After visiting Inhotim, we rushed back to the city so I could catch my 19:45 bus to Curitiba. The trip to Curitiba would be 14 hours long, and I booked myself on a sleeper bus. The bus was actually pretty comfortable. The seats were big and they recline almost all the way so you could lie down. They even give you a blanket and a pillow.
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| The sleeper bus |
The trip took a little over 13 hours and I arrived in Curitiba at 9am. While in Belo it was nice, warm, and sunny, in Curitiba it was COLD! Curitiba is a located in the more southern part of Brasil, and it really felt like 'winter' there (technically, it is winter now in Brasil). Everywhere I looked there were people wearing scarves, boots, and coats, and there I was in my Toms and 2 sweaters. It was about 10-12ºC in the morning, but it went up a bit to 14-15º in the afternoon. I was able to stay warm enough in my sweater and jacket.
I checked in my hostel (very nice and cozy place), took a shower, then set out to explore. The people at the hostel were very friendly and they explained to me how the public transportation works so I was easily able to take the bus. I decided to explore the city center since the game was still in the evening.
First up,
Rua 24 Horas, a popular street in Curitiba that is open... 24 hours. It was lined with small shops and stores (and lots of Ecuadorian fans getting ready for the game).
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| Rua 24 Horas |
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| Also decorated with flags of the participating World Cup countries. |
From there I walked towards one of the main squares, and passed the special pedestrian streets they have lined with outdoor markets with stalls selling the usual knick knacks, trinkets, and food.
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| Yummy looking sweets |
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| Praça Tridentes |
I was waiting for the bus at the square when I spotted the
Catedral Basilica Menor de Nossa Senhora da Luz, and decided to go in for a while. Over 100 years old and built in neo-Gothic style, it venerates the patron saint of Curitiba.
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| Minor Basilica Cathedral of Our Lady of the Light |
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| Simple but beautiful interior |
At the main square I took a bus to the
Museu Oscar Niemeyer, about 15 minutes from the city center. Another contemporary art museum (R$6 full price, R$3 for students, etc.), also the largest and most modern museum in Brasil, it was designed by Oscar Niemeyer and has an interesting shape of an eye. The museum is also sometimes called "Olho" or "the Eye".
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| View of the Eye from the street |
The building behind the Eye contained most of the galleries, and on the lowest level is the access to the Eye. The Eye also had one or two small galleries. There were a lot of cool exhibits, and I'm really starting to enjoy contemporary art more.
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| The Reinvention of Painting by Abraham Palatnik |
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| Visual Revisiting - Mexican Art |
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| Visual Revisiting - Mexican Art |
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| This is a work by Adriana Varejão (one of the artists whose pavilion I loved in Inhotim) |
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| The origins of the photojournalism in Brazil - a look upon the Cruzeiro magazine |
On the lowest level underneath the Eye there was an exhibit dedicated to Oscar Niemeyer himself. Lots of curves in his work.
Right angles don't attract me. Nor straight, hard and inflexible lines created by man....what attracts me are free and sensual curves. The curves we find in mountains, in the waves of the sea, in the body of the woman we love. -- Oscar Niemeyer
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| Pictures of his works all over Brasil |
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| A model of the museum |
The galleries at the Eye itself below. More of the curves that he is famous for.
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| A view of the Eye from the side |
It was still early, so I decided to explore the area nearby before heading back to the city center. I saw on the map that there were woods nearby,
Bosque João Paulo II. At first the entrance looked a little bit sketchy and I didn't know where it was leading to...
...but it opened up to a small village looking site and is actually a Polish Immigration Memorial. It was named after Pope John Paul II and opened after his visit to Curitiba. It even has a cottage with an exhibition dedicated to him, and a chapel which he blessed when he visited.
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| There was a small chapel as well |
Afterwards, I headed back to the city center and while walking toward the stadium, I passed another museum,
Museu de Arte Contemporánea. A very small but nice museum; they sure like contemporary art here in Brasil.
After visiting the museum it was almost 7pm, so I bought some dinner then made my way to to the stadium for the game (next post!).
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