hiking and swimming. Some are easily reachable, others will demand more skills and physical preparation. 

(above, no filter-photos of the skies of the Brazillian Highlands and the Cerrado: a spectacle of colours; one of many waterfalls in the region) 

Handicraft and typical drinks from the place can be bought in the small commercial centre of Piri. Restaurants vary from typical food of Goiás, the most central state in Brazil, to italians, seafood, and brazillian food. The cachaça can be found in every pub, as well the caipirinha, the most famous Brazillian drink.  

Ibirapuera Park - São Paulo (3)

Ibirapuera Park - São Paulo (3)

Nearby Ibirapuera - Skye, the bar of Hotel Unique

One of my favorites places is São Paulo is Skye, the rooftop bar at Hotel Unique. I only avoid it in cold or rainy nights, as the open air space cannot be enjoyed with bad weather. But when night is pleasant or hot, it is one of the best open air spaces in town. In spring and summer months, it can get a bit crowded on fridays and saturdays´ nights, and there´s just one lift to get people up, so eventually there´s a long wait in the line. 

The restaurant is a bit expensive but the bar has fair enough prices considering the quality of the service and the ambience. 

The view is amazing, speacially at night, when you can see all the TV and radio towers of Paulista Avenue enlighted. By night you can´t see much of the Park, because the green area turns very dark. 

Unique´s building is worth visiting just for its unique shape: a kind of watermelon slice turned up-down.  

Unique is located at Avenida Brigadeiro Luiz Antônio, in the closest part it gets from Ibirapuera Park. From Paulista Avenue, it´s a short bus or taxi ride trough this Avenue, but during weekdays, traffic can be messy. Unfortunatelly, there´s no metro station nearby. 

Ibirapuera Park - São Paulo (2)

Ibirapuera Park - São Paulo (2)

Walking nearby Ibirapuera by night

Close to Ibirapuera Park a number of attractions can be seen in the surrounding areas of the Park.

The Obelisk symbolizes the Constitutional Revolution of 1932, when São Paulo rebelled against Brazillian central government, at the time in Rio, when Presidency was occupied by Getulio Vargas. São Paulo demanded for a democratic Constitution, while Vargas remained in power without a voted Constitution. Though São Paulo was defeated, it forced Vargas to convene a constitutional assembly. The Obelisk is a tribute for those who fought and died for São Paulo, and under it there is a mausoleum for those heroes.

Some steps to the west and you´ll find the statue of Pedro Álvares Cabral, in the border of the Park with the Avenue holding the same name. In front of it, a large building in the shape of a cube is the State Parliament, named Palace 9 de Julho - 9 of July.

The most iconic of all, and a symbol of the city, maybe loosing just to MASP building at Avendia Paulista, there´s the Monument to the Bandeiras. The Bandeiras where expeditions that departed from São Paulo to the countryside, in search for gold and precious stones, as well spices. Though blamed for the killing of indigenous people and forcing them to slavery, the Bandeiras are the responsible for the huge size Brazil has today, as the bandeirantes never respected the Tordesillas Treaty between Spain and Portugal, in their rush to explore the land and settle small villages. They have played a very important rule in many cities´foundations and on settling trade routes. 

The monument is Victor Brecheret´s masterpiece, and shows the bandeirantes and the indigenous pushing large canoons, facing west and the lands to be discovered. Curiously, as the rivers in São Paulo and in South Brazil runs in the west direction, to the opposite side of the Atlantic, they were used as natural routes to the countryside. This is a characteristic of the Basin of Paraná River, the same basin of the Iguazu Falls, integrating the Rio de La Plata basin.  

Ibirapuera Park (São Paulo) (1)

A park of arts, architecture, shows and expositions

Today I decided to write about Ibirapuera Park, in São Paulo, because The Guardian listed it as one of the best city parks in the world. 

(http://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/aug/07/10-best-parks-urban-green-spaces-high-line-new-york-hampstead-london-park-guell-barcelona)

In portuguese, the hotsite of the Park: http://www.parquedoibirapuera.com

A reason to be proud of the Park, indeed in a city where few are the green areas. 

Sorrounded by the noblest neighborhoods in the city, the Ibirapuera gets crowded on weekends, and during weekdays the park receives more people earlier in the morning or by nightfall. It is the heart of South Zone (Zona Sul), divinding the Jardins area from Itaim, Moema, Paraíso, Vila Mariana and Vila Nova Conceição.

Ibirapuera hosts some of Oscar Niemayer´s most famous buildings: the giant marquee, used by skaters and roller skaters, where is also the Museum of Modern Art (Museu de Arte Moderna, MAM), with its restaurant; the Oca, a big exposition space in the shape of the most typical construction of brazillian indigenous tribes; the Bienal building (http://www.bienal.org.br/), which hosts art expositions, notably the biennial of art, architecture and reading expos; the Museum of African and Brazillian art (Museu Afro Brasil - http://www.museuafrobrasil.org.br/) and the Museum of Contemporary Art (Museu de Arte Contemporânea, MAC). 

 Above: the pedestrian walkway from MAC to the Park. Behind the Park, Vila Nova Conceição and Itaim districts. 

 Above: the rectangular building is the Bienal, the round-rooftop building is the Oca, the building in the shape of an old photo Camera is the Auditorio Ibirapuera.

 Above: the obelisk, in the middle, and Paraíso and Jardins neighborhoods, right. 

Bienal expositions are generally so huge that one day is not enough to make it completely. 

MAC is outside the park, but it is linked by a pedestrian walkway over the 23 of May Avenue, one of the most important São Paulo´s highways. Atop MAC, an impressive view of the Park and its surrounding neighborhoods is a must-see (see further special topic on MAC and its collection). 

Most of these buildings are connected by the marquee, and surrounded by the Garden of the Sculptures (jardim das esculturas). The Auditorio do Ibirapuera (http://www.auditorioibirapuera.com.br/), a theater with a reversible stage, which can eighter be openned inside the building or outside the building, open to a large lawn, can provide indoor or outdoor shows.    

Frequently, international singers, bands and shows make presentations there, and the schedule is intense. But whenever walking the park, some of these art atractions will be open and ready for an interesting exposition or show - and most of them for free. 

Shows can be also performed at the Praça da Paz (Peace Square), more in the centre of the Park.