Imaging Brazil 295: Sunset at Gunga Beach, AL (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

295: Gunga Beach sunset

When I was accompanying a group of students on their way to João Pessoa, a day was spent on the beach of Gunga in the state of Alagoas. Following my visits in 2008 and 2009, it was the third time I stayed at this  beach paradise. Just like the first time, the bus driver had to use all his experience and agility to guide the bus over the bumpy and paved secondary road. Most students immediately searched for the nearby beach pavilion and ordered a large amount of beer right away. This was not my intention, I preferred a long beach walk, with a camera in my hand. Late afternoon, we enjoyed a breathtaking sunset.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

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Imaging Brazil 198: Children along the Highway in Alagoas, AL (2008)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

198. Children along the highway 

JULY 2008: Children along the highway

It’s no secret that there is much poverty in the large northeastern region of Brazil. There have recently been intense attempts by the federal government to eradicate absolute poverty of the regional population, with visible results. Nonetheless, poverty is still clearly visible there, even to the eyes of tourists and travelers who use the highways. At some locations, houses and huts have been built not far from the highway, and the local people seem to be undisturbed about the speeding fast traffic. A few people try to take advantage of the raised bumps at the city limits, and then try to sell vegetables, fruit, sweets or handicraft to drivers and passengers. Children also seem to have grown up with life along the highway. These children enthusiastically waved to us when our bus passed by their little house.

 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2008, 2016

Imaging Brazil 158: Souvenir Vendor at Gunga Beach, AL (2008)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

08. Souvenir vendor

JULY 2008: Souvenir vendor 

Gunga Beach is one of the most beautiful beaches in the state of Alagoas. It is not easy to reach Gunga: either by a ferry boat from Barra de São Miguel or via a private secondary road that has an entry at the highway. In July 2008, when I was joining a group of students from Belo Horizonte for their annual meeting in Maceió, the state capital, our bus had to enter the private road. The dirt track contained many large holes and large stones, which made it hard for the bus driver to maneuver swiftly. Most of the students were too tired to walk along the beach and took their seats at the first barrack on the beach. I also felt very tired, but I still had some energy left to walk around and take some pictures of the paradisaical beach. White sand, green palm trees, crystalline water, a clear blue sky, on a warm and a sunny day. I really imagined myself in a paradise! I was accompanied by two friends, and we met one of the many beach vendors that try to sell their merchandise to the beach-goers. This vendor was gentile and very talkative. His merchandise consisted of small bottles that contain images of colored sand. We observed that his beard had a strange shaving pattern. He noticed us looking at his beard and explained us that it shows his name. He was about to shave it the following day.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2008, 2015