Overcoming Adversity - An Inspiration

During my travels near and far, I have experienced many religious sights, rituals as well as events. These places and events have intrigued me greatly. I have been impressed with the faith, devotion, and myriad efforts by man to spiritually elevate himself.

At times, like many other people, I have remarked as well as lamented about how much suffering and pain has been inflicted upon people in the name of religions. It is true but it is not the only thing that religions have provided people. Religions have provided people with a sense of meaning as well as direction to their life. Religious beliefs have inspired men and women to heroic levels of compassion, charity, and sacrifice for the benefit of fellow mankind. Religious beliefs have also motivated people to overcome adversities and inspired magnificent works of art in the celebration of one's faith.

One such example, that you most likely are unaware of is "The Little Cripple" Aleijadinho.

Antonio Francisco Lisboa, the mullato son of a Portuguese carpenter turned "architect" and his African slave, was born in 1738. Approximately 4,000,000 Africans had been imported to Brasil to support the cultivation of sugar cane and mining of precious minerals. Antonio's home town at the time was known as "Vila Rica" (Rich Town) in the Brasilian State of Minas Gerais for the wealth created from mining the gold deposits in the surrounding countryside. Today the city is known as "Ouro Preto" -"Black Gold".

It is believed that the young Antonio learned about architecture from his father and stone carving from the Brasilian sculptor Francisco Xavier de Bito. Even today the region around Ouro Preto is famous for soapstone carving though today the items are much more mundane and utilitarian - pizza stones, and cookware rather than baroque style sculptures of the 1700 and 1800's.


By the time he was a young man, he had developed a unique sculpture and painting style. His sculpture style was defined by strong expressive carving while his painting style utilized great contrasts and bold colors. He designed and constructed the Chapel of the Third Order of St Francis in Ouro Preto.

When he was young man, Antonio suffered the debilitating effects of a very serious disease thought to be either leprosy or syphilis. The disease progressed over time to the point where Antonio lost his fingers, toes, much skin, and eventually became blind. He became known as "O Aleijadinho" (The Little Cripple)

As his physical condition deteriorated, Aleijadinho became more reclusive. He worked at night to avoid being ogled by the local people. Legend has it that he was carried from his home to his workplace in a covered chair carried on the shoulders of four men. He suffered so greatly from his affliction that he is said to have removed some of his mangled useless fingers with a chisel that he was using to carve stone.


Aleijadinho's greatest body of work is at the Santuario de Bom Jesus de Matosinhos in Congonhas do Campo in Minas Gerais. In 1757 a local wealthy man had construction start on a grand church in thanks as well as commemoration of his recovery from a serious disease. Today the church remains a pilgrimage site. I visited the church during pilgrimage season. The event was another awe inspiring experience of faith and devotion emanating from the past and continuing on into the present day.


From 1800 to 1805, Aleijadinho carved the "12 Prophets" that stand on the terraced courtyard in front of the church. He carved with chisels and tools tied to the stumps at the end of his wrists. These statues are considered to be his masterpieces. Since he did not have feet any more, pads were strapped to his knees to assist him in climbing the ladders to be able to sculpt the 10 foot high statues.

Below the prophets are six chapels each containing scenes with life sized carved cedar Passion figures carved by Aleijadinho and his students.

Our visit to this was memorable - the sanctity of the church, the devotion of the pilgrims, the oppressive September heat of Minas Gerais, and most of the masterpieces born of the pain, suffering and genius of Aleijadinho.

To be honest there are some people who doubt the existence of Aleijadinho and consider him to be only a legend. Some research and books have been written laying out this possibility. Like almost all things religious and sometimes political a certain amount of faith is required. I believe. I believe that there was an Aleijadinho - "The Little Cripple" celebrated as Brasil's first great artist.

Allen's World is a better place with people like Aleijadinho having been in it and with his masterpieces remaining as part of it.

