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All posts for the month May, 2012

BRAZILIAN PORTRAITS: ‘Whoohoo! I Am An Airplane!’ (Belo Horizonte,MG)

Posted by adrianoantoine on May 29, 2012
Posted in: Brazil, Brazilian culture, Minas Gerais, People, Photography. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Cortejo de Zumbi 2007, BELO HORIZONTE (MG)

November 2007. A colorful parade started from Praça da Liberdade, the principal square in Belo Horizonte, capital of the state of Minas Gerais. A parade to commemorate the struggle for freedom by the blacks, in Brazil. Zumbi was a resistance leader, fighting against the Portuguese colonists. It took almost two centuries after his death in 1694, to abolish slavery in Brazil, in 1888. November 20 is celebrated as the Day of Afro-Brazilian Consciousness.
The parade, which went from Praça da Liberdade to the Monument of Zumbi at Avenida Brasil, attracted many spectators. Not only black people joined the parade, as one can see on the photograph. This man appears to be an actor, or he must have escaped from a madhouse….

The original picture was taken in November 2007


https://maps.google.com.br/maps?hl=pt-BR&ie=UTF8&ll=-19.932304,-43.936794&spn=0.010812,0.021136&t=h&z=16&output=embed<br /><small><a href=”https://maps.google.com.br/maps?hl=pt-BR&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;ll=-19.932304,-43.936794&amp;spn=0.010812,0.021136&amp;t=h&amp;z=16&amp;source=embed&#8221; style=”color:#0000FF;text-align:left”>Exibir mapa ampliado</a></small>

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COLORFUL BRAZIL: Koi at Mangabeiras Park, Belo Horizonte (MG)

Posted by adrianoantoine on May 23, 2012
Posted in: Animals, Brazil, Minas Gerais, Nature, Photography, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Koi at Mangabeiras Park, BELO HORIZONTE (MG)

Belo Horizonte, capital of the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais is flanked by a mountainous range in the south: Serra do Curral. The mountain peaks range from 1000 to 1350 meters high. More than a decade ago, mining activities took place. A deep crater, filled with water is a remainder of this era. In 1982, the Mangabeiras Park was created on the location of the former mine; landscape architect Robert Burle Marx – known for his contributions at Lagoa da Pampulha – designed the visitor’s area. The park has the size of almost 300 hectare hosts a surprising variety of local flora and fauna. For example, over 160 bird species are spotted there. A viewpoint has been constructed, from which (the southern part of) the city of Belo Horizonte can be observed. Near the entrance is a large pond, with a large number of koi in it. Especially children love to feed them, and cheer when these always hungry fish approach them with their large mouths wide open.

The original picture was taken in June 2007


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COLORFUL BRAZIL: Orchids, Belo Horizonte (MG)

Posted by adrianoantoine on May 21, 2012
Posted in: Abstract, Brazil, Flowers, Minas Gerais, Nature, Photography, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , . 2 Comments

Orchids, BELO HORIZONTE (MG)

Orchids may be considered as the queens among the flowers. Numerous orchid varieties differ in color and shape; therefore, many orchid lovers try to grow their most beautiful queens. Once a year, the local Orchid Society in Belo Horizonte organizes an orchid exhibition, which attract many orchid lovers and also a number of photographers, who try to picture the colors and shapes. Taking good pictures in a dimly lit exhibition hall is far from easy, but sometimes you may get some luck.

The original picture was taken in November 2006

Click HERE  for general information about BELO HORIZONTE

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COLORFUL BRAZIL: Staircase at Caixa Cultural, Rio de Janeiro (RJ)

Posted by adrianoantoine on May 16, 2012
Posted in: Abstract, Architecture, Brazil, Photography, rio de janeiro, Travel. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

Staircase at Caixa Cultural, RIO DE JANEIRO (RJ)

Various Brazilian banks and major companies have their investments in Brazilian art and culture. In a number of Brazilian cities, some banks have their cultural centers and museums. One of these banks is Caixa, which is hosting a cultural center in downtown Rio de Janeiro. Inside this cultural center, the corridor is decorated with giant wooden panels, by Ernani Macedo and Roberto Sá, which demonstrate Brazilian life and culture. One floor down, one may find beautiful and colorful mosaics by Freda Jardim. When I visited the cultural center, there were two exhibitions: one exhibition about African art, and one about the Ecuadorean artist Guayasamin. It was not permitted to take pictures of the exhibitions, but there was no problem to photograph these meandering stairs.

