Easter in Ouro Preto

I spent the Easter weekend on a visit to the old city of OURO PRETO which translated means, literally, ''Gold Black'' - testimony to the fact that this beautiful baroque city which appears to be an old Portuguese town uprooted and plonked in the new world is in fact built on the sweat and lives of the many slaves who were brought here to work in the gold mines of the Portuguese empire.

One of many beautiful churches!


 

Sacks of coloured sawdust are the material

Tapeta

Ouro Preto retains its antique appearance to this day and every Easter, the inhabitants, following a tradition that is at least 300 years old, decorate the city streets with dyed sawdust to create carpets of colourful designs on religious themes using their hands and plywood stencils

Rooftops of Ouro Preto

Crowds watching the tapetas take shape

Early morning inspection of artwork

Working through the night, dozens of people labour to transform the city and by dawn the tapetas are finished.  The early morning crowds arrive to admire the designs, stroll up and down the kilometer or so of artwork and gather to await the Easter Sunday procession that will follow the night's hard work.

After Easter Mass, a procession of hundreds of people, many in biblical costume, walks along the decorated streets from one church to another, and trampling all over the tapetas, whose transient beauty will not be seen for another year

Belo Horizonte (2)

I have made some important links here in Minas Gerais.  Firstly, the training session for Carmen Idiomas is confirmed - Fri 20 May.  The following week I hope to ru a session at an Arts week at the University in Ouro Preto.  I have also made some good links with Plug Minas a culture and IT centre for youth in BH, who are interested in having a workshop.  (photo below)

Yesterday I visited the headquarters of Cultura Inglesa BH, on the recommendation of Laerte at Cultura Inglesaq São Paulo.  Here the programming officer Litany was also very interested in the idea of professional development programme for Cultura Inglesa teachers and I am going to continue knocking on doors of their partner C.I. orgs in other cities I visit.  A tour could be in the offing...
I'm going to the old city of Ouro Preto tomorrow to witness decorated streets, processions and Easter celebrations as well as meet Julie's friend Leandro.
Then, I'm going to take the opportunity of visiting Salvador, Bahia as my expected rendezvous with Ana Paula in Porto Alegre must be postponed for a week.
Expect more posts soon!
I will be very sorry to have to leave the wonderful house of Gobira and Tyr where there are so many friends, human and otherwise... 

but I look forward to returning in a few weeks...
Abraços a todos - Paddy

Belo Horizonte

A lovely week in Belo Horizonte staying with Gobira & Tyr.  Here they are, along with Tyr's brother Silvio and mother, Dona Teresa.

On Wednesday I met Gil Amancio a musician and community artist (musicadecena) on a trip to BH with Gobira.  On Friday I went back to meet with people at Plug Minas, a new digital and creative arts centre in the city.  Saturday we attended a live music event in a banca de revistas (magazine stand) made into a stage for an impromptu street party.
Afterwards we retired to BH's ''most bohemian nightspot'' for a meal listening to samba music from a club over the road.

G & T's house continues to provide natural wonder at every turn - check out this ganfonheta (a kind of cricket) I spied leisurely munching on some leaves in the afternoon sun...
Next week I aim to firm up offers of employment from here and São Paulo, before heading for Ouro Preto for Easter and then arranging the 24-hour ônibus trip to Rio Grande do Sul...
Paddy xx

A day of wildlife

Hello everybody!


These past two days I have been glued to the laptop planning the next two weeks here in Minas Gerais, keeping on top of initiatives from SP and Rio, worrying about spreading myself too thin, but enjoying the fresh air and tranquillity of the countryside after the relentlessness of São Paulo. 


 This evening I had my first contact with Carmen the language teacher from Nova Lima, visited her school, chatted with students and then went to the CEMPRE school she also runs which is night-classes for ordinary folk who want to learn English.  I really enjoyed interacting with the various students, introducing them to my activities and enjoying their happy and engaged responses! Carmen would like me to run a training session with her (18) teachers in a few weeks' time. I am also planning a trip to the beautiful 17th century town of Ouro Preto to run some sessions and spend Easter.  Meanwhile...

 during the day there was a display of local fauna at Gobira and Tyr's house.  First off the appearance of the Louva Deus or Stick Insect .  Immediately after, a cheeky Lagarta (caterpillar) put in an appearance and after lunch a troop of Macaquinhos (little monkeys) dropped by for some bananas.  


Tomorrow I am going to Belo Horizonte with Gobira where I will finally meet Gil Amancio who I started corresponding with last year about the START programme.  Maybe this time we can get a collaboration really off the ground...


Until next time in the blogosphere


Paddy

The end of an idyllic Sunday afternoon in Minas Gerais

I arrived at Gobira and Tyr's lovely house near Nova Lima, Mias Gerais after an 8-hour overnight ônibus trip from São Paulo.  After an extended Sunday lunch, we heard sounds of music and laughter from across the valley and set off to find a party in full swing with forró musicians playing  - enjoy!
More to follow from this beautiful spot...
Paddy

IMAGES OF SÃO PAULO

In SP, the buses have 4, 5 or 6 figure numbers, the place is so huge
I have made some interesting contacts including the director of the city's biggest samba school who may help me obtain some 'fantasias' (samba costumes) to adorn the distaff population of Crook in the months to come.  I have stayed with the lovely Carla and Rodrigo (contacts of John and Sarah) and Duda (friend of Gobira) who have been kind enough to share their homes with this itinerant Brit.


We may see more of duda as he is hoping to join his wife Lulu in Norfolk this summer and being an all-round great guy and musician might be persuaded to help us on our samba-ing way

Here are some images of SP...

Sounds from the Favela!!!

Check out these guys - most are about 7 years old...Afroreggae, Vigário, Rio de Janeiro, 1st April

COPACABANA!

Aqui estou em Rio de Janeiro, cem metros do Oceano Atlántico.  Whilst taking this photo I was nearly dragged back to the UK by the current, so no swimming here!
I got here on Wednesday and yesterday went off for two meetings with contacts
And I finally managed to MAKE A SALE - yippee! - doing some workshops at a theatre here, which means I'll be returning to Rio in May.
The spirit of the trade mission has caught me up.  My fellow delegates are selling different kinds of stuff - medical implants, fitness accreditation certificates, roller doors, and there's a guy from Ponteland who is a sustainable building consultant.  Most evenings we have met up to discuss how our various meetings have gone.  On Wednesday I attended a barbecue at the deputy governor-general's residence (!)

OK here is the obligatory picture of Copacabana beach...nice...no underpants to look out for this time, though
Actually, I went out took the picture then went straight back to the laptop - today I have a meeting with a cultural development officer at Afroreggae and a theatre school who run corporate courses...got to get ready, do my advance prep...
Tomorrow it's off the the Rodoviária (coach terminus) to get an ônibus back to São Paulo and 6 hours of the Brasilian countryside
Tchau Rio, mas até logo!
Paddy