Additional photographs of this special place in Brasil can be viewed at:

http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Travel/Congonhas-do-Campo-Brasil/9757059_jsdoP/1/661026213_8FFUL

New Gallery Available to View - Foz do Igaucu

Over the past two days, I have continued to work on reviewing as well as editing scanned slides of the past 33 years.

I have created a new gallery at my photography website for a visit that I made in April 2001 to Foz do Iguacu. The following is a link to the gallery;

//http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Other/Brasil-Foz-do-Iguacu/9402662_vvHg4/1/630911715_9szt9

Foz do Igaucu is one of the natural wonders of the world. It is a series of spectacular waterfalls created by the Parana River in the Tri Border Region of Brasil, Argentina, and Paraguay. On July 13, 2009 I wrote a blog about the area.

Today I am writing about a portion of my first visit to the falls - "Moises Bertoni Museum".

As part of tour packages in the Foz do Igaucu area, you can book a tour of the "Moises Bertoni Museum". The tour involves a boat cruise on the Parana River to get to the museum which is located in Paraguay. The tour lasts approximately four hours with either a morning or afternoon departure.

We took the afternoon departure and enjoyed a very pleasant cruise along the river on a large double decked boat. There was a fairly large group of Brasilians on board celebrating something so besides the great scenery, we also had some quality "people watching" opportunities. Our fellow passengers were seasoned party people - they had brought aboard picnic jugs of cairpirinhas (a strong alcohol drink - the national drink of Brasil). They were having a good time and by the late afternoon they were having a great time.

After about a one and one-half hour voyage, we arrived at the location of the Museum Moises Bertoni. It seemed to me to be an island in the river but subsequent Internet research leads me to believe that it is actually a peninsula. The area is known as Porto Bertoni and is part of Paraguay.

The museum is the former home and research center for a Swiss immigrant named Moises Bertoni. He was a larger than life man in a time when many men and some women rose above their peers in their quest for adventure, knowledge, and pursuit of their ideals.

Moises Bertoni was born in Switzerland in 1857. He was very intelligent and ended up speaking several languages. By the time of his death he had published 362 books, speeches, articles, maps, booklets, and pamphlets regarding zoology, botany, and ethnology. He was knowledgeable in such diverse sciences as meteorology and anthropology.

In the late 19th century, he and 40 other people left Switzerland to look for a place that was "territory still virgin". Somewhat like some of the hippies of the late 1960's, he was seeking a place where he could apply and experiment with what he had learned of science, politics, sociology and Utopian lifestyles. By this time he had five children and believed that he could not continue his studies, research, and raise the family in the confines of Switzerland and Swiss society.

He left Switzerland and arrived in Argentina. He and his group were initially welcomed there. But as time went on, like most idealists, they wore out their welcome. Bertoni's ideals were in conflict with the ongoing exploitation and destruction of the land as well as people's in his area. His views invited persecution from powerful people. Despite these difficulties Bertoni continued to collect plants, animals, insects, and seeds. He was preparing to publish what he had found when his fifth child accidentally died. With this family tragedy in 1890, he decided to move to Paraguay. He settled in the jungle in the Yaguarazapa region. Some years later he moved once again to the area where the museum is located.

Alongside the Parana River he continued his studies of a wide ranging area of topics. He was greatly assisted in his work by the local indigenous people the Guarani. From them he learned about and was able to study many different types of plants and animals. He also studied the Guarani culture and society while raising his 13 children with his wife. Part of his research and work involved planting many rare plants around his home. The progeny of these plants thrive today around the museum. Some of his work involved researching malaria. Ironically Bertoni died in 1929 due to malaria - two weeks after his wife had died of the same disease.

After docking, we left the boat and hiked about one-half mile up a hill through the hot and humid jungle along a narrow muddy trail to get to the museum. Inside of the museum, which is his actual home and research center, we were able to see Bertoni's collections, books, furnishings, and scientific instruments. Outside, Mbaya people with their babies were selling handicrafts.

