A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2014.
Part 51:
Barreirinhas (MA) – Brown frog
Maranhão (MA) – Tourist boat
Pequenos Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Monkey
Barreirinhas (MA) – Brown frog
Maranhão (MA) – Tourist boat
Pequenos Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Monkey
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2014, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2014.
Part 50:
Maranhão (MA) – Preguiças River
Barreirinhas (MA) – Water reflection
Maranhão (MA) – Local boat on Preguiças River
Maranhão (MA) – Preguiças River
Barreirinhas (MA) – Water reflection
Maranhão (MA) – Local boat on Preguiças River
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2014, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2014.
Part 49:
Barreirinhas (MA) – Entrance sign
Barreirinhas (MA) – The making of a pizza
Barreirinhas (MA) – Satellite dish at night
Barreirinhas (MA) – Entrance sign
Barreirinhas (MA) – The making of a pizza
Barreirinhas (MA) – Satellite dish at night
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2014, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2014.
Part 48:
São Luís (MA) – St. John statue
Maranhão (MA) – Horse taking shelter during downpour
Barreirinhas (MA) – Boats on Preguiças River at night
São Luís (MA) – St. John statue
Maranhão (MA) – Horse taking shelter during downpour
Barreirinhas (MA) – Boats on Preguiças River at night
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2014, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2007.
Part 31:
Maranhão (MA) – Dunes along the river
Maranhão (MA) – Getting off along the river
Maranhão (MA) – Local sailing boat
Maranhão (MA) – Banana boat
Maranhão (MA) – Dunes along the river
Maranhão (MA) – Getting off along the river
Maranhão (MA) – Local sailing boat
Maranhão (MA) – Banana boat
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2017
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2007.
Part 30:
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Freshwater lake and dunes
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Freshwater lake and dunes
Lençóis Maranhenses(MA) – Sand dunes
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Freshwater lake and dunes
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Freshwater lake and dunes
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Freshwater lake and dunes
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Sand dunes
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Freshwater lake and dunes
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2016
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2007.
Part 29:
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Blue fly on white flower
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Sand pattern
Lençóis Maranhenses(MA) – Sand abstract
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Freshwater lake
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Blue fly on white flower
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Sand pattern
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Sand abstract
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Freshwater lake
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2016
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2007.
Part 28:
Maranhão (MA) – Preguiças River
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Horseman
Lençóis Maranhenses(MA) – Dunes and freshwater lake
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Lakes and dunes
Maranhão (MA) – Preguiças River
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Horseman
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Dunes and freshwater lake
Lençóis Maranhenses (MA) – Lakes and dunes
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2016
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2007.
Part 27:
Atins (MA) – Branches on the beach
Atins (MA) – Dirt road
Barreirinhas (MA) – Ferry
Barreirinhas (MA) – On the Preguiças River
Atins (MA) – Branches on the beach
Atins (MA) – Dirt road
Barreirinhas (MA) – Ferry
Barreirinhas (MA) – On the Preguiças River
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2016
A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2007.
