Vale

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Imaging Brazil 367: Pink Winter Blossom at Praça da Liberdade in Belo Horizonte, MG (2012)

Posted by adrianoantoine on April 3, 2018
Posted in: Brazil, Flowers, Minas Gerais, Photography, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

367: Pink winter blossom


Praça da Liberdade in Belo Horizonte is one of the most popular locations for both tourists and belohorizontinos. The big square is decorated as a park, and is cut in the middle by a cobble-stone-paved lane flanked by tall imperial palm trees. The square is surrounded by historical buildings that once were part of the state government. The main building is the governmental palace, that is still in use. The other buildings have been transformed into cultural centers and museums. The former Secretariate of Treasury (Secretária da Fazenda) is transformed into Memorial Minas Gerais-Vale. A museum – maintained and sponsored by Vale Company – that represents the history and heritage of the state of Minas Gerais. In winter, the ipê rosa (Handroanthus heptaphyllus), or Black Lapacho blooms with bunches of bright pink tubular flowers, which creates a colorful contrast with pale yellowish plaster of the historic building, with the 1897 cornerstone that marked the start of the construction of Belo Horizonte. 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2012, 2017

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Imaging Brazil 227: Railway in Minas Gerais, MG (2009)

Posted by adrianoantoine on December 1, 2016
Posted in: Brazil, Minas Gerais, Photography, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

227: Railway

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NOVEMBER 2009: Railway 

In November 2009, I traveled by train to Ipatinga, a city at about two hundred kilometers east of Belo Horizonte. Unfortunately, Brazil has few railways but there is a rail link between Belo Horizonte and Vitoria, capital of the neighboring state of Espírito Santo. The operation of the railway is owned by mining giant Vale, which transports hundreds of rail cars loaded with iron ore from the mines in Minas Gerais to the port of Vitória each day. As a condition for operating the railway, Vale has the obligation to transport passengers too. Unfortunately, there are only a handful of daily services, and it is lamentable that the trains do not run faster than about fifty kilometers per hour. That day,  I left Belo Horizonte early in the morning, and I arrived in Ipatinga in the afternoon. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the beautiful mountain scenery en route.

 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2009, 2016

Imaging Brazil 110: Vale do Rio Doce in Espírito Santo, ES (2007)

Posted by adrianoantoine on December 17, 2014
Posted in: Brazil, Espírito Santo, Minas Gerais, Photography, Sunset, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

A personal selection of photographs with their stories.

110. Vale do Rio Doce

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AUGUST 2007: Vale do Rio Doce

The almost 600 km long railway between Belo Horizonte and Vitória follows a great part of the course of Doce River towards the state of Espírito Santo. The railroad company is called after the valley, which is the river’s basin: Companhia Vale do Rio Doce (CVRD). Since 2007, the company has been renamed into Vale. Vale is one of Brazil’s largest companies and one of the world’s largest mining companies. The company possesses a thirty-year-concession of the railway, and is mainly used for the transport of iron ore, while transport of people has less priority. The passenger train moves on slowly, at an overall average speed of only 50 km per hour, and stops regularly for allowing long iron ore trains passing by. Sometimes a train with almost two hundred wagons! It is no surprise that the train travel to Vitória takes almost thirteen hours, and that there is only one train per day leaving in each direction. It was almost dark when the train entered the state of Espírito Santo. The sun was already setting, towards the horizon. The colorful sunset was reflected on the shiny metal sheets of the train wagon.

 

© Adriano Antoine Robbesom 2007, 2014

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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COLORFUL BRAZIL: Bumba-meu-Boi at Convento das Mercês, São Luís (MA)

Posted by adrianoantoine on April 7, 2012
Posted in: Abstract, Beach, Brazil, Maranhão, Photography, Sunset, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments

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. Most colorful and most spectacular were the dances of Bumba-meu-Boi, telling the story of a slave couple. The pregnant woman wanted to eat the tongue of the best bull of the slave owner, and her husband decided to fulfill her wish. The slave owner caught him and forced him to choose between bringing the bull back to live or his own death. A doctor fulfilled a miracle and managed to relive the bull. The happy owner forgave the slave, a big party was then organized. Like samba schools in Rio en São Paulo, Bumba-meu-Boi schools compete with each other. The photograph shows a member of Pindoba.

The original picture was taken in July 2007.

Click HERE for general information about SÃO LUÍS,

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