Remaining images of Corpus Christi holliday

These are two nice remaining pictures of Corpus Christi holliday that I would like to share. Both were made by the carpet where the Bishop went on Cândido de Abreu Avenue toward the Civic Center.

The Gondolier of Nhundiaquara River

OK, it is not a gondola! No problem, we're not in Venice anyway! The boatman who circulates around the region of the restaurants in Morretes, charges a small fee for a romantic (!) excursion in the Nhundiaquara river.

In the back, we can see the metal bridge and the Madalosso Restaurant, one of the most traditional restaurants in Morretes where you can enjoy the “Barreado”, a typical dish from the coast of Paraná.

Brazil 3 x 0 Chile

It is a pity for our South American brothers, but today Brazil was the Brazil that we all want to see on the pitch. OK! Kaka was still not the Kaka that we expect, Robinho has not pedaled all he had to pedal, but when the trio worked (Kaka, Robinho and Luis Fabiano), the goals happened. Our defense was always very competent and Julio Cesar is always a guarantee that our goal is very well kept.

So for now, one more reason to celebrate and may come the Holland!

Sunday of art at Flower Street

On Sundays at Flowe Street, the rushing crowd of weekdays is replaced by people walking around, by musicians and artists, as the designer sat in front of the Palace Avenue, drawing a portrait, while his bench mate is reading a book.

Another point of view of Boca Maldita

The Boca Maldita is the center of all important events in Curitiba (political, social and cultural). It is an obligatory passage for those who want to know what is happening in the city. Get closer to where the old men are talking to disclose the backroom of Curitiba's politic panorama.

The photo was taken from Dr. Muricy street towards the Boca Maldita.

Brazil 0 x 0 Portugal

For those who expected the game of Brazil against Portugal to be best of the group, it ends up to be a huge disappointment. Both teams were more interested in keeping the things safe than to play a good match. But we must keep the faith (just like the woman of the photo with an image of Dunga on hand). In the next phases there'll be no alternative to our team but to play well (with Kaka, Robinho and Elano back to the team).

Alice Ruiz

The poet Alice Ruiz Curitiba start writing poems since very young, but she had her first book published at the age of 34. She married Paulo Leminski and he was the first person who described her poetry as similar to "Haikais”.

Alice Ruiz has published 19 books and has received numerous awards. Many of her lyrics were recorded by important Brazilian singers. Much more can be found at http://www.aliceruiz.mpbnet.com.br/.

I remember one Haikai of Alice Ruiz that I believe get along very well with the picture that I am posting today. It is hard to translate, but is says something like:

de tanto não poder dizer
meus olhos deram de falar
só falta você ouvir

since I can’t tell
my eyes have to talk
all you have to do is listen

Lighting up the skies of Curitiba with the colors of Brazil

The Itau Bank, which sponsors the Brazilian national soccer team for years, developed an action in partnership with the designer Marcello Dantas, resulting in a spectacle of lights in Curitiba can be seen from various points of the city. Dozens of reflectors were installed in the Nações Plaza at Alto da XV district, which throughout the night light up the skies of Curitiba in the colors of the flag of Brazil. Depending on weather conditions, the powerful reflectors can reach up to seven kilometers height. Six other cities of Brazil also received these lights.

Winter is here

We are on the second day of winter and the arrival of cold fronts will be a constant in our lives from now on. Curitiba, although is not the capital of Brazil most to the south, but certainly it is the coldest one. Winter is a very complicated period of the year for those who lives on the streets and need to find a way to keep themselves warm, like the people of the photo, sat under the sun. The picture was taken at the corner of Souza Naves Avenue and Padre Germano Mayer Street.

Posing for the photo on the steps of UFPR

Nothing is more traditional for graduating student of UFPR than doing a photo for the graduation call on the steps of the UFPR at Santos Andrade Square. I even believe that graduates from other colleges must use the same scenario.

Besides being the favorite stage for graduation photos, the stairs are also used for protests in general, for concerts or just to serve as a seat to watch the children play and chat with friends.