Part 26:
Maranhão (MA) – Landscape
Maranhão (MA) – Sand dune
Maranhão (MA) – Sand dune
Barreirinhas (MA) – Ambulance boat
Maranhão (MA) – Landscape
Maranhão (MA) – Sand dune
Maranhão (MA) – Sand dune
Barreirinhas (MA) – Ambulance boat
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2016
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
112. Dirty hands
JULY 2007: Dirty hands
We had spent 55 hours by bus, to bridge the huge distance of more than 2500 km between Belo Horizonte and São Luís, capital of the state of Maranhão. Another five hours were spent by bus to reach Barreirinhas, gateway to the immense dune landscape of Lençóis Maranhenses. Four more hours were spent by boat to reach Atins Beach, at the Atlantic Ocean. Our feet really hurt when we stepped on the hot sand. It was as if our flip flops were even melting! But that didn’t stop us from reaching the shoreline and giving our feet a refreshing bath. To our big surprise, our feet sank deeply in the moist sand, almost ten centimeters! There was another surprise that clumps of clay were found on the shoreline. Two students immediately recognized the substance, and started to smear the clay on their hands. According to them, this clay type is very suitable for ceramic handicraft.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2015
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
108. Descent of Man
JULY 2007: Descent of Man
In July 2007, we visited the state of Maranhão. We stayed in Barreirinhas, which is considered the gateway to the immense Lençóis Maranhenses dune landscape, from where we joined a boat ride on the literally lazy Preguiças River. Our final destination was Atins, at the Atlantic Ocean, four hours away. It was a hot day, but the ride on the water was really enjoyable. When we entered the sandy paths and streets in Atins, we almost immediately jumped from out feet. The sand was terribly hot! We all felt a bit tired after a 55-hour-long bus ride from Belo Horizonte and another 4-hour boat ride. One of the bus drivers was really feeling exhausted. For him, it was impossible to walk straight. He then trudged toward me, and I couldn’t resist taking a picture of him. His pose remembered me of the stories of the early humans on earth, several hundred thousands years ago, when man made the first efforts to walk straight….
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2014
A personal selection of photographs with their stories.
106. Colorful sunset
JULY 2007: Colorful sunset
During our trip in the state of Maranhão, we stayed a few days in Barreirinhas, which is known as the gateway to the vast dune complex of Lençóis Maranhenses. On our second day in Barreirinhas we took a boat ride on the very slow flowing Preguiças River. It took more than four hours before we reached Atins, our final destination of that day. Atins, located at the Atlantic Ocean, is a hamlet with literally one long street and a few side streets. Palm leaves marked parking spaces along the sandy street. We spent the afternoon on the deserted Atins Beach. Late in the afternoon, we witnessed a rapidly progressing sunset; it was as if you could see the sun move towards the horizon and disappear completely. It was a colorful end of a sunny and warm day. The low tide forced us to wait until midnight, for our boat ride back to Barreirinhas.
© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2014
Atins is a small coastal village at the border of the immense dune landscape of Lençóis Maranhenses. From Barreirinhas – gateway to the dune landscape – we made a 4-hour boat trip to Atins, on the lazy Preguiças River.
It is not easy to travel on the Preguiças River. Depending on the tide, the river flow changes. High tide means that sea water flows land inward, at low tide the flow inverts to seaward. Therefore, our boat trip back to Barreirinhas only could start at midnight. We enjoyed the day at the beach, and witnessed a breathtaking sunset. At night, we gathered at a pousada and killed the time with chatting. It was full moon that night; therefore, my camera was able to catch some light with prolonged exposure. With some modifications, I was able to obtain quite a clear image of two boats floating on the river. In the moonlight…
Camera: Canon PowerShot A540
f/2,6, 15 sec. focal length 6 mm, max. aperture 2,75
National Park Lençóis Maranhenses is located at about 275 km east from São Luís, capital of the Brazilian state of Maranhão. The immense dune landscape measures no less than 155 thousand hectares. During the raining season, water accumulates in numerous little freshwater lakes, spread over the park. From July, when the raining season is over, water evaporates within a few months. The best time to visit these lakes is between July and September. Most of these lakes contain crystal clear, lukewarm water, ideal for bathing. A minority of these lakes contain plants, and even fish.
The picture is composed of five separate photographs, which were taken with a Canon Powershot A540. The original size of this composition is 4510×1083 pixels. That day, the camera was covered with plastic foil, in order to prevent penetration of fine sand grains. The image had to be corrected for the distortion caused by the plastic.
The original picture was taken in July 2007.
Click HERE for general information about SÃO LUÍS.
Click HERE for more information about Lençóis and Barreirinhas, Gateway to Lençõis.
