Panic stations in Ouro Preto!

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Am off to Ouro Preto today via a flight to Belo Horizonte and two buses. Ouro is a UNESCO world heritage site, which was founded in 1698 became the centre of Brazil's gold mining rush. Ouro Preto means black gold, and at one time it was the capital of the state of Minas Gerais. As recommended by Sheila, got up before 7 to leave for my flight at 10 am from the downtown airport, Santos Dumont, which is only about 12 km away. Ridiculous, but she was worried about the traffic on a Monday morning and there were also a lot of roadworks. I was going to pick up a cab in the street and was also worried that in a city with hundreds, if not thousands, of cabs there would be none to be seen when I really needed one. However, Sheila had sought advice the night before from the porteiro about the route to advise the taxi driver to take, got up specially to come down with me and spoke to the driver of the taxi we had flagged down after a wait of all of 10 seconds. Needless to say, neither she nor I needed to have worried. I got to the airport in 20 minutes, 49 minutes before baggage drop opened! Am bowled over by my host's kindness - are many Brazilians really this nice?

Santos Dumont is a great airport, very smart, clean, no queues - tranquil, even. Bit worrying though that the half full bottle of water I was carrying got through security. Are there no regulations re liquid here? Did have to take off the three belts I was wearing though: money belt, bumbag and, of course, the one to hold up my trousers! (I normally only wear the money belt when travelling between places, for credit cards, cash etc. )

Even at ground level it's misty today but as we took off you could see the coastline and the islands in the bay fairly clearly but what is really striking is Rio's size - it's enormous. Getting from the airport to the city was a cinch once I had worked out what bus I had bought a ticket for. Sat next to a nice young man who spoke quite good English and was going to a conference on solar energy at the university. I was very flattered when he disagreed with my suggestion that I was too old for 'couch-surfing'. Once in the bus station it was the same procedure as in Colombia: you go up a floor and find out from the information desk which of the 20 or so ticket counters to buy yours from and then back down to the platform - which is printed on the actual ticket. Your luggage goes in the hold and you get a chit to hand in at the end of your journey to get it back- it's a lot more secure than on the bus from Porto to Vigo.


Great to be out of Rio and to drive through the foliage covered green hills which would probably count as mountains back home. Picked up a taxi at Ouro's bus station and explained with some difficulty the complicated instructions which my airbnb host, Graça, had left. The street is not on Google or any other maps so she advises asking the taxi driver to let you off at a square with a public telephone box. He seemed to know where to go and we stopped outside the house whilst I got out and rang the bell. I had given her an expected time of arrival and I was on time. No answer - the driver asked if I wanted him to wait - I did. Still no answer, did I have a number he could phone, yes, I did, but no answer there either. I was unconvinced that he had the right street so he asked a couple of youths hanging around who confirmed this. I suggested we retrace our steps to the square with the telephone box and follow the instructions from there. There wasn't a telephone box, he said, - it had been removed a while back!! Did I want to go to another pousada? No, I had paid for this one. Of course what was flashing through my mind was: 'Oh my God, it's an airbnb scam!' However just as I was suggesting we should speak to the neighbours, who might at least be able to confirm that this Graça existed, one leaned out of a window. Yes, she did exist and the neighbour would phone her. Should the taxi-driver wait with me until she appeared, yes, please. By this time I was feeling very guilty about having made it clear to him that I knew what the fare should be and I had already paid him - all of 2.50!

Anyway it all turned out O.K. She appeared, I am not sure how apologetic she was, I was just relieved to see her. The guest house is beautiful, all modern and sparkling clean and I have it to myself although there are four double rooms. It has a kitchen and dining room and you can self-cater if you want to. Graça lives about 100 yards away. I called in about half an hour later because I couldn't get my electrical adapter to work with the sockets. (Think I was in more of a panic at the prospect of not being able to get my phone and tablet to work than about having nowhere to stay!) She made me coffee and tapioca, which is a regional speciality. Those of you of a similar age will remember tapioca from school dinners - a sort of milk pudding that looks like frog spawn. Thankfully it was nothing like that but a pancake made from a cassava flour - I think (presumably that was what the pudding was also made of) - in this case with cheese. I am warming to her! Then it was my turn to be embarassed as I had failed to try out the adapter lying around in the kitchen as it just looked too unlikely to work with mine!

After I had recovered from this excitement I went off to explore. Ouro Preto is very touristy but I forgive it because it is so pretty, with its cobbled streets and baroque churches and period buildings and has such a lovely position climbing the hills. The downside of this is that the hills are very, very steep so it is exhausting going uphill. Needless to say, since the guesthouse isn't on Google and I couldn't use Google maps I got lost but a couple of boys helped me. Graça assured me that I am in a safe area, even to walk in after dark, and the neighbours will look out for me (she was right there!) so I walked up to a restaurant she recommended which turned out to be probably the most expensive in the town! Anyway I treated myself to trout, which was great, and a pudding, a compote, which I gathered had fruits in and I didn't know what else. It turned out to be different crystallized fruits, fig, papaya and a couple I didn't recognise with some sort of coconut cream, dulce de leite (type of caramel) and cream cheese - delicious!

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Photos

View from my bedroom window
A bit spoilt by the mosquito netting and the fact that you have to stand my bed to see it!

Comments

[Carol Staton]

Ouro
Ouro looks (and sounds) lovely' as does your pud! Glad to hear you're finding your way around. Just imagine how difficult it would be if you didn't speak Portuguese! Will send separate e-mail now before I get too lazy - although nothing of interest to report really. Love Carol