LOVE BEING OUTDOORSY?

Imagine visiting indigenous reservations, going on ecology-themed hikes, enjoying a trike flight over the city of Porto Velho, over the waterfalls of Teotônio and Santo Antônio, seeing the Madeira-Mamore railway station amidst the jungle, the Cathedral, and the Samuel Hydroelectric Power Plant, and eventually coming across a large snake.

Porto Velho (Old Port) is the capital of the Brazilian state of Rondonia, in the upper Amazon River basin. The population is 426,558 people (according to the 2010 census). Located on the border of Rondônia and the state of Amazonas, the town is an important trading center for cassiterite, the mining of which represents the most important economic activity in the region, as well as a transportation and communication center. It is located on the eastern shore of the Madeira River, one of the main tributaries of the Amazon River. It is also Rondonia's largest city, and the largest state capital of Brazil (by area).

Shoals of fish going upstream during spawning

Inner view of capital´s cathedral

 
 
 

Santo Antonio´s hydroelectric plant

 

Archeological findings near the capital

 



Suruí, Gavião e Uru-eu-wau-wau

Surui, Gavião and Uru-eu-wau-wau tribes

Uru-eu-wau-wau

 Indigenous People of Rondônia:
 Aikanã, Ajuru, Amondawa, Arara, Arikapu, Ariken, Aruá, Cinta Larga, Gavião, Jabuti, Kanoê, Karipuna, Karitiana, Kaxarari, Koiaiá, Kujubim, Makuráp, Mekén, Mutum, Nambikwara, Pakaanova, Paumelenho, Sakurabiat, Suruí, Tupari, Uru Eu Wau Wau, Urubu, Urupá
 
AERIAL PHOTOS

Source: Wikipédia

Photo by Agencia Brasil

HIS TATTOOS TOTALLY RAISE THE BAR

Meet Victor Montaghini´s work. He is a Brazilian illustrator who has excelled in contemporary tattoos. The artist has his own style, mixing sketches, watercolors, pointillism and new school. His clients are mostly advertisers , art directors , artists or people somehow connected to art. And the waiting line may take years.



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WANT SOME MORE?

THAT FROZEN MOMENT IN FABULOUS PHOTOGRAPHY

Sebastião Salgado is the Brazilian photographer whose nightmarish pictures of teeming, dirt-swamped gold miners electrified the world's media in the mid-1980s. Now 70, Salgado has had his life story told by the joint force of his own son Juliano and Wim Wenders, and it's a story that has turned out to have its own uplifting dynamic and character arc. 

For the last 40 years, the photographer has been travelling through the continents, from gold mines, through the Sahel and the Gulf war oil fires, and into the death-frenzy of mid-90s Rwanda in the footsteps of an ever-changing humanity. He has witnessed some of the major events of our recent history; international conflicts, starvation and exodus. He is now embarking on the discovery of pristine territories, of wild fauna and flora, and of grandiose landscapes as part of a huge photographic project which is a tribute to the planet's beauty.

Last Friday, Feb 20., the documentary directed by German Wim Wenders and Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, son of the photographer, won the best documentary of Caesar based on the work of Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado.

EXCERPTS TAKEN FROM VARIETY, THE GUARDIAN

WHAT´S ALL THIS ABOUT THE CARNIVAL IN RIO ANYWAY?

There´s more to it than a simple parade. The highlight of Rio Carnival is undoubtedly the Rio Carnival Parade called theSamba Parade or Samba Schools Parade, a totally unique event in the world!

The Samba Parade in Rio de Janeiro is something everybody should experience at least once in their lives. The event is broadcast live to several countries. Watching on TV is comfortable but not any close to the fun that is being there. Definitely mingle with the crowds and watch the Brazilians and Cariocas (the people of Rio). For the best and full blown experience, you can even march with a samba school.

The Rio Samba Parade is very distinct from all other street parades held at some other places in the world. The Carnival parades in Rio developed into something special, a competition between the samba schools. The preparation for the Samba Parade starts months in advance, as each samba school mobilizes thousands of supporters who will create the various parts of the school's display. 

First, the theme of the year is chosen. Then the school's samba song of the year is selected through competition, while the school's Carnival Designer creates the costumes and the floats. When ready, the sketches move into production. By December the rehearsals begin. In time for Christmas, the schools' annual samba songs are recorded and released to the record shops.

The Rio Samba Parade is not a street event where people move chaotically about as they like, but more of a highly orchestrated show of vast proportions. Every parader has a specific role and place according to his costume in a particular wing, of a particular section of the samba school he/she is parading in support of.