The Mbaya people are descended from the Guarani people and are well known now for their handicrafts - necklaces, baskets, and carvings. I ended up taking a couple of photographs of the Mbaya people but I was limited by the film that I had. Shooting in the jungle requires a higher speed film to keep exposure times reasonable to avoid blurring. Interestingly, I now look back at these photographs as the beginning of my focus on people rather landscapes and animals in my work.

New Gallery Available to View - Lapa, Brazil

Duang's brother is doing well in the Udonthani Public Hospital. He will be released on Friday after his stitches are removed. I am impressed with the success of his treatment. Just as in the delivery of Peelawat, it appears that although the Isaan medical facilities do not compare with USA hospitals, they are fit for purpose. It would make for an interesting discussion or debate regarding how much technology, staffing, modern facilities, etc are actually required to provide adequate medical services. It is a discussion and debate that I am not qualified to participate. I have only shared my observations and experiences related to medical services in Isaan.

Today we drove to the Mall in central Udonthani to take care of some banking, pay a bill, post some letters, and buy some razor blades. Duang also suggested that we have lunch at the Pizza Company. There is a desk at the Province Office inside the Mall where a postman is available to determine postage and mail letters and packages - very convenient with services available 7 days a week. At the Bank office in the Mall you can pay bills seven days a week as well as do your banking. I had two Thai checks to cash and found out that I could only deposit them to my account with the money being available in 7 days - not so convenient but not a problem - thankfully.

The remainder of the day was spent editing and reviewing scanned slides. Recently I recieved two DVDs of scans of approximately 2,000 35 mm slides from a 33 year span. I had boxed the slides and sent them to the San Francisco Bay Area where they were added to others and shipped to India for processing. From India the slides as well as the DVDs of electronic files of the scans were sent to my parents house (the company does not ship to overseas locations). My parents then shipped the DVDs to Thailand with them arriving a month later.

Over the course of time I will be adding selected photos to my website. I recently added new photos to my "China 2004" gallery and today I created a new gallery.

My new gallery is from the June 2001 celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi in Lapa, Parana Brazil. The following is a link to the gallery: http://www.hale-worldphotography.com/Other/Brasil-Lapa-Corpus-Christi/9388713_gsiqu/1/628777107_EpxjY

Foz do Iguacu

One of my favorite television shows back in 1966 was "Tarzan" on NBC starring Ron Ely. The show had a very impressive opening with Tarzan standing a rock outcropping before many spectacular waterfalls giving his Tarzan call. This was a truly inspiring opening to a show that often failed to meet even modest expectations. Perhaps it is only fitting that the opening was based upon a lie as well as ignorance of geography. The opening scenes of each show were filmed in Brasil and not Africa.

Tarzan in the Edgar Rice Burrough's novels as well as films of the late 1930's and 40's lived in Africa and not South America although I distinctly remember a movie where he did visit New York City - which some people refer to as a concrete jungle.

Ignoring history as well as geography, the opening scenes were filmed at Foz do Iguacu or Catarates de Iguassu at the conjunction of Brasil, Argentina and Paraguay. The raw majesty and beauty of this natural wonder of the world was too great for the director to ignore.

Foz do Iguacu is the world's largest waterfall. Various sources list the number of individual waterfalls located there as ranging from 234 to 275. I have been fortunate to have visited the falls on two separate occasions while I was working in Araucaria, Brasil. The exact and specific number of waterfalls depends upon the season as well as rainfall conditions for the year. I visited in April and later in the year returned in order to photograph the falls under a full moon. I have been fortunate so far in my life to have had the resources as well as determination to fulfil my whimsies. Although my attempt to photograph the falls under the full moon was not successful, walking out and along the falls under the guard of Park Rangers was memorable and worth the trip. Just as I had returned to Machu Picchu a second time to take some missed shots from my first trip but with a new camera, I returned home fully satisfied.