The original picture was taken in December 2006.

Click HERE for the accompanying story about the first travel to Rio de Janeiro.
(Click HERE for the Dutch version)

ClickHEREfor general information about RIO DE JANEIRO,
including history, touristic information and informative videos.

Click HERE for overview of Carnaval 2012 in Rio de Janeiro


Caixa Cultural


Oswaldo Guayasamin

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COLORFUL BRAZIL: Mirror View of Museu da Inconfidência, Ouro Preto (MG)

Posted by adrianoantoine on May 14, 2012
Posted in: Architecture, Brazil, Minas Gerais, Photography, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Museu da Inconfidência, OURO PRETO (MG)

The museum is located at the principal square in Ouro Preto, Praça Tiradentes, named after the Brazilian hero, who headed the revolt against the Portuguese rulers in 1789. The revolt became unsuccessful, Tiradentes was condemned to death. He was hanged and dismembered on April 21, 1792, now a Brazilian national holiday. Despite being unsuccessful, the revolt or conspiracy, inspired by the American and French revolutions, was the start of the Brazilian independence process. The country became independent on September 7, 1822.
The museum in Ouro Preto, which was the town hall at that time, hosts a memorial for the members of the conspiracy.
The photograph is taken from as a mirror image that was displayed on a brand new black car (brand unknown).

The original picture was taken in June 2009

Click HERE  for general information about BELO HORIZONTE

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COLORFUL BRAZIL: Blue Lilies in Pampulha, Belo Horizonte (MG)

Posted by adrianoantoine on May 13, 2012
Posted in: Abstract, Brazil, Minas Gerais, Nature, Photography, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Blue lilies in Pampulha, BELO HORIZONTE (MG)

Lagoa (Lake) da Pampulha is an artificial lake, which is located north of the center of Belo Horizonte, capital of the state of Minas Gerais. Along the lake, there are a number of buildings that were designed by architect Oscar Niemeyer. For example, the little São Francisco Church, the Cassino (now a Modern Arts museum), Casa do Baile (now an exhibition center).  The perimeter of the lake is more than eighteen kilometers long. The local Zoo, Botanical Garden, and an Ecological Garden are located along this lake. Nature is not restricted to these gardens, but is abundantly found along the margin of the lake. Wild flowers and trees, and some that have been planted. Like these blue lilies. They are not only attractive to our eyes, but also for the busy bees…

The original pictures were taken in September 2008

Click HERE  for general information about BELO HORIZONTE

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COLORFUL BRAZIL: Homeless Man in Olinda (PE)

Posted by adrianoantoine on May 12, 2012
Posted in: Brazil, People, Pernambuco, Photography, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

Homeless man in Olinda (PE)

The colorful historic center in Olinda attracts many Brazilian and foreign tourists. The little houses that are painted in different bright colors. The mail man does not need to know the house number, but the indication in which colors the house is painted. The steep, cobble stone streets, following the slopes of the hills. The local Artesanato market, where one may find a great variety of handicraft. During Carnival, the narrow streets are very crowded; people dance their own frevo dance style behind the blocos (carnivalesque percussion groups). All were good reasons to add the historic center of Olinda on the UNESCO World Heritage List. There are not only tourists on the streets. There are many local guides, who can make a tour with you for a fee. Be sure that this guide has a badge of the ‘prefeitura’, and that you make a fixed price before the start of the personal tour. Such a guide tells you (in Portuguese) the details and the history of the sight-seeings. There are also some homeless people on the streets, like we had met this man at the and of the afternoon, when we were waiting for the bus. Despite his impoverished conditions, despite his shabby clothes, this man showed his eagerness to dance with some of us, and shared his happy moments with us.

