If you have stereotypes of Brazil in your mind then disregard them and click on this link about the superb city of Curitiba. It’s a pretty remarkable place, and reminds me in some ways of Melbourne mixed with bits of London and Lisbon.
Yesterday I was busy checking out some interesting places here. In the morning I cycled across the city to visit the International School of Curitiba where I spoke to two classes of pupils about my #SambaCycle, and then we recorded a video to say hi to the Sharjah English School who’ve been following my journey via this blog during their weekly assemblies!
Then I cycled back to Joao’s house (my latest couchsurfing host – I’ve been really well looked after here, huge thanks to the Maciel family!) where a fantastic lunch was served:
Next we drove to see the Arena da Baixada which will hopefully be a World Cup stadium but due to construction delays this could be under threat! They’re making progress, however, from what I saw on my walk around the outside of the stadium they still have a LOT to do:
At least the pitch is laid now
Even outside the stadium nothing’s finished
Atletico Paranaense (local team who own the stadium) gave me a t-shirt and brochure
Spot the pine tree – these are protected so this can’t be cut down without paying a huge fine!
BTW here’s another interesting stadium in Curitiba.
We then went for an ice-cream and I bought a new phone to replace my broken one, so for anyone here that needs it my Brazilian number is: 48 9687 4057.
In the late afternoon I was back on the bike to go and visit Casa da Videira which is, to put it very simply, an urban farm, or (taken from their website using Google Translate): “a collective of families who decided to turn their homes and their lifes into a flourishing space of balanced, relational and inspiring life, for the people all around us, working with security, waste management, organic products, video production, alternative transportation and fair trade.” I was invited here by Ricardo who works at the International School – he and his girlfriend volunteer here, and they kindly showed me around:
Rabbits – the hutches kept sanitary using waste wood chippings and coffee grinds from local businesses
Tomatoes – grown using seeds of nearly extinct vatieties
Goats – for milk
Soap – made from leftover cooking oil
With Ricardo and house owner Eduardo
Today I begin the next cycling stage to Sao Paulo and Santos.
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