Curitiba Portraits Anniversary

Today it is the anniversary of Curitiba Portraits. I would like to thank CDP and everyone who visited the blog during this period. The blog  “Curitiba Portraits” was born from another blog in Portuguese, which I update everyday.

In order to devote myself to the original blog and have more freedom to future plans, I would like to say that this will be my last post at Curitiba Portraits.

I invite those who still wish to continue to know more about Curitiba, to follow the link to the blog: circulandoporcuritiba.blogspot.com. Everyone will be very welcome.

The mosaic contains the pictures I like the most from this blog.

Theme day: Open air market

The Largo da Ordem Crafts Fair happens every sunday morning in Curitiba. Thousands of people go there to watch, walk, buy and have a real good time.

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

CEU (College Students's Home of Paraná)

The CEU houses students from other cities, states and even countries that can't afford the rent of a place to stay during college times. It was inaugurated on August 11th, 1948. Last year a huge restoration was done by the Prefecture of Curitiba. Today almost 200 students live at CEU.

A door for Marilyn

Yesterday early in the morning, I drove around downtown looking for something to photograph. This gate at Sete de Setembro Avenue caught my attention. I parked my car, waited for the girl and dis the picture. The original image I have seen at MoMA.

The flowers of the Yellow Ipê

It is said that the time when the Yellow Ipê (Tabebuia Chrysotricha) blossom, it marks the end of the winter. The official beginning of spring is still a bit far and the mornings of Curitiba are still a bit cold, bus it is true that our afternoons are warmer now. Maybe the Ipês knows what they are talking about.
This picture was taken at Fagundes Varela Street.

Private Security

It is becoming more and more common to see private security companies and their agents on the streets due to the difficulty of the government in ensuring security for everyone, everywhere. 

The picture was taken at José de Alencar Street at Alto da XV Disctict.

Old headquarters of Clube Curitibano

The picture taken on the night of August 21st from the corner of Tobias de Macedo and John M.Garcez, shows the Generoso Marques Square and at the center of the photo and in the background, a bright building in the corner of Rio Branco and Flower Streets. This is an important building for the history of Curitiba. Inspired by the modernist movement, it was built where a mansion housed the Curitibano Club (the most important club of Curitiba). Property of the club, construction started in 1947 and completed in 1950. The club occupied the space until 1968 when it was moved to it current location at Agua Verde District. This building was an important landmark to all residents and tourists and was considered to be one of the most luxurious address in Curitiba.
The degradation engulfed the building in the 90s. In 2005 the building was bought by the J. Malucelli Group. The design and restoration of the building took two years to materialize and it was conducted in partnership with UFPR, professionals and students of engineering and architecture. 

Here comes the train!

This is another picture taken from the 5th floor of the Cajuru Hospital, this time showing a cargo train crossing the city. These kind of train crosses the Curitiba through dense urban districts causing lots of problemas like noise, pollution, traffic jams and eventually, accidents.

Mercês District

Due to a request, I went to Mercês District to make some pictures and today I will post about this important neighborhood of Curitiba.

Since the 18th century the inhabitants of this region are known for devotion to Our Lady of Mercy. In the 19th century, several families of German immigrants settled in the region. In 1929, the district won the Church of Our Lady of Mercy, built by Capuchin friars  in 1951.

This district is close to Curitiba Downtown where important avenues pass. Leaving those avenues, we will still find a neighborhood with very quiet streets and predominantly residential.

Saturday night at Tobias de Macedo Street

The region between the Tiradentes and the Santos Andrade squares always seemed a bit grim, especially at night, with its bars odd, "movies" suspects and cheap hotels. The Tobias de Macedo Street links both squares. But the group in the bar, do not seem to be worried about it, instead, they seem to be enjoying the company of each other very much.

Shy sun

Recently, the mornings of Curitiba have been so foggy that even the sun hides behind it. Later, once the fog is dissipated, Curitiba has a beautiful sunny day.

The photo shows the street Fagundes Varela on one of these mornings.

Romário Martins House

On March 23rd Curitiba gained back one of its most traditional exhibition spaces, specially dedicated to tell the city's history. After undergoing restoration works, the Romário Martins House was reopened with an exhibition and launch of a report that portrays the world of cartoons and caricatures in Curitiba in the first half of last century.

Cultural Foundation of Curitiba and the purple sky

The orange buildings at the center of the picture of the purple Curitiba is the headquarters of the Cultural Foundation of Curitiba. The place was once a mill, a theater until the prefecture bought the building and installed the Cultural Foundation there.

Family stickers

The novelty in cars in Curitiba are the stickers representing the family of the driver. Based on these stickers you get to know if the driver is married, has children and pets. The driver of the photo is married, has two kids and two dogs. Moreover, another sticker tells us that he is studying economics at the Federal University of Parana. Other drivers also have stickers of their academies, language schools, etc. I think that it is too much information being passed so easily.

Worker on transit

It is the end of a cold working day, the bus is crowded, the journey will be long (just like early in the morning). There are few options of what to do during the trip, maybe a chat with the person by your side, listen to the music or a nice nap, just like the lady of the picture.

Three towers of the Cathedral

The photo shows three towers of the Cathedral Basilica Menor of Curitiba that is located at Tiradentes Square, Curitiba downtown. Church towers always seemed to be a place shrouded in mystery, where you can observe without being observed, where one can study without being harassed, or perhaps, it is just an empty useless space. The weather this day was great, not cloudy and not so cold.

Avenues and Railroad Tracks

Being in hospital is never an experience that could be classified as pleasant, but we have to do the best of what is around. I accompanied my mother to the University Hospital of Cajuru for a medical procedure and from the fifth floor of the hospital, where she remained under observation (she is at home now and felling great), I could see part of Curitiba by an angle that I did not know. Of course I took some pictures.

The photos show the Presidente Affonso Camargo and Dr. Dario Lopes Avenues, and the tracks leaving the railway station of Curitiba.

Botanical Garden at night

I have spotted the Botanical Garden of Curitiba at night from a higher point at Cristo Rei District. The strange purple color of the sky (I'm pretty sure that it was not quite like that the moment I took the picture) may be the interpretation that the camera gave to the sky due to the lack of light at that moment.

Cristiano Mascaro

Today I had the privilege of attending a lecture of Cristiano Mascaro, one of the most important Brazilian photographers, at SESC da Esquina Theater.

He defines himself as a pedestrian photographer who likes to insert himself in his object of interest and with a camera in hand, find the pictures that the place or the situation offers.

He is essentially an urban photographer, averse to the obvious (like a beggar photographed in an environment of luxury and ostentation) and in terms of equipment, he resisted as long as he could to digital and everything that comes along with it (memory cards, computers, external hard drives, backups, etc).

Coffee under the cold weather

I do not have my breakfast at Fran's Cafe at Espanha Square everyday, but every time I go there, this gentleman is there. As he smokes and the smoke-free law prohibits smoking within any commercial establishment, he was forced to have his coffee outside. Thus, even in very cold days, he takes the table on the sidewalk, has his coffee, reads his newspaper and smokes whatever his cigarette.