The original picture was taken in January 2009.

Click HERE for general information about RECIFE,

including history, touristic information and informative videos.


Olinda, eternal city


474 years Olinda

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COLORFUL BRAZIL: Catedral Basílica Menor, Curitiba (PR)

Posted by adrianoantoine on May 11, 2012
Posted in: Brazil, Church, Paraná, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , . 4 Comments

CATEDRAL BASÍLICA MENOR, CURITIBA (PR)

The center of Curitiba hosts various interesting buildings; among them are a number of churches. Without doubt, the most obvious church in the center is Catedral Basílica Menor. On this location, the first church of Curitiba was constructed, in 1668: Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Luz e Bom Jesus dos Pinhais. In 1720, a new building erected on this location, the Igreja Matriz. Because of construction problems, this church was demolished, and the actual church was built between 1876 and 1893, led by  the French architect Alphonse Conde des Plas. In 1993, the church gained the title ‘Basílica’.

The original picture was taken at the end of April 2008.

Click here for general information about CURITIBA,

including history, touristic information and informative videos.

Click here for the complete coverage of ‘Curitiba’ 

Click here for the Photo Gallery ‘Curitiba”, part 1  / part 2 / part 3

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COLORFUL BRAZIL: General Osório at Praça XV Novembro, Rio de Janeiro (RJ)

Posted by adrianoantoine on May 10, 2012
Posted in: Abstract, Brazil, Flowers, Nature, Photography, rio de janeiro, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Statue of General Osório at Praça XV de Novembro, RIO DE JANEIRO (RJ)

Praça XV de Novembro hosts various monuments and memorials. The name (15th of November) refers to the declaration of the Brazilian Republic, and therefore the end of the Brazilian Empire. Curiously enough, one imperial palace is located on this square: Paço Imperial, where the Portuguese crown prince and later king Dom João VI, and the Brazilian emperors Dom Pedro I and Dom Pedro II had their offices. Ironically, the square also served as location of departure of the imperial family in 1889, when they were sent into exile. A statue of Dom João VI is located on this square. Another statue is of a Brazilian war hero, General Osório. Manuel Luís Osório (1808-1879), who became baron of Erval, and later was promoted via viscount to marquis of Erval. Osório participated in important battles during the Paraguayan War (1864-1870). He later was appointed as minister of War, until his death. The pantheon was constructed in 1894, with a bronze statue that was made of two cannons that were captured in Paraguay. In 1993, his mortal remains were transferred to his native state: Rio Grande do Sul. He is the patron of the cavalry of the Brazilian army.

The original picture was taken in December 2006.

Click HERE for the accompanying story about the first travel to Rio de Janeiro.
(Click HERE for the Dutch version)

ClickHEREfor general information about RIO DE JANEIRO,
including history, touristic information and informative videos.

Click HERE for overview of Carnaval 2012 in Rio de Janeiro


General Osório


Return of the statue after restoration

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COLORFUL BRAZIL: São Francisco at São Sebastião Cathedral, Rio de Janeiro (RJ)

Posted by adrianoantoine on May 8, 2012
Posted in: Abstract, Brazil, Flowers, Nature, Photography, rio de janeiro, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

São Franciso at Catedral São Sebastião, RIO DE JANEIRO (RJ)

Not far from Lapa, a huge conic building is located near the headquarters of multinational company Petrobrás. It is a cathedral, the Catedral São Sebastião, or also known as Catedral Metropolitana. The cathedral is 75 meters high, with an internal diameter of 96 meters. The cathedral, inaugurated in 1979, is able to host twenty thousand people. Four enormous windows of stained glass, from floor to ceiling, represent four characteristics of the Church: Una, Santa, Católica, and Apostólica. São Sebastião is the patron saint of Rio de Janeiro, the cathedral is dedicated to this saint. A statue of another saint, São Francisco is located near one of the entrance doors. He is holding a bird on his right hand. The saint is facing the mirror view of his House.

The original picture was taken in October 2007.

Click HERE for the accompanying story about the first travel to Rio de Janeiro.
(Click HERE for the Dutch version)

ClickHEREfor general information about RIO DE JANEIRO,
including history, touristic information and informative videos.

