|
Imagine a trip alongside
the coast of more than half of South America. Exotic places, different styles,
habits and colonization.
This is what the Brazilian coast has to offer you. If somehow you are able to
cover the distance by car or by bus, from North to South, you will feel like you
have been in at least six or seven countries. Even the language differs! Let's
try to show you a bit of this rich culture and wonderful places you have to visit
on the Atlantic seaside of Brazil.
Our trip starts in the Brazilian Northern border, near the French Guyana. Everybody
in the world knows that Brazil is a big producer of coffee, but few people are
aware that everything started from this point on the map.
Nearly two centuries ago, coffee production was restricted to a few regions in
the world. France was trying to develop this production in its colonies. At that
time, there were some border conflicts between Brazil and French Guyana in the
north. An army official, Colonel Francisco de Melo Palheta, was sent to the region
to settle down the border, which he did very successfully. While going to Cayenne
to sign the agreement, the French Guyana governor's wife fell in love with him
- and gave him the first seeds of coffee that were planted in Brazil!
The Brazilian
border with French Guyana is located on the Northern State of Amapa. If you start
your trip to the south, you will find the foz of Amazon River, near Marajo Island.
Marajo is an important cattle-raising center and the foz is known by the pororoca
phenomenon - this is the Portuguese name given to the waves formed by the river
waters, when reaching the sea. A true spectacle throughout the year.
On the other side of the Amazon River, you will find the city of Belem (the capital
of the State of Para). Belem is not known for its beaches, but rather for its
handcraft and nice food. Typical dish there is pato no tucupi, a duck cooked in
an oil extracted from the Amazon Region.
From Belem, you can take a ship trip to Manaus, in the middle of the forest, through
the Amazon River. Simply a traveler's dream!
But where do the good beaches start? We are just around to find them. The next
State capital after Belem is São Luis, in the State of Maranhao. Founded by the
Portuguese in the 16th Century, São Luis is located on an island and is famous
for its colonial architecture and beaches.
A bit further to the east, Fortaleza is the next state capital on the Brazilian
seaside. Known by its tropical beaches and lovely people, the capital of the State
of Ceara was the origin of a number of folk tales and romance books. Natal, the
capital of the State of Rio Grande do Norte, has become a popular place for sport
events and honeymooners for similar reasons.
Then we arrive at Joao Pessoa (capital of the Brazilian State of Paraiba), located
at the extreme eastern point of the Brazilian seaside. Joao Pessoa claims to be
the place where the Sun appears first in Brazil - thus, it will be the first city
to see the Sun of the 21st Century! Local government intends to promote tourism
to Joao Pessoa by using this calling argument.
Going a bit further, you will reach the two most important cities in the Brazilian
Northeast Region: Recife and Salvador. The first is known by the two rivers alongside
which the city was built: Capibaribe and Beberibe. It was also the place where
the Dutch conquerors installed a local government in the 16th Century, thus giving
the city an European air that survives still today. These two factors gave Recife
the title of "Brazilian Venice".
Recife's beaches are among the most beautiful of Brazil. Beware! Sharks can be
found in some of Recife's open sea beaches. Near Recife there is the city of Olinda
- smaller, but as important as Recife in terms of historical buildings. UNESCO
has declared Olinda as Cultural Heritage of Mankind.
From Recife, you can take a plane tour to Fernando de Noronha, a paradise island
in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Fernando de Noronha is a natural resource
where dolphins and many fish species can be easily found. A good infra-structure
has made the island become one of Brazils most visited places.
Passing through the beaches of Maceio, we reach Salvador, the first Brazilian
capital with strong African influence. "Smile, you are in Bahia!", says the outdoor
in the airport of Salvador (Bahia is the name of the State of which Salvador is
the capital). This phrase best defines the spirit of theregion: Salvador is known
for its Carnival, merry people, feasts and music.
Salvador has very typical food for you to taste (beware with the pepper!) and
a historical center which was also declared Cultural Heritage of Mankind. Its
beaches are spread over the open sea and Baía de Todos os Santos (All Saints'
Bay), where you can take boat trips to islands and other isolated places in the
region.
Shortly after Salvador, you will reach Porto Seguro, still in the State of Bahia.
This was the place where the Portuguese first reached the Brazilian territory.
On April 22, 1500, Pedro Alvares Cabral arrived for the first time in Brazil and
declared the land - which he thought was just an island - a Portuguese territory.
