Curitiba

---

What a place.

I boarded the bus in Rio de Janeiro at about 7:15pm for an 11 hour bus trip to Curitiba, the capital of the Brazilian state of Paraná. And damn, was it good. The two seats that I enjoyed reclined to just above horizontal, with footrests and calf rests and blankets to keep you warm and snug. I knew that I had had a bloody fantastic sleep when I woke up and felt the dried saliva on my cheek.

We arrived in Curitiba at about 9am, the roads wet from some overnight rain. I got talking to an English couple that were on my bus, and got a few accomodation ideas off them - since the Lonely Planet had figured to omit all hostel options from its budget guide. They had a different guide, so I had a look and drew some pictures and addresses in my map before setting off.

Curitiba´s bus station is very central to the city, and I didn´t need to catch any buses to get where I wanted to go, which was very nice after my experience of the slums in Rio de Janeiro (São Paulo was alright, as the bus station was combined almost with a metro station). As the capital of the state, and the home to the State University, Curitiba has a large student population. I hitched my pack on my bag, and after walking a kilometre I found myself at a block of student dorms. I rang the buzzer a couple of times, before a cleaning lady, who had been mopping to some loud 80s music, came to the dorm. Although she didn´t speak English, we got along pretty well, and I figured out that I could grab a bed for a whole dez Reais. 10 Reais? That´s like a whole 6 bucks! So I met a couple of the fellas I was staying with before throwing my bag on the bed and bouncing outside. Across the road is the Passeio Publico, a large park with a little river that meanders through it, and a block and a half down the road is one of the campuses of the University of Paraná - 2 blocks the other way is the city centre. I grabbed a X-Frango burger (the Brazilians pronounce X almost like ´cheese´, so X-Frango is cheese and chicken) at a corner restaurant for breakfast. Then, armed only with my Lonely Planet and its recomendation to take a ´scenic walking tour´ of the city, I went to the steps of the University (which is rather grand) and asked a group, nay, a gaggle, what I should do with my two days in Curitiba.

Well, the five girls dragged me along to the bus stop to ask the man how I could get to the Botanical Gardens, and then they literally dragged me to their car before driving me to a mall where we had lunch. I managed to finally escape when I jumped out of the window at the Botanical Gardens (they have a neuroanatomy test tomorrow that they wanted to study for) and had a lovely walk around. A metal and glass flora emporium at one end faces a plaza of neatly trimmed hedges and rows of flowers, perfectly set by the old fashioned lamposts. After soliciting a nearby jogger to get my photo I went to the souvenir shop before I realised, that, wait a second, I want to see some football while in Curitiba! My physical gesticulation and impersonation of football didn´t quite convey the meaning I hoped it would, and they sent me next door to the policeman. He finally got the whole ´football´thing after I had said ´football´a few dozen times, but apparently they don´t play until Sunday, when I´ll be long gone. We spent probably an hour chatting, saying não entendo and flicking madly through my Portugese phrasebook. He introduced me to a couple of his work mates before we kicked around a soccerball with some football crazy Brazilian youth.

3 O´clock came, and again I was dragged off into the car again, to find myself dropped off at the University where I had first met the girls. From the campus it was a short walk to the Curitiba Football Club´s home turf, so I went and had a look at the decaying outside of the football stadium. I went and talked to the security guard, but I got the message from his frown and shaking finger that he didn´t want me to go inside. Tomorrow though I will be going to the Athletico stadium, in the South of the city, which by all accounts is spectacular.

After walking a couple of more suburban streets I came across the Museu Oscar Niemeyer, a most spectacular piece of architecture. It feels that in Brazil everything is closed on Monday, and, sure enough, so was this museum. I wasn´t too bummed though - I just wanted to see the building.

I soon found myself back at the University dorms, much needed new razor in hand, where I met a few more of my roomates. One of them, Rashid, from Guinea Bissau, has only been in Brazil for a month, where he is studying languages at the state University. After a bit of a chat about Africa and Australia he took me down the street to the University student mess hall, where for R$1.30, or 80 cents, I served myself a big metal tray full of salad, soup, rice, brown beans, chicken and fruity dessert. What a hearty meal eh, I felt so very good. Rashid also showed me his classrooms at the University before we finally took that walking tour around the centre that Lonely Planet had suggested.

I really like Curitiba, it´s got such a different feel to it than either Rio or São Paulo. Although I am staying pretty much right in the middle of the city I have only seen a handful of homeless people. Its safe to walk around the centro at night, which has almost a European atmosphere to it, with old fashioned lamposts coupled with raised flowerbeds and paved streets. Although Curitiba has an excellent public transport system, it is very easy and pleasant to navigate by foot, taking photos of the often fabulous architecture as you go.

I´m planning on leaving tomorrow, but I'll be sad to leave Curitiba behind. I´m writing this in the study area of the student residence, pens scratching on paper behind, thinking about my glorious day in Curitiba, Brazil.

---

Photos

Botanical Gardens II
A passing jogger and I made a reciprocal photo taking agreement.

Roadtrip
These are the people I asked for ideas about points of interest in Cordoba.

Anna and I
Anna had a car, so my day was set.

Curitiba Botanical Gardens
Muito Bonita!

Figueirdo and I
My cyclist policman friend and I - the one who i spent an hour talking via phrasebook with.

Curitiba Football Club
I tried to take a look inside but the security guard didn't understand the importance of my pilgrimage.

Oscar Niemeyer Museum
Quite exquisite!

Oscar Niemeyer II
Its big.

Curitiba Architecture
Surprisingly, this is an office building!

Curitiba Public Transport
These little tubular things are the bus stops. You pay to get into the bus station, which means that getting on the bus is a breeze.

Broad and I
Cute, no?

Curitiba Downtown
The centre of Curitiba has this lovely european feel, with the raised flower beds and nice old fashioned lamps. Oh, and cobbled streets.

Toucan
At the Passeio Publico park, just across the road from where I was staying. Lots of birds and animals on show, it was great!

Unknown Mammal
Looked like fun though.

Locals and I
Danielle and her friend, some more Curitiban friends!