Click HERE for overview of Carnaval 2012 in Rio de Janeiro

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Travel in Brazil: Campo Grande (MS), 2011

Posted by adrianoantoine on May 7, 2012
Posted in: Brazil, Brazilian culture, Mato Grosso do Sul, Photography, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment


CAMPO GRANDE (MS)

The city of Campo Grande was founded in 1899. In 1977, Campo Grande became the capital of the newly formed state of Mato Grosso do Sul, dismembered from Mato Grosso. The city was planned and contains a vast green area within the city limits. The 119 hectare Parque das Nações Indígenas (Park of the Indigenous People) is considered as one of the largest urban parks (within the city limits) in the world.
Inside the park, not far from Shopping Center Campo Grande, an obvious statue is located on an small island. An Indian hunter on a horse. A typical horse that can be found in the Pantanal Wetlands, located in Mato Grosso do Sul and neighboring states.
The official name for this monument is ‘Monumento ao Índio Guaicurú’.
Brazilian poet Manuel de Barros wrote about the Indian horseman.

Cavalo Pantaneiro

O homem havia sido posto alí nos inícios para campear e hortar.
Porém só pensava em lombo de cavalo.
De forma que só campeava e não hortava.

(Manoel de Barros)

The original picture was taken in November 2011

Click HERE  for general information about CAMPO GRANDE

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COLORFUL BRAZIL: Vale Festejar! at Convento das Mercês, São Luís (MA)

Posted by adrianoantoine on May 6, 2012
Posted in: Abstract, Beach, Brazil, Maranhão, Photography, Sunset, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

Convento das Mercês, São Luís (MA)

São Luís, capital of the state of Maranhão. Founded by French colonists, occupied by the Dutch, reconquered by the Portuguese. São Luís, Brazilian capital of reggae. The historic center is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The Convento das Mercês is located in the historic center, where winter festivals take place, sponsored by Brazil’s largest mining company. Therefore, the festival is called Vale Festejar, freely translated as It’s Worth Partying! In July 2007, another edition took place, with dances representing various ethnic folklore. Dança Portuguesa, Dança do Lelê, Tambor-de-Crioules, Bumba-meu-Boi. Examples of dances of European, African and indian roots. The man on the picture is one of the dancers of a Bumba-meu-Boi group. He proves that also older men (and women) still have a young heart and mind, when they dance.

The original picture was taken in July 2007.

Click HERE for general information about SÃO LUÍS,

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Travel in Brazil: Mariana (MG), 2011

Posted by adrianoantoine on May 5, 2012
Posted in: Architecture, Brazil, Brazilian culture, Church, Minas Gerais, Photography. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments


MARIANA (MG)

In 2011, three historical cities in  the state of Minas Gerais celebrated their third centennial: Sabará, Ouro Preto, and Mariana. The city is called after Dona Maria Ana of Austria, who was married to the Portuguese king Dom João V. Mariana was the first capital of Minas Gerais, and was then succeeded by neighboring Ouro Preto, and later by Belo Horizonte.
The historic center of Mariana is well conserved; many buildings in the baroque style are popular touristic locations. Most popular are two adjacent churches in the heart of Mariana: Igreja Nossa Senhora do Carmo (1784, right) and Igreja São Francisco de Assis (1766, left). Both churches are also shown in the header of this blog (above). In 1999, a big fire had destroyed a great part of Igreja NS do Carmo, during restoration works. In 2009, the Igreja São Francisco de Assis was declared one of the seven World Wonders of Portuguese Origin.