Each year the schools chooses a different theme for the Samba Parade. It can be a celebration of a particular period, or, famous figures of Brazilian history. It may highlight a special event or speak of anything that might move the spirit and imagination; like a special animal, or one of the elements; water or fire, etc. The school has to illustrate the chosen theme through all its work:
the samba tunes, which are especially written for that year; the richly decorated floats and costumes of their 3,000 to 5,000 parading members designed by the school's Carnival Designer (the so calledCarnavalesco).Every school's parade is highly organized and designed. They line up in a unique way to present their pageant. The schools are divided into a number of sections and each section has a number of wings of about 100 people wearing the same costume. 

In between the wings, there are about 8 Carnival floats, separating the sections and illustrating the school's theme. 

Most of them are pushed along by men from the School's community but some are motorized and have mechanical parts. The floats carry special guests along with some young and mesmerizing samba dancers in very elaborate, awe-inspiring costume creations.

The costumes are extremely imaginative, colorful, elaborate and detailed. They are truly original, designed and made from scratch each year. They have mirrors, feathers, metallic cloth, silk and sometimes gems or coins. These costumes take months to make. The work starts roughly 8 months in advance.


Each samba school has its own distinctive colors (of its flag) and costume style. The color scheme is reflected in many parts of their parade.
The biggest and most elaborate costumes are worn by the main floatees (destaques), members chosen with honor by the samba schools to wear these special costumes.


You may think of the whole event as a tropical opera or rather like several operas happening on one night. It is beautiful to watch and the experience for the paraders themselves is so intense that the memories last for a lifetime.

EXCERPTS TAKEN FROM: RIO SERVICES CARNIVAL

WANT TO FEEL THE BEAT?

IN THE WAKE OF THE WORLD CUP

Can you fathom a people-powered football field? This is what happened when Pavegen Systems - Green Energy from Footsteps installed 200 tiles into a local football pitch in Morro da Mineira, a favela which has not benefitted from tourism and private enterprise development in Rio de Janeiro.

Pavegen tiles work day and night alongside solar panels to power the lights for up to 10 hours on a full battery, creating the world’s first ever people-powered football pitch. The pitch was officially opened by international football legend Pelé. This first-of-a-kind energy solution as a source of global inspiration, empowering action through sport as well as providing a tangible off-grid power supply that benefits a whole community. Now how cool is that?

SOURCE: Avantgardens

WAY COOL VIEWS FROM A HOT AIR BALLOON

According to Lupércio Lima, the best Brazilian ranked in the International Aviation Federation, placed third in the World Hot Air Balloon Championship, Boituva (SP) is the best destination for beginners.

Pirenópolis, in Goiás, suits better advanced balloonists.

BEGINNER

Boituva (Sao Paulo)

Brazilian ballooning HQ has a good number of instructors and balloons available, constant winds - despite being a flat ground - and many landing areas.

To help you engage in the sport, the town of Rio Claro (100 km away from Boituva) hosts several ballooning events and championships.

BEST TIME dry season (from April to October), but it can be practised all year-round

FROM US$ 120 per person

WHO TAKES YOU Chico do Balão: (+55 15) 98134-4365; Aeromagic: (+55 11) 2684-1206; Escola Brasileira de Balonismo: (+55 11) 2894-5380

PACKAGE two nights US$ 407; includes breakfast, ballooning and tandem skydiving. Meu Mundo Viagens: (+55 11) 5041-3962.

ADVANCED

Pirenópolis (Goiás)

The city's flat ground is surrounded by the Pirineus Hills that provides good wind conditions with large variations.

It increases steer ability and gives the pilot better conditions to manoeuvre. It also provides a good number of landing areas. The flights can go as far as Brasilia and Chapada dos Veadeiros

BEST TIME all year-round

FROM US$ 200 per person

WHO TAKES YOU BlueSky: (+55 62) 3142-9040

PACKAGE two nights in a double room during the weekend at Suprema B&B US$ 140. Breakfast included. Reservations: (+55 62) 3331-3360; POUSADA SUPREMA

Excerpts by GUSTAVO SIMON from FOLHA DE SAO PAULO

SOME INFO ON BALLOONING (in Portuguese)

THIS CAVE DIVING WILL TOTALLY WOW YOU!

Photo by Marcio Cabral

Anhumas Abyss is a cave 23km far from the city of Bonito in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil. Access is made by a gap that exists in the rock by means of vertical rappelling techniques. To the base of the cave there is a 72-meter drop, until the deck by the lake of clear water.  Depth can reach 80m. During some days of the year the sun passes through the small opening of the cave, producing a light beam that illuminates the cave for a few hours.

All details and photos to this adventure  can be found here (in Portuguese).

Do you know the difference between cave and cavern diving? Check it out here.