Advertisement
Published: November 30th 2010
Edit Blog Post
Like many travelers, I came to Curitiba for the Serra Verde Express train ride over the Serro do Mar mountains. However, as it was raining, and busloads of tour groups were heading for the train. I decided to explore the city, wait until the weekend crowds had left, and hope for better weather (no such luck).
In 1885, a railroad was built to get Curitiba's products from the high plains to the shore for ocean transport. Goods are still transported on trains a hundred cars long, but most days, a tourist train also slowly chugs up over the mountains, crossing bridges and passing through tunnels blasted through the granite. Clearly, the route had once been more important, for all along the way, there were once-beautiful stations, now in ruins, except for the sweet one in Marumbi.
On Monday, at the ungodly hour of 8:15, I sleepily boarded the ancient train, and for an hour we chugged past the unattractive outskirts of Curitiba. Finally, we entered the spectacular, jungle-covered peaks of the Serra do Mar (Mountains of the Sea) coastal range.
Along the way, growing wild were nasturtiums, gladiolas, canna and calla lilies, hydrangea, impatiens, bananas, palms, tree ferns
and a jungle of other plants. We passengers rushed from side to side in the ancient train cars to see and try to capture the views. Unfortunately, the overcast skies didn't allow good photos, but in person, it was magnificent and memorable.
Most days, the train ends in tiny Morretes, a quiet colonial town on the banks of the Nhundiaquara River. As we descended the train, we were surrounded by women laden with baskets of treats, including the manioc chips I bought. After walking the couple of blocks of Morretes' center, I spent a pleasant afternoon escaping the heat under a short, stocky palm tree on the river bank, listening to the river gurgle over rocks, eating my yummy chips with a cold, dark beer, and reflecting on my good life.
Across from me along the river bank, were beautiful 18c colonial houses some of which are now hotels and restaurants. Staying in them were people paying lots of money to have my same river view. The palm protected me during a light shower, but I joined others under a bridge when a brief, heavy tropical downpour drenched the land. To save money, I took the bus back,
but waited for the 4:00 one which followed the lush, Graciosa pioneer trail down the mountain for more great views.
My weekend in Curitiba was quite pleasant and there was much to appreciate about the town. The prosperous capital of Parana state with 1.8 million people, it has long been a center for experiments in sane urban living. The city has closed its center to cars and preserved its historic buildings; they honor their immigrants, have many parks and green spaces and recycle--what's not to love?
For a green Californian, it was thrilling to recycle my trash, buy organic produce at the municipal market and find peace from cars on Rua das Flores, Street of Flowers, Brazil's first pedestrian shopping promenade, built in 1972. True to its name, the latter had lots of pots of flowers and the now-familiar, Burle-Marx-inspired, black and white mosaic sidewalks.
I meandered down to the end of the walkway where Peruvian musicians entertained a big crowd and into a pleasant palm-filled park where a jazz quartet held sway. All over the city, there were parks, outdoor cafes and places to sit, and historic building preserved.
After exploring the old town, I
walked the few kilometers to the striking Oscar Niemeyer Museum, often called The Eye because part of it is shaped like a giant concrete eye. The playful, modern art museum had great exhibits and lots of public space for people to gather and where kids tried out their dancing routines in the reflective glass of the museum.
For my return, I entered one of the futuristic-looking tubular bus shelters that protects passengers in this often-rainy city, and contains a payment center, so boarding the bus is fast and easy.
On Sunday, I jumped on the tourist bus that made a loop around the city and its suburbs. A recorded commentary in three languages pointed out highlights, including parks built along its river to protect the river from development and to encourage active leisure activities. Also in the suburbs, there are parks with traditional buildings paying tribute to the indigenous population as well as the German, Polish, Russian and Italian immigrants who settled in Curitiba and helped develop the city.
I got off the bus to explore the charming opera house made of steel tubing and built over a flooded quarry, as well as the botanic garden with
its glass house for tropical plants, French formal gardens, lake, trails and botanic museum. At the Oi (Hi!) tower, I saw how huge the city is, with lots of skyscrapers that aren't so apparent from the old town where most tourists pass their time. I was doubly impressed that the city was able to preserve its historic center so well.
That night, I bundled up and boarded the first of two overnight buses that would take me back into Argentina and to a remote wildlife sanctuary, the Esteros de Ibera. I'd had a fabulous month and a half in southeast Brazil! Obrigada! (Thank You).
Advertisement
Tot: 0.061s; Tpl: 0.013s; cc: 13; qc: 31; dbt: 0.0308s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 2;
; mem: 1.1mb