Imaging Brazil 299: Selling Hats on a Car in João Pessoa, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

299: Selling hats

In Brazil you will find street traders everywhere. They are called camelôs. Often they have exhibited their limited range on a simple stall, some of them keep it simple with a big canvas or cloth on the sidewalk, others have handcars or bicycles. The more wealthy can afford to offer their value in their Volkswagen van, or in their luggage compartment. The street trader in the picture made use of the windscreen and hood. On very sunny days, he will certainly attract many customers looking for some cooling for their heated, sunbathed heads.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

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Imaging Brazil 296: Pink and Blue Sunset in Paraíba (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

296: Colorful sunset

The beaches in the state of Paraíba are the easternmost located on the South American subcontinent. The Paraíba coastline measures 138 km; the beaches north of the capital João Pessoa belong to the northern beaches (‘litoral norte’), and the beaches south of the southern beaches (‘litoral sul’). The most famous beaches – including Praia dos Seixas, Tambaba, Tambaú, Coqueirinho – belong to the southern beaches. One of the most beautiful beaches is undoubtedly Praia do Coqueirinho. The beach, with calm seawater, is surrounded by palm trees. The colorful sand rock formations are suitable to beautiful compositions. However, the blue and purple colors of the sunset impressed me most.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 292: Selling Fruits from a Wheelbarrow in João Pessoa, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

292: Fruitseller

You can consider them as little self-employed, the camelôs on the streets. They try to sell their merchandise to the passers-by. From behind their little stalls – sometimes no more than a wooden board on a stack of crates – they shout their merchandise to the clients, or stay silent or sit until an interested customer draws his attention. In the big cities, these camelôs occupy small spaces along and on the sidewalks, and in various squares and open spaces. You can find literally everything: refreshments, household items, small electronics, clothes and shoes, as well as fresh fruit. This camelô in João Pessoa used a wheelbarrow as a mobile stall for his fruit.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 289: Clown with Harmonica in João Pessoa, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

289: Clown with harmonica

 

João Pessoa, capital of the state of Paraíba, attracts many tourists, but not as many as its neighboring capitals Recife and Natal. However, many people try to draw attention from Brazilian and international tourists, like the clown on this picture. His colorful clothes are composed of the colors that are closely associated with the frevo style: yellow, red, green, and blue. The clown was playing his harmonica, thereby hiding his instrument behind his hands. Because of his weathered face, we could guess that this clown has had a lot of experience of open-air performances.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 286: Fisherman on the Shoreline in João Pessoa, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

286: Fisherman

Located between the more popular tourist capitals of Recife and Natal, João Pessoa has a lot to offer to Brazilian and foreign tourists who are attracted to the beautiful beaches within the city limits and beyond. The Areia Vermelha sandbank and the Jacaré river beach at the Paraíba River are worth visiting. Near this beach is an open-air market a broad variety of souvenirs and local crafts, as well as a number of eateries, bars and restaurants. At the time of the sunset, saxophonist Jurandy has continuously been sailing for over seventeen years to accompany the setting sun with his enchanting version of Ravel’s Bolero. The beaches are also visited by many fishermen, like this man in the picture.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 279: Palm Tree on Rock at Tambaba Beach, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

279: Palm tree on rock

Tambaba Naturist Beach is located at about thirty kilometers south of João Pessoa. During my stay in 2010, I accompanied a group of students to this beach. Strict access rules apply to the naturist beach: Only couples and women are allowed. Therefore, I have not been able to visit this beach. The female students climbed a improvised staircase and then descended to the beach. Other female students told me that a group of male medicine students were desperate to visit the beach and even offered fifty reais to the students who invited one of them as companions. The female students refused. But the publicly accessible beach is definitely worth a visit too, and has beautiful views. Like the image of this lonely palm tree on a rock at the coastline.

 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 278: Shoe Market Stall in João Pessoa, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

278: Sandals for sale

It is a common view in many major Brazilian cities: street vendors behind market stalls and outstretched blankets with a modest assortment and amount of market goods. These so-called camelôs try to sell cheap electronic gadgets, vegetables, fruit, handicrafts, cheap clothes, and shoes to passers-by. There is no lack of them in the centers: at day, the streets are well stocked with potential buyers, attracted by the low prices. In the center of João Pessoa I found this merchandise: sandals, good for the warm summer weather. In various models and sizes.

 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 272: Fish on the Beach in João Pessoa, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

272: Fish on the beach

João Pessoa, Capital of Paraíba State, has some beautiful beaches, including the most eastern beach on the South American subcontinent, Ponta do Seixas. Within the city limits, the beaches of Cabo Branco and Tambaú are very popular. Tambaú has an interesting market where you can shop for local crafts and souvenirs at reasonable prices. These beaches are easily accessible, and you will find a large number of hotels, restaurants and bars. On the beach you also come across many interesting things. Various types of shells, for example, or coiled fish. Like I encountered this flat fish with a light brown color. The flared beach sand on its body made this poor fish almost invisible.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 270: Lone Tree in Bahia, BA (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

270: Lone tree

During my bus trips to the northeast of Brazil, we always had to cross the giant states of Minas Gerais and Bahia. In July 2010, I accompanied a group of students on their way to their annual meeting in João Pessoa, capital of Paraíba state. A bus trip of more than forty hours. It takes at least twelve hours before the state limit of Minas Gerais with Bahia is reached, and another twelve hours to reach Salvador. Despite the many hours, it is very interesting to see the multicolored and varied landscape from open bus window: from mountains and  green hills to arid plains. The photograph shows a lone tree in a landscape hit by winter drought.

