Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Another kind of beauty…

Anyone who has been to Brazil or reads this blog knows what unbelievable natural beauty that country possesses. Having had an opportunity to see some of the manmade beauty of Europe, and knowing the breadth and depth of Rio’s social problems, it’s easy to forget that Rio is an old and grand city. This trip I saw signs that Cariocas are interested in preserving some of their architectural heritage. As I mentioned before, Renato took me to downtown Rio to walk around and take pictures. We parked beneath as small park with an impressive fountain that I don’t remember having seen. IMG_9979 (1024x666)IMG_9976 (682x1024)We then took a short walk toward the Teatro Municipal, or city theater, which has recently been restored.IMG_9987 (1024x683)Copy of IMG_9988 (683x1024)Across from that is the city library and a collection of other beautiful old buildings.IMG_0002 (1024x683)IMG_0021 (1024x682) IMG_0019 (667x1024)I love the clock-like device below that shows the day of the month.Copy (2) of IMG_0021 (808x538)It was gratifying to be reminded of Rio’s opulent past and, even better, see signs that the preservation of these treasures is being taken seriously.IMG_0014 (1024x671)I shot a bit of video of the Teatro Municipal from the library steps that provides a little of the downtown Rio vibe.

Renato tells me that one of the major downtown streets will be closed and made into a pedestrian area. I can’t wait to see more of downtown Rio’s continued renaissance on our next visit.

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