Brazil 3 x 1 Ivory Coast

Phew! Brazil played very well, escaped almost unscathed from the carnage that the Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire) tried to perpetrate on the field (in their case, a battlefield) and in the end, Brazil had a victory just like Brazilian fans love: with brilliant goals and attitude. Sad to see a team which was expected a fine football (Ivory Coast) and what we saw in the field, was a team that thought could win by physical intimidation. The pictures were taken at Boca Maldita few minutes before the match. We now look forward for Portugal!

Photographing the photographers

On the day of Corpus Christi, on my way from the Shopping Mueller, where I left my car and the Cathedral, where the procession would leave, I saw many interesting scenes and some of them were recorded by me.

These three photographers (or perhaps fellow photography students) were sitting on the curb of Avenida Cândido de Abreu, adjusting their machines and awaiting the moment of passage of the procession. One of the girls noticed my presence, which has tightened up the image.

SOS Earth

The green snake that was positioned between the crawlers at Shopping Mueller is part of the SOS Earth exhibition of the Brazilian artist Thiago Cóstackz. This exhibition is a demonstration in favor of the environment. The artist uses his own body to reproduce the patterns of endangered species of the Amazon.

Comendador Araújo Street

Political leader coming from the city of Antonina, Antonio Alves de Araujo was a provincial deputy. He had an important social and economic position because of his business. He lived on the street that got his name after his death. His home, a mansion in the corner of Osório Square, was demolished in the seventies to make way for a tall building.

In November 1887, it was inaugurated the line of streetcars pulled by donkeys, which started circulating in Curitiba. Because of this, many traders and industrialists, moved from the coast to Curitiba, choosing this region to settle down. On April 30th, 1888, the street was renamed to “Comendador Antonio Alves de Araujo”. The then existing residential environment has been transformed over time into a region of trade. The “Casa Glaser”, remains as the last witness of this history.

From the book "Ruas e histórias de Curitiba" by Valerio Hoerner Jr. Artes e Textos. Curitiba, 2002

Brazil 2 x 1 North Corea

Yesterday, Brazil beat Korea by a score of 2 x 1 (goals from Elano and Maicon), in a presentation considered pale and unimaginative by the sports Analysts. Finishing the first half in 0x0 was very frustrating.

The post game was a good thermometer of overall feeling: little celebration and few fireworks. Robinho (Brazilian striker) celebrated the victory, saying the anxiety of the first game was great. He said that "the victory was what we wanted," and further, that "The Brazilian people can expect a lot of guts and we will represent Brazil very well."

No matter what, the Brazilian soccer fans will always complain, suffer, cheer and if everything goes right, celebrate another title. The weight of the 5 stars is too large to be different.

The photo of the Brazilian soccer fan was made in the corner of Rua Engenheiros Rebouças with Rua Conselheiro Laurindo.

Go Brazil!!!

Today Brazil will literally stop to watch the opening game of our team at South Africa World Cup at 3.30 P.M. (local time).

In Curitiba, the Flower Street, more specifically at the "Boca Maldita", a huge screen was set up so people can follow the games. Everything and everyone is wearing the colors of the Brazilian flag. I believe that there is no other event (political, social, sports) that has the power to mobilize the people of Brazil as the world cup does. Every four years, each Brazilian feel more Brazilian than ever and full of pride of the motherland.

Today Brazil enters the Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg against North Korea with the following lineup: Julio Cesar, Maicon, Lúcio, Juan and Michel Bastos, Gilberto Silva, Felipe Melo, Elano and Kaka ; Robinho and Luis Fabiano.

Go, Brazil!! And don't forget to play your vuvuzela!

Junine Feast

The Junine Feasts were brought to Brazil by the Portuguese, which at first were called “Joanina” to be in honor of São João (Saint John). Common elements in Brazil were aggregated by various influences such the quadrille dancing (French), fireworks (China) and dancing with ribbons (Iberian). In each region, these elements were mixed with regional characteristics, resulting in small differences. In the south, where the cold is more intense, comfort beverages and foods that were introduced such as quentão (made of hot sweet wine, ginger, cinnamon, apple, orange) , boiled pine nuts and hot dogs, in addition to foods based on peanut and corn, common to all regions of Brazil.

