Reunion with an old friend; we go to Belo Horizonte, Tiradentes and Brasilia

During my freshman year at University of Maryland College Park, I was good friends with a Brazilian girl named Ana Cristina, or Cris, but she and I had last touch since then. After living in the US many years, Cris recently returned to Brazil and lives in Belo Horizonte (BH) in the state of Minas Gerais. During my time in Brazil, though, we got to see each other again. In November, cris stayed with me when she was in SP, and afterwards, I decided to go back to BH with her and travel over some Brazilian holidays. We only spent about a day in BH, but over about a week, we went to Tiradentes and then to the capital, Brasilia.

We left BH for São João del Rei, from where we took a train to Tiradentes, the home of the Brazilian Independance movement, or the Inconfidencia Mineira. The train is old, and has been restored to its original grandeur. Interestingly, the little museum they have at the station has relics from Pennsylvania's train works, which I imagine helped provide some of the equipment at that time.






Danger: Stop, Look, listen


On the way to Tiradentes

We arrived in Tiradentes, which was named for Joaquim Jose da Silva Xavier, also known as Tiradentes (Tooth Puller), who was the leader of the first organized movement against Portuguese rule in Brazil in 1789. He was born in 1748 near São João del Rei, and besides being a revolutionary worked as a physician, merchant and dentist, hence his name.



The town is pretty, with colonial architecture everywhere, and really good restaurants and shops.


A well-known Tiradentes fountain with potable water






In the main square of Tiradentes




In front of the main church of Tiradentes, where a rainbow had formed

We had lunch and walked around that day, looking at the sites. The next day went on a hike through the Serra do São José, a thin mountain range that stretches out behind the town. I must have eaten or touched something the previous day, but had the worst diarrhea during the hike, with fever and frequent stopping, which sucked. Still, it was beautiful and, in retrospect, I'm glad I went. Only the two of us went on the excursion that day, so it was just us, the guide and a flea-ridden street dog that seemed to be in the habit of accompanying hiking tours.


The Serra do São José








Large ant's carrying flower petals and other useful things


Some cows grazing near the summit

Towards the end of the hike, there was a freezing cold pool of water you could swim in. It had a lot of tadpoles, too. Feverish, I opted to sit in the sun and watch Cris enjoy.





That night we went by bus back to BH, and the next day flew to Brasilia, where we stayed with Chris' father. It was so nice to arrive at his house, which was very spacious and comfortable, especially after being sick.


Agua de coco is good for rehydrating

That weekend was her father's birthday, and he had a lunch party with great feijoada for a bunch of his friends. He is a political scientist, and his friends seemed a cultured bunch, so it was a real treat to sit and talk with them.


Cris and her father, Antonio








The next day we went out and saw the town, which is very modern and pretty, with lots of green lawns everywhere. It reminded me of suburban America. Brasilia is a planned city, and was created only about 40 years ago. Most every important building was designd by Brazil's best-known architect, Oscar Niemeyer, and everything in the town has a somewhat dated look, with 1960s and 70s styles in most buildings.








The Cathedral of Brasilia


The Foreign Affairs Ministry


The Esplanade of Ministries


The National Congress building, with the Lower House on the left and the Upper House on the right


Another plaza whose names escapes me, but which has a lot of monuments

That night I went out with Cris and two of her friends to several bars, and got a taste of the Brasiliense nightlife. We had a good time, and it was a great way to end the trip.



Thank you, Cris and Antonio, for your hospitality.