Rio Preguiças, the Lazy River, has a length of only 120 km, runs along Barreirinhas (gateway to the dune landscape of National Park Lençóis Maranhenses), and ends in the Atlantic Ocean, near Atins. The distance between the locations is only 16 kilometers in a straight line, but when following the strong meandering river, the distance is 42 kilometers long. The river flows very slowly. You may even wonder to which direction the river flows. At low tide the flow is seaward, into the Atlantic Ocean; at high tide the flow is in opposite direction, landward. Hence, boat tours can only be performed at certain hours. In our case, our departure time at Barrerinhas was at dawn and at Atins after midnight.
The original picture was taken in July 2007.
Click HERE for general information about SÃO LUÍS,
About 250 km east of São Luís, capital of the Brazilian state of Maranhão, Atins is located at the Atlantic coast, at the border of the immense dune landscape of Lençóis Maranhenses. Atins may be reached by boat from Barreirinhas, thereby following the Preguiças River. In 2007, the travel fare was 5 reais only, for a journey of four hours. Many locals use this boat, as their public transport. On the savage beach of Atins, one may located lumps of clay, which may be used as the basis for pottery. My travel companions immediately recognized the clay, and played with it. As a result: dirty, brown hands…
The original picture was taken in July 2007.
Click HERE for general information about SÃO LUÍS,
An immense national park of 155 thousand hectares. It is really impossible to visit everything within a single day. However, I only had the opportunity to visit Lençóis for one day. I did not waste my time, I did not join my travel companions who stayed at one of the numerous freshwater lakes. That day I have walked many hours through the dune landscape, in order to get some impression of the beauty and uniqueness of the park. I only can use superlatives to describe the park. You only need to walk and climb a few hundred meters through the dune landscape to get the feeling that you are really alone in this world. I sat there, on top of one of the dunes. I was there alone, without company. Without animals around me, no plants, no sounds. Only the white sand, the blue sky with some white clouds, and a burning sun. For a while, I was feeling very small, like an ant in a desert. No powerful man rules that world, but at that moment Mother Nature rules you… The original picture was taken in July 2007.
Click HERE for general information about SÃO LUÍS, including history, touristic information and informative videos. Click HERE for the overview of the bus travel from Belo Horizonte to Maranhão Click HERE for the overview of MARANHÃO, part one.
Atins is a small coastal village at the border of the immense dune landscape of Lençóis Maranhenses. From Barreirinhas – gateway to the dune landscape – we made a 4-hour boat trip to Atins. From the village, it was a 30-min walk to the beach. While the pure white sands were feeling pleasantly cool under our feet, the brownish sand in Atins was really hot, we almost burnt our feet.
The beach at Atins is very different of what I was used to see at other Brazilian locations. This beach looks somewhat wild, with shrubs and bushes and grass growing in the sand, as if it is an arid landscape. Like we were in a desert instead on a beach.
The combination of a tired-looking bus driver walking toward us, and the apparent desert landscape results in the composition above: Like a vivid example of the evolution theory of Darwin: our ancestors trying to walk on two feet, the descent of man had occurred here, in Atins.
Camera: Canon PowerShot A540
f/8, 1/1250 sec. focal length 23 mm, max. aperture 4.90625
The Brazilian state of Maranhão is widely known for hosting the immense dune landscape of Lençóis Maranhenses. From Barreirinhas – gateway to Lençóis Maranhenses -, one may join a boat trip in the really lazy Preguiças River. The regular, and thus cheap, boat ride took more than four hours, to arrive at the final destination: Atins.
Atins is a very small coastal village, with one main road. From there, it is a short walk to the beach of Atins, and reach the Atlantic Ocean. It is not a beach with white sands and palm trees, but a rough beach, with tiny shrubs and grass growing on greyish brown sand.
Near the shoreline, one may find some clay humps, ideal for pottery. Also suitable to dirt your hands with.
The girl in this photograph demonstrates the clay that made her already tanned hands much darker.
Camera: Canon PowerShot A540
f/4, 1/400 sec. local time: 17.22 h.
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Adriano Antoine 