The Kindness of Strangers:
I am constantly amazed at how nice people are in Brazil, even when they don't know you. We had a four-day weekend, so I decided to visit a few historical sites and a spa:) in Goiânia. Getting travel information in Brazil, however, was so complicated! The travel agencies are only moderately helpful; they can't work with the bus schedules, only flights. And if you want to take a bus, you have to call the specific bus company that goes to the city you would like to visit. You can't just call a tourist office or the bus depot and get all the information. No, that would be too easy. First you call one number and then they refer you to another, and another, and another. I thought France could be bureaucratic, but it's nothing compared to this. So, needless to say, I had some help before I left, and we spent a couple of hours on the phone trying to get all the times coordinated so that I can could do 3 day trips on my 4 day travel. Apparently, this is not a common phenomena either. Usually, families go by car, or at least pick one spot and stay there. Being the fast-paced traveler that I am though, I wanted to see as much as possible:)
Starting off by myself, I expected to figure this out the best I could on my own. However, it turned out that one of my friends in Londrina knew three people in Goiânia, and although they were going to be busy or out of town, one of them, Rosane, said she would pick me up at the airport, bring me to my hotel, and help me figure out the bus schedules for the weekend. This was way beyond my expectations, especially since she didn't even know me - so nice. On the airplane, I met another woman from Goiânia who gave me her phone number if I needed anything, and when we got off the plane, she also helped me find some travel information at the airport. This was after she had gotten off an international flight, been separated from her husband and all her luggage and hadn't slept in 48 hours. Again, beyond kind!
So, Rosane, a professor in Goiânia, met me at the airport with a sign her daugher had made with my name: Margareth, colored with balloons:) I don't know why everyone, even English teachers, seem to think my name is spelled with an "h", but still it was so cute that she would bring a sign and meet me. Rosane was a big help. We got to the hotel and then I made it to the bus station by 12:00pm and was able to go on the first excursison to Goiáss Velho the very same day I arrived. Rosane was heading to Brasilia for the weekend, but I took a 2 and a half hour bus ride to this historic UNESCO site. It's an 18th century town with very quaint architecture artisinal shops. I didn't feel that comfortable walking around by myself, though. There weren't that many people there on a Friday. It seemed kind of deserted and I felt a little out of place. But I stayed for a few hours, bought some beautiful pottery and earrings, and ate the traditional empadão (a little bit like a beef pie). Then I took another 3-hour bus ride back to Goiânia and fell right asleep since I had left Londrina at 5:00am that morning!
Goiás Velho
The next day I woke up very early and contacted another wonderful person, whom I hadn't met before. One of my students in Londrina had a friend that she told me to call and that I could stay with for the second two days I was there. Janaina couldn't have been nicer. She came with a whole entourage (cousin, and 3 friends!) to pick me up at the hotel at 8:00am, take my luggage for me, and drop me off at the bus station again for a second day trip. Unfortunately, they already had plans, so I went again by myself to Pirenópolis. This is another 18th century town, UNESO site. I liked this town much better than Goiás Velho because there were so many more people, wonderful cafes and restaurants, and it felt a little more charming.
A woman was washing her clothes in the river right in the middle of the city.I stayed in Pirenópolis for a few hours and then visited one of the other famous attrations in the area: the Waterfalls of Bonsucesso. This is park near Pirenópolis that has six waterfalls with small lagoons you can swim in. I would have loved to go swimming; it was really hot! But I didn't have my suit with me. Instead I just waded. These were very beautiful!
Then I headed back to Goiânia at the end of the day. It would have been fun to stay overnight here; I think there would be a lot going on, and nice music, etc. Unfortunately, I had already arranged to stay in Goiânia and my luggage was there. But there weren't any direct buses in the evening. I had to go to a neighboring town and then take the local bus back (1 hour). This was an experience, since most tourists do not take this route, and now that I was in more central Brazil, the people tended to look more native and indigenous. I certainly stood out like a sore thumb! But, it was okay. The sunsets in this area were incredible! I was always on the bus and couldn't take a clear photo, but it was always clear, over the plains, with an enormous red firey ball setting in the sky - just beautiful! It looked like the opening credits to "The Golden Girls" with the plane passing a full sun in the sky:)
Once I got back, I had to wait a while at the bus station and then the whole entourage came to pick me up again. It turned out that they had one car for the family, but nobody knew how to drive! Only one cousin could drive, or a friend who lived nearby, so these two people were kind enough to play chauffeur an awful lot whenever anybody needed anything. Janaina lived with her sister, Jackeline and Jackeline's little boy, Alexandre. Also, with their brother Paulo and sometimes some of the cousins. Their parents, along with the youngest brother, have been living in Miami for the past 10 years, working and trying to send enough money back home for the family. I had never met anyone who was actually going through this kind of separation, but it definitely seems very difficult. However, the parents will be coming home for good this July and they will be reunited again.
They were extremeley kind, and had me try the local "galinhada" (chicken and rice dish)as well as rosca - see below(a type of coffee cake without the coffee flavor:))
Me with Jaka
Me with JanaAlexandre even tried to help me with my pronunciation of grandfather "vovô", and grandmother "vovó"!:) Take a look at the video.
This was a great trip! We had one more day at the most spectacular place I saw near Goiânia, Rio Quente Rio, but that will be a separate posting.