 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 265: Low Tide in João Pessoa, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

265: Areia Vermelha

You will find a great variety of coasts and beaches along the very long Brazilian coastline. For example cliffs, sandstone shores, sandy beaches, beaches that disappear at high tide, sand banks. These sand banks are very popular among tourists;  local boatmen try to have their profitable share. To a somewhat expensive rate they offer boat trips to the sand banks. However, at the larger and better known beach resorts, these boat trips are under the control of the municipality, and only licensed boats are allowed to transport tourists. As in Maragogi, Porto de Galinhas, and here in Joao Pessoa, where they offer boat trips to Areia Vermelha. At low tide, the ferry, with several dozen tourists, heads to the sandbank, and returns a few hours later, at the time when the sand disappears again, being taken by the water.

 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 260: Soapbox Cart in João Pessoa, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

260: Soapbox cart

When you think of a soapbox cart, you may think of the old stories of your father or grandfather. Or of a children’s story. Even though sometimes attempts have been made to resurrect this piece of nostalgia, this kind of self-made vehicle is not common, even in Brazil. But when I walked along the beach in Joao Pessoa, I encountered this soapbox car with a small child inside the soapbox, pushed by an adult. I can remember the stories that these carts had a front wheel, with which children were able to steer, but this cart was pushed and controlled by the adult. The boy did not have to do anything, just enjoy.

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 258: Santa Rosa Theater in João Pessoa, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

258: Theater

One of the oldest theaters in Brazil is located in the center of João Pessoa : Teatro Santa Rosa. The theater – named after the then president of the state of Paraíba, Francisco da Gama Rosa – was opened in 1889. The theater has a turbulent history, where the state flag was formulated, and where took place the name change of the city in 1930: Parahyba was replaced by João Pessoa, in honor of the governor and vice presidential candidate assassinated three months earlier. The theater, with over four hundred seats, has beautiful dark red decorations, like the carpets, curtains and wall coverings.

 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

Imaging Brazil 254: Children Playing in João Pessoa, PB (2010)

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

254: Children playing

João Pessoa – capital of Paraíba state – is an interesting coastal city in northeastern Brazil. The small center hosts several monuments that are worth a visit, but also the coastal area can not be forgotten. Beautiful beaches are located within the city limits, and in the immediate vicinity, and there is even a possibility to visit sand banks at low tide. These sand banks are reachable by boat, and it is impressive to see how the reclaimed piece of land is being occupied again by the surrounding water at high tide. The promenades along the beaches attract many people and also children. These two children enjoyed themselves imperturbably on one of the beach promenades.

 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

IMAGES OF BRAZIL: SELEXION 2010 – 011

A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2010.

Part 11:
Rio Grande do Norte (RN) – Baobab fruit
Rio Grande do Norte (RN) – Antenna
João Pessoa (PB) – Serving ice cream at low tide
Bahia (BA) – River landscape

Rio Grande do Norte (RN) – Baobab fruit

Rio Grande do Norte (RN) – Antenna

João Pessoa (PB) – Serving ice cream at low tide

Bahia (BA) – River landscape

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2017

IMAGES OF BRAZIL: SELEXION 2010 – 009

A selection of photographs taken in Brazil in 2010.

Part 9:
Pernambuco (PE) – Composition of horse and car
João Pessoa (PB) – Brazilian mini flags
João Pessoa (PB) – No feet on the wall!
João Pessoa (PB) – Grasshopper

Pernambuco (PE) – Composition of horse and car

João Pessoa (PB) – Brazilian mini flags

João Pessoa (PB) – No feet on the wall!

João Pessoa (PB) – Grasshopper

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2010, 2016

COLORFUL BRAZIL: Ocean Warrior in Coruripe, Alagoas (AL)

Coruripe, ALAGOAS (AL)

Coruripe is located at about 100 km south of Maceió, capital of the state of Alagoas.  When I was there in July 2008, the city was constructing a light tower, which is now a landmark of Coruripe. Together with three friends, I walked along the beach, northward, in the direction of Maceió. We walked along pristine beaches, deserted beaches. Almost no one there, just our footprints. Sometimes we had to cross barriers, such as a quay near Coruripe. The waves were pounding there with astonishing force. I was cautious enough – also because of my camera – to avoid these waves. One of us could not resist, and started to challenge the waves. As a primitive warrior, he stood there, and cheered when he had beaten another wave. And I could not resist this unique moment of a warrior challenging the waves.
I was both amazed and shocked to notice large amounts of waste on the deserted beaches. Not only left behind by tourists, but it also must have been deposited by the waves, from distant locations. We all need to become warriors to battle pollution on the beautiful beaches.

The original picture was taken in July 2008.

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Click HERE for general information about MACEIÓ,

including history, touristic information and informative videos.

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COLORFUL BRAZIL: Gunga Beach, Alagoas (AL)

Gunga Beach, ALAGOAS (AL)

One of the most beautiful beaches of the tiny Brazilian state of Alagoas is Gunga Beach. This wide beach can be reached by a secondary road through private land, or by a  boat service from Barra de São Miguel. The beach is flanked by a large coconut plantation, thereby providing an idyllic composition of white sands, green exotic coconut trees, and azure blue sea. I was lucky enough to visit Gunga Beach three times: in July 2008, when staying in Maceió (AL); in August 2009, also staying in Maceió; in July 2010 , when traveling to João Pessoa (PB). During my second visit, in 2008, it rained that day. But even in the rain, this beach is worth visiting!

The original picture was taken in July 2008.

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Click HERE for general information about MACEIÓ,

including history, touristic information and informative videos.

---

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