Eu não falo Português!
Trip Start
Jan 20, 2004
1
105
165
Trip End
Ongoing
Curitiba,
Brazil
Sunday, August 6, 2006
A change in climatic conditions, landscape, cultural practices, and even gastronomic delights are to be expected when arriving in a new country, but this was the first time since the onset of our journey that we were exposed to an entirely different language. Although far from fluent in Spanish, we've always felt extremely comfortable navigating our way in castellano through most of Central and South America. And now we are exposed to 100% Portuguese and we don't understand a word!
01 Hey, it's chilly in Brazil!
! Our trusty Lonely Planet guidebook assures us that we will be able to read the signs (true), that Brazilians will understand our Spanish (partly true), and that we won't get much of what they say (absolutely true)!! So, it's going to be rather an interesting three months as we wind our way northwards through this massive country. At best, we expect that the few Portuguese words and phrases that we pick up will probably massacre our current level of Spanish. With only a week remaining before Nick & Fran's return to Canada, we attempted to sketch out an itinerary that would offer some variation while maintaining a somewhat sane pace. We settled on dipping our bodies into the hot springs of Pirituba, walking the long, lonely, winter beaches of Santa Catarina state, exploring colonial towns rich in historic architecture, and hiking in lush rain forest, while all along taking advantage of an entirely new Brazilian diet. Gone were the Argentinean breakfasts of media lunas with café con leche, to be replaced with massive buffet spreads of fresh fruit, bread - both savoury and sweet, cold cuts, cheeses, yogurt, cereal, coffee, tea and freshly squeezed juices, and a wide array of cakes and pastries to die for. Don't worry Nick, we won't tell anyone that you went back four times for the coconut flan!
"Clean" and "friendly" are two words that we found ourselves using frequently during our first week in southern Brazil
02 The Barrhaven of cemeteries
. Noticeably concerned about their environment, people everywhere were making special attempts to maintain orderly surroundings - whether through freshly painted houses, road-side clearing, litter collection and distinctively colourful recycling programs. And rather than castigate us for not learning their language, all the people we met were extremely patient and friendly, trying somehow to make themselves understood, although never once speaking more slowly!While Fran was yearning for a hike in the rain forest, Nick and Gerry were salivating in anticipation of the Brazilian beaches, complete with bikini-clad beauties. Too bad guys - the cool, rainy weather that accompanied us for a few days resulted in drab and desolate miles of winter beaches. Not even a thought of bronzed bodies here yet. Fran on the other hand was ecstatic at the three days we spent
at Nicolas and Maria's bungalows near Morretes, where brightly coloured tanagers and hummingbirds fed on the pieces of fruit left on the verandah railing at breakfast. "Magical" might describe our trek through the rain forest: the orchids and bromeliads providing a vivid colour contrast to the myriad shades of green; the canopy of leaves sheltering us from the gentle rain above; and the monkeys swinging from tree to tree directly above our heads provided a wealth of entertainment
03 Where did you think rice came from?
. Of course we all had to have a go at playing Tarzan, swinging on the fifty foot aerial roots hanging down from the branches.We had been quite in awe after a two hour meander through the port town of São Francisco do Sul, rich in colonial architecture, but hadn't expected to be even more impressed by Morretes and Antonina. Residents of these old tranquil towns took considerable pride in the upkeep of their resplendent heritage, and the well preserved, cleanly painted buildings were clearly calling out to be admired. Worth a mention here is our lunchtime stop for "barreado", the Morretes regional gastronomic specialty. Our waiter meticulously demonstrated by mixing several large spoonfuls of cassava flour with an equal amount of a spicy meat mixture that has been cooked in a sealed pot for several hours (traditionally 24) until it is about as thick as concrete. Additional amounts of flour and meat are added until it is finally the consistency of thick stew. Simply add sliced banana, a bit of white rice and indulge. Heavy in the stomach might be an understatement, but it was an intriguing experience.
Although we were pleased to see the days changing back to sunny and warm, we had a real appreciation for the concern expressed by Nicolas and Maria. Having experienced a severe drought for some time already, they feared the serious effects of continued lack of rain, as already all three of their wells were basically dry
04 Could that be one over there?
. Having forgone showers for three days, we could simply move on, but they would have to curtail their business until the rains fell again. Perhaps Iguaçu Falls will remain depleted for more than the expected three months. Another example of global warming?Even up in the highlands of the Serra do Mar escarpment, the city of Curitiba was also beginning to ration water. However, we did appreciate the luxury of a hot shower and some clean clothes before venturing out to explore our surroundings. About the size of Toronto, cosmopolitan Curitiba is a lively city with extensive cobbled pedestrian malls, energetic street musicians, diverse cultural programs, and the ubiquitous outdoor cafes and restaurants where we spent our final evening with Nick and Fran, recounting our many and varied experiences of the past two weeks. Time to celebrate yet another milestone birthday - we won't even mention which decade!
After fond farewells, we found ourselves feeling somewhat sad, so decided to take the easy road by jumping on the tourist bus - a 44 km drive around Curitiba with stops at some of the main attractions: the botanical gardens with its tropical plant collection housed in an artistically designed greenhouse; the Oscar Niemeyer museum, whose structure is every bit as exciting as its contents; extensive Parque Tanguá constructed over an old gravel quarry; and Torre Panoramica, the 110 metre Telecom tower with aerial views of the cities skyscrapers.
Now we are only two again!
Comments
Awesome!!!
Dear Friends, I am so impressed with your trip down to Brazil. I was born in Curitiba and I grew up in Antonina. The wonderful city. Now I live in Atlanta, Ga. I have some questions, did you guys really drive all the way down there?
I wish you all the best.
Lincoln de Oliveira