Foz Iguacu is a unique location. The mists generated by the waterfalls creates a rain forest micro climate that is home to many exotic flora and fauna. The falls are surrounded by lands reserved as a national park. The highest fall is called "Garganta do Diablo" (The Devil's Throat). The Devil's Throat is 1-1/2 times higher than Niagara Falls. Speedy tour boats take people to the base of the falls. The power of the falls experienced up close is thrilling - the roar of thousands and thousands gallons of water plummeting 266 feet to your location on the river is memorable. Hundreds of sparrow type birds live in cracks, alcoves, and recesses on the rocky cliff behind the falls.

After initially being introduced to this natural marvel through the magic of television, it was a treat to actually visit the falls and totally experience the location.

Carnaval - Oh to be back in Rio!

We just got back from a four hour expedition, second time around, to change the last name on Duang's insurance policy. Sometimes things just take longer than you expect or should take. I guess part of the problem is that there is only one computer terminal for the 5 people administering the policies in the upstairs office. Once you have done your or their thing upstairs, you have to go downstairs and wait to deal with an entirely different group. I waited outside because there were so many people. But in the end our mission was accomplished.

The weather here is getting warmer and the humidity is increasing. In the afternoon the conditions are building up towards the daily thunderstorms that we typically have in April to September. With the time I had waiting at the insurance office, and the changing weather conditions, my thoughts returned to my first stay in Brasil - the time I attended Carnaval in Rio.

This year Carnaval is February 16 to the 23. Sunday and Monday nights are the big Samba Parades at the Sambodromo. The Samba Parades are a combination of the Rose Bowl parade and Super Bowl festivities rolled up into one with the addition of the Brasilian joie de vie. Sorry I meant to write "alegria da vida" - Brasilians speak Portugues not French.

My friend and I flew to Rio de Janeiro to attend Carnaval. We discussed what we wanted to do while in Rio and he had his friend, a travel agent, make the arrangements.

Our celebration of Carnaval actually got started Thursday night in Curitiba where we were living and working. We went to our favorite place for drinks, dancing, and karaoke. With this being Brasil, the party didn't really get started until 10:00 PM. But there is no problem - the party does not end until 7:00 in the morning! Many was the night that we partied until 6:00 AM, stopped at a sidewalk cafe for breakfast, and then returned home. However because we had a 9:00 AM flight to Rio on Friday, we left our favorite or rather infamous haunt at 4:00 AM.

We stayed at a beach front suite at the Le Meridien Copacabana, now the Iberostar Copacabana. It was great - first class accommodations. But with a slight problem - there was only a king sized bed in the suite. Unlike a vast majority of the other men traveling together in Rio for Carnaval, we were not going to be sleeping together - no matter how big the bed was! No problem, we decided to take turns as to which one of us slept in the bed while the other one slept on the floor. The first night - I had the bed.

We took a taxi from the airport to Copacabana Beach where the hotel was located. From the cab driver we got our first bit of excitement regarding the festival. He filled us in on the latest gossip and rumors involving the upcoming samba competition.

We spent the remainder of the day on an arranged tour of the city hitting all the highlights of Rio. It was our first time in the city and even though the weather wasn't great, it was very entertaining. My friend and I are both into photography. We took the cog train up to and down from Corcovado & Christo Redentor (Christ the Redeemer). To ensure maximum photographic coverage for this unknown journey we agreed to split up and sit at window seats on opposite sides of the car. The cog train had wide wooden benches that sat three people across with two benches facing each other in a series along each side of the car. Our tour group as well as the other passengers on the cog train were predominately gay. There was a hetrosexual young couple in our group that stood out. They stood out for reasons more obvious than that they were a mixed couple.