Children on the streets of Curitiba

It is not uncommon to see children on the streets of Curitiba, such as those ones at the corner of Souza Naves street with Nossa Senhora da Luz av, accompanying their parents that scavenge paper for sale to any recycling plant.

Valentine's day in Curitiba

It is hard to explain why the june 12th was chosen to be the Valentine's day in Brazil. Some say that it is due to Saint Anthony, the most popular saint in Brazil and said to be a matchmaker saint. Anyhow, today anywhere you go, love is in the air and young hearts show their affection.

The reader of Flower Street in Curitiba

It is Sunday afternoon of a cold day, but not enough to keep you at home. Maybe after a good lunch and a candy at Confeitaria das Famílias at Flower Street, a very nice option to spend the rest of the afternoon would be to sit on a bench surrounded by colorful flowers, open a good book and enjoy this nice moment by yourself.

Winter fair at Osorio Square

Since early June the Winter Fair at Osório Square is open. Handicrafts and delicacies typical of winter can be found, particularly cooked pinion and quentão, a hot beverage made of wine ideal to warm a frosty end of a day Curitiba. The winter fair will be open daily from 10 A.M. to 10 P.M. and should run until at least the end of july.

Sunday afternoon at São Lourenço Park - the nature

Visiting the parks of Curitiba is part of the routine of Curitiba. Curitiba has 26 parks and approximately 81 million square meters of preserved green area. There are 55m ² of green area per capita, three times the level recommended by World Health Organization, of 16m ². In Brazil, it is the town where the Atlantic Forest is better preserved.

The São Lourenço Park was opened in 1972 with 204 000 m². It was created after a river flood in 1970, which caused the disruption of a dam, paralyzing a tannery and a glue factory.

Sunday afternoon at São Lourenço Park - Children

The great protagonists of São Lourenço Park are the children. Most people who frequent this park, make it especially for their children, who occupy all spaces of the park: the playground, the ball bearings track or the huge lawn of the park that has more than 200 thousand square meters of area. In a highly urbanized city like Curitiba, the city parks account for the vast majority of the population, the only alternative to have a minimal contact with nature and space.

Sunday afternoon at São Lourenço Park - Skates and Ball Bearings Boards

Yesterday late afternoon, we went to São Lourenço Park. It was difficult to park, but it was quite nice. Many children playing everywhere, especially on the playground, lots of people walking, playing ball and dating.

The track stands for skateboarding and ball bearings were quite busy, with people of all ages coming down at full speed.

The gentleman and his Panama hat

A Panama hat or just Panama is a traditional brimmed hat of Ecuadorian origin that is made from the plaited leaves of the toquilla straw plant (Carludovica palmata). Straw hats woven in Ecuador, like many other 19th and early 20th century South American goods, were shipped first to the Isthmus of Panama before sailing for their destinations in Asia, the rest of the Americas and Europe. For some products, the name of their point of international sale rather than their place of domestic origin stuck, hence “Panama hats.” The 49ers picked up these hats in Panama, and when President Theodore Roosevelt visited the Panama Canal construction, he wore such a hat, which increased its popularity. They're also known as a Jipijapa, named for a town in Ecuador, one of the centers of the hat trade. The Oxford English Dictionary cites a use of the term as early as 1834.

Glorified during the 19th century, the Panama has since been considered the prince of straw hats. Ecuadorian national hero and emblematic figure, Eloy Alfaro helped finance his liberal revolution of Ecuador through the export of panamas. The reputation of the hat was established by Napoleon III, Edward VII, and some other aficionados.

This gentleman photo, with his Panama hat on his head and a bag of popcorn in hand, was waiting patiently next to the Cathedral, the procession of Corpus Christi.

Blind faith, sharpened knife

In excerpts from the short essay "The religious fanaticism among others " of the Professor Raymundo de Lima, Psychoanalyst, we find the following.

