Does PARKOUR sound familiar?

Parkour (abbreviated PK) is a training method which focuses on rational movement in both the natural and urban environments. The focus is to move around obstacles with speed and efficiency. Developed in France by David Belle, the main purpose of the discipline is to teach participants how to move through their environment by vaulting, rolling, running, climbing and jumping. Parkour practitioners are known as traceurs, with the feminine form being "traceuse". They train to be able to identify and utilize alternate, more efficient paths. Parkour can be practiced anywhere, but areas dense with obstacles offer many training opportunities.
 Two primary characteristics of parkour are efficiency and speed. Traceurs take the most direct path through an obstacle as rapidly as that route can be traversed safely. Developing one's level of spatial awareness is often used to aid development in these areas. Also, efficiency involves avoiding injuries, both short and long term.
 After the attention that parkour received following the 2006 film Casino Royale, military forces around the world began looking for ways to incorporate parkour into training.
São Paulo city, or Sampa, has its aficionados; take a tour in Brazil´s largest city with the eyes of  an experienced traceur:

SAMPARKOUR from Wiland Pinsdorf on Vimeo.

Have you heard of UAKTI?

Uakti (WAHK-chee) is a Brazilian instrumental musical group that is composed of Marco Antônio Guimarães, Artur Andrés Ribeiro, Paulo Sérgio Santos, and Décio Ramos. Uakti is known for using custom-made instruments, built by the group itself.
 The name of the group comes from a Tukano native South American legend. Uakti was a mythological being who lived on the banks of the Rio Negro. His body was full of holes, which, when the wind passed through them, produced sounds that bewitched the women of the tribe. The men hunted down Uakti and killed him. Palm trees sprouted up in the place where his body was buried, and the people used these to make flutes that made enchanting sounds like those produced by the body of Uakti.

Fine LACEWORK from Sergipe State

 The origins of lace-point go back as far as the 15th century in Italy. Irish missionaries brought this technique to Divina Pastora, a town in the state of Sergipe. There are two dozen stitches named after animals and plants which make part of the lacemakers´ day-to-day universe: the chiken foot, fishbone, spider, beehive and pineapple.

RENDA IRLANDESA

SERGIO DUMONT, fine Brazilian music

A small sample of his music:

Sergio Dumont and Jane Duboc:

Are you wild about emeralds?

They may not be a woman´s best friends, but they surely are glorious. Or you can have one as big as this on your shelf, for $1 million - just to show it off to your friends. And guess where it was found? In Brazil....

Brazil is one of the major countries that produce precious gems and minerals. For centuries, Brazil has been known for rich deposits of gold, diamonds, and other variety of gems including aquamarine, amethyst, chrysoberyl, citrine, emerald, opal, tourmaline, and topaz (especially imperial topaz).

Paraiba tourmaline (named after the state of Paraíba) is one of the most sought-after and most expensive gemstones in the world. Since its discovery, prices continue to climb, and have reached a surprisingly high level. Prices per carat for fine, large stones from Paraiba can reach an astounding five figures.