The original picture was taken in February 2011

Click HERE  for general information about BELO HORIZONTE

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COLORFUL BRAZIL: Lost Penguin At Itaipu Beach, Niterói (RJ)

Posted by adrianoantoine on May 4, 2012
Posted in: Animals, Brazil, Nature, Photography, rio de janeiro, Travel, Wildlife. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Lost Penguin at Itaipu Beach, NITERÓI (RJ)

From Praça XV de Novembro, not far from the center, one may take the ferry boat to the other side of the Guanabara Bay, to Niterói. From the ferry boat station, the bus station is at walking distance. There are regular bus services to two beautiful beaches in Niterói: Itacoatiara and Itaipu. Itaipu Beach is a small beach, that is surrounded by hills. There are number of small restaurants specialized in seafood. When I was there with friends in August 2008, suddenly one of the locals was shouting that there was a penguin at the shoreline. Two people went immediately to the poor, weak and hungry penguin and took it out of the water. Despite the temperature of almost thirty degrees, the poor creature was covered by a beach towel. The sea bird was skinny and appeared exhausted. One restaurant owner already had alarmed the local fire brigade. It took several more calls and little more than one hour before three firemen in uniforms arrived. One of them wore gloves and took the penguin at the base of his wings. The animal got scared and had its excrement  dropped, thereby nearly hitting the fireman. During the Brazilian winter of 2007, more than four hundred lost penguins had to be rescued in Niterói alone. Lost penguins were also located at other Brazilian beaches, even in the northeastern state of Pernambuco. The penguins were collected and returned to South Brazil, by airplane, where they were released.

The original picture was taken in August 2008.

Click HERE for the accompanying story about the first travel to Rio de Janeiro.
(Click HERE for the Dutch version)

ClickHEREfor general information about RIO DE JANEIRO,
including history, touristic information and informative videos.

Click HERE for overview of Carnaval 2012 in Rio de Janeiro


A swimming penguin at Itaipu Beach

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COLORFUL BRAZIL: Girls at Porto de Galinhas Beach (PE)

Posted by adrianoantoine on May 3, 2012
Posted in: Abstract, Beach, Brazil, Pernambuco, Photography, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Two Girls Walking on the Beach, Porto de Galinhas (PE)

Without doubt, Porto de Galinhas is one of the most beautiful beaches in Brazil. Porto de Galinhas is located about 50 km south of Recife, the capital of the state of Pernambuco. Originally it was called Porto Rico (Rich Port), since a lot of trading activities in the northeast of Brazil happened there. Cane sugar and pau-brazil, a tropical wood type. Shiploads of slaves arrived from Africa. When slave trade was banned, the slaves were transported illegally, beneath the load of helmeted guinea-fowls, that are called galinhas d’Angola in Portuguese. When such a ship was about to arrive at the port, traders were warned that the galinhas had arrived. Therefore the name of Porto Rico gradually was changed in Porto de Galinhas.
During summer and – above all – during Carnival, this beach is visited my a huge number of Brazilian and foreign tourists.
The girls on the image probably are Brazilians, I will not be surprised that they even live near this beach.

The original picture was taken in January 2009.

Click HERE for general information about RECIFE,

including history, touristic information and informative videos.

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COLORFUL BRAZIL: Hand-Some Dragonfly at Itapuã Beach, Salvador (BA)

Posted by adrianoantoine on May 2, 2012
Posted in: Architecture, Bahia, Beach, Brazil, Photography, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

Dragonfly on a Hand at Itapuã Beach, SALVADOR (BA)

Salvador, capital of the state of Bahia, and former capital of Brazil, is very popular among (foreign) tourists. Many tourist will go for the beautiful beaches near Salvador. Beaches as Praia Forte, Stella Maris, Itapuã.
Itapuã Beach is about 25 km north from Salvador. During weekends and holidays, the beach can be overcrowded.  When I was there in July 2006, it was rather quiet on the beach. I made some walks with Brazilian friends. I took some photographs of the coconut trees, and suddenly my eye caught a dragonfly on the beach. Quite a large dragonfly. It did not move, and would not move anymore. One friend had put the dragonfly on his and, and thus I managed to immortalize this poor creature…

The original picture was taken in July 2006.

Click HERE for general information about SALVADOR,

including history, touristic information and informative videos.

Click HERE for the Photo Gallery of  ‘SALVADOR’, part one.
Click HERE for the Photo Gallery of  ‘SALVADOR’, part two.
Click HERE for the Photo Gallery of  ‘SALVADOR’, part three.

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