The bigot takes the place of slavery before the absolute master, who can be a god, a secular leader, an ultimate cause or blind faith. Fanaticism is powered by a system of absolute and irrational beliefs that aims to serve a powerful being committed to the fight against Evil. The fanatic does not talk, he makes speeches; ready speeches bears whose purpose is the preaching of a religious or political inculcation of ideas which may turn into an aggressive act.

In Brazil, the religious fanaticism has never had a prominent place in history. There are people who in the name of their faith, are able to donate all their goods, but I think they are a minority. There are in Brazil, other types of fanaticism, as the football that has presented sad and violent scenes (as in Curitiba in the last game of the Brazilian Championship of 2009). But fortunately we do not have to live with religious extremism and terrorism in all its forms. We are (Brazilians) a peaceful people.

The picture of the post was made inside the Cathedral Basilica at Tiradentes Square during the celebration of Corpus Christi.

Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi (Latin for Body of Christ) is a Western Catholic feast. It is also celebrated in some Anglican and Lutheran churches. It honors the Eucharist, and as such it does not commemorate a particular event in Jesus' life. It is held on the Thursday after Trinity Sunday or, in some places, on the following Sunday. Its celebration on a Thursday is meant to associate it with institution by Jesus of the Eucharist during the Last Supper, commemorated on Maundy Thursday, and this is the first free Thursday after Paschaltide. In the current Ordinary form of the Roman rite of the Catholic Church, the feast is officially known as the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ.

The celebration of Corpus Christi became widespread only after both St. Juliana and Bishop Robert de Thorete had died. In 1263 Pope Urban IV investigated claims of a Eucharistic miracle at Bolsena, in which a consecrated host began to bleed. In 1264 he issued the papal bull Transiturus de hoc mundo in which Corpus Christi was made a feast throughout the entire Latin Rite. This was the very first papally sanctioned universal feast in the history of the Latin Rite.

In Curitiba, Corpus Christi rugs were made to the fullest extent of the Avenues Barão do Serro Azul and Cândido de Abreu from Cathedral Square to the Civic Center to accommodate the procession. The mat assembled for the procession, which took place yesterday afternoon, was made with five tons of materials and it was 1.5 kilometers long.

The celebration in front of the Cathedral Basilica began at 3 P.M. After the Mass, which lasted about an hour and a half, the faithful followed in procession toward the Civic Center on Avenida Cândido de Abreu. The celebration ended with a solemn blessing. It is estimated that 100 000 people attended the procession in Curitiba.

Semi-precious stones salesman

This gentleman sells semi-precious stones in Morretes near the restaurant Nhundiaquara. He very kindly allowed me to do that picture next to his bike, after I explained that it was a photography class. He asked only if later I could check on his stones.

Restoration of the Rua 24 Horas

When the “Rua 24 Horas” (24 Hours Street) was opened in Curitiba on September 12, 1991, it was something never seen before: a place where 24 hours a day everything is working, providing services, conveniences, food and leisure. At that time, we could hardly find anything working on a Saturday afternoon.

After years of neglect and several attempts to restore the place, yesterday was announced by the mayor of Curitiba that the “Rua 24 Horas” would be again a point of reference in Curitiba. The reform will start this Wednesday (2) with an investment of $ 3.84 million made by the city of Curitiba.

There will be deployed a cafe, bookstore, post office, tourist center information and a cultural space. The reform will maintain the architectural characteristics of space. Tourists will find a series of services such as information about the city, and sales of handicrafts and regional products.

Theme day: Funny signs

Eventually going to work on Agua Verde Avenue, I used to notice small advertising boards fixed on the poles and traffic lights of a gym called “Monsters Gym”, which calls itself as "the most controversial academy of all times”. What draws attention to these boards are the sentences. They are so absurd that become comical. I think the owners of the gym are good humored people, but a kind of humor that might bother whom takes everything too seriously, because the signs are politically incorrect, as follow three examples:

"For over 10 years turning strips into men."
"Do you want get bigger? Come to MONSTERS GYM. Ops! Do you just want to be cute? Buy a comb!"

"The recipe is simple: Get bigger and get more women."

That last phrase sparked a protest of a group of women in front of the academy, arguing that it denigrates the image of women. Besides the protest, an action was issued requesting the removal of the signs.

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