They were a young couple in their early twenties most likely not married from New York City or New Jersey. The man was very attentive and falling all over himself in attempts to appease, please, humor, and satisfy his girl friend. She seemed be overwhelmed, afraid and upset regarding just about all aspects of the trip. She was what we refer to as a "High Maintenance Model". My friend and I took an instant aversion to the couple and took our chances socializing with the "other" members of our tour group. Some of the "other" members were very open and amusing to the point of being very entertaining. One person in particular was also pyrotechnic - he was flaming!

Anyhow on the way down the mountain this person and his "mates" (not in the Australian or New Zealand sense of the word) ended up in the seats in section where I was sitting alone. They started talking and in general being friendly. He ended up saying "Look at that b***h, can you believe anyone wanting her?" Not wanting to appear rude I said "I can't believe that she is worth the effort, the way she acts." He then adds "Yeah and her hair, the clothes she wears" As I am nodding my head in agreement, he continues with "and those muscles" Shocked I inquired if he was talking about a boy or girl. The woman that I was looking at did not have any muscles or at least any visible muscles worth mentioning. He clarified and pointed out to me in the booth in front of hers a young "beach boy" - all prim and prissy. I didn't say a thing to him from that point on. But I was laughing inside.

Leaving our afternoon adventures behind us, my friend and I continued with the evening part of our organized tour. Our afternoon compatriots, well actually only mine since they were from the USA and my friend is from New Zealand, had other plans which they had alluded to upon departing the tour bus. Something about party, we were all invited, Room 902, toys and having batteries. Too much info - Thank God, not any more details.

The evening tour consisted of dinner and drinks at a restaurant - a churrascaria. Churrascarias are Brasilian BBQ restaurants with all you can eat meats, salads, and side dishes. Great places! Tremendous values. Ice cold beers. Who could want anything more?

From the restaurant the tour went to the most popular samba nightclub - "Plataforma". Somehow and some way we ended up in the front row. We drank our caipirinhas and thoroughly enjoyed the show. We were having such a good time that we were not even embarrassed when the mulata topless dancers pulled us on the floor to dance with them. It's true and we have the souvenir photo-plates to prove it.

The first night of of the samba parade was Sunday. On that night, 6 or was it 7 of the top escholas da samba compete. The competition is held at the sambodromo a tiered concrete street structure designed for samba parades. The year that we went the first school marched starting at 7:30 PM. Each of the groups had 85 minutes to complete their parade or points would be deleted from their score. Prior to the start of each group there was a 7 minute long fireworks display to announce their start.

After the fireworks, a man, the puxador, would commence singing the song created for the group specifically for this year's competition. Points are awarded for the song as well as performance of the song. Songs are released in November. By the time of Carnaval in February or March, it seems everyone knows the words to the songs and is fully prepared to sing them at the competition.

The puxador starts out alone singing in almost a lament. He is then joined by a single stringed guitar type instrument that starts building the rhythm. They are quickly joined by other singers and stringed instruments followed by an explosion of the batteria - 200 to 400 drummers. It is absolutely awesome!

Prior to the start of the school's parade their followers had passed through the stands giving people plastic flags of their school's colors and emblem. The audience waves them like fanatics along with singing of the song. They also break out into dancing in the stands. Everyone is out for a good time and determined to enjoy themselves - all night long.

The drumming, music, and singing of the school's song continue over and over for the 85 minutes. It becomes hypnotic and maintains the frenzy for the full length of the allotted time for the parade.

Each escola da samba procession is comprised of the following elements:

Abre Alas - opening wing - the name of the school, the school's theme for this year's carnaval, a truck or float with the puxador and other singers and musicians.

Commissao de Frente - these are the senior citizens of the school. The school is honoring the contributions over the years of its senior members.

Carros Allegoricos - the huge mechanized floats that represent or interpret the theme of the school. These are on a par if not superior to the Rose Bowl parade floats in the USA. They are not possibly superior just because they have semi-nude beautiful women atop them. These floats are large, exotic, sophisticated, and complicated mechanical works of art.

Children's Wing - groups of children in extravagant costumes dancing in unison along the route.