This is why the place is called Porto Seguro (Safe Harbor, in Portuguese) and
big celebrations are planned for April 22, 2000, when the 500th anniversary of
Brazilian colonization will take place.
After leaving the State of Bahia, we will go further south to Guarapari (a beach
which sand has medical properties and is indicated against many diseases), Vitoria
(one of the most important Brazilian ports) and then you arrive at - Brazilian
postcard - Rio de Janeiro!
Rio de Janeiro is worth a single article about it. Nicknamed the Wonderful City,
Rio has much more than Carnival to offer. Where to start? Worldwide famous Copacabana
and Ipanema beaches, among many others - Barra da Tijuca, Leme, Leblon, Vermelha...
Pão de Açúcar (the Sugar Loaf) and Corcovado with the Christ Statue and the view
to Baía da Guanabara... Paquetá, an island where autos are forbidden and you can
walk freely across the beaches... and many, many other beauties...
From Rio de Janeiro, you can reach Parati, a historical city built in the 17th
Century. Parati is a planned city, so its streets are straight and well built.
A modern thinking for a town where houses are colonial and streets are made of
stones.
But let's go further south. You will pass through Ilhabela, an island alongside
the coast of São Paulo known for its beautiful beaches and... lots of mosquitoes!
Don't forget your repellent, because the trip is worth it!
Then we arrive at Guarujá, called the "Pearl of the Atlantic Ocean". A nice town
with beautiful beaches which suffered with pollution a few years ago. Things got
better and Guarujá returned to be one of the favorite places for paulistas to
visit during summer. Enseada, Tombo, Pitangueiras, Guaiúba,... all these beaches
and many more remain full of tourists not only in the summer, but all the year
round.
Take a boat from Guarujá and you will arrive at Santos, the biggest port in Latin
America and the hometown of the soccer club where the great Pelé played for most
of his career. And from there you reach São Vicente, the first village founded
in Brazil back in 1532.
A bit further to the South (from São Vicente, you only need to cross the beautiful
Ponte Pênsil, a bridge built almost 100 years ago), you reach the South Coast
of the State of São Paulo. Praia Grande is the first town. Formerly a district
of São Vicente, Praia Grande has been known for years as the preferred place for
one-day tourists (those who come from São Paulo in the morning and return on the
same day).
Things have however changed, and Praia Grande developed a lot in the last ten
years. It has now progressed and become an important commercial center. From there
you can go to Itanhaém, also one of the first towns founded in Brazil, with lots
of beautiful beaches like Sonho and Cibratel and many historical buildings.
After crossing
Iguape and Ilha Comprida, you arrive at the State of Paraná, with its important
port, Paranaguá. Don't forget to take the train trip from Paranaguá to Curitiba,
one of the most beautiful (and least-known abroad) views of Brazil.
From Paranaguá you can easily reach the beautiful beaches of Paraná and northern
Santa Catarina State: Matinhos, Caiobá and São Francisco do Sul (a historical
town in Santa Catarina).
We are now reaching the Northeast side of the State of Santa Catarina, mainly
colonized by the Germans. The typical architecture and lifestyle will make you
feel as if you were in Europe, especially when you visit Blumenau and Joinville.
A short
distance further takes you to Florianopolis, the State capital, with its lagoons,
beaches, sand dunes and boat trips. The city is located on an island near the
coast and its postcard, like São Vicente, is a metallic bridge (Ponte Hercílio
Luz) which was the first link between the island and the continent.
But let's go further to the south, to the historic town of Laguna, to Araranguá
and its lighthouse, and to Torres, already in the State of Rio Grande do Sul.
The beaches of Torres are known for the high rock towers that can be found along
the coast.
From there the road will take you to the State capital, Porto Alegre - no beaches,
unfortunately, but from there you can take another road alongside Lagoa dos Patos,
the largest lagoon in the South American continent. Right on the extreme end of
the lagoon (beside the link to the Atlantic Ocean, we reach the port of Rio Grande,
and from there the road will take us to the coast of Uruguay and the country's
capital, Montevideo.
From African influence to European immigration - the Brazilian coast proves to
be a joining of various countries in a single one. Variety is the keyword: but
words cannot describe it in its entirety. For your next summer, include a visit
to Brazil and you will personally see how so many cultures can live together,
in harmony, under a single flag, a single nation.
by
Valter
| 