Batteria - 200-400 drummers pounding out a frenzied samba beat. This group is lead by the Raina da Batteria (Queen of the Drummers). She is typically the schools leading lady - the most sexy and beautiful female representative of the escola. The rainha da batteria is the physical representation of the neighborhood's vitality and pride. She is honored and respected throughout the year. Some rainhas have represented their school for 15 years and they are only 32 years old! One rainha, my secret love (Luma), was married to the richest man in Brasil.

Photographs of her "sem calcinhas" (without panties) ala Mrs. Pierre Trudeau (former PM of Canada) during an interview with a newspaper reporter were published in national newspapers. She was upset and said that she would no longer give interviews. The papers said that they would no longer write about her or put her picture in the paper. Her picture and stories about here were rampant in the press. Even in Brasil it is true - any publicity is good publicity. I tried to send word back to here through some Cariocas (residents of Rio) that although I was not the richest man in Brasil or the USA, I could afford and I would buy her panties. I never heard back and have since moved on with my life.

Another wing of the parade is the celebrities. Each school strives to enhance their status by recruiting celebrities to march or dance in their parade. The year we went, super model, Naomi Campbell danced for one of the schools. She was not the best looking woman or dancer of that school - believe it or not! Trust me - I was there.

My next to favorite wing after the batteria is the mestre-sala and porta-bandeira. The mestre-sala is the dance master and he escorts the woman (porta-bandeira) carrying the school's flag. They are very elaborately dressed - sort of like out of a King's court. He looks like a footman from King Louis XIV's court (I know Louis XIV "The Sun King" is a French King and Brasil was a Portuguese colony but I don't know a comparable Portuguese King, am too lazy to look one up, and you most likely wouldn't have an image anyhow). The mestre-sala prances and bows to the crowd as he introduces and presents the porta-bandeira. She resembles a Brasilian interpretation of Marie Antoinette as she twirls and swirls around in a huge hooped skirt elegantly waving the escola flag. The crowd goes crazy over the pair. The flag and the duo represent the pride and dignity of the neighborhood. The inhabitants of the neighborhoods are poor people with limited opportunities. The carnaval is a chance for their neighborhood to earn respect and admiration from all of society.

Alas Baianas - These are women wearing elegant hoop skirts and typically turbans on their heads reminiscent of Aunt Jemima on the pancake mix box. This group honors the origins in the state of Bahia for Brasil's Carnaval. They do not samba - they spin and twirl along the route.

After a school has completed their parade, municipal workers in orange jump suits, sweep up the street to prepare for the next escola. This is Brasil. This is Carnaval. To write that they "sweep" up the litter from the street does not come anywhere near accurate to describe their performance. They dance. They gracefully sweep. They glide effortlessly. They catch debris thrown from the stands. They perform. They bow to the ovations that they get from the appreciative spectators.

The parades started at 7:30 PM, we left after the last escola completed their parade - around 8:00 AM - the next morning. After breakfast we slept to around 2:00 PM made arrangements to attend the second night of parades and did it all over again!

We vowed to return some day with our wives. We have yet to do it.

Oh to be back in Rio at Carnaval!



Maybe next year.

Farroupilha Week

The southern Brasilian state of Rio Grande do Sul is an area of rich heritage and an extremely proud people. It is bordered on the south by Uruguay and on the west by Argentina.

Rio Grande do Sul is a state of many surprises. The first is that it is home to many blond Brasilians. In fact, 82.3% of the inhabitants are white and 5.9% are black. Rio Grande do Sul is home to supermodels such as Gisele Bundchen, Fernanda Lima, Caroline Trentini, Ana Hickman, and Jeisa Chiminazzo to name just a few.

It is in Rio Grande do Sul that Brasil gets snow fall. The interior of the state has mountains and gets cold enough to have snow sometimes.

Brasil's vineyards are located in the upper elevations of Rio Grande do Sul. Not surprisingly the higher elevations have many people descended from Italian or German immigrants.

The settlers of early Rio Grande do Sul were "gaucha" - the Brasilian equivalent of the American cowboy or the "gaucho" of Argentina. To this day cattle production and exports is a large part of the Rio Grande do Sul economy.

Like American cowboys, the gaucha were fiercely independent and free thinkers. After the Brasilian national government placed a heavy tax on a type of dry beef produced in Rio Grande do Sul but not on the same product imported from Argentina or Uruguay, the gaucha rebelled in 1835. The gaucha were poor people of the land and often their clothing was ragged and torn. Their rebellion was referred to as "Farrapos War" or "Ragged War" - a populous uprising, another case of peasants against the establishment with the outcome that most populous rebellions have - defeat. The war against the central government lasted until 1845. The war ended when the gaucha capital of Porto Alegre was captured on 20 September 1845.

To commemorate the rebellion, culture, and traditions of the gaucha, a large celebration is held every September in Porto Allegre. For 20 days around 700 people set up and camp at the Harmony Park to enact the gaucha rebellion. The highlight of the event is the week ending on 20 September and is referred to as "Semana da Farroupilha"

In 2005, while on assignment in Porto Alegre, I attended the festivities - I even have the tee shirt.

There are many civic groups or social groups dedicated to preserving and teaching the gaucha culture. These groups are known as CTGs (Center Gaucha Traditions). During September and specifically during Farroupilha Week they reenact the 1840's gaucha life - very much like American Civil War reenactments.

Each group has a small wood building and fenced off area for their members. The building is where they sing, dance, play music, drink, eat, and cook as if it were 1845. A few of their horses are kept near the building with the remainder kept in the common stockyard. All the club members are dressed in period costume. Large wood fires are kept outside of the buildings for roasting beef and pick - gaucha style. Gaucha style involves placing the large pieces of meat on either wood or metal skewers that are driven into the ground around the hot coals of the wood fire. The meat is slowly roasted for hours and is absolutely delicious. There are not BBQ sauces or seasoning other than salt applied to the thick cuts of meat. After the meat is cooked it is brought inside the building to large tables wear it is cut into serving portions using large butcher knives - knives that all self-respecting gaucha carry.


The Park is filled with the club members as well as visitors to the festival. In addition to the encampments there are booths selling gaucha products, foods, music, clothing, literature, and souvenirs. Since September is a wet month, the park also becomes a quagmire but that only adds to the uniqueness of this festival.

The club members are very friendly. They enjoy having their photograph taken and often invite you to enter their compound to better photograph the festivities and partake in the celebration.
I stopped at one compound and hung around the perimeter split wood fence taking pictures of the roasting meat. A man noticed me and invited me in for a closer look. I entered and took some shots of the meat spits. I was then invited inside of their building.

Inside a gaucha band was playing music, people were dancing, people were socializing, and just about everyone was drinking. Some people were drinking "chimarrao" - a tea type drink similar to mate made out of shredded holly type leaves. Drinking chimarrao is the state pastime in Rio Grande do Sul. Everywhere you will see people sitting around holding a wooden gourd shaped vessel with a thick layer of shredded leaves floating atop very hot water. The tea is sipped from the bottom of the wood vessel through a specialized metal straw. These rigs are readily available through out the state. Some of the straws are intricate works of art with ornate carving or made out of silver.

I spied a typical looking young woman drinking her chimarrao while leaning against the wall and photographed her. I was then given a beer and plate of food - no payment expected or accepted.

After awhile there was a big commotion in the room. There was a man walking around and people were tripping over themselves to pay their respects to this elderly man. I asked around and found out that he was the former governor of the state and a very high official in the current national ruling party. He was a true politician leaving no baby unkissed or hand unshaken - including mine.

Again the hospitality of a people proud of their identity and traditions.

In addition to the celebrations at Harmony Park there is a huge parade through the city. It was an enjoyable experience.

Many reasons to go back to a special place and people.